I have been struggling with how to get started with an N scale layout. I have roughly a 12ft X 12ft room with a 5ft closet on one side. I want as much operational capability and scenery as practical. I have been looking at some around the wall shelf and peninsula possibilities but the track layouts available do not make it easy to figure what I would need for track. I took a look at the Atlas freeware software but it doesn’t appear that simple to me. Lets say I find a layout pdf that I like. What would be an approach to figure what I need for track?
Hi, and by what you are asking I suspect you are new to the hobby; welcome to a great pastime!
I guess everyone wrestles with a first layout. My best bit of advice FWIW, is to read everything you can get your hands on, and try to find some friends to chum along with. Your local Hobby Shop (LHS) can be a goldmine of info, as is this forum. No such thing as a dumb question, just one you haven’t the answer for yet. Our hosts at Kalmbach publish a number of good books on just about everything one needs to know.
As to figuring parts required, the possibilities are many. There are several types of track, ranging from: snap-together precurved and straight pieces requiring little in the way of tools, through very popular flexible track, and on to completely handlaid rails you nail to your own ties. I haven’t the patience to try handlaying, yet. On top of that, there are different track sizes (height) you can get that is expressed as “code”. The code is simply the height of the rail in thousandths of an inch.
Altas plans usually tell you what you need to build their designs. There are a lot of considerations, most having to do with what you want in a layout, and who it is for. A child’s layout needs to be more rugged than an adult’s. Likely simpler, too.
Now comes the doodling stage. With a ream of graph- or grid-paper and box of erasers and pencils, sketch what you’d like to build, using a scale you can measure from: like 1in=1foot, or its metric equivalents. From there, you should be able to guestimate the length of track you need. Switches need some more thought as to how sharp a curve you want to turn left or right. The radius you need to think about will be somewhat dependant on your rolling stock. Long passenger cars look terrible on sharp curves or may derail, and locos need a minimum curve radius to function without derailing. Unfortunately, our “real estate” is limited, and will affect your pla
For some “speculative” track plans, it can be a little difficult, because they may not have been drawn with off-the-shelf components in mind. And if you want to use sectional track, it can be a bit challenging, since many published designs assume the use of flextrack.
But for well-thought-out published designs (built or not), there will be an indication of what manufacturer’s turnouts were used and what minimum turnout number or size.
A simple count of the turnouts will tell you what you need to buy there.
For flex track the next (and last) step is pretty easy. Just use a piece of wire or solder to wrap around the printed track lines for the lengths of each segment, using the printed grid or scale to tell you how many feet and inches of track are used. You’ll probably ultimately need 5-10% more flex track than you measure to allow for cutting segments to length and for mistakes.
If you want to use sectional track, it can be a little tricker. For one thing, if the design was based on flextrack in the first place, sectional track may not fit as drawn without major changes to the plan and/or cutting sections to fit.
But based on the printed minimum radius, you can still probably estimate how many full circles of track there are in the design. Sometimes I find that a circle template helps in estimating a radius. (like this or home-made):
Then based on how many pieces of curve are used to make up a circle for the brand of track you wish to use, you can judge how many to buy.
A lot depends upon what usable space is available after the room preparation is completed, and; what dual use of the room is needed for other than model railroading. For example, some of my wall(s) must be devoted to library space.
Another aspect affecting “usable wall-space” is whether or not the layout can be attached to the completed walls. In my case, the layout must be free-standing, which also cuts down on layout dimensions by apx. 4"-6" per wall.
Room prep for the N Scale - Conemaugh Road & Traction is nearly complete, and; the initial plans were for 9’x9’. However, after completion, the usable space is looking like a “U-shape cockpit” with an apx. outer wall dimensions of 5’ (left) x 8’ (back) x 8’-9’ (right) for the lower level. There will still be a helix to the upper level with an outer right wall of 5’-6’ usable space due to access to a window.
Then there is your own human anatomy – You will have a comfortable shelf maximum reach of 32" – Plus, how wide are your hips for easy movement, or for a rolling chair, in the middle of the layout? Is your preference for a standing walk-around layout? Will a peninsula actually cut down on the layout vs.a shelf (around-the-walls) layout due to “hip-width?”
Also, is your room prepared enough so the lighting is adequate for the layout shape with no unwanted shadows cast by limited lighting sources?
Don’t overlook “room logistics” as there’s more to layouts than track planning.
