Model Railroad Operations: Exploring HO Scale Yard Design - 6 Design Elements

[@DrGerryD]

Keep up the good work! I will be starting on my second layout this year, the first was dismantled in 1979 due to a move. It is not planed to be as big as yours seemingly is, but that's the beauty of model railroading, we build what we can. You took it a step further in telling or "teaching" with a show and tell. Keep up the good work.

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@DrGerryD Happy New Year and thank you! 1979-2025 is a long time between layouts. I bet you're excited to get started again! The smaller space means you can afford the time to put in detail that may get omitted on larger layouts.

[@derekalexander4030]

Thank you for sharing the tips on yards. There is never enough info on yards and yours was spot on with the track there to look at as you explained it.

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@derekalexander4030 Glad you found this helpful!

[@Mason-DixonRR]

I enjoy layout design and your take on the elements of a functional yard.

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@Mason-DixonRR Thanks! Yeah, my take is just that. Your mileage may vary. We'll see how this yard works once we get it up and running for real! I'm excited to see it work!

[@Ken-Kaef]

I saw this on the NMRA turntable. Think i will subscribe 😃 Cheers Ken

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@Ken-Kaef Hey Ken! Looked at your profile... I'm an NMRA member too, but I have no idea how I got on the NMRA Turntable. Will have to go look for that. This layout will definitely be operations minded, so I'll probably be on and off the OPSIG radar over time. Thanks for watching!

[@Ken-Kaef]

@@blackhillsandeasternrailroad Thanks for replying. I think that someone on the NMRA's committee must choose at random You-tubes that would be interesting or entertaining for members, or educational, as yours is, and put them in the "NMRA Turntable" Cheers Ken

[@johnbutler8388]

Thank you for your video. That was nice, appreciate it. Thank you for your time

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@johnbutler8388 Glad you enjoyed, sir! Thanks for watching!

[@johnbanicki7232]

Great tips. Getting ready to redesign layout and this will definitely come in handy. Thanks for sharing.

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@johnbanicki7232 Glad to be of use! Good luck on your redesign! Have fun!

[@gp3829]

Hi, it's nice to see your Layout and thank you for posting. For Industries close to the Yard of my Free-lanced Shortline, I have my Team Track. There is a longish Spur for on/off-loading Centrebeams and Hoppers. An adjacent Spur has a large Loading-dock, made-up from multiple Pikestuff HO kits, with a short Spur used for End-loading (albeit not used much these days) This short Spur has an Overhead A-Frame Crane for on/off loading from Flat-cars to Flat-bed Trucks. There is a Pikestuff Engine House, which is an Office and stores two Forklifts, one large (for the Centrebeams) and one Boxcar size. My Railroad Co. offers extensive use of these facilities to the Local Industries in the Area, including an hourly hire rate for the Forklift(s) and an Operator. All this means that within the range of Wagons listed, I can Switch whatever Industries I can invent. I hope this is of interest to you.

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@gp3829 This is certainly of value! We have an IRL shortline in my area that is doing just what you're talking about. BNSF also used to have a team track a stone's throw from the GN depot downtown. Thanks for Watching and commenting!

[@DruSteel69]

Very nice update. The yard looks good. Nice video over all. 😎👍🏼

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@DruSteel69 Glad you liked it. Yard is far from done, but I'm wanting to work on other parts of the layout before coming back and ballasting and tamping some of those rails down into the weeds!

[@KraigSickels]

Excellent tips ….. !!! I have built 2 small yards on my layout on the lower deck because of preexisting trackwork !!! If I can give advice to people about layout design, don’t start with a town on your layout….. start your layout trackwork from a yard !!! Then work your way outwards !!!!

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@KraigSickels Thank you sir! Every person's situation is going to be different. I'm very lucky to have this space for a yard, but other people's yards will be two staging tracks with a capacity of a handful of cars!

[@Vman7757]

Thanks. I'm going to be building my Yard soon. Timely information.

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@Vman7757 Good luck with that build and have fun doing it!!!

[@atsfandy]

Great tips and thank you for posting this video

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@atsfandy Glad you found this helpful!

[@funnelfan]

I agree with the points you made. The only thing I would change is to leave more space next to the yard ladders and move that caboose and locomotive tracks about 1" further away. You want to be able to more easily see that turnouts are lined correctly and also to correct any derailments or other issues. Having occupied track next to the yard ladder makes it more difficult. I also like having the uncoupler magnets on the yard tracks for a mostly hands free switching session.

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@funnelfan By that same logic, same would apply to the engine track on the other end of the layout. Won't be occupied as frequently as the caboose track, but your point still applies. As with nearly all layouts, space is at a premium. At the least, I plan to provide superior lighting from decks (to be constructed) above. If I don't move these tracks, at least my crews will have good light to work in! Thanks for watching!

[@HartfordWhaler]

Great video. Thanks!

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@HartfordWhaler Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching!

[@conrailfan6277]

Very cool video, I'm just starting the design stage for an N-Scale 15x10 basement layout, I'm modeling Conrail in 1985 so I can run cabooses too!! 😁😁😁

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@conrailfan6277 Awesome! Planning is a very fun stage to be in! That is a very nice size for an N scale layout! What is the locale that you plan to depict on your Conrail layout? Isn't 85 about the time that Conrail really started to get it together and make some money? Very exciting times!

[@conrailfan6277]

@blackhillsandeasternrailroad I'm going to model Anderson yards in Anderson Indiana, part of the Big 4 North/South line towards Elkhart yards which will be staging, and South toward Avon yards in Avon Indiana which will be staging also, I have room in one corner of the basement for a helix so I can run a second deck!! Being a Trucker for the last 20 years I've kept a journal of some of the places I've delivered to and track arrangements if they had railroad deliveries, I have a few in mind so I'm going to use a modelers license to use them on my layout!!! 😁😁😁😁😁😁😁

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@conrailfan6277 Awesome! That's a cool way of looking at the business! I'll be expecting an invitation to your first operating session, once you get that far! :-) We're no strangers to operating in N scale!

