How much planning did you do before the 1st rail was laid?

[Anonymous]

As much as I hate to admit it I am the 4,5 and 6 combo and am paying for it. My layout is a 3 level one and the biggest problem I have faced is bridge and tunnel clearances and the steepness of my grades.

Anyone else facing similiar problems[:(!]

[Anonymous]

I used RightTrack software. I spent 4 months planning and made 22 different plans before I was happy with the plan that I am building. http://members.cox.net/dbhuff/dsrr/

[GerFust]

Fergus:

I started designing with sketches on paper, then moved to Atlas Right Track software. I found it cumbersome since you don't know the radii of the curves and cannot easily insert curves unless you know the end points. It also doesn't display as square on some PC screens.

I was about to do a full-size drawing, when my wife bought an HO design template for me in 1:12 scale. Now that I have a scale drawing, I still plan on drawing it full-size, so make sure I have the clearance I intend around buildings. I approximated transition curves when drawing it to scale, but want to check these for sure before laying rail.

When I start the rail, I will transfer the drawing to the table and go from there! I will probably try to make an Atlass Right Track version to post on my website later. However, scanning my hand drawing might work well, too.

Just an aside, my drawing will also include locations of under-table supports. Wouldn't want to put a switch machine right where the support girder is!

-Jer

[Anonymous]

I planned in my head what the track plan would be like. I didn't write anything down or figure out just how much track I needed. I had it visualized as the where I would have sidings, etc., so I knew what it would look like. I know a lot of you probably don't agree with this, but it turned out good for me. I've always been the type of person that never writes anything down, ever and prefers to just try and remember things.

[Big_Boy_4005]

Excellent question Fergie!!!

I voted for 2 and 3, but I also use a lot of 5. For me, all the pencil and paper is used to try to figure out what will fit into my space, and plan the benchwork. Once the benchwork is up, and I know the real dimensions, I can get into the details.

You have to use something beside your head to plan grades and clearence, or you end up with trouble. Just last night, I was explaining my layout plan to a friend. Parts of the benchwork are up, and the rough plan is hanging on the wall. As we wandered through the 38' X 46' space, my arms waving wildly as I tried to convey the concept, I realized that I have a problem to solve.

It isn't serious, but the solution may mean having to sacrifice a standard that I was trying to maintain.The standard was grade percent, and I was trying to stay below 2%. Since I haven't built the benchwork for this section yet, the problem is still months into the future, but recognizing it now will give me a lot more time to find a solution.

I know what I want to do, and I know what I need to do, because its on paper.

[Anonymous]

Don't know how to vote but number two would be the closest to what I did. Graph paper, pencil, electric eraser, and compass, no template. I made about 10 completely different designs of the benchwork and mainline only, nothing else, until I was happy with the looks of what I had achieved.

Once I had the mainline and benchwork done, I planned in "sections"; in theory the layout still isn't totally planned. I have the benchwork up (2 decks) and all my backdrop in, and only 1/3 of the track in. I am planning the rest as I go.

Usually I find a bit of a plan I like in MR or other source and incorporate that small "bit" into what I am doing. So its sort of planning by sections.

[BentnoseWillie]

I sketched out some layout design ideas and schematics of what I wanted the railroad to do years before I started. When I finally had space for a layout, I spent about six months drawing and revising a trackplan using a CAD program on my PC. The result was a layout that was very satisfying from an operationa standpoint, though limited by its size.

The current module, being based upon a prototype location and track layout, was designed using pencil and paper over the course of a few evenings. For y next large layout, though, I'll definintely use CAD again. It was great for making changes as many times as I did.

[vsmith]

1, 2, and 3, with a twist!


Was going to build an outdoor garden RR, I had to sketch it first, I must a done over 100 ideas, then graph paper to roughly see if the better ideas fit, refine it down to what I wanted, then I used a CADD system at home to do the final layout drawing. Got a final plan and then got booted from the garden, the wife wouldnt buy into the idea of trains out there. So I redirected my energies to doing an indoor layout in the garage.

I had a G gauge 4x6 stand alone layout , just track on benchwork, to test run trains for the big garden RR I had planned. That now became to start of the indoor layout. Once again, sketch, graph, at least a dozen ideas using the 4x6 as a basis. Once I started on the CADD I had to par the layout down even more to avoid crowding, and provide access points and wire routing. Then I started expanding the benchwork and rough laying track on top, with Even with CADD I still had a couple of minor misalignments. Eventually all the track was down covering about 8'W x 20' L and I could begin wiring, now that all the wiring is done, I can run trains and am planning the scenery.

