Doc, keep us apprised of your progress and dont worry about a failure. One learns from ones failures, and there are any number of people on this forum who would be happy to help you out with any problem.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
Sounds like the OP is on the right track.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Thanks to all! I am going to heed your advice and start working on my layout...if the bench needs rebuilding, then so be it but I'm sure it will turn out to be a labor of love to build the thing myeself with the knowledge I have gleaned from all of you and the books I now have on order. Just ordered Ian Rice's book Layout Design. Now, to the good work! Doc
UNCLEBUTCH richhotrain I have been lurking, so I gotta jump in. Doc, you built the framework. Forget the books for the moment. Go buy some track and start laying it. Buy a locomotive and some rolling stock (freight or passenger cars) and run some trains. That will raise issues, questions, and observations to bring back to the forum for resolution. You are worried about too much, too soon. Rich Thats what I said long time ago. Everybody is telling him what he MUST do.We even have kids with no experence giving advice. Let the man lay some track,run some trains. Don't have to be perfect,or meet anyone's approval. The way this is going he will soon feel overwhelmed, that its not worth it and quit before he starts
richhotrain I have been lurking, so I gotta jump in. Doc, you built the framework. Forget the books for the moment. Go buy some track and start laying it. Buy a locomotive and some rolling stock (freight or passenger cars) and run some trains. That will raise issues, questions, and observations to bring back to the forum for resolution. You are worried about too much, too soon. Rich
I have been lurking, so I gotta jump in.
Doc, you built the framework. Forget the books for the moment.
Go buy some track and start laying it. Buy a locomotive and some rolling stock (freight or passenger cars) and run some trains. That will raise issues, questions, and observations to bring back to the forum for resolution. You are worried about too much, too soon.
Rich
Thats what I said long time ago.
Everybody is telling him what he MUST do.We even have kids with no experence giving advice.
Let the man lay some track,run some trains. Don't have to be perfect,or meet anyone's approval.
The way this is going he will soon feel overwhelmed, that its not worth it and quit before he starts
Alton Junction
Rio...huh?
richhotrain And I say, let him have at it. Give it a try. Learn the hard way, but the right way. Let him learn from his mistakes. Nothing wrong with that.
And I say, let him have at it. Give it a try. Learn the hard way, but the right way. Let him learn from his mistakes. Nothing wrong with that.
Nothing like hands on experience. But I am an advocate of aprofit not be averse to cutting down the left side and widening the right side, after scaling things out on paper of course! Wood is a pretty easy medium to work with so that wouldn't bother me too much and I consider myself pretty ameture at wood working.
As they say, you can hand a man a fish and feed him for a day. Or, he can learn to fish and feed himself for a lifetime. Rich
There is that. Sure, I can see the temptation to go the easy path and just add a lift out bridge.
Bear, maybe he must listen to Yoda!
“Difficult to see. Always in motion is the future.” Yoda
“You must unlearn what you have unlearned.” Yoda
“Mind what you have learned. Save you it can.” Yoda
Rio, obviously it is up to the OP to sift through all of the comments and determine his future course of action.
bearman, the topic is getting long but yeah, I am aware of the OO trains and the setting - my wifes homeland. On the right side of the layout, me thinks it's not going to work.
As for Byron, I may not have a practice set up to design layouts, but I am a student of layout design and am of the same mind and voice on most of the ideas here. My handicap not having much time to spend on layout design with a long work days and a wife who keeps me pretty busy at home with a honey-do list.
riogrande5761 richhotrain I have been lurking, so I gotta jump in. Doc, you built the framework. Forget the books for the moment. Go buy some track and start laying it. Buy a locomotive and some rolling stock (freight or passenger cars) and run some trains. That will raise issues, questions, and observations to bring back to the forum for resolution. You are worried about too much, too soon. Rich Rich, have you looked at the benchwork dimensions? Plot complication showing up on sensors now captain! On the right side with a width of 36 inches, curve radii with HO track for OO trains will be a sardine tight 16 inches - so unless the OP is going to run a GE 44 tonner and only 40 freight cars, or equivelent short British OO equipment, that may be a "slight" problem. Just sayin...
