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track plan books
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There's a thread on here, a forum, for planning for operation. That's good. <br /> <br />That said, I'm biased... if you model a model railroad track plan you will have a model of a model railroad... which is fine if that is what you want. <br /> <br />An alternative is to go back through as many RR and Model RR mags as you can get your hands on and look for the articles on the real thing... and the track arrangements they had. There have been many articles suggesting how to convert the real thing to a layout in a given space. <br /> <br />It is worth trying to work out as many track plans as possible from ideas you pick up... including from photos. <br /> <br />If you find a photos that shows you a lot of a track plan that you like, then see if you can work out your own arrangement from that. It will give you something uniquely yours. <br /> <br />I would not personally go for a baseboard more than 2' deep and (except for storage tracks) would keep the back 3" of that for scenery not track. What you need is not depth but length... except if you are making a loop back when you can't avoid the diameter of the circle.... BUT make sure you will have access... 'cos the bit you can't reach is the place things will go wrong. <br /> <br />Making an arrow shape is good if you have space... if you had space to make an E and were to use 20" radius curves (<u>Absolute </u>minimum.... but I stick to 36" minimum... and that only where I can't do more)... the inside tracks of the curve are going to be 40" apart between either of the top and bottom arms of the E and the middle arm... don't know the math for the arrow head but hope you get the idea. <br /> <br />On second thoughts... problem with an arrow head would be that, unlike the E, you don't have equal access into each aisle... Each aisle will be pointed... reducing to nothing... so instead of having to reach from the board face you will be having to reach from the furthest you can get yourself into the V... which is okay if you are V shaped...[:)] <br /> <br />Don't forget... anything that sticks out you will have to walk around... same as a table top layout... you get in a lot of mileage... for some reason things always go wrong on the other side of the stick out never the side you're on. If you can it would be easier to go for a U. <br /> <br />Have fun.
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