Belated message : I very very much like this concept of mapping out roadways, structures, available real estate, grade crossings/sidewalks. ...Whether or not it's a new method, I sure see the immediate logic here..It clearly delineates the two side by side major rights of way, the RR's and private propertiy borders, pavement and sidewalks. Form follows function here before scenery, hills, foliage, trestles ...These man-made things come first in modeling a RR,town/city/station. 'Tis opposite of nature and 1:1 scale, but best for the model !! I never thought of this..It really relieves the headache of having to locate/find occupied properties we may have had in mind at the get go but then couldn't bring to fruition after scenery, or at least hills, Mtns. and bodies of water have been modeled !!! Well, at least for me. I always finished the trackage and bridges based on the benchwork, trackage scheme and period I'd selected. This later on causes the location hassle I/we create, now confined to what real estate we wind up with. Thanks Colonel...! Mark
