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My trackplan- comments?
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Dingoix, <br /> <br />Hello Sir, <br /> <br />I was looking over your track plan, and I'll be the first to admit I don't know squat about track planning. I'm just now about at the point where I'm ready to walk away from my plans and start to build and it’s been a long and often difficult process. <br /> <br />What I wanted to tell you was this -Don’t give up hope or get too discouraged. Of course you will as you go on from time to time, there were many a time that I wanted to just throw up my hands and walk away from the whole mess, but after a cool down back I'd go to it and I often found that the things that made me the most frustrated taught me the most and turned out the best in the end; makes me a bit suspicious of the things that went easy. [:D] <br /> <br />If I had any advice, for what it's worth from a green horn like me, it would be to get what you want firmly set in your mind first, then be ready to compromise and re-examine, revaluate, compromise again and go back. <br /> <br />Track planning, for me at least has been a 3 steps forward, one step back situation... But that's ok because you still got two steps in and they add up. [;)] <br /> <br />If it was me I'd sit down and layout exactly what the elements were that I wanted - such as: <br /> <br />What line are you doing prototype or freelanced? <br />Where in the world is it supposed to be? <br />What Time period? <br />What's the "function" of it...? Just to watch trains, move freight, have fun operations, etc? <br /> <br />Then if you haven't already walk, run, crawl, fly to the nearest place you can find a copy of John Armstrong's book: Track Planning for Realistic Operation (ISBN 0-89024 -227-5 Published by Kalmbach Books). Get a copy of that and read it through - then read it again -then again - then repeat. [:)] I'm on my fourth reader and still trying to get it all. <br /> <br />Now I know how that just sounded - like a lot of great and exciting fun.... wee read a book 6 times what joy, but trust me it is an incredible valuable book for anyone interested in making their own track plan. <br /> <br />And if I just stuck my size 11's in my mouth and you've already read it and are familiar with it I apologize; it’s easy to make assumption and I shouldn't. <br /> <br />Then I'd try and find any track planning software I could. Now I'm going to try and convince you that 3rd Planit (available at http://www.trackplanning.com/) is the greatest thing since the wheel. It functions as a good cad tool allows easy conversion between 1:1 scale and model scale and is just a great tool. <br /> <br />However, many others are out there some are free some cost, some have demos that are good enough to get the work done, some are number crunching monsters that need lots of memory and some are small and simple. <br />But I think if you look around you'll be able to find something that you like and works for you, find some and try them out. <br /> <br />The next thing I'd say to you is: It's always smaller or larger than it looks, measure everything not twice but four times and write it all down someplace and keep it safe. I'd do this with your space, your layout, yourself and anything else you can think of - and I’m not being flippant here about yourself; arm length, height, eye level and wideness at hip can all end up being important figures to know. <br /> <br />*looks up* Hrmm that sure is a lot of talk and not much advice on your track plan isn't it? [8)] I wish I had more I could say to help you. <br />Maybe write up the answers to some of those questions and post them. Those that like the same area, time and line are usually very eager to help out those that are doing what they are doing. <br /> <br />Well I'll wrap this up and hope I've been any help at all and didn't end up sounding like an old wind bag. <br /> <br />Last but not least and again... Don't get discouraged! Keep em flying and keep going at it. You -will- get it!! <br /> <br />I'm looking forward to seeing more soon. <br /> <br />Peace. <br />Coyote
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