stevenb: Open your RTS file and then save as a BMP file. Then open it up in a picture editing program (even MS Paint will work) and then save that file as a JPEG file and then you can upload it. Hopes this helps so we can see your work.
Steven If you can get it saved as a BMP file, you can upload it direct from your computer, when you post select the advanced tab at the bottom of the editor. In the top row of the editor will be a paper clip next to the smiley face. Click on that and you will be able to browse for the file.
thanks gents i think it worked. please do add comments 18"wide by 8feet long atlas code 55 track manual switches dcc thanks
I don't understand what it is supposed to represent. Can't see much place for industries or unloaded between the tracks... Of course, you may have a terrific plan the drawing just doesn't show...
Stevenb... there are some things you could tell us that would make it easier for us to make meaningful comments. A) car types (which will tell us something about the average car lengths) B) locomotive types (which will give us average locomotive lengths) C) what the scenario is (e.g., industrial switching, yard, etc.) Aesthetically, it's a nice plan, and I look forward to seeing it develop. Best, Adam
ha yes sorry about that, switching engines only,goods cars, tank cars industrial switching going in factory halls, and in the bttom right hand corner a oil/gas storage etc in concrete track think rust dirt weeds between the tracks, tracks running between the buildings etc
By switching engines, do you mean switching diesels such as the EMD SW-series? If you have a ruler handy, measure a couple representative samples of your cars in inches. That will help, too. Also, are you doing any through-running with this layout. If so, let us know where that through-running is so that we can take that into consideration, the thinking being that if you have a mainline going through a yard that your yard leads will have an impact on your through running. Adam
Where's the mainline? The train has to come from/depart to somewhere doesn't it? I'm guessing it's N scale? There seem to be several places that you'd not have enough room to move a car and a loco out of. I understand you want the most for you space, but sometimes less is more. you've got a good amount of space there to work with. Maybe if you start your design process by listing the industries you want to have, the types of cars they get and frequency they get switched, and what locos you plan to use that might be a better start. You also might think of somewhere for the cars to come from and go to as I mentioned above. You've got a good start, but narrowing your focus a bit might help you refine the layout into something that fits what you're looking for. My opinion (and don't take this wrong) is that there's way too much trackage there to be believable as a prototype railroad. If that doesn't bother you, then that's fine. I just like to look at a layout and be able to picture it in the real world. I'm working on a switching layout myself, and hope some (or any) of my comments were helpful.
StevenB: You may want to consider locating 2 or 3 30-inch long staging tracks behind easily removable building flats at one end or the other of the layout. Then to operate, you pull cars from the staging onto a visible 30 to 36-inch long main track with a runaround. All industrial sidings would be served from either end of the main or runaround, or in front of or behind the main and runaround. When arranging your track, it will make switching less frustrating if there is usually at least enough room for a loco and 15 to 18 inches worth of cars to be pulled off of either end of the main/runaround and drilled into sidings. If you plan on switching a lot, then carefully position your structures so you can reach all ground throws (and can easily see any points that are moved by electric motors), and that you have room to reach into the layout to couple/uncouple cars with your uncoupling pick (or assist stubborn magnetic uncouplers).
keep it comming any criticizing is good at least im learning something to dense of a track plan, i was affraid of that.yep you are right less is more. so hw about this one then
This second one has more room for actually making up trains. I think that is a marked improvement. Which tracks are the connections to the mainline, or does the mainline run through it? I would like to know that. We are getting somewhere. Pretty much anything ppuinn says on switching yards I take as sage advice.
If you haven't been there before, I like the plans at http://andrews-trains.fotopic.net/c374578.html. I think I spent hours looking at these plans. My 'Portland Freight' looks very much like http://andrews-trains.fotopic.net/p14832720.html (though there is a small yard and interchange track with SP on the right leg of the "L"), and I looked hard at '12th Street Tuttle Mine'. Brad.
Great links - I've been going through old copies of MR for inspiration for some areas just like this so these will provide even further scope. Rob
I am starting to take this approach on anything he says about layout plans in general! Thanks for the thorough analysis on all these plans Dave.
You are all most certainly welcome! I'm having a blast jumping in on the various track planning threads.
Seems like lots of switchbacks and only one runaround on the whole layout. That will probably get old relatively quickly. There seem to be 3 major yards: each should have its own run-around. Maybe the right side yard and the upper left side yard represent a RR yard and a yard for a large industry. The lower left satellite yard may have a few nearby industries, but also seems to be serving a collection of industries in the middle of the layout. The larger RR yard on the right and the lower left satellite yard are connected to each other by a single track. So you've got a main RR yard connected to a large industry yard and a satellite yard, and the satellite yard serves a number of smaller industries. This could work, but may work better if the run-arounds in the 3 yards are long enough to handle 5 or 6 cars...and there may not be enough space for run-arounds that long. Everyone has their own tolerance for the Spaghetti Bowl Factor...how many linear feet of track we can jam into a one foot square area. The SBF for this layout seems a little high to me, and may have limited space for buildings/industries, but SBF is an entirely personal factor, and--in the end--is entirely up to you to decide.
