The reason it is so hard is: 1) We have open and flexible minds 2) Most of the more experinaced minds here have cautioned against what you are doing 3) Screwing up at this stage of the game will be expensive in terms of: Money Time Stress Frustration So, I have to ask: How much space do you have? Why take an exisiting plan? Why not create your own? 101 Track Plans is an "idea" book. Yes, I got the basis for the Grey and Grandure from it but even as a teen I modified it and dreamed of the expansion. So, do tell, what is your space?
you can always lay the track down with a tack nail here and there and just run an initial trackplan for a bit and see how you like it. If you do, trace it out and start building..., if not, change it up and try again. I was overwhelmed for a good while until someone told me "JUST LAY SOME TRACK" - I did, and have never looked back since. My layout did have a few necessary changes, but all and all I'm happy that its "in work" - not "in my head" So I pass this advice along... just lay some track
hear hear Steve. I've looked at a squillion plans over time and adapted them to about a squillion different plans. My original intention was to build Paul Templars Raton Snake layout, and what do I do as soon as I get a room that matches his EXACTLY? Come up with my own (actually, I think its 14 of my own at last count), which I've only just settled upon the final version. Yeah, look at plans, see what you like and what you dont like, the pencil down some stuff to see where you THINK it will fit.... Then its into XtrkCad to make sure it fits Steve, when are you gonna learn how to use XtrkCAD rather than the straight line and eraser in Paint? LMAO.
The board is the same old 7.5ftx4 i agree the book is only 'suggestions' but when i start drawing things on paper I loose the plot. oh well here goes nothing.. box of new pencils and away we go
Virtual Bird: Oops, (reading this at 6AM), I guess that came out kinda harsh. Sorry about that. I'm sure you posted the space before. By the light of day that plan looks do - a -ble. I would go with what Mike suggest. Put some bench work up. Put some track down. Run some trains. (and don't pay too much heed to something I write after 8PM with two glasses of Yellow Tail in me). Dis Is. Not gonna happen. Cad programs force you into precision. People have been trying to do that to me for skaty, (yes skaty), 8 years. I'm not going there.
Birdman, What is it exactly you have for your layout? You keep talking about holes. If you really want inspiration, go to railimages and start looking at other peoples layouts.
LMAO Steve.... OK, just lemme know what you want and I'll be only too happy to XtrkCad for ya.... we seem to have a good psuedo partnership going on the layout roughing, drawing, critiquing (sp?)
Something about operating from the middle... ???? or do you just stand on it in the middle? lol If you really want to do yourself a favor, get a ho plan for a 4x8 space and adjust the lengths for your seven feet. Draw the center lines as if you were building it in HO but lay the N scale track instead. You could use that 18 inch radius curve to your advantage and run beautiful trains on realistic curve sizes. YOu would still have the space to later add on any spurs passing sidings and yards you want, but your mainline would be taken care of.
ok work started today The design I have gone for is in JBT's thread Similar to this - http://www.geocities.com/vfr750fv/myversion.jpg Tomorrow take my 3% Woodland scenic inclines back, and get some 2%ers and away we go now... Hopin to have somethin up and running by 2095.... Thanks again to JBT (John T) for his help with the XTRKCAD files to play with.
OK virt... I am assuming the notes in purple are yours. Realise one thing... Over half your yard will be 'lost' when you run all those turnouts down across the yards from the outer mainline on the right. If you then shorten the yard to allow more turntable room, I think your outer yard track will be non existant. Also, is that 'dotted in' track an addition, or a deletion? I can draw that up for you in XtrkCad to give you an idea on how much yard you'll have left if you can get me Johns file...
Disisme. yea thanks, realise what you are saying. Ive been hacking to bits johns plan, I "HAVE IN MIND", what I want to end up with, and it isnt lookin too bad. I'll have more than 12in of board at the bottom for yard work, but if i can scam another 6 I'd be happier. No room for Turbtable though.. you can see the plan in a few shots, but the yard section i have folded out of sight, I'll get a scan of it tomorrow. whats ya email addy? Layed a few bits of track up tonight, will do some more tomorrow, and see how it lays up.. I'll mark it in texta tomorrow and try and colour code some areas... few crappy shots. http://members.optusnet.com.au/~biggus2//layout_version_1billion/ [ June 06, 2005, 08:34 AM: Message edited by: virtual-bird ]
disisme@disisus.com. The problem I see is the angle that the turnouts come into the ayrd at on the right hand side kind of give a false impression of how much space they'll actually need. Because they are angled quite singificantly more than they will be in the yard, they will take up at least twice that amount of room angling down towards the left. The area to the right of those turnouts will be empty unless you want to use double slips which, although a beautiful piece of equipment, are fiercely expensive and complex.
I'm flattered and that was no problem to do for you. I agree with what Disisme is saying too VB - beware of how much room the turnouts take. Are you doing the mods to the plan with XTrkCad or by using the mk1 eyeball? Standby for version 4 (is it 4 already?) which should be published in a couple of hours
He's using the mk1 eyeball I think John. Thats why I offered to do it in XtrkCad...you;ve got the original file, so I'll let you do it
