How Many Freight Cars on a Given Layout?

[Kisatchie]

In all my years of railroading, I've never seen an article about how many freight cars a given layout can handle. I'm curious about the ratio of freight cars to layout area. Anyone care to calculate/estimate the capacity of his/her layout and post it here?


Hmm... I have 63 cars per
square foot on my layout...

[CoalPorter]

I tried to work on this once and it only let to frustration.
Every math model i came up with said you need like 5 acres
for a minimum size n scale layout.

I think the most you can fit in a yard =((number of yard tracks -2) x lenght of yard) / average car length.

The longest train you can run = length of longest siding.

number of cars on main line = ((number of sidings -1) x length of sidings)/ average car lenght.

this assume that the locomotives are counted as a "car'.
 

[conrail98]

The one I've seen used and did use on a few "what-if" design was Joe Fugate's Layout Design Analysis, http://www.siskiyou-railfan.net/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.32. There's more in it then just "how many cars can fit" but it will give a pretty good idea on that stat. The guys I operate with say the yard(s) should never be more the 80% full and you can count the number of spots you have and multiple by 2 (some of them say 4) and that'll give you the number needed to fill the layout. Just some thoughts,

Phil

[kalbert]

I counted car spots at every industry, and reduced it to 70% so there's room to breathe. I also figured that the main yard should hold at least as many cars as fit in spots along the route. Not sure if it's a right or wrong way to think.

[Wardie]

If it is a continuous run layout it can hold as many freight cars as the length of the run leaving just enough room for the lead engine to chase the caboose.

[Freight Train]

I counted car spots at every industry, and reduced it to 70% so there's room to breathe. I also figured that the main yard should hold at least as many cars as fit in spots along the route. Not sure if it's a right or wrong way to think.

  This could at lease given you and idea using reverse technology by the super alien race above as to how big the yard should be.....I think the Mayans figured this out too! (-:

"Actual never thought about it the way you put it but actually sounds like a good way to figure out the ratio as too how many cars to a given layout by yard(s)"

[wcfn100]

I bet Steve would know.

Jason

[trainbuff1]

I have 2,429 on my layout right now. The yard holds 2,500 so I am almost to capy. Every one has a different approach to how they model. I built a layout to display cars as well as run them. It is my world and I love it. Remember its your world and you do what you want. Rivet counting is something I never done because I just want to have fun.

Todd Treaster, NY,S&A's Pittsburgh Division

[rogergperkins]

I have about 330 MTL freight cars and a layout in a 12'x13' are.  That is TOO MANY!!!!!
I also have 6 passenger trains and a troop train.
I do not have room on my current layout to accomodate having all cars online = on a siding so I can
run a specific train or set of cars.
This is the result of severe downsizing of the layout after we retired.

So when one has this many how can they either reduce the fleet or elect to store some cars until they have a large layout or their grieving family sells the stuff after the railroader is deceased. 

[Philip H]

I was going to suggest Joe Fugate's Layout Analysis as well, but the other Phil beat me to it.  Sharp minds, sharp products!

I actually started with a SLIC book from the KCS branch that my layout is part of, and went from there.  Said book is a railroad product, and has all the sidings with car capacities listed in it for a given branch, or division depending.  Mine is a 1988 photocopy, but it proves useful in every aspect of design.  I tend to cut the number of cars listed in half due to shorter track work, and then reduce from there if necessary.

There are notable exceptions to this rule - my Exxon North Baton Rouge Polyolefins plant will only hold about 20 cars total - which i stat rated capacity of the shortest siding on the prototype . . .

[Brakie]

The formula I use on my switching layouts is based on prototype observation along with my rail experience.

Some "days" the local with have the full 5 car maximum(the workable number allowed without jamming things up) while on other days the local may arrive with 0-4 cars depending on inbound traffic.Some "days " there is no work-actually these are the days I decided to work on the scenery,structures,roads or clean track..

[Bob Bufkin]

With the amount of cars I have, my layout could not come close to handle them.  Kinda like asking how many grains of sand on a beach.

[VonRyan]

I personally would go with all sidings at max capacity without operation problems and then add one third of that to give some cars in the yard to have replacements for those in your sidings. Locos is a different story...

-Cody F.

[packers#1]

I counted car spots at every industry, and reduced it to 70% so there's room to breathe. I also figured that the main yard should hold at least as many cars as fit in spots along the route. Not sure if it's a right or wrong way to think.

I actually think that's a really good way to figure out car capacity. Of course, the other thing is staging and what cities are "beyond the layout" in staging? You could probably have some more cars that aren't really needed on the layout, just run through

[Rossford Yard]

I think it was the Fugate article that said 60% of all yard and siding space.  I don't think you would count passing tracks, etc. on that, just normal places where you would park cars.  I keep it to that, but have a lot of staging, and figure that area about 80-90% full, with visible layout at 60%.  It seems to work out well for me.

Best to start with the lower %, because you know you will go nowhere but up over time....its what we MRR do!