Now that I have finalized my plan, I need to know what is the best method for transfering it to the benchwork. I'm guessing that its best to position the turnouts first and then fit the flex track to those. Any suggestions would be helpful. Eric
I usually locate the centers of my turnout complexes, like ladders or other compositions of multiple turnouts. After that, i fill in the main by free hand. The only exception is in curves, where I need a radius. In that case I printed out 1:1 versions of the curve and used those to lay it out. You can also use a tripod, a pencil, and stirng to do it, like a giant compass.
If you have a computer and can plot it out, you can plot out the true parabola of the curve (called easement in railroad lingo) and with elevation, you can run around the curve at higher speed if that is your fun. If you have visitors, it also makes the layout look more realistic from a distance, and might even assist in preventing derailments. That is why the real railroads had to have easements in the first place.
