Dave,
4+% grade and 15" radius turns--What engines handle that and still pull cars?
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
The one I made was 18" radius curves and about 3% grades and Athearns will pull a half dozen cars.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
dehusman The one I made was 18" radius curves and about 3% grades and Athearns will pull a half dozen cars.
That I can buy. My small steamers would do that and better on 3.1%--but go to 3.7 and that dropped to 0-3 cars.
SpaceMouseChris is right, but it is really cool see them all arranged in order of size so you can compare them. If someone asked me for a good plan book, I'd say 102. 101 is so out-dated on so many levels, it shouldn't be considered--unless you are a historian.
Chris is right, but it is really cool see them all arranged in order of size so you can compare them. If someone asked me for a good plan book, I'd say 102.
101 is so out-dated on so many levels, it shouldn't be considered--unless you are a historian.
Track plans don't get outdated the technology/methods you use to implement them can get outdated.
The track plan itself is just as good as it ever was.
An example it the Jan 09 MR has a "new" Beer Belt layout that they created. They new layout doesn't invalidate the older versions of the same idea. Its just different and maybe you'd use different methods to implement it (foam and DCC for example). But the old trackplans are just as "good" and can be implemented using 'modern' techonolgy and methods.
Bob Sandusky
TerryJOnce I put that in print, I realize that the track plans themselves can be found elsewhere, but it seems a bit more compact an assemblage than 8 dozen MRs
The track plan database on this website (open to current subscribers of MR magazine) covers the plans from MR 1998-2008 in one compact spot - except that the plans in the track plan database you can zoom in and show in a bigger format than in the book).
URL: http://www.trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=tp&id=93
I also got the booklet and scanned through it. The track plans were okay. But in my opinion, the main value of booklet, for modellers who have not read John Armstrong's "Track Planning for realistic operations" and the Model Railway Planning annuals, lies less in the actual track plans than in the hint and tips articles on layout design and track planning between the track plans.
Like the ever repeated and oft ignored reminder that layout design should start not by deciding on a published track plan you want to make an exact copy of, but by looking at your room, measuring it and making a sketch of the room showing dimensions, areas that cannot be impinged on etc, and only then start looking at modifying published track plans to fit your space.
Or the reminder about curve radii, track centers and turnout geometry, using Armstrong squares to figure out how much will fit in a given space, how to draw out your plan schematic to think about operating your plan, how to draw curve radii and turnout angles right (instead of overoptimistically) on a paper plan, figuring grades and clearances, alotting enough room for structures, scenery and aisles, and a little bit on building layouts in sections and converting a plan from one scale to another.
Basically - for people who have the sense to not just look at the track plan pictures, but actually also read the text, it is a nice introductory crash course in track planning/layout design.
Worth the price ? Absolutely. Good mix of advice and inspiraton.
Smile, Stein
dehusmanKalmbach also published 2 other collections of track plans (something like "52 track plans from MR" and "48 track plans from MR") that were superior to 101TP and in a lot of ways better than 102TP (bigger plans and more description). You rarely hear anybody mention those two books so they must have been slow sellers. They contain some of my favorite track plans.
Glad someone mentioned "48 Track Plans"...
That's been my favorite over the years.
The track-plans along with the more extensive descriptions make that a winner in my opinion.
SpaceMouse 4+% grade and 15" radius turns--What engines handle that and still pull cars?
SM:
I bet my Mantua 0-4-0T could handle a few. I'll have to try it this afternoon and report.