Having no money for track planning software is no excuse to rely on free-hand drawing. Get paper with grid lines, a compass, a pencil, and a good erasure.
Mark
Have fun with it..
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Yeah, i'm going by my atlas #6s. I measured each turnout, and they are 6 in., which is reflected in the plan. and I know what I can manipulate them to do.
I'm not talking about the turnout being 6 inches long. I'm talking about the theoretical angle that the turnout will use.
Here are a #5 and a #7 in HO scale. The lines you are drawing on your paper, are the Green lines. The white lines are rails, and the red lines are tie outlines. You should be able to get an idea from this, exactly how your turnouts will lie. Again, the scale makes ZERO difference when it comes to the angle.
There are free programs (you can afford free, right? ) out there to use. Atlas is one that comes to mind.
http://www.railsusa.com/links/Model_Railroad_Software/
http://www.mizelltrains.com/xtrkcad.html
http://www.theliquidateher.com/model-train-layout-software.html
http://www.atlasrr.com/righttrack.htm
Rotor
Jake: How often does the train go by? Elwood: So often you won't even notice ...
I'd love to get some planning software, but there is absolutly zero money for that.
Can you afford a Ruler?? A #6 turnout is one unit diverge per 6 units run, regardless of scale. Doesn't even matter what the units are, as long as they are the same.
Hi,
The main issue I have is that the plan as drawn is showing your #6 turnouts drawn in as #2,#3,& #4s. In other words, what you have is a tad optimistic.
You either need to purchase a drafting template or learn one of the software programs. I know that some people think that spending 4-8 hours learning a program is a waste of time, but in the long run, you'll save that time and come up with a better product. Plus, you can test the operations out before you build, and you can print out a 1:1 plan to make sure you get the geometry right on your benchwork.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Well, in about a year or so (hopefully), i'll be building a shelf layout that's 6 1/2 by 9 1/2 ft. There will be removable staging yards. The basics:
scale: N
era: 2007
turnouts: all #6 (as of now)
no minium radius. Biggest locos: Newer ones (huge GE/SD) in the yard, branch line: GP9/30 or SD24/35.
Green blobs=forest
1 square=3 in.
For reference ?s
Sorry about the horrible planning; It's handrawn.