Page updated:December 09, 2014

Big Steam is an interesting layout for its size.  You have nested loops going around the perimeter, a small industrial area, and a five track yard with space to make/break short trains with a switcher. 

Above is a plan view of the Big Steam design using FasTrack.  The smallest radius curves used are O-31 to maximize penetration into the corners.  The yard ladder utilizes O60 turnouts for a track centerline spacing of 5.5 to 6 inches.

At left is the Big Steam layout using GarGraves plastic tie track and GarGraves turnouts.  Some of the outer/inner loop curves have been expanded to O42, but the corner in both the tunnel and the 135° curve into the bridges over the yard are O32.  Using GarGraves O54 turnouts in the yard ladder allows shrinking the inter-track spacing to about 4.25 inches, allowing the addition of two more yard tracks.  One of the drawbacks of using this lead-in track configuration in the yard is making/breaking trains requires moving out onto the mainline.  This is alleviated a bit in the thrid variation on this them, shown at right.

Here we used two Ross Custom Switches curved turnouts to move the divergence between yard lead-in and the mainline up further along the curve, making the curve available for consist manipulation.  Some space is picked up at the upper left, but more is picked up a lower right. 

One of the problems with many small to medium-sized layout designs and yards, is insufficient lead-in track for moving consists.  There are yard spurs but insufficient space for moving consists without using the mainline, a problem if you are using systems such as DCS or TrainMaster to control more than one train simultaneously. 

In the last design we also included a connector track that adds one reversing loop to this design, so that it is possible to reverse train directions on the fly.   Unfortunately there is no real space for adding a second reversing loop, so you will have to back a train down to reverse a second time..

3D rendering of Big Steam using GarGraves and Ross Custom Switches O track, with O-scale structures.

3D rendering of Big Steam using GarGraves O track, with Lionel structures.

Just to see what can be done in another gauge, we present two variations in S-scale (1:64).  These both use GarGraves S-gauge track and American Flyer accessories. 

At left is a plan view of one of the Big Steam variations in S-gauge.  Minimum curve radius is S-42, most of the turnouts are S-42, some are S-72.  Because of the 33 per cent reduction in size from O to S-gauge there is now room for a six-track yard with two sets of turnouts for maneuvering locomotives between stubs and a yard lead for bypassing the ladder.  You can do real yard work using this arrangement, something hard to realize on a layout of this size.

3D rendering of Big Steam using GarGraves S track, with American Flyer structures.

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