GraniteRailroader wrote: Packers, I think you're giving up way to easily on this. You know what your givens and druthers are, and what your dream is. To just up and walk away from something at this point, when so many people have given feedback and helped with plans shows a lack of commitment to whatever you do model.
Packers, I think you're giving up way to easily on this. You know what your givens and druthers are, and what your dream is.
To just up and walk away from something at this point, when so many people have given feedback and helped with plans shows a lack of commitment to whatever you do model.
The guy on this thread who said that it was a bit ambitious was right. I like this 6x6 plan. It can support single operation (and myself being the only modeler that I personally know in town, that's important). The big layout has gone way too far from what I set out to build at the begining. I'm sticking with the Indiana Southern.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Okay, so I added a few spurs.
Jeff But it's a dry heat!
Vail and Southwestern RR wrote:Adding "a few more spurs" is where you get in trouble! Leave some space! It will actually look better. I get the feeling that you are trying to get every inch of track down that you possible can. I thin that makes everything look that much closer together, and you lose the illusion that your trains actually go anywhere.
i wasn't happy with how much switching there was. Let me work on rearranging those.
Edit note: here's the new track plan:
Try 'XtrkCAD'. Its a good package. It used to be a commercial program but its now Open Source so you can just download it and use it. Be sure to Google for it and go to the Open Source version of the website (I think the current version is 4.0.2-2). You can get it for Windows or Linux (or download the source code and compile it yourself for some other platform maybe-- or else add new features if you're so inclined). As a program I've found it to be a little dated, though with lots of good useful features. If your needs are modest though (and from your description and drawings they seem to be) it would be an excellent CAD package to use to help you lay out your layout.
Design and build what you are happy with.
But, here are the thoughts I'll leave you with. In general the point of the railroad is to move stuff, over large distances. So, unless you modelling an industrial area, where the only operation is switching, you need some space to run! More tracks don't necessarily make better switching.
XTrkCad is not that hard to use, but there's no substitute for running through the tutorial. Once, and then again after you use it for a few hours. It is a pretty powerful program.
I think one of the best parts of this hobby is what we can learn. I would seriously recommend really reading "Track Planning for Realistic Operation". Not just skimming it. There is a lot to learn in there. And then get one of the books with a compilation of Armstrongs plans, and see how he implemented the ideas from the book. (18 Tailor Made Track Plans comes to mind.)
I believe that designing your own plan can be one of the most rewarding parts of the hobby, if you do it well. If you do it poorly, it can probably be one of the most frustrating. Take the time to learn, and do it well!
Vail and Southwestern RR wrote:I was just thinking a little more. Rememebr, the railroad would prefer to have as little switching as possible. Obviously it is necessary, but it is slow, and isn't an efficient use of their time, manpower, and equipment.
there's only 4 spurs in the end of line town (the track that sneaks around and joins the yard is a spur on one end, loco servicing on the other). I have an area for running trains through (the spur that goes off the end at the bottom left, and the spur off the layout in the middle of the right side). The yard crew has two industries to switch at a time when there is no switching in the yard. Let me design a day running the way-frieght.
So here it is:
So, it starts out with the yellow. The U25B couples on to the head, and it departs. The first seout is at Indiana farm supply, today a boxcar of feed. It then continues on to town #2 (i haven't named the towns yet). The first set-out there is at a spur track on the outskirts of town. It then sets out a hopper of plastic pellets and 3 beer can tank cars at the soda bottling plant. It then places 2 boxcars at the local train/truck interchange. It's final moves in town are to put a boxcar of lumber on the siding, run around it, and shove it into the lumber supply siding. the train gets reassembled, and the crew goes to lunch. On the return trip, their only move is to set out a covered hopper for grain at the Indiana Grain Co-op elevator. It returns to town, and the local switch crew (which is done with classification for tommorow and has switched the 2 local industries) using their RS3, breaks down the train, while the U25B goes to the engine house.