Yard help needed

[usmc2861]

Hello,
I have been lurking about for a bit reading this board and others concerning prototypical layouts, and I would like some input on this particular yard.
I have been planning the "dream" layout off and on for about 5 years. I plan on modeling the Lake Superior and Ishpeming in Michigan in N Scale. The railroad serves two mines and sends ore to the dock in Marquette.
My basement is wide open, so space is not really a problem (once the kid moves out - hence the long planning session) and getting the yard to look and operate prototypically has been been challenging. Here is a link to the yard from Mapquest: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/Eagle+Mills+MI/#a/maps/l:::Eagle+Mills:MI::US:46.512798:-87.5336:city:Marquette+County/m:hyb:13:46.510118:-87.524998:0::/io:0:::::f:EN:M:/e

I have used "3rdPlanIt" and the smallest I have been able to get this is close to 8'x9'. While again space isn't the issue, maintenance and repair would be. It will be virtually impossible to reach anything at the center of the yard without building an overhead catwalk.
the LS&I is a 50 mile railroad that is considered to be all "Yard Limits" so as close to prototypical is important since this yard is one of the defining features of the railroad.

I could really use some ideas on this one... maybe someone can get a different point of view and offer some suggestions????

Thanks,
Dave

 

[SpaceMouse]

Well you could build it with the building as a pop out so you could reach the center.

Seriously, you will probably have to use selective compression on the yard. One of the big limiting factors is the wye. Wyes take space.

Another way of dealing with the issue is to draw a schematic of the track, then reshape the layout, while keeping the same function of the track. Perhaps what you end up with is a T or an L instead of a huge table. (Either it makes sense or it doesn't.)

What I mean is that each track has a function. Duplicate the function and possibly the relationship of the tracks each other, but be more liberal in the shape it takes.

 

[jbaakko]

I'm thinking Chip's idea of making it more of a T might work best. Otherwise, I'd say remove some of the middle ground and put a backdrop in there. Model only one half the yard, with the other half being hidden staging, or so.

BTW, LS&I is a great railroad, what era you planning? Its been a good 7 years since I've seen them running in person.

 

[MPCRR]

Let me see if I can draw something up. I'm pretty good at building realistic looking yards.

PM me if your interrested.