Track Plan

[keithw37]

I would like some help on a track plan if any body can come up with one. I am going to build a 5 feet by 10 feet L shaped .The 5 feet will be 3 feet wide and the10 feet will be 3 feet wide . I would like 2main lines so I can just watch the trains run and I want reversing loops on both and a yard, town, and go through the mountians and some bridges .

[SMassey]

By you saying that the 5 foot section will only be 3 feet wide are you modeling N scale? If so you will be fine and able to turn a train around. If you are going with HO scale you may want to make that section 4 feet wide. 4 feet will handle 22" radius' just fine and that is a good radius for most locomotives. Some larger non articulared steam may not like it but just about all diesels will be fine.

[keithw37]

Yes I am using N scale

[rolleiman]

Do you want 2 mainlines as in a double track main? Or do you want 2 seperate runs doing 2 different things through different scenes and even an interchange between the two.. With that kind of space, in N scale, you could do either or even both.. It may resemble what some call the spaghetti bowl though.. Since you say you want bridges, I get the impression you aren't afraid of doing grades (elevating track) to get To the bridges.. Have you decided on a construction method (plywood with cork, foam, homasote, etc)??

Something that may help you in deciding what you want is the book Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong published by Kalmbach.. Even if you don't care about realistic operation, it's still a good source for ideas that'll get you thinking..

Good luck,
Jeff

[keithw37]

Im going to go with plywood and maybe homesote and thin cork roadbed . I had a 12 by12 foot layout about 12 years ago and sold it and that is what I had on it. I was thinking of a double main line with reversing loops to turn the trains in the other direction

[keithw37]

still loking for a plan . The table will be 5feet by 10 feet L shaped and I am going to make it 3 feet wide.I have been tring to and hve not yet. Need some help . This is NScale

[fwright]

A track plan is a personal thing because it needs - if it is to be useful over a prolonged period - to suit the owner's desires and preferences. A layout larger than table size has many options, and is a chance for the owner to realize his/her vision of what a model railroad should be and exercise his/creativity. Professional designers, like John Armstrong, would demand a rather extensive thinking through of the client's "givens and druthers" before they will set pencil to paper or fire up the software. Even with a workable set of givens and druthers and a reasonable amount of space to work in,developing a track plan takes a fair amount of effort.

Those that post expecting a track plan be given to them by some of the "old-timers" with sketchy information that really says you don't know what you want, are likely to be disappointed. But the sad reality is that designing a satisfactory layout for YOU depends on the designer's understanding of YOU.

Unsolicited 4x8 designs happen more often because they take less time to draw up, and the options in 4x8 or smaller are much fewer. Even if you were building only a 4x8, I would insist at the very least you study a bunch of suitable plans, and write down why and what you liked/didn't like about each plan. Then take one of your favorites and modify it to suit you.

For a larger space such as yours, reading books like John Armstrong's "Track Planning for Realistic Operation" is essential to understanding what you want to do, and what is practical in the amount of space you have.

Some of the questions you need to think about are:

Hobby Constraints (these questions decide how big or complex your layout can be, regardless of actual space available):

How much time (hours per week or month) do I have to devote to constructing my layout - does not include building locomotives or rolling stock or time spent operating?

How much layout can be built in a year, based on the construction techniques I am planning to use? This is where issues like using cork roadbed and flex track vs Homasote and handlaid track come into play. For many of us, the true answer is half what we think it is.

How much of a mess am I allowed to leave between construction periods before the higher authorities rebel and cancel either us or our project? Because my wife has a very low tolerance for things left messy, I have to allow cleanup time as part of every work session. If I don't, I will pay dearly. So everything has to be looking presentable or covered at the end of a work session. I have to plan my time accordingly. In return, I can have a right of way in the living room! I have heard similar from others.

What is my budget for model railroading, and how much of that am I willing to devote to non-train items like lumber, track, scenery materials, structure kits, etc.?

How many years am I willing to give myself to get the layout to a reasonable state of completion? Am I likely to have to move before then?

Constraints that directly impact the plan:

How much construction time can I put in before I have to have some trains running?

What are the exact dimensions of the space I have? What kind of access do I need, and how long is my reach at the planned layout height? How am I going to throw my turnouts and uncouple my trains?

What time period (if any) do I want to model?

Is there a particular prototype, region, or type of equipment (if any) I want to focus on?

What kind of equipment do I plan to operate, and how tight a curve (minimum radius) am I willing to watch it operate on?

What are my favorite scenes I would like to build in minature? Examples might be a train crossing over another on a bridge, snaking through mountain gorges, long train across open prairie, a favorite station or industry, etc.

What kind of operation do I prefer? Would I rather sit and watch the trains run unattended through my favorite scenes? Do I enjoy switching puzzles? Do I want to simulate a day's run with a train? Will I normally operate by myself, or with several friends?

All these questions are leading to understanding your vision for your model railroad. Do yourself a favor, and think about these questions before you leap into track planning. That way your plan will be much more likely to satisfy in the long run.

The more successful posters for trakc plan usually post a summary of their thoughts about the above questions, and a draft of what they think might be a good plan. That way the designers on the forum have a starting point.

I know this sounds harsh, especially in print. But effort in the beginning will pay off in much more satisfying use of your hobby time and $$.

yours in training
Fred

[Tom Bryant_MR]

Keith, I second the advice to get Track Planning for Realistic Ops as rolleiman has indicated. Also, fwright has summed up the planning process very nicely. See if you can answer some of these in your mind.

Then, download some track planning software such as is available for free at http://www.sillub.com/. Be sure to do the entire tutorial.

I started with a basic idea such as you have. I had the space defined; very little else. Over time, with lots of reading, some railfanning excursions and some train shows, what I really wanted began to firm up in my mind. This occurred over a period of a few months. I eventually submitted a track plan on this forum and with the help and inputs from a lot of members here, I arrived at the following; at revision Q and will still have a little fine tuning.

http://home.austin.rr.com/tomsandy/Garage_upper.pdf

It's an itterive process. No one way is best.
Best of luck
-Tom

[SpaceMouse]

Thanks guys. I usually have to bring up these points.

The point is that unless you know what you want, how are you going to get it from something someone else designs. The suggestion to read "Track Planning for Realistic operation is a good one."

Professional designer Byron Henderson asks the "client" to answer some very basic questions. Here is a link to that site.

http://home.earthlink.net/~mrsvc/id13.html

[ereimer]

great answers !

this thread should be stickied and everyone should be required to read it before they can post [:D]

i just realized i'm starting to get grumpy every time i read one of these 1 line posts from a new person asking for a layout design or "i just got a train set how do i build a layout?" . my bad as they say . maybe i need to go build a kit or something to remind me how new i still am at this stuff

welcome to the forums keith , and have fun !

[Anonymous]

Why would you get grumpy ereimer, this is what these types of forums are for. Not everyone is an expert and you have to begin somewhere. No one says you have to answer a forum question if it aggrevates you.