I am looking for the green Lionel track templates that were once made, and maybe still are, by CTT Incorporated. I cannot locate their company online or find a vendor for them. Does anybody know how I can obtain this item, which is used for sketching out layouts on graph paper. Also, are similar products available for Gargraves switches or Ross Custom switches? From what I have seen, they both offer switches that are similar in radius to match Lionels AND they have lines that are more realistic in frog numbers.
I was just on Walthers web site, and they still carry them. However, they are currently backordered for a few days. (Sept 28) So I would guess that any hobby shop that can order from Walthers would be able to get this for you.
Thanks for all the response guys. I will give them a call tomorrow. By the way, did you recommend this store knowing that I live only 15 minutes away from it, or do you have previous experience with them and it is just a coincidence? [:)]
I looked at the profile and saw you were from Albany, NY region and then did a search on Lionel’s web site looking for shops in the area. Googled those hits and that looked like a possible winner. The CTT templates are often found in HO/N gauge at model railroad shops, but the O/G gauge ones usually require a TRAIN shop. Hope you find one.
I still prefer to doodle with these for preliminary design work than fight with the CAD programs. CAD’s great once you have a design almost locked down. It can provide parts lists and can be used for spreadsheeting costs. I just can’t fiddle around with them, too much like work[:)]
I like the aspect of lying in bed and doodling designs, and I cannot do that with my computer. I asked about the shop because when I moved here last year I used the yellow pages and went to every hobby/train shop, and this one didn’t exist. Either it just moved here (which is possible based on their website) or it just didn’t get printed. Doesn’t matter, as it is raining outside and a perfect day for a new train shop!
In case you haven’t seen it, I’ll post this again. It’s an approximate way of laying out standard tubular track pieces using only graph paper–no template. There are two versions, one for O27 and one for O31.
For O27, each square of the graph paper represents 1 1/4 inch. You sketch the center-line of the track for each straight track section 7 squares long if the track is parallel to the graph-paper lines, or across the diagonal of a 5x5 square box otherwise. You sketch each curved section inside a 3x7 rectangular box, with the curve tangent to the long side of the box at one corner and at a 45-degree angle at the opposite corner. A switch is just a curved piece touching a straight piece, of course.
For O31, each square represents 1 inch. The straight sections are 10 squares (inches) long or across the diagonal of a 7x7 square box. A curve is in a 4x10 box.
This method is not exact; but it is very close. The worst error is about 1 percent. For example, it makes some O27 straight pieces 8 3/4 inches long, whereas they are actually 8.839.
Funny you brought this up I was just looking myself. Ended up printing an image of the O tinplate template and gluing it to sheet balsa and cutting out holes for the track I need. a little weak but I drafted my Gomez Addams movie layout plan pretty accurately
Not sure, but I found after purchasing the green template that it wasn’t as useful as I thought. Or, more to the point, I wasn’t as creative as the many layout designers who have plans published in CTT. I instead found it easier just to work off of existing published plans than reinvent the wheel myself.