I started off planning a outdoor garden RR with a "10 foot rule" mentality, now I'm doing a traditional , albeit large scale, indoor layout with a "2 foot rule" mentality.

You never know where you'll end up when you start building a layout, Eh?

[Anonymous]

Visualized for years. Built and then tore down. Now rebuilding. Trying to keep it simple. Not enough time.

[orsonroy]

I've been planning my current layout for about three years now, or since I bought my new house. Most of that time has been spent researching the real line I'm replicating, with relatively little time spent on actually planning the layout itself. Most of the time I did spend on drawing the layout concerned itself with getting a footprint that gave me the maximum amount of mainline. Since I'm modeling a real line fairly closely, all I really have to do for towns and sidings is throw down a couple of maps!

Personally, I feel computer layout planning programs are wastes of valuable model building time. I don't need to wait for a pencil to boot up, or figure out the learning curve to program my hand to grab another sheet of paper!

[Anonymous]

I am in the planning process right now. I am using 3d-planit to make and revise possible layouts. I am currently on the 5th iteration of my future layout, with no end in site.

[AggroJones]

It ain't like I got so much to design! It took about a full year of sketching different ideas and doing mock ups before I laid the first track. Then as the layout was being built, I modified the plans more.

[Anonymous]

I am still going thru graph paper and test fitting track on a fixed space. Eventually a plan that satisfies the needs of the Railroad (Operation) will be found.

I keep a box full of "Good to Go" ideas and such that will be incorperated in the future.

[Anonymous]

I have done a fair amount of planning for my model railroad. However, Even with all my sketches and then followup CAD drawings to make sure the sketch will work. There are many times while laying track I will come up with an idea and make minor changes to what I had planed. I consider the track plan that I make for my layouts to be guids that keep focused on the concept of what I am trying to achieve, Not to be developed to every nut bolt and track nail.

[Anonymous]

I went were the track took me. Not too much planning with 4X9 ft. Besides if I took too much time designing than I would get too frustrated and never get anywhere.

Thanks,
Jeremy

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by juby4life

I went were the track took me. Not too much planning with 4X9 ft. Besides if I took too much time designing than I would get too frustrated and never get anywhere.

Thanks,
Jeremy

BINGO !!!!

I'm not sure which is more applicable here.
"Just do it", Nike. Or "Sometimes, you have to say what the f---", Risky Business.

[CBQ_Guy]

Combination of 2, 3, 4, and 5.

[Anonymous]

I'm not done with my layout yet! I do draw my plans on paper, though.

[CP5415]

I started out with a 3X8 modular setup & grew from there.

Gordon

[BNSFNUT]

I had a drawing for the main line and and the yard when I started. But most of my
industral spurs where just add where I could find the space for the structure.
My branch line sort just happen as I found the space for more bench work and I extended it as I when along.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by GerFust

Fergus:

I started designing with sketches on paper, then moved to Atlas Right Track software. I found it cumbersome since you don't know the radii of the curves and cannot easily insert curves unless you know the end points. It also doesn't display as square on some PC screens.

I was about to do a full-size drawing, when my wife bought an HO design template for me in 1:12 scale. Now that I have a scale drawing, I still plan on drawing it full-size, so make sure I have the clearance I intend around buildings. I approximated transition curves when drawing it to scale, but want to check these for sure before laying rail.

When I start the rail, I will transfer the drawing to the table and go from there! I will probably try to make an Atlass Right Track version to post on my website later. However, scanning my hand drawing might work well, too.

Just an aside, my drawing will also include locations of under-table supports. Wouldn't want to put a switch machine right where the support girder is!

-Jer

I must confess I started out with the first Version of Atlas's Right Track software, found it limiting and cumbersome then went to home made templates and graph paper and found this limiting. I start something and change mid way. I do sketches and visualize It seems to be the only way that I can work.

[leighant]

I stuck the first two sections of Lionel track together, then added the third piece, etc. Actually, Santa Claus did it for me because I was three years old. I guess it all depends on what you mean by the 1st rail.

My main existing layout, started 20 some-odd years ago was a couple months in serious planning with compass, protractor, measuring track, drawing, erasing etc.



