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  • Member since
    April 2001
  • From: US
  • 3,150 posts
Posted by CNJ831 on Sunday, July 4, 2004 7:44 AM
Doodling trackplans on paper is always fun but far too often fails to seriously consider the possible trackwork problems involved. In your case, Craig, the cluster of switches in the upper left corner of your trackplan are problematical and will certainly require far more space on the layout than suggested. Locating suitably angled commercial track components for a couple of your crossings is also likely to prove difficult and you may end up with problems getting things to position out anything like they do on paper.

I'd definitely advise making paper templates of actual commerical switches and crossings and lay things out full-scale for fit before doing anything else. I've always found it useful to trace full scale plans on large, joined sheets of rosin paper (cheap building supply store item). Walthers Catalog includes scale images of their switches, etc., which you can have enlarged at a copy store or even on with your computer. Atlas, likewise, has a downloadable program using its track components for the same purpose.

CNJ831
  • Member since
    June 2004
  • From: Pacific Northwest
  • 3,864 posts
Posted by Don Gibson on Saturday, July 3, 2004 2:19 PM
Nice plan, nice size.

I worry that Annpere jct. may be a source of derailments- crossing on a curve. Those wheel flnges will find that gap.

Consider doing what Chuck Hitcock did, two mainline turnouts start the curve, with the straight ' s crossing each other for the jct. in the corner Very effective.
Don Gibson .............. ________ _______ I I__()____||__| ||||| I / I ((|__|----------| | |||||||||| I ______ I // o--O O O O-----o o OO-------OO ###########################
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: Annpere MI
  • 190 posts
Thanks
Posted by eng22 on Saturday, July 3, 2004 1:38 PM

Thanks for the info!
Craig - Annpere MI, a cool place if you like trains and scrapyards

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