I am currently building a freight yard with turnouts at both ends but only have room for one switching lead at the east end. Is it a prototype to only switch a yard like that from one end or did most yards have leads on both ends to work from east/west?
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yard leads for switching
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In general Yards have leads on both ends so that a train can clear the main or put together or take trains apart quickly. Some yard leads and it all depends on the railroad use there leads a controlled siding and the leads are kept open as such and used only by locals to make drops and pick cars up and or hold trains while waiting for others to pass.
no matter the weather or the country I'll still be trackside!
There's no reason why you wouldn't consistently work a yard from only one end,even if you can access it from both directions off the main. One switch lead should do fine.
That is right. Some yards are designed for single-end switching.
Pierre, SD, on the old DM&E has a yard that was designed to be worked from the east end, but is now worked from the west end. The original yard lead (the "Indian School Lead") is now used as a track for the local elevator to roll loaded cars to. It will hold 50 jumbo covered hoppers.
The yard has ladder tracks at both ends, but no switching lead at the west end. No problem. There is a double-ended siding that is well over a mile long between the main line and the yard. The west ladder track connects with the center of this siding. So the west half of this siding is used as a drill track for switching the yard, and trains are built on the east portion of the same track. It will hold 100 cars east of the west yard ladder switch.
This long siding also serves as a passing track, and run-around track.
It is perfectly prototypical to have one track serve more than one purpose.
Les
Pierre, SD, on the old DM&E has a yard that was designed to be worked from the east end, but is now worked from the west end. The original yard lead (the "Indian School Lead") is now used as a track for the local elevator to roll loaded cars to. It will hold 50 jumbo covered hoppers.
The yard has ladder tracks at both ends, but no switching lead at the west end. No problem. There is a double-ended siding that is well over a mile long between the main line and the yard. The west ladder track connects with the center of this siding. So the west half of this siding is used as a drill track for switching the yard, and trains are built on the east portion of the same track. It will hold 100 cars east of the west yard ladder switch.
This long siding also serves as a passing track, and run-around track.
It is perfectly prototypical to have one track serve more than one purpose.
Les
D&H Plattsburgh yard was single ended. The far end was at the shore of Lake Champlain. The northbounds could back cars in. Southbounds set off in a siding. The switcher would grab them on the north end, in order to double them into the yard.