Ok I admit right off that it’s nothing special yet. But I just couldn’t contain myself any more. I’ve been working in here on and off for a couple of days(the bed is on the way out) putting together the basic framework.The room has about 10.5 X 10.5 useable space. Next there will be risers and roadbed then track of course.
I have been thinking and would like your opinion…Does anyone ever build a scene and then add it to the Layout? I could make something and then make the connections from one scene to the other through my mainline…Just a thought.
I don’t have a track plan but I’m open to what ever anyone would like to submit, I would like to get ideas and use what I get from you guys here plus what ever I come up with. The basic idea will be a dog bone(continuous running) with a small logging operation to the left of the window on a second level(corner center pic). Thanks for looking and any input you have.
Usually a track plan comes first. Well, I guess it’s not that uncommon. Plans have a way of preventing those nasty tear-ups and rip-outs. Nice space though. Keep us posted.
My layout is much like yours and I do a sort of removable scene system at this point. Mine is at 5 feet height, so to avoid long tedious work up there I am building my background scenery in sections. All I have built so far are mountains but there will be a city in the background on one part of the layout. The foreground scenery isnt hard to reach so that will be built in place.
I have no track plan what so ever. I have a rough idea of what i want. From my experience, I overplan layouts. I figure if i force my self to plan a layout as i go along, i can come up with a much more fun layout. Layouts i plan look great, but don’t work, on the other hand, Layouts i don’t plan and i just go along with seem to be better for me. I’ll let you guys know how well it turns out it in time. To make things smoother for my layout, I bought a #7 switch and a pack of 15 inch curves to make templates.
Usually a track plan comes first. Well, I guess it’s not that uncommon. Plans have a way of preventing those nasty tear-ups and rip-outs. Nice space though. Keep us posted.
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I don’t need no stinking plan… well I am on my fourth iteration of my layout. So there might be something to say about having a well thought out plan before you start. [:D]
Peter
No, I dont have a track plan yet, but the point is the frame is not ready for track yet either. I’ve been working on it but Im still sorting through ideas in books the internet and whatever feedback I can get from here. So, show me what you got.
Well there is no question about the roadname, Southern Pacific, you will also see CottonBelt and UnionPacific. Oh! and an occasional CSX from the late 80’s or early 90’s will pass through with a load of freight. Location; may actually turn out like central Tennessee and north Ala( rolling hills and some red dirt ), the logging operation will resemble some place out west and perhaps use a shay?! Of course they are a little uncommon in mid 60’s Alabama but they look really cool. Era ; not that important as long as it’s within 20 years of +or- of 1968. Being prototypical is not my thing. I’ve been at this for about 30 years and don’t like to keep myself too restricted. Oh yea, it may still end up being annalog control. because I would have a lot of decoders to install otherwise.
Not my first, it’s #5 and when the track goes down I will have what I want. For the next 5 years or so anyway.
By the way Chip there are lots of good ideas in books.
joeyegarner my site might help you in figuring things out. If nothing else it will help you find space for buildings and such. I hope it helps you out.
Good benchwork by the way. I like it. [:)]
No arguing there. It’s just hard to pull a plan from there that firs your space exactly. Have you looked at Iain Rice’s Mid-sized and Manageble Track Plans. Lots of good room-sized track plans.
Haven’t seen that one yet, but I’m still lookin for anything I can find. I work at the LHS on the weekend so I have free access to books when I need it and I have looked at almost everyone here’s web pages. It’ll come soon I’m sure
To answer your question, yes, people do build scenes and install them on an already built layout. Those scenes are called dioramas. Go check this out: http://tracksidemodeler.com/index.php?topic=721.0 That’s by Mike Lynch (MadMike). It’s completely scratch built. He’s probably the dead best at building dioramas right now…although he won’t admit it. Chip is right though. Most people do have a track plan first. I said most people. Some are quite successful building the scenery first. Like Chip said though, so you don’t see the rip and tear syndrome, be careful and make your choices with plenty of thought. Oh, and that’s a very nice space you have there, too.
I found some wood that comes in sheets, much like paneling only no finishing (I get it free from work at a grocery distribution center. You can do the same thing with a section of foam. I use them to create dioramas which can be incorporated into my layout. And, instead of permanently attaching structures to this base, I use painted foam rubber glued to the base just inside the interior walls. This holds the structure in place, and instead of getting destroyed when bumped, the structure moves.
I agree with most that a track plan usually comes first although if you know how much room your limited to you can simply choose the “style” of main line you want whether its a dog bone twisted dog bone oval what ever , then from there expand with your industries. It only took me 6 month to get my plan the way I wanted it. It helped a great deal when I invested in a wack of madmikes diarammas it cost me a small fortune but I’m proad to have them on my layout , it gave me something more to work with. [:)]
Had to think about this one …yep there sure is I have no less than 6 books now all the best names from track planning to running a realistic railroad all the track planning books did for me was introduce the different plan types[:I] They all started looking the same after the only one I really learned from was the john allen book where I learned what the difference would be if you tried to put cars into an industry if the turnout was facing one way compared to another. [:)] Although the realistic railroad running are great literature.[:)]