I started with a hidden passing siding as a two track staging yard, but the staging was woefully inadequate and all I could add was a single-ended additional staging track. About three years ago, I added a spur addition which could also form a connection to a future shelf addition.



Meanwhile, I built a small layout a couple of years ago following a general idea that I dreamed up more than 10 years previously and finally got around to building, a demonstration that a realistic operating layout can be built in a space not much more than 25% larger than a minimum radius circle of track. I built it with sectional track to prove to myself that I wasn't cheating by bending the track to a tighter radius.



The tiny layout as developed also used several concepts I developed when I designed 3 thematic layouts for a friend's teenager who said he was interested in trains. The kid lived on Navy bases for part of his childhood and one of the thematic layouts I designed was trackage aboard a Navy base with a connection to an unmodeled mainline through a security gate. The kid never built a layout, but I recycled some of the ideas. The prototype of the big dream layout I have been planning for when I win the lottery served a Navy blimp base, and my tiny layout represents such a base so it is called the "Lighter Than Air" railroad.

I mentioned my big dream layout. I have been planning that for 15 years or so, for a specially built train space 20 x 25 with stairway access to avoid the need for any doors or windows in the room. Planned by building 3-D computer models and animating them using the Lightwave program used for some of the effects in the "Titanic" movie. Spent a year and a half staying late at night using the computer at a TV studio after hours. But I haven't won the lottery or saved money to build a train house.

However, my main layout has never run right because of a bad curvature problem that apparently cannot be solved. Eight to nine car trains pull themselves over toward the inside of the curve. And there are some dead spots in turnouts that I don't think can be replaced without tearing up half the layout around them and I don't think it can be made to fit back.

I have thought completely rebuilding my layout would be the only solution, but instead of rebuilding the same layout, I am trying to plan to build about 20% of my dream layout in a space about 20% of my desired size. In a way, I have been planning this for 15 years. I want generous curvature easemented track in a moderate space so I am using full size track templates and model-of-a-model mockups for planning. Need to start building soon. But I need to keep planning too.

[Anonymous]

skeched on paper.

[IRONROOSTER]

I started with graph paper, pencil, and compass 30 years ago and I still like doing it that way. I'm not adverse to the track planning s/w, but the package I tried took longer to learn than to do the pencil and paper way.
Enjoy
Paul

[ShaunCN]

whent where ever the track took me......big mistake. ended up making major changes later on

ShaunCN

[ClinchValleySD40]

The new CAD programs are great and once you get the hang of it, really easy to use.

[Anonymous]

Combo of 4 & 5 here...though I used lots of drew lots of layouts on paper instead of napkins...and visualized everything. I see things vividly in my head and that was half the battle; getting a reasonable track plan up and operating was the hard part. This is my first real attempt to construct a layout and I've had to rely on lots of how-to articles. My brother is a source of inspiration as well; his skills are enviable and he's been in the hobby considerably less time than I. I have a double track truss bridge on my small 'empire' and that proved most difficult. Time and patience, hopefully, are on my side.

[Anonymous]

Paper and pencil always! There is alot to be said for the thoughts that come gracefully from your trainbrain (a very elusive part of the male cranium!) and flow gently onto the page. I have used various different pieces of software to design layouts (and as a software engineer it comes easy) but, I started planning my first layout on paper with crayon at the tender age of 8... and now at ## its still the best way to get the feel for the space you are working with.

Besides... you cant doodle in the margins with a PC !

Rod

[fiatfan]

I voted 4, 5, and 6 but it was actually only 5 and 6. I had some buildings from years ago and when I reentered the hobby last year, I tried the software (too impatient to learn it), tried graph paper, and said the heck with it. I put some of the buildings on the table and started laying track to reach them. Now I have bought some more buildings and am expanded to reach those buildings.

In the past, I always tried to put too much track in the space available. This time, I am not only getting a more realistic setting, I have stumbled upon a plan that will give me hours of switching and mainline running.

As I was reading through this thread, it dawned on me how I could deal with the staging area. I have already negotiated with the board of directors (the motion was unanimously passed in my favor!) and can't wait to start on that also.

Fergus, thank you for starting this thread. I am finally able get past the block that has been holding things up!

Tom

[Budliner]

I went with a midland layout and I must have went over my head I have a room full of wood and lost a foot on each end looks like the trains will be down for months



someone else made this atlas track plan
B -