IN RUT!

[claycts]

Has anybody else been this DUMB? Have been cad designing this thing for 33 months. Get it looking great I THOUGHT. Printed it out at 3"-1'-0" and it looks like JUNK. In english, a bowl of noodels gone nutz. I am looking at another track plan as I type.
I want the PERFECT DESIGN (which does not exist) with all the features I want (and have ALREADY BOUGHT) and have it pleasing to the eye and of interest to a visitor. I am kind fo old and if I take 15 years to build this thing like in the book they can bury me with it.
I have EVERY book by all the design folks and plan experts plus ALL the DCC books and other printed material. I think my brain is full and needs to be purged.
Thanks for reading this Old Farts ramblings!
P.S. Anybody live near Aiken S.C.?
George P.

[SpaceMouse]

Post the layout and let us see it. Maybe, your 33 months are not wasted.

[pcarrell]

A list of "givens" and "druthers" can help in sorting out the spagetti bowl.

I agree with spacemouse that if we could see it that we might be of more assistance.

[claycts]

Follow link under signature, Thank you.

[claycts]

SOLVED!!!
Just over loaded. Build in phase, starting at the bottom and working up. If the noodels can not be built I will CUT THE NOODELS and redo ONLY that area.
Man I hat a BRAIN FART DON'T YOU!!!
Thanks Guys.

[rrinker]

I've been designing at LEAST that long. Had I not stepped aside and designed a smaller, more simple layout that can be incorporated into the master plan, I STILL would not have any running trains.

--Randy

[MisterBeasley]

Buy some wood. Buy some foam. Buy some roadbed and track. Turn off the computer and go do something real. I was stuck in design for a while, too, but I cured that with a trip to the lumber yard.

Oh, and when you get the lumber, store it in front of your computer so you can't go back to the CAD program until you've built the benchwork!

[claycts]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MisterBeasley

Buy some wood. Buy some foam. Buy some roadbed and track. Turn off the computer and go do something real. I was stuck in design for a while, too, but I cured that with a trip to the lumber yard.

Oh, and when you get the lumber, store it in front of your computer so you can't go back to the CAD program until you've built the benchwork!

NEAT!. I bought 900ft of track, a full pallet of 1x2 and 1x4, a BUNCH of 2x2 (legs) got 10 sheets of OSB FREE (1/2") and 4 4x8 sheets of 1" foam Also 12 pack of Tutrle Switch machines some Atls Code 83 turn outs to test (probably going to use Walthers). Bought An MRC Prodigy to try and Digitrax Chief and Super Empire Builder (cheaper than buying the parts). Now all I need TIME TO DO IT!. If you look at my website I have 3 cars to get ready for a show on 11/12/2005. One is quick, one is a cosmetic restoration and one is a total restoration (which will not be ready no matter what my wife says)
The wood is in front of the Cad station and the other computers can not run cad so that should do it.
Thanks guys! I guess a little Gienfidich and I am off to the trains!!!

[selector]

Your trains run on Scotch? Kewl!! Mine run on chocolate-covered almonds.

I'll be washing them down with a few wee drams of Dalwhinnie camping near the Port Alberni heritage train museum this weekend.


Hey!!! Please step away from that CAD computer!!! [:D]

[Anonymous]

Something I'm going to throw out there for you...

"IF" it was my layout/time/space, etc., I would do an around-the-walls layout - a complete circle. In addition, there would be a peninsula or two in the middle.

There would be a liftout or hinged section for the door that electrically cuts off the track on either side of it.

I personally would not have any of the grand "U-turns". I always like to see layouts where the track just goes through the scene from left to right. That is what I always see in real life.

If I was building with the amount of space you have, I would keep the track plan very simple. The size alone offers enough to keep you busy for years.

Not trying to be critical - just trying to bring up some things that may not have occured to you.

Have you seen Dave Barrow's old Cat Mountain & Santa Fe layout? He had a HUGE space, yet the track plan was very simple. It was all a couple feet wide with track simply going from left to right as you look at every section of it. Rick Rideout's layout is similar - here are some pics:http://www.rixproducts.com/rixmodel.htm

Just some somewhat un-solicited advice from an armchair guy who takes as long to design a layout as you do [:)]

[claycts]

CARRfan, If I had his vision and talent I would not be in a rut. I read John Allen's book so many times the print is worn off, that is where I got this silly idea to get back into something I got our of 20 years ago.
I wi***hat the input I got when I started spending money was as good as it is now. I thank you for the input and I understand the logic of it. My wife and I are going to work on her 1971 Jag XKE this weekend trying to get that 12 cyl cat to PURR insyead of coughing fur balls. That will give me time to digest all this information which has startewd the braib thinking (is that good or bad?)
Thank You
George P.

