[:D] Hello Members
Final Production Version. Building starts in 09/15/06. Thanks for your suggestions.
N-Scale Layout:
Bench-work:
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Thanks for your assistance and I’m looking forward to your comment and reviews.
Ron
It seems that you’re well on your way to a good plan. There are some points that I see right off though, so I’ll throw my 2 cents in the hat and then get out of the way so others can comment.
First, it appears that you have some “customers” on the left side of the plan, but no run-arounds for your train to do any switching. You might think about adding those. Second, you have some sidings all around the engine terminal, but not much room for structures. What were your plans on that? Third, you need a yard lead and an Arrival/Departure track for your yard. An escape track for your loco would be nice too. Lastly, 36 inches is a long reach. You want to be sure that you can easily reach all portions of the layout in case of emergency. Remember, the one part you can’t reach, that’ll be the part that gives you the biggest headaches!
On the RTS program, the flex track tool is kind of strange. If you connect the two ends, then hit the “shape flex track” button it’ll bring up a menu. Towards the top of the menu on the right, there are two pointers that can be adjusted. I just look at the track piece I’m working on as I move the needles to where the track looks about like I want it to, then hit the “optimize” button. That usually brings it right in to where it needs to be. Sometimes if you hit the “optimize” button a couple of times it gets even better. It’s weird, I know.
Yeah, I’d definitely put in an escape crossover in the yard unless you plan on backing in or having an engine “trapped” until a switcher pulls the train out to another track so the engine can get out. Just make sure you place your crossover so there’s enough room for your largest possible number of engines to clear the points when running around - big space difference between the length of an SW1200 (30? 40? feet) and a couple of C30-7s (120 feet) for example.
Hello Pcarrell’
Those are very good points and the kind of help I was looking for. The yard is weak in design and need to be improved. I’m thinking of swapping it to the center and have the mains be run through and run the yard to left and right on them. The only place reach is an issue is the top right hand corner and I’ll see about that.
Atlas Flex is just a problem for me I may never get it right on a plan :), but will use it when building it.
Thanks again for your help
Ron
That would give you a lot more room for yard tracks, but it would also make the yard the focus of the layout as not much is left over. It’d be hard to do any “country” scenery and make it look believable as there wouldn’t be much room for transition. Perhaps a good sized hill could ease the transition.
A pop-up might be the answer there.
It is difficult to get the hang of, that’s for sure!
Switchman, you have been offered some excellent advice for improving the operations aspect of your pike - I have a two-cent comment and I don’t want to seem negative but I see a problem.
I may be having trouble seeing things correctly but I see some awfully wide spaces, that, unless you have some awfully long arms, are going to give you an awfully lot of trouble if you have an awfully bad wreck.
Hello rtpoteet;
It may appear reach is a problem but it is not. The bench-work diagram shows that the layout is easily accessible from every side except the north-east corner. And this will be reached from under the layout.
Thanks
I don’t know why I didn’t notice this before, but you have a track running from the yard, past your enginhouse, and into the industrial area in the lower right. I’m not sure that this would be a common track arrangement on the prototype as it makes yard switching difficult with through trains using the ladder track. You might be better off making the industrial area a stub end setup using the tracks already in place on the far right. The track past the enginhouse could be a stub end to access the dock(?) track over there in a switchback manner.
I also don’t think I’d include the track from the TT to the main on the right side of the TT. You have two access tracks already in place from the yard. Or am I missing the reason for this track?
The pic is a bit small, but from what I can tell it looks like a big improvement over the original. It always helps to have the viewpoints of others when fine tuning your track plan. It’s really looking good!
This sounds like RTS version 7.0. In earlier versions the flex track tool is different. Also did you know you can shrink the “dots” for track connections to zero so they don’t show up, or do you like the dots?
P.S. pcarrell, can’t find your e-mail address here or on the “alex” form. Drop me a note, I have a “project” you might be interested in.
It is the 7.0. I haven’t used the 5.0 in so long I’ve forgotten how to do it.
Yeah, you showed that to me before. My newer plans I shrink them, but the older ones I didn’t bother to fix.
Guess I should fix that. A “project”, huh? Sounds wonderfully “cryptic”! I’ll shoot you an Email.
EDIT: Your info doesn’t include an Email address either. I’ve changed mine. It should show now.