After an extentive search on the forum and web I am troubles trying to get my hands on the parts list and layout for the Atlas Super Pretzel. I have a set coming in the near future however wanted to get ahead of the game and start preparing benchwork and scenery placement. Can anyone help please.
Gidday, this would appear to be of assistance, and may even be available on your side of the ditch.
https://shop.atlasrr.com/p-6-beginner-s-guide-to-ho-model-railroading.aspx
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]
Is this the track plan?
-Kevin
Kevin, yes thats the one, was mainly after a parts list complete to replicate onto the planning software. Having issues getting the book at the moment and thought would try the forum for any assistance.
At TrainSetsOnly dot com they have a Track Package that includes all the trackage, book, and some other items.
-Kevin
Is that meant for one level or as an over under? The angles of the crossings look like it could be one level.
As a teenager, I built a very similar plan as an over under on two 4x8 sheets I butted together to form an L. It was a fun layout.
I am guessing that Atlas had that in their book of plans using snap track. In that case the curves will be 18" radius or 36" for an 180 degree curve. Rough scaling the plan I would Say from the back corner in each direction is 8 feet. Not quite sure on the width but 42" should be close. So you are looking at two sheets of plywood for a base.
This track plan sits on a 4 by 8 tabletop with a 4 by 4 section added. It is designed to give maximum run length in a smallish area.
All curves are 18 inch radius, and there are no over-and-unders, they are all grade level crossings.
This track plan also has many areas where the tracks are right up against the edges. It also has accessability problems and should either be an island or be able to be pulled away from the wall.
All in all, it has passing sidings and a decent mainline run. With the right scenery treatment it could be a very interesting railroad project.
-Kevin
Yes, the plan I built had a 4 foot extension to the left, the second 4 x 8 sheet. OP could eliminate the siding on the southeast part of the lower loop to provide more space to the edges. Or some how flip it to the inside.
Looks to me like the grades will be 4%+ with 18" turns.
Yeah it’s a typical Atlas track plan, designed to sell you a lot of track. In model railroading less is more.
There are no grades. It is a flat plan.
I totally disagree with that synopsis. The Atlas plans were mostly designed by John Armstrong (as in the ubiquitous “Track Planning for Realistic Operation” book), each to represent some primary concept of real railroading some folks might want. That concept was then compressed into the smallest possible space a newbie model railroader or child might have, hence the 4x8 and similar formats and using 18" curves. Finally it was rendered using the Atlas snap track and published.
I find their plans often contain some very interesting concepts that are useful for all sizes and configurations of model railroad pikes.
This was never one of my favorite plans, but if I recall the description of it, it was something to the effect of being designed for folks who wanted a railfan type layout who want a long run and like the clicky-clack of a train passing over another track while pretending the rails being crossed is another railroad.
I seem to recall an article in a Model Railroading magazine years ago where the author suggested that clipping the elements from various track plans in the Atlas book and then applying them to a long linear track plan was an easy way to design a successful layout. Wow, that was a long sentence!
It sounded like a good idea. Maybe it was an early version of what are called “layout design elements” now.
-Kevin
It is one level
I think it does a great job of doing just that in the space suggested. There’s lots of room to populate the scenery or urban settings one needs to make it all appear like a nice 'n tidy layout that has a lot of eye-appeal.
I would be interested in seeing how you make out, even milepost photos as you build it. [8D]