Hi all! I found a Noch track-plan that I LOVE. I’m not going for a completely prototypical type thing, just something that fits my desires in an apartment-sized railroad (probably not bigger than 4x6, and definitely not bigger than 4x8).
Anyways, I would really like to do the track plan in atlas’ Right Track, but I’m not completely sure of the measurments of the sectional track. Is it the same in Minitrix as it is in Atlas? IE, is a 5" straight a 5" straight?
Here’s a link to the layout: http://www.eurorailhobbies.com/erh/eurorailhobbiesdetail.asp?pageid=&MN=15&CA=39&SC=N&stock=NO-83740
And this PDF will give you a much better idea of the track plan: http://www.eurorailhobbies.com/pdf/Noch/59740_Hochgrat_Minitrix.pdf
Any thoughts on “translating” this layout? I am pretty positive I won’t be able to get it exact, but the closer the better. 
Thanks for the advice!
Brandon
Well, some may say Metric is the standard and the English or Imperial sytem used in the US is the oddball. Afterall, we are the only ones using it. To convert from centimeters to inches, multiply the number of centimeters by 0.394 to get inches. To convert from millimeters to inches, multiply the number of centimeters by 0.039 to get inches. Try http://www.onlineconversion.com/length_common.htm for length conversions. Try http://www.onlineconversion.com/ for a lot more options.
Try it and find out. Its free software. About the most you have to lose is an evening of doodling on the computer.
Or use flex track, draw it out and build it exactly.
Dave H.
If you need to do a lot of metric ↔ Imperial conversions, Radio Shack sells a convertor that’s also a regular calculator. I’ve got one and it’s a handy thing to have. It converts between just about any measurement you would need.
Neat plan with lots of possibilities.
I would not worry at all about a direct conversion, but draw it out as close as you can. If you use flex track, things will be more ummm flexible if you’ll pardon the pun. Since it is only 4x8 or so, you could even draw it full size if youcan get your hands on some butcher paper or chart paper.
Good luck!
Andrew
What andrew said. Trying an exact conversion is just going to give you a headache when it doesn’t go together right.
I agree with the above opinions. Flex track is your best bet. Map out where the turnouts and crossings need to be on a grid and fill in with flex track. This is the best way to go even if your plan is designed with the type track you are using. Nothing moves perfectly from paper to reality and the flex track allows you the little corrections you will need.
Hi Brandon! First let me welcome you to the forums- you will get answers to all your questions here[8D]. I did a bit of research on the Minitrix track system, and discovered that the curves that are used in the layout in question are 7.6" radius(labeled 912); the curves labeled 922 are 8.9" radius. Straights vary from 12.3" to 0.67" long- a “902” is the 12.3" piece, a “903” is the 0.67" piece. Other lengths are 1.09", 1.3", 1.96", 2.14" ,3.0", and 4.1".
As for the switches, I could not find an exact match, but i suspect that they are VERY sharp radius- the 942 could be the 7.6" radius-- but I can’t say for sure.
As other posters have suggested, use flex track in place of the sectionals- even the curves. I’d widen the minimum radius to 9 3/4"(atlas) . I do think this is a neat plan, and with some work, can be converted to Atlas track. Looking forward to progress reports!!
Hello Brandon,
Keep it simple, buy a folding rule of 2m graduated in cm so you dont have to convert anything at all.
Kind regards,
Andre Ingels
Brussels, Belgium (The beer country[:I])
“C&O, the way to go”