Svein wrote: SpaceMouse wrote: Svein wrote: I'm still a bit puzzled...What about supporting the layout? If I design a 4x8 layout, can I use 1x4 for benchwork or do I have to cut pieces from the plywood sheet?SveinYou can use as much wood as you want above or below the surface area of the layout. And that's the confusing part. Where does the 4x8 sheet fit in? What is the surface area? Is it the overall footprint regardless of benchwork so long as it doesn't exceed 32 sq ft, or do we have to design and build a complete layout using nothing more than a 4x8 sheet of plywood?
SpaceMouse wrote: Svein wrote: I'm still a bit puzzled...What about supporting the layout? If I design a 4x8 layout, can I use 1x4 for benchwork or do I have to cut pieces from the plywood sheet?SveinYou can use as much wood as you want above or below the surface area of the layout.
Svein wrote: I'm still a bit puzzled...What about supporting the layout? If I design a 4x8 layout, can I use 1x4 for benchwork or do I have to cut pieces from the plywood sheet?Svein
I'm still a bit puzzled...
What about supporting the layout? If I design a 4x8 layout, can I use 1x4 for benchwork or do I have to cut pieces from the plywood sheet?
Svein
You can use as much wood as you want above or below the surface area of the layout.
And that's the confusing part. Where does the 4x8 sheet fit in? What is the surface area? Is it the overall footprint regardless of benchwork so long as it doesn't exceed 32 sq ft, or do we have to design and build a complete layout using nothing more than a 4x8 sheet of plywood?
32 sq ft is the footprint of the layout. The 32 sq ft does not include any open areas or isles.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
SpaceMouse wrote:32 sq ft is the footprint of the layout. The 32 sq ft does not include any open areas or isles.
OK I think I got it now. A 4x8 can be cut into several pieces to form a footprint for the layout, say 4 10"x96" and one 8"x96", to make a 200"x96" U-shaped layout, am I right..?
Yes.
And legs, bracing etc aren't to be made from the 4x8 plywood sheet... This could be a really fun contest..!
vsmith wrote: Intriguing concept! Let me see now...maybe in Gn15 this time
Intriguing concept! Let me see now...maybe in Gn15 this time
Go for it! With 32 square feet, that's a lot of railroad you can squeeze in!
"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot Visit my blog! http://becomingawarriorpoet.blogspot.com
Svein wrote:And that's the confusing part. Where does the 4x8 sheet fit in?
And that's the confusing part. Where does the 4x8 sheet fit in?
I think the idea is to show how a single 4x8 table top can be configured in a variety of ways. I would presume that you would also have additional lumber for the supporting benchwork.
I think this contest could provide a number of interesting ideas for folks who are interested in breaking out of the standard 4x8 but are still looking to keep cost and scope in line with that 4x8..
Chris
SpaceMouse wrote: HarryHotspur wrote:I still don't understand it. For example, if I start with a 4'x8' sheet of plywood and cut one square foot out of the middle, can I add that square foot to the side?Yes. You just can't cut a circle out of the center and add it back as a square with the same area.You could cut off the rounded edges and add back a smaller square. And you can use the edges of the circle to round a pennisula.
HarryHotspur wrote:I still don't understand it. For example, if I start with a 4'x8' sheet of plywood and cut one square foot out of the middle, can I add that square foot to the side?
Yes. You just can't cut a circle out of the center and add it back as a square with the same area.
You could cut off the rounded edges and add back a smaller square. And you can use the edges of the circle to round a pennisula.
So you could cut out one of these
In order to add one of these
Not that I would do anything so miserly myself
"I am lapidary but not eristic when I use big words." - William F. Buckley
I haven't been sleeping. I'm afraid I'll dream I'm in a coma and then wake up unconscious. -Stephen Wright
This isnt hard to figure out, heres a PDF of how a 4x8 could be cut down using the rules as stated to create an fairly good sized L shaped layout, while maybe a bit tight for mainline HO, it would be plenty for N or On30 or even Gn15
http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/4x8_plywood_cutting_diagram.pdf
Have fun with your trains
This mainly to bump this thead back to page one.
