A few years ago, maybe 2010 or 2011 (?), I read an article in one of my many magazines discussing how to make a model of a layout as part of the planning. The author used foam-board and card-stock to make a scale model of his planned full-size layout. I want to do this in planning my dream layout, but cannot find the article. I went through over 100 back issues of 6 different magazines and cannot find it. Can anyone help? I think it was in Model Railroader, but might have been in Model Railroad Hobbyist or some other.
GBCUTTER,
I believe it was in MR,I recall the article,but I believe it was further back than that,I’m doing a search right now,The problem being the correct key words… I will post,if I have any success in finding it…
Cheers,
Frank
I can’t help you with the article, but I keep wondering to myself why you would want to bother to do that ?
It seems like a lot of work and effort for something that could be more easily drawn on paper.
I am not trying to be critical, just wondering if it is really worth the effort.
Rich
JBCUTTER,
If you would like to review the article,for yourself,It’s in the Jan,1993 issue of MR,by DAVE FRARY…
I’m sure that is the one,you are talking about…
Cheers,
Frank
Might you be thinking of Dave Popp’s article in the “Workshop Tips” series titled “Design concepts for your next layout?” The article is titled “Test-fitting your model railroad.”
I was thinking I have seen a video of it somewhere too, but haven’t found that yet.
Hope this helps,
Richard
The late Ken Ducat had a brief article about a “model of a model” in the June 1971 Model Railroader, page 60.
It may be that with today’s computer CAD programs there are alternatives available to getting a 3D “feel” for what a layout actually would look like without going this route. But building a to-scale model of a layout can give one a good practical notion of what you are really getting yourself into. As we all know, lines on a piece of paper can be sooooo easy to draw …
Dave Nelson
I know which one you are talking about… it is in one the special issues- Model Railroad Planning. I will have to look and see which year it is when I get home tonight. Like mentioned before, the author made basic card stock building to size up the space and how to modify the buildings if need be.
I recall the Beer Line project layout having one.
Back again.
It may have been in the “Dream, Plan, Build” video series that I saw it.
If you go to HOW TO above, Downloadable Articles, Video, Layout How To, there you will find one titled “Plan Your Layout With A 3-D Model.”
Good luck,
Richard
I kind of surprised none of the track planning programs have offered a 3D option in their progams.
I think its an obvious progression to merge something like a Trainz virtual railroad simulator with a model RR track planning program. The clear advantage is that you could model the entire layout, run virtual trains on it to make sure your planning actually works in practice and all your clearances are good all before laying a single piece of track. Maybe someone already does offer this but i have never seen it.
Let me get this straight building a model of a model RR i suppose one could build a model in Z scale to repplicate in HO or O scale.
Dave Frary also mentions this technique, making a scale mock-up of the layout, in his book, “How to build Realistic Model Railroad Scenery”.
Wilton.
For the interior of a custom “club” passenger car, I built an HO scale model of an O gauge railroad. I drew the plan using CADrail, and printed it to HO scale. I built the layout around the cut-out plan.
I used a piece of basswood for the base, and pieces of shaved balsa strip to form the grades. Small balsa blocks became tunnel portals. A second piece of basswood sheet became the back profile, and some pieces of square basswood became the legs.
The scenery is well-mixed sculptamold, and I painted the scenery grey, green and brown where appropriate. Finally I re-drew the track center lines. I then made some cars and locomotives from .020 x .040 styrene strip, and a layout skirt from brown construction paper. Some paper laminated with super glue and painted black became a bridge. There are no buildings on the layout, but I may add some at a later date.
A figure operating the layout completed the scene.
S&S
Richard; That’s exactly what I was looking for. I know I downloaded it before, but couldn’t find it, so I downloaded it again and saved in 2 place under a name I could recognize. I am pretty sure I also saw this in print somewhere, but this will do nicely. Thank You.
gbcutter
Frank; That’s exactly what I was looking for. I know I downloaded it before, but couldn’t find it, so I downloaded it again and saved in 2 place under a name I could recognize. I am pretty sure I also saw this in print somewhere, but this will do nicely. Thank You.
gbcutter
BTW: I also replied to Richard ( got you mixed up) same article, different format. Thanks again.
Frank,
Thanks for looking. I found it following directions from some other writers. It’s in “Downloadable Articles” under “Layout How-To”.
gbcutter
Rich:
I found the article. As quoted by Dave Frary “After you’ve finalized your track plan, you should take one more step to make sure that your layout will fit into your train room. See how building a simple 3-D model using foam core and styrene can save you a lot of time in the end. You’ll learn how to use the model to plan aisle widths, view block locations, and more.”
gbcutter
Eric:
Thanks for looking, but I was directed to Downloadable Articles and Layout How-To by a couple responders.
gbcutter
Eric;
BTW this article is actually about a G-scale model of a full-size layout.For pre-planning before you build the benchwork.
gbcutter
Joe
This is actually a G-scale model of a real layout, to assist in planning before starting the benchwork. BTW I have seen an actual scale model of an HO layout on an HO layout. It had moving trains and was less than a 1-inch oval displayed in a hobby-shop window.
gbcutter