Track plans and the prototype

[Anonymous]

Hi there,

As an English modeller I find it difficult to instinctively draw modelling plans that look US rather than European. Is there a resource of protottype trackplans anywhere?

I am looking for something for a small switching layout to run my new CBQ SD9 on. I have a grain elevator as a traffic source.

Many thanks

45144

[ndbprr]

I have news for you. We have the same problem and we live here! There is a degree of artistry involved in making any model seem real and I think that is where most of us fall down regardless of city or country scenes. I learn the most from pictures of what others have done and when I see something that stands out I try to disect it to figure out what I could do that mirrors the feature that caught my eye. MR has had several good switching layouts over the last ten-fifteen years. I'd suggest you start there. They also included the plans in most cases.

[orsonroy]

In the US, collecting railroad track charts and track diagrams (two different animals) is a pretty big hobby, and some people make a side business in selling copies of them. Naturally, most of these diagrams have NOT been scanned and loaded into a website, because it might destroy the market. I've been fortunate to find several track plans for my area of interest in various places, including swapmeets and Ebay.

45144 (are they giving you guys serial numbers across the pond these days?),

What you're really looking for are track diagrams. Many are scattered around on the 'net, but not in any sort of collected area. If you want freebies off the 'net, you'll just have to do a lot of digging. Since you're likely not going to get to a US railroad collectable swapmeet any time soon, I'd keep an eye out on the US version of Ebay. They do pop up from time to time.

Looking to real track diagrams for inspiration is MUCH different than looking at layout plans. When you look at a real diagram, you're looking at a fairly large railroad investment in time, money and experience in how to get the tracks laid properly. It's really simple to then take those diagrams and squi***hem into a layout. It's generally much harder to take someone else's layout design and rearrange it to fit your own space and desires.

[cwclark]

track plans are track plans no matter where you live...as far as scenery goes, you might want to get pictures of places in the U.S. to depict what you are modeling...as far as the scenery goes..most of the eastern U.S. has rock and mountain colors done in whites blacks, grays, and tans, while the western U.S. is more in the order of raw sienna's, burnt and raw umbers, ochres, and red iron oxide colors...a lot of the track side scenery is different...like searchlight targets..they are manufactured differently here than in Europe..so are crossing gates and to a certain extent so are the building styles...Chuck

[AntonioFP45]

I was just checking out www.thortrains.net Scoll down until you see the N & HO category.

Also check out www.atlasrr.com On this one when you see the checkerboard in the middle, click on HO and then on N.

Some of the HO track plans on both these sites are very good and include tricky switching scenarios. Take your time and explore these sites. Tell us what you think and if you find a plan that may work for you. [:)][:D][8D][;)]

Hope this helps!

[IRONROOSTER]

Get John Armstrong's book Track Planning for Realistic Operation. It shows the U.S. prototype and how to adapt it to the model rr layout.
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

http://www.terraserver.microsoft.com
try this site pick a location and you can get aireal photos and topo maps(some with detailed track diagrams)
Enjoy
Chris

[Anonymous]

Thanks to all - I will try some of these options. As to track plans being track plans its just not true. For instance when I'm modelling continental europe I would use loops instead of dead end sidings, if I was modelling the Great Western I would build for right hand running, If I was modelling modern BR I would use single lead junctions instead of double track junctions with diamonds, I would rarely put a wye in a British layout, I'd use double slips for certain companies and tandem points for others - I'mn sure that UP is different to SP and so on in the same way.

remember real railways are constrained by the cash available to build, the type of traffic they run and engineer's preferences.

Its all important in getting that extra touch of reality as opposed to generic Railroadtown, anywhere, USA

All the best

Kevin

[Anonymous]

By the way,

45144 is the number of my favourite, although sadly no longer extant, locomotive. She was a BR class 45 1-C0C0-1 of 2500 hp used for everything from a local freight to top link mainline passenger.

I tend to use it as my name on these forums as I cxan remember 5 numbers and no one else is likely to want to!!

The terraform site is superb - many thanks

Kev

Rust in peace

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 45144
Is there a resource of [US] protottype trackplans anywhere?

I am looking for something for a small switching layout to run my new CBQ SD9 on. I have a grain elevator as a traffic source.

Define small? Do you mean a shelf layout or something with a loop?

[cuyama]

A google search for "CB&Q + Track chart" yielded some useful links, including this one:
http://www.burlingtonroute.com/gallery/Track-Maps-Alignment-Charts

[dehusman]

Go to e-bay and search for ZTS, CLIC or "track charts". Some people sell prototype books of track charts.

Dave H.