Using the basic plan to get used to Atlas’s RTS software.
Going by the info here, http://www.nmra.org/beginner/basicplan.html, this plan should fit on a 4/8 sheet of plywood.
However, at least using the RTS software, I find the following errors;
the number of track pieces needed is incorrect. You need one more straight, and four less curves to make the plan depicted.
it is over 8’ long.
Am I doing something wrong, or is the plan info. incorrect ? RTS pic below.
I think it is poorly drawn. Try semicircles at each end, five straights across the top, one curve in each direction coming up from each side at the bottom., with one straight in between to join it all up.
Could be Jeff, not sure. Agreed though; poorly drawn, as is the additions to the basic plan; the extended one is a mess via RTS too.
For wanting to be something for beginner’s, I would think the confusion it causes would turn more people off, than on, to model railroading 
The proportions of your plan look out compared to the one the NMRA has on their website. It looks like you have too many curves in the reverse curve portion at the bottom of the page. The center of the “C” comes too close to the straight section at the top. That would bring the sections back together at the top. If you read the text, the article is more of a tutorial on basic wiring.
Either way you look at it, the article calls for more 18 inch radius pieces than needed.
Well, one can do it as Jeff suggested above, and it comes out like this;
Room for even another couple straights actually.
Anyway, the figures used for track needed are grossly incorrect, any way the plan is configured.
I wonder how many people in the past rushed out to buy the track amount/type listed and then tore their hair out trying to make it work 
Mailman,
See what happens if you use 22" radius curves in place of the 18". Your layout will push out more towards the edges but it will both look and operate more realistically.
You could also substitute in a couple of turnouts and have a passing track on the inside of the 22" radius curves using the 18" radius curves. (Or, slightly larger - say 19-1/2" - if you use flex track.) Except for a short 3-piece section of 18" radius curve, I’m using 22" radius sectional track on the mainline on my 4 x 8 and glad I did.
I don’t have problems with derailing and I can run my trains at top speed* without fear of them “flying off” the layout. (*Mailman, I’ve only tested this a couple of times. So, this is NOT how I operate my layout normally.)
Anyhow, just a thought…
Tom
I know this is off topic, but how are you doing that screen print? I can post a plan from RTS, but not the whole screen.
Just using the “print screen” keyboard button while in RTS, and then pasting it in Paint Shop Pro.
Thanks Tom. I’m not really interested in the actual layout per se, as much as I figured it would be a good, easy way to learn how to use RTS.
Since the info for the layout is wrong, it wasn’t
