Old Walthers Catalog and Layout Planning

[Anonymous]

While pondering where the track and structures will go on a 2 by 6 foot urban module I"m making I had an idea that may make things easier. I do my planning full size. It allows me to use actual rolling stock to see how the tracks will work and full size vehicles to plan out the roads etc. The problem I was having was with the structures. I don't want to purchase structures that won't fit come construction time. Here's my solution. The Walthers catalogs list the dimension of many of the structure kits. I cut out old file folders to the foot print size. This allows me to check placement. In order to visualize what things will look like I cut out the pictures from the catalog and glue them to the card. Although not quite the same as a 3D mockup it does allow me to move things around abit to see the various possibilities.

Yeah, I know it won't win a John Armstrong award for track planning, but I hope maybe someone can use this idea to help him/her plan their layout.

[ericsp]

I think Bob Smaus might have done something like that in his "Port of Los Angeles" series (December 1990 through March 1991 issues of Model Railroader).

[Anonymous]

Somehow I knew someone else thought of this before I did lol.