I used Word to draw my first layout that I recently completed. I tried using a train layout program but I didn’t have much success with that. The drawing I have attached is a photo of the Word document. It is now time to start wiring. Overall size is 20 x 13, HO scale. It is not drawn to scale, but you can see how I have laid out the tracks. I believe I am going to need several reversing loops but I am not sure how many and exactly where they should go. I have also read somewhere about boosters and power districts, but I don’t know if I need them or not, and how to set them up if I do need them. Any help will be appreciated.
How can I improve the quality of the image? I used Flickr to upload the image.
Jack Fletcher
I didn't know you could do a drawing like that in Word. I use open office, so I'm not sure how you make a word document into a picture format, but the problem there are not enough pixels to blow it up into a useable picture.
If you can put it on full screen in landscape mode, then either to a screen capture or use one of the Windows tools Snip&Sketch or Snipping tool and try saving that.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Thanks, Henry. I'll give your suggestion a try to see if I can improve the image.
I can blow it up and rotate it, but the text becomes blurred and unreadable.
Rich
Alton Junction
starmanI am going to need several reversing loops but I am not sure how many and exactly where they should go. I have also read somewhere about boosters and power districts, but I don’t know if I need them or not, and how to set them up if I do need them.
I have also read somewhere about boosters and power districts, but I don’t know if I need them or not, and how to set them up if I do need them.
As for an additional booster, how much power do you have now? 2 amps? 5 amps?
As for power districts, are you a lone wolf or multi-operator? You may want to create one or more power districts in that engine servicing facility and in the major yard(s).
The first problem I see is no open space in the centre, giving you a problem of reaching 6 1/2 feet. Very tricky.
A need for boosters is determined by the number of engines being operated, and therefore current draw.
Power districts help you determine where an electrical problem is located.
Hey Jack -
The layout image is a little fuzzy and hard to read the text, but it is still workable to get going.
What I do is try to reduce the layout to its essential elements and remove all extra track and stuff that does not affect the wiring.
Basically what you have is a traditional G-layout with a thick middle bar, a thin upper bar, and a medium-sized lower bar. Can you see that? What I would do is straighten out the paperclip so that there is a long thin oval. That makes it easier to see the crossovers and reversing loops (if there are any). Then I would remove the ladder yards, passing sidings, and stub tracks.
When I say eliminate or remove, I don't mean discard or anything; just remove them from the drawing to eliminate the clutter. Plus, I don't mean to actually straighten out the layout. This is just a mental exercise.
Make a sketch in your head or on a piece of scrap paper and see what you can see.
Hope this helps. Good luck.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
It's difficult to trace all of that spaghetti-like track, but the only reversing section that I find is at the point of the red circle in the following diagram. I'm not sure why you even have that connection. Eliminate the connection to the yard above the red circle so that the track goes directly to the turntable and you will have no reversing sections. At least, that is how I see it.
Speaking of seeing it, it is difficult to see parts of the track plan clearly because the diagram blurs as it is blown up. Are there any crossovers on the mainlines?
For it to not blur on a blow up, the best thing would be to print to a PDF. But you can't host that on a photo hosting service.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
starman The drawing I have attached is a photo of the Word document. It is now time to start wiring. Overall size is 20 x 13, HO scale. It is not drawn to scale,
So, the track is down? ready for wiring? Any chance of a better drawing? There must be aisle ways in there some place to get at everything, and for operation.
Mike.
My You Tube
Where is starman?
I have tried several ways to get a picture on a hosting site than does not blur when enlarged. So far, no luck. Still working on it.
Yes, there are walkways, but the entire layout is not drawn to scale. Perhaps I need to redraw the layout in a drawing program. Any suggestions will be appreciated?
Are there any crossovers on the mainlines?
No crossovers.
In that case, if I were you, I wouldn't worry about a better quality diagram or a less blurry one.
What are your thoughts on the one reversing section that I found?
One other question for you. Will you be looking for a way to change the direction of the trains on the mainlines?
Try printing it out and taking a decent quality photo of the result. If the camera was held steady, then the picture can be zoomed in just like holding the piece of paper closer to your face to make out the small text. Post the photo full size, not reduced - see my layout or basement threads, I just took those photos with my phone and email them to myself, and send the full quality version, not the small, medium or large option I get when emailing photos. Depends on the phone how it does it, but on my iPhone it always asks what size I want to send - small, medium, large, or actual size. ANd make a photo of a printout, not the screen, it will be higher quality.
At this point, do we really need a better diagram?
With no mainline crossovers, there are no reversing sections, just two continuous, snaking mainlines, forming loops. In the yards and engine servicing area, the only reversing section that I see is the one that I previously circled in red. And does he really need that one which seems to serve no useful purpose?
I think Rich has it right. Only one reversing section. As far as boosters and power districts, the maze of track and the quality of the diagram don't help determine what to do and how to do it.
I just made a simplified, hand drawn diagram, eliminating the yards and engine servicing facilty. Also, I cut off the track work at the bottom of the diagram since it simply loops and then returns up the right side of the diagram.
ANd looking at the original, does that track making the connection there in the middle of the bottom yard track even serve any purpose? If that connection were eliminated, there are no reverse loops (besides the turntable).
rrinker ANd looking at the original, does that track making the connection there in the middle of the bottom yard track even serve any purpose? If that connection were eliminated, there are no reverse loops (besides the turntable). --Randy
Not the bottom track, that track that sweeps in from the left and connect to the bottom track of the yard in the center of the original diagram, witht he turnout right next to the one leading to the turntable.
rrinker Not the bottom track, that track that sweeps in from the left and connect to the bottom track of the yard in the center of the original diagram, witht he turnout right next to the one leading to the turntable. --Randy
Well, I agree. Keep it simple.
Hello All,
The difficulty I have with this diagram is the radii of the curves pictured.
Even though I have 15-inch curves on my HO pike there are no 90º curves. I am referring to all the 90º curves on the left side (as shown) of the diagram.
As this diagram was made in Word® I suspect it was generated by some sort of flow chart characters.
I understand the OP's question is about wiring, but without realistic curve dimensions, I don't believe this track plan is attainable.
A revised track plan with actual curves would help with further assistance in wiring.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"
If starman's earlier posts on this thread are being understood correctly, he claims that he has already laid the track and now needs to wire it. So, apparently, he has managed to fit this track work, as diagrammed, in a 20' x 13' space, HO scale.