Universal Yard Infrastructure for Realistic Model Railroad Operations




What Is It?

This is a team track transload ramp — a shared-use track and structure where shippers and consignees can load or unload freight cars without a dedicated industry building. It's a universal freight solution: one track, multiple uses, any customer.

Why Include One on Your Layout?

Transload ramps allow you to:

  • Add operational variety without building new structures

  • Justify almost any car type — boxcars, flats, gondolas, hoppers

  • Rotate shippers session to session (e.g., machinery this week, lumber next week)

  • Simulate modern or legacy freight operations (perfect for both CNW and MILW eras)

Prototypical Uses

Car TypeLoad/Unload ExampleSession Use
BoxcarPalletized goods, small parts Local shipper with no siding
FlatcarCrated machinery or lumberMachinery dealer or prefab kits
GondolaScrap metal, rebar bundlesConstruction waste or steel transload
Covered Hopper Dry bulk (grain, fertilizer) Co-op delivery or seasonal ag supply

How I Use It on the Janesville Layout

On my MILW/CNW layout, the transload ramp is located near the yard’s south end and is served by MILW 1610 during most sessions. Assignments rotate depending on what the “town” needs:

  • One session may include a gondola of scrap for offloading

  • Another might require a flatcar of lumber for a pop-up construction project

  • It’s also a convenient place to spot reefer empties for independent produce brokers

Since the team track doesn't belong to a specific industry, it's a flexible spot to place cars during overflow or interchange staging.

Modeling Tips

  • Use a cast-resin or styrene kit ramp, or scratchbuild with foam and wood

  • Add basic details: pallets, forklifts, barrels, crates, a pickup truck

  • Consider weathering: oil stains, wheel marks, minor vegetation growth

  • Label with signage like “Public Team Track – Authorized Access Only”

Current Operation Status on my layout

MILW 50222 – Boxcar spotted at the team track unloading ramp on Yard Track 3
Team track remains open for LCL freight and miscellaneous customer deliveries after 50222 is unloaded


Closing Thoughts

If you're modeling a yard from the 1950s through the present day, a transload or team track ramp is one of the most realistic, versatile features you can include. It adds freight diversity, operational logic, and rotating interest with minimal space.

Whether you're switching with an SW1 or routing a GP40 down the main, don't overlook this modest structure — it's a universal workhorse in every sense.


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