hello every one i am new to this forum and i need a track plan done up i will have one of two spaces to use one is going to be a 8 by 12 or a 8 by 16 it is a back half of a storage building. my ideas is to have a dual track main line with a couple of spurs a cement plant a caterpiler plant and a coal mine and maybe a yard my scale is ho so thanks for any help zachary flowe
The Old Dog would suggest that you make any improvements needed to the space such as better lighting, heating, and A/C BEFORE starting the layout.
Assuming you can accept a duck under, then maybe put a two foot shelf around the room and have at it.
Have fun, and good luck’
thanks but i really need a diagram and i dont mind a duck under zachary
That is a still a little short of details to come up with a track plan for. With a cement plant and a caterpiller plant that could be anywhere from 1955 to modern day. What time period are we talking about here? Is the main line just a loop, point-to-point, point-to-loop. What is the yard to be used for?
You just described my layout and building. Make sure you have some kind of climate control in your building or you’ll have moisture and expansion/contraction problems.
http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a277/loathar/?start=20
Here’s 3 pages of pics and my track plan if your interested. An 8’x15’ work in progress.
PS-let me know if that link doesn’t work. I’ll post my track plan for you.
Well, we’re not going to come over and lay your track, but we’re certainly willing to give you advice on how to do it. For me, the same goes for layout design.
The first thing to do, since you’re already on-line and therefore have access to a computer, is to download one of the free track-planning software packages. There are several, but you can start with RTS at www.atlasrr.com or XtrakCad at www.sillub.com. You can lay out the size of the room and start “laying” track on that piece of glass you’re staring at right now. This is the cheapest place in the hobby to make your mistakes. I literally spent several months designing track plans before I put down a single rail, and it was some of the most valuable time I spent on my railroad.
thanks im modeling 80s to modern csx and my own loop to point or just loop and if you need any more info just ask and i have tried the rts and its just to hard for me to use and the yard classafication yard for freight and loco sericeing place thanks for the help zachary[:-,]
I just started an n scale layout and had good luck at www.katousa.com. Many different track plans with variations. They also give you the necessary track, turnouts, snap-on wiring, turnout controls, etc. you have to obtain. For me, a revised beginner, it was great to have something that I could snap together, including the power pack, turnouts, track, bridges, and wiring. Each section of track has the necessary rail joiners. I was able to easily customize my layout to meet my measurements. KATO rocks!
For my benchwork I used 2x2’s. To keep the layout light I used a 4x8’ 2" thick styrofoam insulation board which I bought at Lowes which is plenty strong and easily worked with as far as punching holes for wiring. However if you want to spend more time with laying track and soldering wiring, you should look elseware.
Good luck and have a great time whatever you decide!
So what you are asking here is for someone to design a track plan for you?
I’m having problems reading this, did somebody remove the punctuation keys from your computer?
im am sorry about the spelling was busy yesterday and when i checked the forums i was tired so again sorry for the spelling
yes i am drawing blanks with trying to draw a track plan so i was hopeing someone on here would be kind and help me with it thanks zachary
How old are you and how long have you been in model railroading? This info will help with giving you good advice.
That’s a major task to just come onto a board and ask someone to do for you.
You’d be better off to ask specific questions that will help you learn to do it yourself. Or take the hour or so it takes to learn the RTS software. It’s easy, if you give it a little time.
(And, as El-Cap suggests, punctuation and capitalization helps.)
Im 16 and i will have abuget of 300 dollars and i have been a armchair modler since i was 10 by doing kits and reading
For the budget you have, it’s going to be very difficult to realize your dreams unless you already have a lot of the materials on hand.
Assuming you have to buy everything, including the benchwork (what about the tools to assemble it?), my suggestion would be either a plywood or foam 4x8 “Prairie Central” to start out. Depends on what area of the country you are in whether plywood or foam is cheaper. And you will need a frame to support the plywood or foam.
Allocate some money to buy a locomotive you really like. An Athearn is probably the cheapest decent quality available. But since you only have money for 1 locomotive, make sure it’s one you like - both looks and performance. Buy a decent MRC power pack - a used Tech II is a great way to start inexpensively.
Pick a published 4x8 track plan you like as a starting point. Build the loop portion first, with a perhaps 3 turnouts to start (passing siding and spur). As money becomes available, you can add track a little at a time until you achieve your final plan.
Reality is that this layout is only going to last a few years until it’s time for you to leave home, so you want to keep it reasonably-sized without a fortune tied up in the benchwork. You also want to make it enjoyable to use in a short time on a limited budget. Hence the recommendation for a “progressive” layout that starts out quite simple, but grows as you have time and money. The trains, track, and structures can be removed and packed when the itme comes for use in a future layout.
just my thoughts
Fred W
Take a look at your library for a back issue of “Model Railroader” with the Wildcat Central in it. It’s an around the walls, basic plan with staging and a small industrial area that you can build on foam sheets. Your budget is limited, but you should be able to put up the foam benchwork and get at least the mainline running quickly and rather easily. If you don’t have carpentry skills, you can put foam on simple shelf brackets. Another option is to buy framework modules to assemble, but that can get pricey.
Now, here’s the rub. Lighting and climate control are very important, both for your comfort and to keep your trains from getting dusty, rusty, etc. If your building is not in really good shape and you don’t have the cash to add lights and such, you might want to consider a shelf switching layout that you could put in your bedroom or similar. You’d be surprised at how much operation you can get onto a shelf. For example, there’s a very nice papermill layout in HO on a 1-ft wide by 8-ft long shelf in the 2006(?) “Model Railroad Planning” book. If you go N-scale, you could fit a lot more in.
Good luck and don’t let us deter you. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
well i already have two locos one proto e6 the other athearn sd50 and i have a digitrax zeper coming in the mail and two decoders my mom and dad are taking care of the buildin with the insulation and heating and such and its a two level building the top is were i will be liveing so the benchwork is going to be done by my grandpa for free so all i have to start getting is the track and im also considering n scale thanks zachary
Asking us to design your railroad for you is like asking somebody to pick out a girlfriend for you. There are alot of variables that go into a good one and most are completely based on personal preference. I would get a layout planning book, read it front to back. Then draw up a track plan and post it on here asking for advice. At that point we can tweak your track plan to make it operationaly efficient while still including the design elements that you want.
Or, build your benchowork and get some sectional track. Mess around with different configurations until you find something you like.