Hey all, been reading the forums for awile and I’m getting back into the hobby after quite an abcence. I have been a modeler for some time and i’m getting back into modeling HO scale again. my question is how do you go about reading track plans? I have some bench work built and am in the process of deciding on a layout design. still a little on the fence of a “scenic " layout to run trains with some switching, or modeling heavy industry and steel. I am a huge fan of the work Dean Freytag did on his layout before his passing. I’m wondering how the 12” grid thing works and how you go about layout of track. If i use a published plan would i print it out and scale it with an MRR scale? some insight would be greatly appreciated.
[#welcome] Welcome to the forums.
Rather than write the book I would need to answer your question, I’m going to recommend one:
Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong.
Just checked, and our friendly hosts have the third edition available. Just click SHOP at the top of the page, then books, then layout design. Or you might find it at your nearest hobby shop.
The author goes into detail about designing a layout and drawing plans, using the methods he developed over half a century of custom designing model railroads for clients. With that knowledge, it’s easy to ‘reverse engineer’ a published track plan, or to develop one that exactly meets YOUR list of ‘givens and druthers.’
I personally used the techniques John Armstrong describes to develop plans for my double garage filler, with a result that bears almost no resemblance to any layout I’ve ever seen published anywhere. My own design, and the method I use to build it, isn’t just ‘outside the box’ - I fold up the box and use it as roadbed for temporary tramways…
Once again, welcome. Above all, have fun.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Personally, I conceived my own plan and built it in four stages over a span of eight years. I now have 268yds of track and 110 turnouts in the process of converting to DCC. I like to have the top of the layout undulate, with no 90* corners. I built my 24’x24’ garage a9around the room layout in the dedicated loft with an inside stairway,(so that one does not have to duck under). Start small and place dead switches in your planned expansion set-up. Bob Hahn
LIONS are different.
Him had a plan in the back of his mind, and so him built tables and started laying down tracks. If things needed tweaking, they were tweaked, if they did not work they were removed and replaced with something else. This layout has undergone much metamorphosis to get where it is today, and I will likely enough change something around in the future.
ROAR
Hi
[#welcome] back!
I took a basic plan and worked it to the size {small} of my layout, and built the benchwork according to the needed size, hence the reason i have a 3.5 foot x 5.1 foot odd sized layout.
If you see a published track plan,often there are charts to the sectional pieces you will need, if not, then the basics of switch size #, number of switches of R or L required and minimum radius required for using flex track.
You say you have benchwork built? A good step would have been to use track planning software or guage templates to work out a layout before you buitl the benchwork.
Atlas USED to have free track planning sofware using it’s track, of course. But I understand it is defunct. Track planning templates are available here {you can cut out, copy, paste down to lay track} :
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?ID=200420488
http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?ID=200810691
If you have built a standard benchwork, say a 4x8 or 5x9 you can adapt any sectional plan for that size easily enough.
If not a standard size, you will have to get out the trusty trackplanning software or templates and scale up a drawing of what you think you would like.
SInce you are getting back into the hobby, i might suggest a sectional trackplan standard size to “get your feet wet again”.
Here is a link to 101 trackplans: which will tell you what secitions you need to complete the layout:
hi,
I disagree strongly with our previous poster. The 101 track plans by Linn Westcott are from the 50’s and often are unbuildable; to steep grades and to small radii, not suited to more modern equipment. The more recent 102 Realistic Trackplans are really built and quite doable. More important maybe, lists of needed track-sections in 101 TP’s are not part of the book; lot of the plans even require handmade turnouts for specific situations.
The 101 MORE TP’s is quite a nice book, it covers lots of famous layouts dating back to the 60’s and 70’s. It might surprise you, model railroading has come a long way since.
Reading Trackplaning For Realistic Operation by the late John Arrmstrong (this grand book is published 50 years ago!!!) as Chuck (TomikawaTT) stated, is what will really help you.
The amazing website by Byron Henderson could give you some more ideas.
Paul
Thanks all for the suggestions!!
I used Xtrackcad free software to plan my relatively small layout. I used walthers turnouts and flextrack. Once I had the design refined, I printed the layout in small size and marked it up noting the various radii, etc. It included a grid. Once I had the benchwork, 5/8" plywood, built, I marked 6" square grid. I made curve templates from 36" brown painters paper. I then placed actual turnouts where needed and connected with straight and curved lines using a yardstick trammel and the paper curves. Tweaked as I went, e.g., easements. Once all was drawn, I made cookie cutter cuts to allow risers addition for slopes. I then had the lines to start adding cork roadbed, etc.
Once you have a track plan drawn to scale, operate it. Place small pieces of paper (using the same scale the plan was drawn) to represent rolling stock, switch industries, run trains, etc. Even make sketches of the buildings/scenery from various vantage points to check sight lines, reach-ability (over or around buildings/scenery) and overall look. You don’t have to be good at sketching, as long as you are thinking in three dimensions, not just the two that are on the paper. Making changes on paper is easier than changing benchwork, track and scenery. Do some research on the prototype (if there is one) and take your trackplan cues from it, rather than cobbling up a spaghetti bowl of track…or spaghetti it up and see how many and how fast they can go!lol Seriously though, aim for prototype fidelity; you’ll probably fall short, but will be waaay ahead of a spaghetti bowl.
Most of all, have fun!