Track planning the old fashioned way

[FJ and G]

I've noticed an increase in the number of gimmicks that are out there, particularly with regards to track planning tools. I find that it's nice to make doodles or sketches and use track planners, but when all is said and done, just simply hooking together sections of track (like we used to do as kids) sure gives a better picture.

In planning my 2nd level trackplan, that's the method I'll use.

Here, btw, is my 5-track section on the bottom (photos of the harbor I showed yesterday). Why 2 rails (027)? B/c it is the diorama section. I thought about putting shelves on the wall but why not park trains in a more natural setting!

All my track, btw, is hand-layed which means bending 027 rails, grinding them for switch points, and ripping ties on the table saw. The ballast is 2 types: road gravel from up the street from where I work and river gravel in the river behind my house.

Land is styrofoam that was thrown away and greenery is simply painted sawdust in 3 shades.

I try to keep things simple.

[eZAK]

No pics Dave!

A little imagination and some trial & error is all you need!

[Anonymous]

Gee, and I thought I was the only guy in the hobby these days whose track planning consists of putting some track in place and seeing how it fits/works!

I've used various trackplanning templates in the past, and have some track planning software for the confuser, but I still find that there's nothing quite like reaching into a pile of straights, curves, and switches, and just connecting things together until I have something that looks good to me.

I must admit that I tend to do a bit more sophisticated and formal planning for my smaller-scale pikes, but with O gauge and larger I just like to play around with the actual sections a bit to see what I can come up with.

[jonadel]

David,

I learned years ago, in my previous life, that using the latest and greatest computer planning tools took more time than I ever realized. I would think computer aided track planning tools are fine for the professional designer who uses them on a frequent basis would be a blessing. I absolutely have to put it together and see what it looks like on the table and then wire it and screw it down. I know, I'm old fashioned but that's what works best for me, plus I know I spend too much time at this computer in the first place. Therapy for me is working with my hands and trying different track plans, I guess that's why I enjoy building so much more than running the trains.

Jon

[Benjamin Maggi]

If you are doing 2 rail 0-27 (which I have never heard of, so excuse my ignorance) do you need to rewire your engines and isolate the motors? Do you use some other form of power like batterys? Please explain, it sounds interesting.

...nevermind, I see it is a dioramma [:)]

[selector]

I draw it out freehand, and MAKE it work using flextrack. So, I'm with you fellows; you can plan until the poles thaw, but you'll never get what the plan says you should get.

[IronHoarse]

I like the old fashioned trial and error method too. I tried drawing it out first but ended up just playing with the pieces of track until it finally went together right. Of course it helps to have extra track on hand when doing it this way.

[waltrapp]

My way (an older thread that I started):
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=44203

- walt

[Anonymous]

so happy to read this.

i thought i was the only one.

[Boonter]

Playing around with bits and pieces of track, switches, and crossings as well as kit bashin g structures and scratch building others is the REAL fun for me. My trains, all pre-war, seem to enjoy creaking along my experiments as much as I (pre-war also) enjoy creating these little "worlds."

[Heartman]

I too, enjoy sketching it out on paper then modifying it on the bench and cutting track to make it fit. I like having more time on the bench then at the (computer or) drafting table. I bought a template a long time ago and tried to use it, but could never get anything to work on paper. Not counting 3 HO layouts for the kids when they were growing up, I am in the process of building my 5th. 'O' guage layout in 50+ years and this will be my 1st. around the wall type.

Dennis

[Anonymous]

I made a template out of a Pringles plastic lid. I cut a scale straight and a curve track groove in the lid. Then I layed out the track on a graph paper with it I made lots of rough sketchs to see what I wanted before scale laying it out.

Found this easy to do and very accurate and easier on the old back than laying out the track on the floor. I made full size layout on butcher paper when laying out the tracks and angles for the turntable and roundhouse tracks. They had to be correct and allow for clearance between the tracks so the cars would pass and hit.

Charlie

[Anonymous]

Just do it ol Red's way. Slap some tinplate on a sheet of plywood and you're ready to go. Why complicate things?