planning my new layout HELP

[MarvinKlassen]

I am trying to plan my first actual(not a single track oval) layout and am having trouble deciding on how to do it. I have 37' of room on three walls. I can email a bmp file of the layout of the room to you if you can help me. I would like to do a layout in HO scale if possible. But i am thinking of mabye going to n-scale if I have to.
Thanks for your help.

[Anonymous]

Marvin,

I recommend you start by going to the Atlas website and downloading for FREE a copy of their RTS software that will get you started. It does all the 2-D things you need to get you started.

What are your modeling interests? What era and locale are you interested in and are you an operator or a scenery buff or what?

Many of the fellows here will help you but maybe not with the whole design. It sounds like you have a nice space. Remember you don't have to design and build the whole thing in a week or a month. You can enjoy this for the rest of your life. Good Luck - Ed

[Anonymous]

Marvin:
I am in a similar situation although I'm waiting for my house to be built, hopefully by May '03.

I was heavy into HO when I was a kid (10-12), I lost touch but am diving back in deep (now 30). I am definitely doing N-scale. I am an operation junky so I like lots of track.

I would recommend you pick up "101 Track Plans For Model Railroaders" It's a Kalmabach of course. It's 12.95 US. It's worth the couple bucks to get some really sweet ideas on layouts from simple ovals to garage size layouts.

Good luck & enjoy!
Kevin

[Anonymous]

what is the atlas website??? i also have the same problem to

[Anonymous]

Start @ atlasrr.com.

[MarvinKlassen]

Thanks for the tip on RTS. My favorite era is the 1950's. I am a operator. I would like to have a longer mainline with a couple of industries to switch. I am not sure what kind of industries I want. The locale that I am thinking of is the prairies. There is a old grain elavator in my town that I want to model. Any industry ideas?

[Anonymous]

You have a lot of space so you can do a lot for operations. Have you read the book "How to Operate Your Model Railroad" by Bruce Chub? I recommend it highly. I would include a Farm Co-op where feed n seed and tractor parts can be sold. Then you could buy the recent Team Track model facility from Walthers. Make sure to include an unloading ramp for getting tractors etc. off flatcars. You will also want to consider an engine shop and car shop. These "Industries" give you an excuse to run almost any kind of rolling stock you like since they may be comming from or headed to the shops.

Enjoy - Ed

[MarvinKlassen]

Where can I pick up "How to operate your Model Railroad" by Bruce Chub. Are you refering to maintenence shops or manufacturing shops?

[Anonymous]

I bought my copy a few years back and I have heard it is out of print. I would try e-Bay or some other internet resource. I figure maintenance shops would be the way to go. Incidently, I also recommend the book "Track Planning for Realistic Operation" by John Armstrong. That is in print and should be available in the local hobby store.

Good Luck - Ed

[MarvinKlassen]

Thanks for the tip on "Track Planning for Realistic Operation" by John Armstrong. I picked it up today and what I have read so far has been very useful.

[Anonymous]

I would recommend N-Scale based on your preference for the prairies. Large expanses of flat(ish) terrain is hard to convey in larger scales, without either doing a masterwork of a backdrop painting or else sacrificing most of your "discretional trackage" (i.e. the extra little industry spurs that we seem to cram into the odd corners and leftover spaces). Here's my General Purpose Rule-Of-Thumb: Always plan your layout by thinking in terms of the next larger scale. When I lay out track for my N-Scale layout, I am thinking in HO, so I end up with curves that are in the 18" - 24" range, track centers broadly spaced, etc. When the track gets actually laid, there's room then to add things like lineside service roads, power lines, foreground elements (the track isn't right at the edge of the layout), etc. For someone planning an HO layout, do the rough design as though it were to be done in S-Scale, and so on.

Just my two cents.