this is my first post - so please be gentle! I am new to MRR after spending nearly thirty years with HO slot cars. I have decided to do an N Scale layout. Of course, the first hurdle is finding the right plan - sure is a big job !
Anyhow, I have download a lot of the track plans from the MRR site, but my problem is they don’t tell you what track pieces go with each layout - just the design. With one exception - the salt lake route.
I guess I can mess around with angles and curves etc, but gee - it sure would be VERY helpful - especially for newbies like me (and I am sure many others), if the track plans listed the track parts required, along with the track part numbers on the plan itself. That would easily allow layout testing (especially with Kato unitrack).
So, what did I decide? Don’t really know yet - but still looking.
Many modelers and layouts use flextrack {3" flexible sections} cut to fit for their layouts, not sectional track.
SO a lot of the layouts you see may not really be able to spell out a “track list”. Turnout #'s and quantities yes, but not the flextrack sections.
There are books for sectional track planning you can get. Do a google search for “sectional N Scale track plan books” Or “N scale track plan books” and see what you come up with. {or whatever scale you want to use}. Keep in mind that “sectional HO scale track plan books” will give you lots more books with HO layouts that are roughly twice the size of N, so halve the measurements to get a better idea of N scale measurements {not track- just layout size.} Track requiremets should be somewhat similar, but not exact.
N Scale Railroading by Martin McGuirk will get you started, and it is N Scale-specific! Check out the PDF-preview on this book order webpage.
N Scale Model Railroading by Robert Schleicher is a nice compliment to N Scale Railroading and twice as thick as the above book. I got this one on eBay.
Note the still good information in various “out-of-print” N Scale primers using the eBay search for n scale model railroading.
Also see the current MRR Forum thread, N scale door layout plans.
Do take your good 'old time researching and visioning for your N Scale pike.
Yup, most published track plans are not intended to be built with sectional track. In the old days it was hand laid, but that has given away to flex track. For the most part sectional track is much more limiting in what arrangements are possible. So if one wishes to use the sectional track there is as you say the measuring and fitting the angles and curves, etc. I am guessing it will still never come out exactly like the plan.
Of course when a plan is published one does not necessarily want to support one vendor over another either. That limits the appeal of the plan in other ways.
When converting Atlas HO plans to N scale, keep in mind that Atlas’s HO scale line uses 18" radius curves, while the Atlas N scale curved sections have 9 3/4" radius curves. In HO, Atlas uses 9" straight sections, but in N, the equivalent track is 5". In this case, simply halving the layout dimensions will not work.
Outside of making adjustments for track centers, what might actually make a decent layout is to take one of the HO plans and build it as is with N scale flex track. 18" radius curves are nice and generous for N scale, and there will be plenty of room for scenery. With the smalelr size, what on the HO plan was a 2 track yard could become 4, and more useful. Worth a thought, anyway.
thanks Guys - all really good suggestions there. It is really difficult to get away from the Computer and just get into it for sure !
I am finding that just laying the track around and moving bits and pieces is working for me best. Obviously, you need an end goal in mind, but having the Kato Unitrack is certainly very easy to put together and move around.
I am leaning towards having some major shunting yards and main line going around it then off at an angle somewhere (for future expansion down the side of the garage). One thing I really like about model trains as opposed to the slot cars I am used to, is that you can run trains ‘hidden’ under and around things to pop out somewhere else - good fun indeed !
Um, Dan- I DID point that out if you read what I actually posted. HO also uses 15"r and 18"r curves {among larger ones as well} and N scale Uses 9.75"rAND11.5"r curves {among larger ones as well}.
He can still use an HO planned sectional track layout plan and get an idea of what the N scale measurements would be, and can get a rough idea as to what pieces of track will be needed. Assuming he wants an HO planned layout, but wants to convert it to Nscale.