Orin / Frannie

Cove Road I – Orin Junction / Frannie

This is theoretically where trains bound northwest first appear on the layout, and trains bound east and south leave the layout. In reality it's pretty much the same thing, but it shares its interchange yard with Frannie, making a larger yard for each than either would have if they were separate. For continuous running, the connected yard is also the continuous loop connection, although this won't be used as such for operating sessions.

Here's the detail plan of Orin Junction / Frannie:

The combined Orin/Frannie two track yard (the third track is the mainline passing siding, but can be used to switch trains if necessary) is very simple - the Cody branch out of Frannie, or the mainline to Lovell, can be used as a yard lead when necessary, and as train schedules permit. No major switching will be done here, so no provision has been made for a dedicated locomotive. Trains passing through will either drop off or pick up full cuts of cars, as the switchlists dictate.

The Frannie Cutoff acts not only as a connection to the NP Mainline, but also as a connection to the CB&Q east through Wendover and Torrington and into Scottsbluff Nebraska and points east, as well as staging for C&S to Cheyenne, and all connecting points there. The NP Mainline doubles as these lines. The Frannie Cutoff acts as staging connections for both the north and south ends of the Wyoming Mainline. So as you can imagine, this location could become a real hot spot on the railroad.

Twenty-six car trains will fit on the passing siding at Orin Junction / Frannie, the largest siding on the layout outside of hidden staging tracks. The shortest yard track (closest to the aisle) will hold 20 cars sans caboose and locomotive. The inner yard track will hold 24 cars. Eight- to ten-car cuts, sometimes two on one track, will be the norm.

I don't have any photos of this area of the layout - it doesn't even have benchwork yet. As things progress I'll add them.