I am so frustrated practically overnight because of that stupid a*s track set up I have. I am so upset that the curves are not right!! I have to now decide whether to tray and do what I feel is too hard for me and thats lay ne track and remove exsisting track, wire in switches and do all that stuff that I have no idea how to. I do not even know how to run the layout because I was only showed a few times the day I bought it when it was naked!!! That polarity stuff to all these different sections like inner front track, outter front track, inner back track, outter back track, front loopy, etc, etc My next choice is to blow up the layout, or burn it so it will not be exsisting and my anger will go away, then start from scratch on a totally new one my way!! I am so angry now! I want to run big boys on the layout not those small stupid cheapo bachman, tyco, or life-like trains. I apologize for my anger but this dumb layout has me feeling like this. I am going to sleep on what to do tonight and go to my layout and look real hard at it and my options. I am a very spontaneous guy so if I look at it tomorrow and I am still unhappy and not liking it one of two things will happen. I will Karate Kid the layout to very easy removable pieces to the scrap yard or I will just post it on ebay as fast as heck. So let me sleep on my anger tonight and decide tomorrow, all feedback and ides are welcomed, just dont tell me I am crazy lol the red= TIGHT CURVES TEAL GREENISH= CONNECTED SWITCHES NO SPACE TWO BLUE LINES= BOTH TRACKS ARE ON SAME FLOOR LEVEL, SO I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE THE UPPER BLUE LINE RISE HIGHER TO THE NEW TRACK IN THE NEXT PICTURE BLACK (THICK) - PLYWOOD ADDITION RED- TRACK LAYING BLUE- THOUGHT I COULD ADD A CROSSTRACK, BUT CANT BECAUSE THERE IS TWO SWITCH TRACKS THERE NEXT TO EACH OTHER. IT HAD TO GO TO THAT AREA BECAUSE OF THE TIGHT CURVE. BROWN- MOUNTAIN ADD ON [ 05. February 2004, 07:26: Message edited by: PARKERLEGEND ]
Al, ripping it up & starting again is part of the hobby! Especially if you are new, the chances of you getting a layout that is exactly what you want straight away are pretty small, and more so if you are modifying someone elses. Rather than just scrapping or ebaying the layout you have, if the baseboard structure is robust then why not strip down to that & re-use it to build the next layout on, you can also then re-use all the buildings, bridges, and probably some of the scenery as well (although you obviously like doing scenery, and aren't bad at it either!) Depending on how good the existing track is, and how carefully you remove it, some of that might be re-usable as well, which keeps the cost down. I'd start thinking about what you want the layout to be like, and what you want to be able to do with the trains, then use those thoughts to help plan your layout MkII I guess one of the things you will be after is gentler curves!
Hi Big Al, If this is your first layout, you've done well with it if only to learn scenery techniques. Unfortunately, if I interpret your drawing correctly, you have at least three reversing sections. The wiring isn't that difficult on paper, but keeping it straight while operating it is challenging. Can you terminate some of these reversing sections making them sidings to simplify your wiring and operation? You may want to keep it simply as a claim on space, until you have a satisfactory new plan made up. If you get rid of it, the next thing you know, there'll be furniture or appliances where you formerly had designated layout space. Night Train
While I work on my main layout it is nice to have my little loopy loop to at least run trains on. I cannot run big engines, rolling stock over 50', or long trains, and my high cubes have problems too. So when I run it, there is certain equipment that I use for it, and look foward to running big stuff on the big layout.
Well.....certainly before I'd karate kid it and throw it away I'd sell it on Ebay (or somewhere). At least that way you'd get some money off of it. If you do decide to start from scratch, just remember that all of the skills needed to build a model railroad are LEARNED skills.....so even if you don't have a clue how to do them now, you'll pick them up along the way. And, where you have questions, there are lots of folks on the board here that can help you out.
Hmm .. I don't know of anyone whos' actually "finished" their model railroad. I feel that it's a constant process of improvement through trial and error. I can't tell you how many times I have torn things out, either because it did not work or because I thought of something better to do with it. Al, if this is your fist pike, why not just have a general idea of what you want, then start on the outside trackage ... making sure that curves are workable. Then, you can always cut in turnouts and lay in sidings, etc. Once you get something that you like, put in a little scenery or do the electronics for that particular spot. If you try and do everything at once, you'll get frusterated (obviously). Do them one at a time and see what works. The variety helps get rid of frustration. Golf and model railroading ... you can have more fun if you don't take them seriously. LOL
WEll I have not gone back to my basement and viewed my disaster yet, but when I do I will decide. I may also rip all the track off, smooth the scenery, and add on, then lay track when it needs to go to avoid hard curves. I may just list it on ebay too, so I have enough room to start my new project. Or maybe take m y saw zall and cut it right down the middle and add on there. I will decide shortly what to do. Thanks
I guess buying a layout is like buying a used car- they're selling it for a reason! It's like buying someone elses headache. BTW, my first real layout was 3x4 and it got to where I hated it sooo bad, I stripped a few reusable parts and the rest went into the dumpster. I have a mountain peak from it that has been recycled and is still in use today. It took quite awhile before I was able to reflect on the positive things that I had learned from it. If you are not happy with your layout now, chances are you won't be happy with the "fix". Are you interested in opperations, or just watching trains go around. I know for me it has changed trough the years and planning for that is just about imposible.