[@conrailfan6277]

@blackhillsandeasternrailroad I've been collecting a roster of Locomotives, track and freight cars, I just received a few sets of Conrail OCS decals for an Executive Train, The Great Train Show will be back at the Indianapolis Fair Grounds shortly and I'll pick up some more cars and Engines, sadly there's not much for Conrail so I'm going to have to paint and decal most of the Locomotive Fleet and Cabooses, I'll use the same process I used with my HO fleet and paint and decal several at a time plus Conrail also had cab signal boxes that I'll need to figure out!!!

[@jasonweir6345]

I know a lot of guys push the track code issue. If you're going for ultra realistic and detailed track, you can't go wrong with the smaller codes. Myself, my entire layout is code 100 Atlas with Peco, mainly medium and small radius turnouts. I've belonged to a few clubs that were all code 100 as well and once its paint, ballasted and sceniced.. the code doesn't stand out. I'm more about presenting a reasonable looking model railroad but more into operations so track code is not high on the list. You're doing a great job. Keep it up

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@jasonweir6345 I'm glad you mentioned the rail code issue. Code100 is plentiful and cheap in my area. Since most of the area I have built out now is staging (except for this Sioux City yard), I'm fine with using it. Plan to bury the classification tracks in the dirt anyway... Close-up shots by the camera will notice the height of the rail, but most people won't care. I plan on using Atlas code 83 on the main and upper levels.

[@cdjhyoung]

Nice over view. I would suggest that as far as the arrival/departure tracks, use #3 track as a passing track instead of another A/V track. It will let mainline traffic in this area move more smoothly.

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@cdjhyoung This is a good thought. We might use track #1 on occasion for that purpose. On my layout, there won't be that many through trains in Sioux City. However, the odd coal train bound for parts north may need to get around another guy back there. That will have to be a detail to shake out in the first operating sessions. Seems like light years away, but looking forward to them in any case!

[@cdjhyoung]

@@blackhillsandeasternrailroad Staging wasn't in the discussion in this video, but you may find that a passing siding, or double track just at the out feed of staging will make it work much better. It is always useful to be able to hold a train in the clear outside of staging so you can launch a train in the opposite direction.

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@@cdjhyoungTrue, especially when space in staging is limited.

[@Wolfe351]

Interesting stuff! My current layout (underconstruction see my channel LOL) is modular (I am renting so it needs to be movable if I have to find new digs!) I have a updated plan for if I get a bigger shed, extending the main yard with another pair of module's which would give longer sidings like yours and some more loco storage sidings or industry tracks. The layout has 2.4 to 2.7% grades and I'd have to add another pair of modules to balance out the yard modules which would give more scenic running.

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@Wolfe351 2.7% is a pretty stiff grade! Modules are a great idea for a renter, or anyone for that matter. In my situation, they don't make as much sense. But if I had more space, I might be tempted to do NMRA standard modules on one level. Thanks for watching!

[@TouchoftheBrushModelWeathering]

Awesome video on your yard! What is the length and width?

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@TouchoftheBrushModelWeathering Glad you liked it! The yard is approximately 25' long by 24" deep. The AD tracks are situated at the bottom of a bowl created by track leads that will eventually service the main and upper decks. So that compressed the track plan a bit.

[@BertJarrell-hw1xg]

While turntables do take up real estate, they are usually needed if steam locomotives are in use, since those locomotives don't operate equally well in either direction. (They could be turned on a wye, but that also requires space.)

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@BertJarrell-hw1xg A balloon track would work too. I have one of those planned for the upper deck to turn a passenger train. But no roundhouse needed for this layout as the Hill Lines didn't get together until 1970 and my sweet spot is about 1985. Thanks for watching!

[@goodmuzikfan]

Apart from it being ho scale, great yard and design. im an n scale man. possible layout element would be a rip track??

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@goodmuzikfan LOL! RIP Track would also be a good option for that stub on the north end. I have at least one N scale friend who will try to convince me to join him every time I mention it... This same track plan in N in the same space would be AMAZING. I'm situated at the bottom of a bowl on the mainlines on this track plan. N would eliminate that and the curved switches on the north end.

[@keithpeeples3565]

Looks like great yard design to me. Just don't follow the old model railroad advice of you need a drill track as long as your longest train length. No. No. Maybe if you were modeling a hump yard. For flat switching we never worked with more than a 30-35 car cut. Otherwise when kicking cars you can rip out a drawbar or more likely get a knuckle. You can replicate this in an HO scale flat yard by switching 15 car cuts at a time. I've been railroading for 21 years and the laws of physics always apply.

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@keithpeeples3565 This is great insight. Thank you sir! In making my clip of pulling that A/D track over, I found that I was a few cars short! The drill track ends short for a couple reasons... One involves a hunk of drywall. The other is that going any further, the switch crew would be running their engine around a blind curve, into an out of sight town. I imagine your advice of working in 15 car cuts will be good advice on this location! Thanks again for watching!

[@derekalexander4030]

Thanks Keith. This is why I always read other peoples replies. Tips from a railroader, win win.

[@ronaldrondeau7870]

great video but sound to low

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@ronaldrondeau7870 Will turn it up a bit next time. Thanks for watching!

[@larrybaughman618]

🤠👋🚂🗯

[@blackhillsandeasternrailroad]

@larrybaughman619 Thanks for watching!