I just wanted you input on my lamo track plan, made using the crappy atlas RTS. No dissing on a free product, but it’s a real PITA! I’m too cheap to buy a fancy CAD thing unfortunatly…
Anyways here it is -
Now, since my computer sucks and so does my image hosting site, my picture is tiny. Since resolution doesn’t matter on something like this, to see it, I need you to hit “save as” somewhere and then when saved, click on “view with windows picture and fax viewer” or something of that sort. Then, zoom in to see it. It is blurry, but it is still readable.
Colors and what they mean…
Orange -
Orange is where a curved turnout will be…only located on the left side.
Dark Green -
Darkgreen is a mountain line.
Pink _
Pink is the town.
Blue -
Blue is an “engine yard” and maintence area. The arrow coming off the spur on the left of it is a spur that will have cars that need maintence or delivering gas or oil. The spur on the bottem circled in blue is the way to the engine yard.
Light Green -
Light green is a passenger area. I would like to make that “spur” a full loop for when it is broken down into the 4 x 8 phase.
Light purple -
Light purple is a logging yard that goes off the layout. logs will be taken and transported to the spur under the city area, which will be a lumber mill.
I would like some help with the yard. It looks ill-designed, but that was the best way I could think of. Since this is a 4 foot wide table, 24 " will be the ma
The picture is kind of small. Is it possible to make it bigger for us?
And I don’t knock RTS. I use it for my 750 sq ft layout! And it’s coming out pretty darn well.
Tip:
From RTS select Edit->select all, then Edit->Copy
Go to windows paint. Select paste
All the highlighted structures in RTS will be drawn into MS Paint. If it ask you to enlarge the bitmap, select “Yes”
Warning: The greater your zoom level, (IE Zoom with small numbers like 4, 5 etc…) The more memory it will take. If you run out of memory while trying the above operation, try zooming out to something like 10. It will also make your bmp smaller when you perform the paste!
I think you have a pretty reasonable plan to start. You will probably want to refine it more as time goes on. A few suggestions:
take a look at the layouts on the Atlas HO layout web site, particularly 10035 and 10020. Both are basically out-and-back plans which would fit your space. They may give you some ideas or inspiration.
the Atlas software is a pain to use to go down to the last detail. I use it as a reality check for a plan I’ve sketched on paper or in my mind. I check the complicated sections, turnouts, and large curves to make sure they will fit in the space available, but don’t bother connecting these areas with all the fitter pieces. When I get to the real thing, I can trim the ends of the turnouts and use flex track in lieu of fitter pieces.
unless you are using Snap Track for your actual layout, you might consider another software package. There is a free one called XTrkCad (I have downloaded but have not used yet) that many forum users like. XTrkCad has much more than just Atlas track libraries, but reportedly has somewhat of a learning curve.
use 15" radius curved track with great caution. Most larger locomotives, most all passenger cars, and freight cars more than 50ft long will NOT handle the 15" radius curves.
Wow, everything is, “lousy,” “crappy,” or “sucks.” Just wait till you get a locomotive that doesn’t run just right or a structure kit that that’s missing a part. What was it from a few years ago, “Model Railroading is Fun,” or something to that effect?
Well I just tried what you said and it made it slightly bigger…not much though.
Anyways, this is the plan for when it is broken down into a 4 x 8. I was having problems with a 4 x 12 design and I’ll tackle that feat when it comes around. I added more spurs and fixed some of the weirdness of it. Everything is where it was exept for the curved turnout, which is located in the Top left-hand corner. This is made with 18" radius curves, and will most likely be diesel. Maybe some steam.
Fred W. Thanks for your ideas. If you look at my updated plan, it looks like we think alike. Also, on the 15" radius curves, that would be the 40’ boxcar holding area. Only switchers and the boxcars will venture there.
Thanks,
Spit
Oh, and Rayw, thanks for the kind gesture…[xx(] That is just my way of expressing frustration…but I always go back to finish it! [:0]
One potential problem I see is in the upper left you have (left to right) a curved turnout curving right into a left curve and then back into a right curve. I’m afraid back-to-back S curves are going to lead to you some words saltier than those used to describe your frustration thus far.
I use RTS all the time. I actually prefer it over the xTrkCad which always makes it look like one can fit in more trackage than is really possible.
That is called a rip track.
That would be the service track. It can also have flat cars delivering heavy parts and machinery, as well as box cars for general supplies.
I like the two entrances. A feature many miss out on.
That might be a cool idea for the 4x8 phase but passenger cars really don’t like tight curves and this puts them on the tightest of the whole layout. I would try to fit any passenger areas along the outside largest curve.
Your right I would have called it a three track siding. One way that might make it into a yard would be to use the inside “loop” as the ladder along the top and angle stub end yard tracks down into your “loco shop” area. The extension of the inside loop down to the where the loco’s turn off could double as an arrival and departure track.
Actually 22" will be the maximum continous radius, becuase radius is measured from the center of the track. 24" radius would be hanging 1/2" off either side of t
I came up with ANOTHER plan. It’s a little better and it displays the whole layout. Here is a heads up on the colors…it’s a little easier to read this time.
Okay…here is the color coding.
Red track is the mainline and yard. Pink is the city area. Yellow is industrial area. Blue is the “rip track”. Brown is the service track. Light blue is the spurs that go to serve industries. Orange is a curved turnout.
The engine servicing area is just a jumble of track…I’m thinking of having the 6 " pieces as switcher housing, the 9" regular housing, the 12" track roundhouses, the 18" track the maintence house, refered to as “mallet house”. I doubt to fill up the whole turntable though.
Yeah, I think that is a bit overboard on the round house tracks. 4-6 should be plenty for a layout of this size. Plus there is more to a engine service area than just a place to park the locos. There should be a watering track, sanding area, coaling tower (or fuel oil), and ash pit.
ya ya ya…thats where everything will be(I read June’s issue! I’m thinking about making some sidings and redoing the engine yard so that I will have room for the ash pit, coal, water tower, ect. I’m actually thinking of having oil burning locos(this is a fictional railroad, so no prototype info needed).