But the Old Mutt was wondering if Chip could acknowledge the entries as they are received so the entrants can be aware if something is lost in transmission.
Have fun
Okay, I have received two entries that I know of. I emailed each of those people when I received them. I did not receive one from you Dog. If you say you did, I'll look. If I remember, you have a problem with your date stamp on your emails, so they don't show up in "today's" post.
http://delray1967.shutterfly.com/pictures/5
SEMI Free-Mo@groups.io
I use Atlas RTS myself, but it's not the most powerful tool. I do the scenery in Paint. Since I use the Atlas code 55 line of track in N scale I'm limited to #5 & #7 turnouts on the 7.0 program. I need to update to the new 8.0 program. It probably has the #10 turnouts.
A lot of others use Xtrakcad or others.
delray1967 wrote: How do you check turnout numbers and radii; this one's for the planners, not the plan checkers.
Easies way to check turnouts on a hand drawing is to use a ruler and a compass.
To get turnouts right just to draw in weakly some helper lines in pencil (and possibly cut this out and use it as a paper template when drawing turnouts) - a no 4 turnout (steepest kind) moves four units of length forward for each unit of length it deviates from the other track, a no 6 turnout moves ahead six units of length for each unit of length it deviates from the other track.
For curves, use a compass (the thing you used in school to draw circles). Set it to an appropriate length - e.g. curve radius 20" for a sharp curve in H0, better 22-24", even better more than 24" - especially for long engines and cars - articulated engines, passenger cars or 89 foot modern hi-cube cars and such like).
Remember that the diameter of a circle (a line across from edge to edge) will be twice as long as the radius (from center to edge). So a 180 degree curve (a turnback curve) will have a diameter of at least 40" for 20" radius on the curve.
Make sure you decide when you start your planning how much layout inches one inch (or 1/4" or whatever) on your drawing represents, so you don't get tripped up by this.
For track lengths & clearances and such, a 40' RR car in real life (ie a normal car length for the popular transition era/up to 1950s) is about 5.5" in H0 scale (40 feet x 12 inches per feet = 480 inches. In 1:87.1 scale this is represented by 480" / 87.1 = 5.5"). A short yard switcher engine is around 6" long in H0 scale.
Have fun!
Grin, Stein
pcarrell wrote:I take it that you didn't get mine either then since I didn't get an Email. I sent it this morning, so maybe it got there after you last looked?
I only get train email on my home computer. I'll check it tonight.
I just sent you mine... Not very high tech, but it should work...
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
SpaceMouse wrote: pcarrell wrote:I take it that you didn't get mine either then since I didn't get an Email. I sent it this morning, so maybe it got there after you last looked?I only get train email on my home computer. I'll check it tonight.
Cool!
delray1967 wrote:What software does everybody use for these contest submissions? Some look like you could run trains on 'em and some look like the Paint program. Can someone sketch out a plan on a piece of paper and take a digital photo of it, then send it to you? How do you check turnout numbers and radii; this one's for the planners, not the plan checkers.
I draw on Autocadd, then plot it to PDF to my desktop, from there I can 'save as' a jpeg. I could produce a scale drawing for this its best just to plot the largest image I can on a given sheet size.
If you can take a digital picture, if its drawn well enough you could just submit that.
Bump.
Chip, 24 hours to go for submissions, whats the status?
Phillip,
Yes, I got yours and I replied to your email.
Did you get the entry I sent a few hours ago?
SpaceMouse wrote: Phillip, Yes, I got yours and I replied to your email. Chip
Strange.....I didn't get it. Oh well, I guess that wasn't the important part, huh?
chadw wrote: Did you get the entry I sent a few hours ago?
I'll check for it tonight. I don't get Space Mouse mail on my work computer.
SpaceMouse wrote: chadw wrote: Did you get the entry I sent a few hours ago? I'll check for it tonight. I don't get Space Mouse mail on my work computer.
But hitting the forum on the "work" computer seems to be working just fine..........
OK Chip, we're all waiting on you now....
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