I built two small layouts that never satisfied me. That was back in my teen years when I just wanted continuous running in a small space, so I spun a web of winding track around some scenery on both attempts and the tight curves ruined it, as did the way the locos would run around themselves and never appear to go anywhere. Now it's ten years later and I am hopefully mature enough to learn from this mistake, and I decided to try a different approach with my new layout. I went to the library and checked out _Track Planning for Realistic Operation_ and learned how real railroads operate, which makes it much easier to understand how and why "good" layouts are designed how they are. Using this new knowege, I have planned my dream layout, and will just build a section of it at at time. It is a true rendition of my favorite stretch of real railroad that winds up a mountainside in hilly Southern California. It doesn't have very many switches, wiring challenges, or a lot of track, but it has a long main line and a lot of scenery. I tried to match every curve on the actual Southern Pacific main like possible when I drew up my track plan, and after about six sketches, I ended up with something that I am very satisfied with. Dream up your own plan after learning how and why real railroads are designed the way the are, and you will be able to build a custom layout that will be perfect.
... and after deciding what you want from a layout me, I'd be bored silly just watching 'em run, but i think Al, you are into that, seeing the 8-axle unit you just bought. so make a list (on paper, not in your head). When approaching a layout design, look first at what you want the feel of the railroad to be, then look at specific features and characteristics you want. Once you have these, you can look at the constraints of your space and come to terms with the compromises you will need to make. Keep a record of the objectives you started out with, the wish list you built and then what you gave up or modified – you just may be able to re-instate some things as you go along. For example, here's my wish list: New Zealand has a wonderful rail system that nestles between our famous coasts and mountains, with tight curves and tough climbs. I wanted to capture that sea-to-sky character in a 10x12 bedroom. I wanted to avoid big loops of track protruding into the room, which I feel dominates a room and looks unnatural. Likewise towns that are only a train length or two apart - there had to be some distance between locations. Another personal dislike is visible join lines between scenery and backdrop. As it is my first layout in 25 years, I wanted variety, with industrial and rural areas and a mix of operations. I do enjoy operations, so there had to be plenty of activity. Other desired characteristics were: ·Minimal track parallel to the benchwork ·Less obvious tunnels: the track enters in a deceptive direction, or entrances are disguised by buildings and scenery ·Continuous running to amuse kids (my son is 4) and non-modeller visitors ·Some double-track mainline to make my Dad happy ·Design the overall look with a view to first impressions and camera angles ·Incorporate my existing workshop ( a big melamine desk) ·Vertical scenery down to the floor or low benchwork Will I achive all of them? No. Compromises have been made. But I know why, and I traded them off to get as close as i could. And I planned. You have hand-drawn sketches on paper. Every hand-drawn plan i ever did let me down. "The pencil is an optimist". It fits track where track ain't never going to fit. I use CADRail now. It gives me a healthy reality check about what can be done in a given space - it's amazing what WON'T fit Now I'm building benchwork with the confidence that most of what i planned will actually work. We'll see
I still hate my new layout, but I am going to let someone else enjoy the work I did and start my very own project. My layout looks great, but as I said many times, I want my big boys to play. Today at the railroad expo I saw some HO cars that were so damn big!! I mean bigger than the engines.. I had to buy two just to have. One set I have is an 86' train. I saw some that were even bigger, and so hoigh that they would not go through any tunnel for sure. I was loving those ones So the funny and cool thing about my trip was I spoke to some wiseman at the expo and we discussed doing a new layout, well through the talking about size and all at his three table setup, I found my base for my layout. His tables!!! They are 30" wide (2 1/2 feet) and 8 feet long. Perfect for me to lay two like an L and add two feet to the ends to accomodate those 22" curves I want!! I was so happy!! i am going to puchase them at HOME DEPOT and make my modulator layout so I can transport these at any given time when I am ready. They are well spported and have legs built into them that fold away!! How perfect can it get?!! lol I am going to begine my new build soon, Going to home depot tomorrow and getting the tables, and then I am going to get playwood to do the addons. Then the build will begine sometime next week. I will post pics as I go to. Well holla at you guys later on this post. Pics will be posted from the BIG E train expo soon
I can't even begin to count how many times I've started a layout and then decided it wasn't what I wanted! Right now, I have a 2'x4' double track oval with a few sidings sitting in my apartment. I've moved since I started it, and that, along with having a bit larger space (3'x6') and a trip to the Feather River Canyon has caused me to rethink what I want in my railroad. So, the 2'x4' sheet of plywood is going to come down and I'll plan a new layout. It always helps to have an idea of what you want. Even though I have a small space for a railroad, I want to be able to run passenger cars (I have a California Zephyr I'm working on) so it needs to have some pretty broad curves. I'd like to stay away from the "bowl of spaghetti" look. I may build a layout with a scenic divider down the middle. That would give me a place to have a staging yard to store trains, so a visible yard wouldn't be needed. That way, I can concentrate on a scene in the front that resembles a small town or a canyon scene. I haven't even started designing my layout yet. I'm taking my time so that what I finally come up with is just what I want.
Al, Rob's suggestion to draw up a track plan in some kind of CAD program is a good one. This will let you see what will actually fit in the space you have available. I've seen some wonderful track plans drawn up in pencil or in a program that isn't to scale and when you go to put them on the benchwork they don't fit. I use and highly recommend Atlas Right Track Software. It has a bit of a learning curve, but it will let you do everything you need to do in track planning. Best of all, it's FREE. Just go to www.atlasrr.com and download it.