Rich, have you looked at the benchwork dimensions? Plot complication showing up on sensors now captain! On the right side with a width of 36 inches, curve radii with HO track for OO trains will be a sardine tight 16 inches - so unless the OP is going to run a GE 44 tonner and only 40 freight cars, or equivelent short British OO equipment, that may be a "slight" problem. Just sayin...
As they say, you can hand a man a fish and feed him for a day. Or, he can learn to fish and feed himself for a lifetime.
Rio, the OP is looking at running a passenger train, OO scale, through the English countryside. And I have no idea about who makes OO scale locomotives that are/were in passenger service in Merry Old England. At this point, and with due respect to Rich, whose advice I always listen too, maybe Doc should sit back and take Byron up on his oobservations.
cuyamaDrawing a successful track plan to scale is more than just putting lines on the page, one needs to understand the way yards, passing sidings, industrial tracks, etc. work together. Mechanically, one needs to properly render turnouts, crossings, and other track elements to their precise sizes. In turn, this means choosing a manufacturer and track type.
I have found that what works best for me is to look at the space available and, with the aid of a scale drawing of the room boundaries and features, visualize where key elements will need to fit - things such as curve -turnbacks (180 degree circumferance curves, 360 degree circumference curves), yards etc. Then where walkways will need to go etc. That gives me the basic possible track configuration options. I think I'm on the same page as you.
As for turnouts, I measure the length and scale them in and along with the minimum track center spacings, I've found my scale drawing translate pretty well into full size track laying. It seemed to work well enough on my yards for the past 3 layouts (the 2nd posted earlier in this topic). Here is my most recent:
Perhaps the good Doctor is up-to-speed, but more likely some study of Armstrong and of published track plans would be needed to help his efforts bear more fruit.
I've heard of but never read Ian Rice's book, but John Armstrongs I've read over and over and it has been the basis of my personal layout design, along with reviewing many track plans in books and magazines. About the only concept by John Armstrong that I wasn't able to wrap my head around was his "squares" ideal. I disgarded that and used most everything else.
Building benchwork first has already created some unfortunate constraints, committing to a track plan too soon might not be the best step right now.
Having the benchwork built doesn't necessarily have to be a contraint. The nice thing about wood is you can deconstruct it fairly easily, especially if drywall screws were used, and then modify or rebuild it to suite a best track plan for the space. This, of course, is up to the builder.
Here are a few photo's of my deconstruction. I've saved all of the wood and major benchwork sections for re-use and incorporation to a new layout.
Last section standing:
As it turns out we have a bit of a snow delay at the college this morning so I have not yet left for work. Thank you for this map. I wouldn't have thought to do this. I had initially planned on creating the distance between Stowe-on-the-Wold and a little village close by called Wells but having seen this, it might certainly be a better idea to model a section of the actual protypical rail line; especially since neither Stowe nor Wells are served by the railway. I have actually forgotten the name of the line and I need to firm that up in my mind as well. Again - thanks so much for this and what I will now do is try to locate some videos of sections of the line that may lend themselves well to modelling. Appreciate it Mike. Doc
I love to poke around on Google Earth, and satalite views. I was just checking out the Cotswold. Does your proposed rail line cover any of the areas in this map of rail lines and stations in Cotswold?
Have a good day at work.
Mike.
