I am really glad I found this forum. I believe I will be able to find a lot of info here, and already have found much! I am getting ready to build my first REAL train layout in our unused kitchen nook, and have a layout mostly figured out. I used the Atlas RTS 7.0 software. I must admit it is pretty good for free! My first question is, how can I upload a picture of my layout? Can I upload my RTS file?
I am planning on building a two-layer layout with a single track length, and probably a max hight of 6 inches. It will kind of be a figure 8 with one side of the 8 on the inside of a larger oval. My dimensions are about 10' long by 5 1/2' wide.
Thank you all in advance!!!
Dan from Florida
Welcome to the forum
To post pics:
1. take digital pics
2. Save pics on your computer in an easy to find area
3. Join a hosting site. I use photobucket. It is free but you have to register and wait to be accepted
4. Download pics into photobucket from your computer. The instructions are sort of clear
5. Copy the pic from photobucket into your post with the copy paste feature. Copy the IMG code
That should do it.
As far as the layout is concerned, others better than I can help you there.
Posting a plan from the RTS program is a little different then a pic. The last few steps are the same, but you start out different.
First, open up RTS to the plan you want to post.
Now click the "Save As" button and change the file type to "bitmap" (not an .ral file) and make the location "My Pictures" or someplace easy to find. It will save the drawing in the size it is on the screen when you do this, so make sure thats the size you want to post. Now go to "My Pictures" (or your easy to find place) and open the bitmap in "Microsoft Paint". You can color the pic or add words if you want now, then click "Save As" and change the file type to a ".jpg". Next, upload the .jpg to your favorite picture web hosting site and post it here. If you use Photobucket you can skip the .jpg conversion and just upload the bitmap as is and post it.
When you're done you should have something like this:
(click to enlarge)
Very nice to see you here. Welcome!
Find a post by Space Mouse. Shouldn't take long. Under his signature is a link to a how-to for track planning that he wrote for folks getting a head of steam for model railroads. It is worth a look for the five or six minutes it should take.
I say this, and not at all to be dismissive or critical, because you mention a figure "eight" track plan. From me to you....you will die of boredom within a few short weeks. It will take that long if you are brain-dead.
Since I don't believe you are simple, you really owe it to yourself to learn a lot more about how to maximize your expenditures of time and financial resources so that you can enjoy your layout for many months, perhaps even a year or more before you know that you have to build something new.
Welcome to the forum.
I will second what selector wrote, space mouse has some great info. I have been out of modle railroading for about 30 years and found this forum to be one of the best. read lots and ask questions.
I have a lot of model railroad stuf on the computer, if you would like i can e-mail it to you. best to ya and welcome aboard.
Welcome and I definitely second and tripple the comments.
MR has a saying to Dream-Plan-Build and sells a series of DVD videos under the same name. You obviously have had and are probably still in the "dream" portion.
Avoid the rush to purchase loco's and rolling stock and get track laid down.
From the "dream" aspect you should be able to make two written lists.
One is your "druthers". This will include things such as what type of locos you want to run (diesel, steam, both ?), how big (# wheels ?), what railroad you are modeling (if any) and what area (if any). Writing this down will help.
The second list is your "givens". This includes stuff like how much space you have (you listed that, so good), how much $ you can expend and how much time you can spend on it.
More often than not (I'm guilty too) we "dream" of big plans and do not do quite enough "planning" before we start the "building" aspect only to find out later, shucks that curve is too small for the locos and equipment I want to run - need more space.
Don't get discouraged. It's not as bad as this may sound like. Just spend the time to do as much planning as you can.
And by all means, read SpaceMouses's pointers, read everything you can get your hands on related to your "druthers" and ask lots of questions here.
Regards and have fun.
Tom
dude,
how do you get that atlas layout designer?
Please tell me!!!
train lover12 wrote: dude, how do you get that atlas layout designer?Please tell me!!!
It's a free download right here: http://www.atlasrr.com/righttrack.htm Juat make sure you register it (also free) to unlock all of the tools or you'll be quite limited.
Something else I found out.... always keep the track ready to run. I put up the basic layout, ran it a bit, then went to work on scenery. The track was torn up and I nearly went nuts before I decided to put the track back together. That way it is ready to show to visitors or just to burn the boredom when you hit a dry spell.
I really have to echo the previous comments regarding planning. But, if you are at all like me, you will have to find that out for yourself. Everyone I talk to is on their umpteenth layout, so, I believe there is no wrong way to do it. Just have fun. It does not have to be done overnight.
Thanks for all the great information guys! I will post my layout plans this evening once I get home. My space is about 11' long by 6' wide. My wife and I have a lot of loco's and rolling stock already from combining our train sets together from when we were kids. We also have a lot of track, switches, and most of our curves are the 18" type. Once I post my layout, I will have many questions for you guys!
I have been reading an older book called "How to build Model Railroad Benchwork" and that has really helped me out. I will probably be using the 'cookie-cutter' method for laying the roadbed and track. My first real question is, what is the best material for roadbed? I was planning on using 1/4' plywood for the base and foamboard on top of that. What thickness foamboard would be best suited, if at all?
Thanks guys!!!
Here is a picture of the initial plan for our layout. On the top (whick is the back, that will be an uphill grade, and after the turn on the left in the center, that will be a downhill grade. I really want to do the double parallel track in the center, but not sure of the spacing between track, and what radii turns to use. That would be my next quest for help!
Thank You all!
Assuming you're using HO scale (as I don't see a scale listed anywhere in your posts)
18" curves are pretty much the bare minimum for 4-axle diesels, small steam (probably 4-6-0's would be the biggest you could go), and 40-50' long cars. 20-22" is recommended for more reliable (and realistic-looking) operation though.
22-24" curves bring you into the realm of middle-sized steam (probably up to 2-8-2's) and 60' (ish) long cars. I think that 6-axle diesels will also run on this. If you have 24" curves, that is the bare minimum for scale length 80' passenger cars (eg the Walthers ones). 26-28" radius is recomended for the reasons above.
28-30" curves will run pretty much anything, and most of it will look really good. Articulated locos (eg UP Challengers) may still overhang a bit, and longer rigid wheelbase steamers (2-10-2 for example) may still have binding issues in the curves (though if one or more drivers are blind, then there shouldn't be any binding at all).
Now, this isn't to say you can't get a Challenger around an 18" curve - it'll just complain a lot and look really bad doing so.
As far as that grade goes,it looks like you're going up 6" in just over 7 feet (84"). That's a VERY steep incline (just over 6%). Good rule of thumb is to only have a 2.5-3% grade maximum (2-3" rise in a 100" run, you can fudge a bit and say 96" (8') run is close enough)
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
I will probably be starting my grades a lot sooner than depicted in the layout. I layed my track out last night on the floor, and had to make 1 adjustment already by taking a 9" strait from the very front and very back of the layout to fit, which should work just fine. So, I am already experiencing the modification portion of layout changes!
And yes, it is HO scale. :)