After connecting the mainline, we had to lay track for Pitcairn Yard to allow for operations to commence. The prototype Pitcairn Yard was used as a general freight classification yard into the Penn Central era. An interesting feature of Pitcairn Yard for many decades is that it also served as an autorack unloading yard where new cars were driven off trains to go to local dealerships. Since the mid 1990s, the yard has served as Conrail, and later Norfolk Southern's, Pittsburgh Intermodal Terminal. Although the prototype yard was practically dormant during the early Conrail years that we model, it serves as a freight yard out of which local turns originate on our layout. Our Pitcairn Yard includes two double-ended arrival and departure tracks, five stub-ended classification tracks, a run around, a caboose track, a RIP (Repair In Place) track, two autorack unloading tracks, and an engine terminal.
Operationally, mainline mixed freight trains stop to work the yard as they pass through the layout. For right now, the PML has four mainline mixed freights. Usually two to three of these run in a session. The road crew ties their train down on the arrival and departure tracks, splitting their usually-lengthy train to fit, then runs their road power to the engine terminal for servicing. The yard crew then works the mainline train, removing cars bound for online industries and interchanges and adding cars bound for staging in the same direction as the train's destination. Once the yard crew is done putting the train back together, the road crew doubles up their train and heads for points east or west.
The yard crew is also responsible for putting together locals on an as-needed basis as cars for local industries accumulate in the yard. All locals operate as turns. They pick up power from the engine terminal, pick up their train, work the industries off one main on their way out, work the industries off the opposite main on their way back, and tie down in the yard.
Pitcairn has turned out to be a major hub of operational activity on our layout. See the photos below for a tour of the yard, working east from the western approach to the yard.
Operationally, mainline mixed freight trains stop to work the yard as they pass through the layout. For right now, the PML has four mainline mixed freights. Usually two to three of these run in a session. The road crew ties their train down on the arrival and departure tracks, splitting their usually-lengthy train to fit, then runs their road power to the engine terminal for servicing. The yard crew then works the mainline train, removing cars bound for online industries and interchanges and adding cars bound for staging in the same direction as the train's destination. Once the yard crew is done putting the train back together, the road crew doubles up their train and heads for points east or west.
The yard crew is also responsible for putting together locals on an as-needed basis as cars for local industries accumulate in the yard. All locals operate as turns. They pick up power from the engine terminal, pick up their train, work the industries off one main on their way out, work the industries off the opposite main on their way back, and tie down in the yard.
Pitcairn has turned out to be a major hub of operational activity on our layout. See the photos below for a tour of the yard, working east from the western approach to the yard.
Pitcairn Yard had many required tracks, so careful planning was required in AutoCAD before a single spike was driven. About a month was spent drawing and revising the yard design until we were happy with the result. In this view, blue trackage belongs to Conrail. The yard ladder is seen at top middle and the engine terminal to the right.
This concludes your tour of Pitcairn Yard. Once everything was said and done, the yard envelops most of the "new room". The yard fills a much-needed role for prototype operation.