My You Tube
Reply to all in this one post:
It seems that Cuyanna is speaking from a standpoint of wisdom and the understanding that what you have here in me is indeed someone who is more of a novice than appearances allow. I have to admit, I worried all night about how i was going to "get the job done" today...and get it done right. I haven't priced the book he mentions but, barring anything over $75, I plan on ordering it today. I think Rich also has a good point in saying that, in addition to reading, I need some practical experience with how turnouts, curves, etc work in real time. I am going to follow his suggestion as well and pick up a train and some track. I at least know enough at this point to do that. I will try to keep everybody posted as to my progress, but probably won't go as quickly as I had started out. I now feel much better as i head out to work this morning and I do believe that - even with the constraints of having constructed the benchwork i have - that, with the addition of a swing gate or a bridge of some sort, things will turn out well...but, after all, perfection is not often reached on the first try but is a process that unfolds as both practical and theoretical knowledge and ability increase. I know but one thing for certain at this point and that is I have found a home on this site and have come to appreciate everything everyone has done to help me to this point. I really look forward to the time I can start to "give back" in some way. I think you have me for the long haul and, after all, it is the long haul that matters isn't it. I am grateful to all of you and hope to continue this conversation and many others in the days ahead. Doc
I defer to Cuyama's opinions and recommendations.
Doc, try getting a CAD program when you have some more reading done, and look into a MRR club some hands on will help, you will probably have to join an HO club but it's close enough to OO that the lessons will be transferable.
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
Well, as far as I'm concerned Byron, you are the track and planning master on here, besides all of the books.
I like the OP's idea, a single purpose, passenegr service between to named towns, going through the West English coutry side, with a few extra siding options at each town. More scenery than a massive bowl of track.
It seems he's willing to shorten the 4' wide space, to allow more space on the narrow end.
I'm sure you can help him out, as you have done with others.
I think folks may be pushing the Original Poster too fast in a direction for which he's not yet prepared. Drawing a successful track plan to scale is more than just putting lines on the page, one needs to understand the way yards, passing sidings, industrial tracks, etc. work together. Mechanically, one needs to properly render turnouts, crossings, and other track elements to their precise sizes. In turn, this means choosing a manufacturer and track type.
Just my opinion, your mileage may vary – and good luck with your layout.
Byron
Edit: Although an expensive used book right now (it varies in price from time to time), Iain Rice's book Layout Design (Realistic Railway Modelling) is oriented to English modeling and would likely be a very useful reference -- if a bit dear.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
I'll crank that out tomorrow ole settler. Doc
that is all I mean and with the track plan drawn to the same scale.
OK...at the risk of being found out as being incredibly stupid, I'm not sure what you mean by "drawn to scale". The layout plan I posted is drawn to a scale of 3 squares to a foot but if you're talking about drawing an actual track layout in 1/76 scale (OO) I don't know where or how to begin. I wil do it if you give me instructions on how to do it. I await your direction fine sir... Doc
Doc, I have heard of all of those bourbons, and Rebel Yell, Jack Daniels', Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam, and JW Dant. And more. I am a bourbon drinker. Now, we need a track plan drawn to scale.
So, let me get this straight. You don't want me to mark out the towns, cottage industries, etc...you want me to sketch out the track itself? I'm not sure I can do that, but if that's what you need, I'll give it a shot...and, by the way, on the gin deal, you do realize your talking to somebody from Kentucky...ever hear of Kentucky Bourbon??? Maker's Mark? Wild Turkey? Four Roses? etc, etc, etc, supposed to be the best Bourbon in the world. There is one distillery in Scotland that is supposed to be better, but Kentucky is known for its "fine bourbon, beautiful horses, and fast women"...wait a minute, I think that's supposed to be "fine bourbon, fast horses, and beautiful women! Let meknow what you want from me on the track. Doc
Doc, post the track plan based on your bench work, the scenery can wait.
I may be sorely wrong, but, wouldn't a swing gate or some such make coming up with a plan a much simpler process by briding/closing the circuit and making one large loop? What I'll try to do tomorrow is make some copies of my layout that I posted earlier and draw out the scenic elements I want to model and then re-post the updated layout and you all can tell me how to run the track(s). How's that for a winner winner chicken dinner? Doc
Yep, I've learned my lesson but a month ago I didn't even realize this forum existed and I was just trying to maximize the space I had but all is not lost...the liftout bridge or swing gate is probably what I'll try to do if nobody is against it. Doc
John, I hope to model post war England...late 40's to mid 50's. Doc