This ? may have been addressed before, and may seem a little odd. I am getting back into the hobby after several years due to military deployments in support of operation iraqi freedom. I have several track plans for shelf/module type layout in HO. I have attempt the cut and paste method to take what I like and make a new plan. However here is my problem, the flow just does seem right. Is their any help out their, a program, professional who like to do this sort of thing. Any help and suggestions would be most welcome
Ditto on the support thing there my conrail lovin friend! (I come from a military family) Anyway, I think the module thing is good. The thing I’ve been doing lately is to find scenes I’d like to see on my layout, maybe ideas from other layouts but mostly from prototype and then model around that. For instance I love vidaduct bridges, so I’ll look for those and see what settings I find them in. Then arange the track plan according to what space you have and still try to get that look in. Dan
Do you have an idea of what sort of RR you want?? What time period and era? Steam, early diesels, modern? How about operations… Would you enjoy a lot of switching and making consists in a yard? Or just something you can turn on and watch it go and go and go?? I use the program RTS 7.0 There’s a newer version also available… Theres also XTrkCAD4. Theres are both free to download online…
I’ve used both Atlas RTS (www.atlasrr.com) and XTrakCad (www.sillub.com) and I like them both. RTS is easier to learn, but it is less flexible, as it is geared towards Atlas track products. XTrakCad has more features, but it’s also got a longer learning curve. Both products, I believe, allow you to “run trains” on your virtual layout to see how they work.
And thanks from me too for your service to our country.
I am looking to model the 1990’s-present. My interests are intermodal, car unloading facilites, paper/wood and few others such as gravel, grain. I would like to do the northeast mostly in the fall due to the fall colors.
As far a operations I think point to point would be the best. As I said am getting back into this, and I have several track plans that I have copied with this and that I like. So since I have time now to plan that what I plan on doing.
maybe download the 2 links above and tinker for a little while with ideas for your space. I’m doing a shelf design multi-level, doing my own shelf module design which is working after been thru all kinds of model rr layouts and club stuff. Be a good idea to pick up some modeling books on track planning and design, you will want to make the layout you want to have for years down the road and not make something to just tear out, we had some fellow here who very skilled built a layout and found out he wasn’t happy with it and my tear it out already. Modules are handy because tearing out and fixing is minimized. And easy for moving if you gotta move a whole big layout.
I, too, extend my gratitude for your military service.
What you need is Tony Koester’s Layout Design Elements book which confronts your problem directly i.e. how do you fit a desired scene into your layout environment?
Welcome back and as others have stated THANK YOU [bow] for your service to our nation.Please let me invite you to a post I have started to run every Friday. Titled Friday Trivia. Hope to see you there [swg]
Welcome back to the hobby. And I too extend my warmest thanks for your serving our country. There are many different places to start, I like your concept of leading up to modern times, but just enough time frame so you can have a variety of equipment to choose from. I am guessing you might model Conrail, you won’t have too much trouble finding equipment in that case. And throwing in intermodal and other modern concepts will make it very interesting.
I will also add to the thanks for your service to our country.
I used the Atlas freeware for our layout. It was so easy my 8 y.o. boy was starting to do it (although he was too anxious to start building to spend much time with it). The software lets you layout exactly to the space you have, and can even develop a bill of materials (using Atlas part numbers of course, but it is still useful). Very easy.
Welcome back to the country and model railroading. Thank you for your service. I know how your folks felt as my son has spent two short tours over there with the AF.
I’d suggest that if you haven’t read John Armstrong’s “Track Planning for Realistic Operation,” to do so, I learned a lot from it, though I haven’t gotten to work on my “big” layout yet.