Rail yard...newbie here

[Brakie]

It seems awfully cramped for a working yard. You'd do better to have fewer, longer tracks than a bunch of short one that can't hold a train. The yard in the colored plan is much better than the first.

Really? you think its better in the original? I was told that it had too many switchbacks, which im not even sure that is, and that the curved staging tracks were a nono as coupling is hard on turns...

I appreciate all the info. I just want to have a working yard that allows me to arrange cars with my locos, supports a couple industries on the back side, like in the woodsriver yard in layout tips of MRR and I want a few engine servicing buildings etc. Just something that works and looks realistic.

What you have is known has a "satellite" yard where cars for local industries is dropped and sorted into locals-railroads have many of these small cramp yards meant for light terminal switching.These are not major terminals meant for heavy classification of cars but,could very well be near the major terminal..Crews work out of these satellite yards and these yards would have a certain number of assigned locomotives.There would be a yard office and crew building.

Short lines use small cramp yards too.