[Anonymous]

Yes - Rick Rideouts layout is NICE!!!

Another thing about an around-the-walls type layout - you're able to reach everything! Imagine, if you will, benchwork that is only 2 ft wide. Maybe 2.5ft. You would be able to reach everything! A turnout needs repair, your loco derailed - no problem, it's all withing your reach.

Narrow benchwork seems like a really good way to keep the "monster" under control.

My wife and I have a lot of storage space in our garage. As much as I'd like to pack more & more stuff in there, I know that I can't put any box in front of another box. If I do, I'll never get to the box behind it!

Same concept with around-the-walls benchwork.

In fact, you could build the around-the-wall section, with a couple pensinsula's in the middle that are simply areas for switching, or destination towns, etc.

You could build the mainline around the walls, then build the switching areas a year or so later - because the layout could run without them. Then if you decide you've already bitten off more than you could chew, you could just not build those areas.

Just some thoughts...

I'm jealous of the space you have!!!

I should also mention, I, too am a CAD junky - I'm a mechanical engineer.

Having used CAD for years, there are still times where I design something, then when I get it manufactured and it's in my hands, I go, "Wow, that's tiny!", or conversely, "Wow, that's HUGE!"

I'm aware of this while designing a layout too. Real life and the computer can be quite different. As I'm using the computer, I must contstantly think about real life to make sure I'm not off-base.

[claycts]

I taught Autocadd From Rel 10 up to 2000. Now I am using 3rd planet and Auto Arch 2000. I am working 1-1 so that I am always in real scale at world UCS. It is when I switch to scale that I find the AH SH__ in the design.
Thank you again. I am keeping the AROUND the wall as designed and going to modify thr inner table for access. the big bubble at the bottom with the twin loops MAY become a 24 to 30" shelf connecting to the Roundhouse area. That would mean a "DUCK" but at 54" high, thank you for the BRAIN FOOD it helps.
George P.

[Anonymous]

Let me raise an issue or two with your plan. First, a quick look leaves me wondering how you are going to reach some of the areas on the layout. I don't see a lot of room for access hatches in some areas, and any place more than about two feet, (or, for people like me with callouses where my knuckles drag the ground when I walk, 30 inches) from the aisle is not going to be easy to reach for maintainance, fixing derailments, etc. You need to revisit that issue. Secondly, I will ditto the idea of building the layout in stages: First, get a simplified version with enough track to run trains (maybe with the addition of temporary trackage) built. Then, add more of the tracks to get to your final plan. But, this again brings up the spectre of being able to *easily reach* all parts of the layout.

[2c]

[claycts]

QUOTE: Originally posted by WetumkaFats

Let me raise an issue or two with your plan. First, a quick look leaves me wondering how you are going to reach some of the areas on the layout. I don't see a lot of room for access hatches in some areas, and any place more than about two feet, (or, for people like me with callouses where my knuckles drag the ground when I walk, 30 inches) from the aisle is not going to be easy to reach for maintainance, fixing derailments, etc. You need to revisit that issue. Secondly, I will ditto the idea of building the layout in stages: First, get a simplified version with enough track to run trains (maybe with the addition of temporary trackage) built. Then, add more of the tracks to get to your final plan. But, this again brings up the spectre of being able to *easily reach* all parts of the layout.

[2c]

There are 3 hatches in the plan, one up at the Allentown yard and two in the lower blob by the bridge. The paypal mine is the problem child at the moment, I have a raised (20"x48") work platform to step up on to reach across. Thanks to this forum I am using the CARDBOARD CENTRAL idea. Full mock up of benches made out of carboard with wood as trains. If I can not get the wood then the track moves, period.
Thank you
George P.

[claycts]

Thanks Guys I am going to redesign a KISS railroad (keep it simple stupid). Setting aisle at 24" Radius min at 32" #6 and #8 with no reach over 30" And see what comes out.
Thanks Again
Opened eyes in Aiken!