An idea for my yard

[cacmage]

Just finished sketching this out. Figured I'd share it. The space is about 4.5' wide x 2' deep. I don't remember the size of the lower section, but the proportions are close.

I think I might be overestimating the angles on the turnouts, but that should only affect the length of the yard. (The yellow and cyan dots are turnouts, the red dots are X pieces)

The orange box at the bottom is an engine shop, the ones at the top are a city scene. The pink track towards the top is elevated.

Any ideas what to do with the empty space at the bottom?

 

[Russ Bellinis]

Use the space for scenery. You could use it for an employee parking lot. Put in some small out buildings. I've noticed when I go to Redondo Junction to work on the Express Trak cars that Amtrak has a small brick building divided in half with separate doors to each half, one half contains oxygen and inert gases, the other side contains acetylene. The building's size overall is probably 8' x 12'. Kalmbach also has a new book out on engine facilities. You might take a look at it for more ideas. There are a lot of associated shops for tear down and rebuilding of various subassemblies of an engine. Even if work is farmed out, there should be a storage facility for things like traction motors, generators, engine parts, etc.

 

[Drew1125]

Hi cacmage!
Welcome to The Gauge!

That's a nice looking yard plan!
If I were you, I would simply use the empty space to expand the engine service facility...perhaps another spur with a sanding/fueling station, or engine wash-up facility...?
Then again, you could have some abandoned tracks, run-down buildings, vacant wedd-covered lots...? RR yards are often adjacent to some some poorly- maintained real estate.
Whatever you do, have some fun with it! And keep us posted!

 

[60103]

If you want an interesting project, you could build a railroad YMCA, several stories high, but only the part on the railroad side, so that you are in it and look out over the tracks. (you might force it a bit and build it in the next scale larger than your layout.) Or it might be a seedy hotel or office building.