Hi guys…Happy New Year!
Can anyone tell how you go about in determining how much and what kind of track are being use on the track layouts that MR illustrate?
To be more specific: How much stright track. Are they full; or 1/3rd? Curves; are they short, long? What kind of switches?
Well, you get the point. Can anybody help…thanks!
They usually tell you how long the main line is, the size of the turnouts on the main line and yards, the minimum radius of the curves and the grade. Thats about it.
MR track plans are more generic, not based on a specific make, the exception being MR 2010 project layout “The Salt Lake Route”. To my understanding, they are not drawn with a track planning tool, but a graphics tool. I found it quite difficult to transform those plans into a “real” track plan, using my tool “WinRail” .
They don’t tell you for several reasons:
1} the layout builder may not have a count on the track he used
2} The builder may have used a lot of flex track cut to size he needed, and flex track comes in 3 foot secitons- hard to tell you even how many of those he used.
3} there may be a combination of sectional and flex track cut to length and the quantities are unknown.
The knowns published are the: minimum radius, minmum track switch #, and basic length of the mainline, because they can be fairly easy to remember or point out, or measure.
Only iF MR builds a layout using sectional track,or a sectional track planning/layout book will they tell you what the counted pieces are.
Good luck tying to figure out your favorite plan.
Happy New Year to you as well. I hope your year goes well.
Very difficult to say. Except for turnout information, you’d be guessing at best. Sometimes the original article will have some details. When you finally decide on a plan you like you could just order the back issue and hope the details you want are included. You might find some kind soul here that has that issue who would look it up for you as well, but don’t expect anyone to research 20 track plans for you.
I use only code 55 flex in N scale. Except for turnouts and at a very small number of yard turnouts, the entire layout is essentially one piece of track. If any of my radii match standard available curves it’s simply a coincidence. I do have one Kato dbl crossover that’s code 80 (I think).
A couple of things besides what has already been pointed out. I assume you are trying to duplicate a track plan. Even on the MR project layouts they warn you not to dry to duplicate things exactly. Simply using a different manufacturer’s turnouts can make the plan not work the same. On many of the MR project layouts, turnouts or other pieces of track were shortened to fit - and the detail may or may not be included in the text. Finally, even if you had all the information - do you lay your track with the exact same amount of gap at the rail joints? And the track manufacturer’s variation from one piece to the next can be as much as 1/8" - added up over 10 pieces and you could be an inch out from what the author of the article had in mind.
The last 2 points should be kept in mind when using software to plan a layout. It very rarely goes together exactly the same as planned. Or to paraphrase Chuck, “No plan survives its first touch with reality unscathed.”
That said, using one of the free software packages to redraw the layout with the track you intend to use will identify most fit problems up front. The software will also create track lists for you, and identify where each piece goes (you drew where it goes). Just keep in mind you will likely make changes when you actually start construction, which will change the track needed a little. Having extra pieces on hand is nice when you want to try out a new idea in the real world.
RTS is an easy to use package, and a free download from Atlas (http://www.atlasrr.com/righttrack.htm. RTS’s main drawback is tha