I am a new member to this forum and have found it a useful resource. Clearly a lot of knowledge and experience here guys. This is my first post so I will introduce myself also. Great feedback for the OP. Something to be said about learning from others mistakes, hindsight is 20/20. I started in the hobby in 1981 @ 11years old when my Dad and I set up his Lionel set that he got when he was a boy on a 4X8 sheet of plywood. Next, of course, I wanted more track and layout so looked into nscale. I bought my first nscale stuff at a garage sale in a "lot" quantity box of stuff. I have subsequently built 3 layouts selling the last one in 1997 when I moved to a different house. My daughter has shown interest in the "diorama" hobby and thought this would be a great excuse, er, uh, I mean, reason, to build another layout! Things have changed since 1997 and I am thrilled to have these new resources like this forum and anyrail software. The layout my daughter, wife, and I are working on is an "L" shaped layout formed with two 42"x96" sections joined together. I have already built the benchwork, drawn out the track layout, created my elevations, and started forming my foamboard. I was ready to start laying roadbed and stumbled upon this post. Now I am concerned that I should create my plan in Anyrail and submit it to you guys for review? I am concerned that I might loose my daugthers interest if I rework the entire plan now? It isn't a prototypical layout, just a double mainline with a dead end rail yard/service facility, two areas for industries/towns, and some low elevation mountains. The focus of the layout is to allow me to "play" with my trains and let my daughter explore her creative/crafty side with buildings and scenery as well as obviously spend time with her. Will wait for replys, and thanks for contributing to this forum!
Tony, First off, Welcome to Trainboard. If the layout is going to be against the wall, the 42" depth is going to be a killer for you. There is another forum on this site called Layout Design and Discussion which would also be very beneficial for you to review. AnyRail has a forum for discussing layout design plus plenty of helpful hints for using the software. Post your plan so we can have a look
Good question Paul, I should have clarified. It is actually an island or penninsula accessible from both sides.
Welcome to TrainBoard, Tony. It's especially good to know your daughter may be involved with your hobby. You should search for posts by M.C. Fujiwara; he has a daughter who is very involved with his modeling. As Paul noted above, there is a forum here dedicated to layout planning and design, and might be useful for you to explore it. Since you've already built the benchwork, this will remain the constraint for planning, and so it's good to know you have access to all sides because that would otherwise be a huge problem, as Paul noted. If you'd post your plan, we can see if there are any show-stopping issues to address before the track goes down. Even more helpful would be a photo or two of the existing benchwork as it will be oriented in your train room. The answers to a few questions will help us a great deal. First, do you have a theme in mind, as in a geographic locale and temporal setting? (Even though you indicated it was not a prototypical layout, it would be useful to know what you envision, in general terms.) What are your goals beyond seeing trains run? Do you have a desire for any level of operations? What kind of track will you be using? Are you thinking about raising the track on grades, or will it be all dead flat? This information will be invaluable to those of us who are prepared to help.
I will post some pictures of where I am as of now(on hold pending review). As far as a theme, we are in the midwest and plan on more of a gentle roll from right to left transitioning into a larger small mountain/mound along the 96" left side. The layout will be broken into 4 general service areas that will include the rail service area, two industrail zones(one on the far left, and one on the far right), and a small town area in the middle. I figure that may allow us to do some point to point operations if we desire. The main line will elevate to serve the left industrial area @ 2-3 percent and will rise a total of 3 inches. I just downloaded Anyrail and I am trying to learn that right now. I will go down and take some pictures now and upload where I am at now. I will also snap a picture of my drawing because it looks like it will be a while learning Anyrail.
Greetings Tony, and Welcome Aboard!! You have definitely come to the right place to learn a lot, and I'm also looking forward to pics of your progress so far!
Sorry guys, suffering from newby syndrome and cannot figure out how to add text to each picture. Dont judge my clutter either, LOL. Essentially the refrigerator, small aquarium, and piano will be gone in about a week and the 42" end of the short section will reside against the wall about where the refrigerator is now. Hopefully you can see my rough sketch details. My tightest radius is 15", as I have it laid out currently. Again, we live in the midwest and hope to incorporate some blasted strata along the walls that curves along the tracks as well as a small creek/river that flows at the base of that wall.
Thanks for posting your plan and photos of the benchwork--very helpful. Your track plan is quite similar to that of another TrainBoard member, so you might want to peruse this thread. I see you have already raised the benchwork for part of the line, so that pretty much locks in aspects of the plan. I'd recommend some revisions, but not many. It would be most helpful to know the exact dimensions of the raised part in order to accommodate it in any proposed revisions. Good to know you're learning AnyRail; it should be pretty easy to pick up. EDIT: in looking at the images, I'd recommend adding some cross-bracing to the legs.
Yep already cut the cross braces, just haven't put them on yet. As far as the elevations, nothing is glued down yet. At this point, I can still pull it all apart and start over with only having to buy two more sheets of homasote. About $50 or so for both sheets. I will check out that other thread and continue to play with Anyrail.
So, here is my first attempt at the Anyrail software. Most everything is correct except, due to trial version restraints, I could not add structures or spur lines to my industries. I think you get the idea though. I really like the Anyrail software. Very handy. I could not figure out how to create the benchwork frame outline though. Surprisingly, everything I had drawn out works?! :question:
Well you look to have a good grasp of working with the software. I will say, however, that there are some issues with the track plan. You've got the yard and engine facility branching directly off the mainline, which means you tie up the main working the yard. Also, the turntable is tied into the mainline almost halfway around the layout from the yard tracks. That's not particularly efficient, when you think about it. If you'll allow me to tinker with the plan for a bit, I think I can provide you with a starting point that will be more functional. In the meantime, maybe you can clarify a little confusion I have. Your first post says you connected two 42" x 96" sections together, whereas the drawing you posted shows one of sections as being 36" x 96". Can you help straighten this out?
Yep, I measured it and they are actually 40.625 X 96 each. I could not figure out how to show my benchwork frame in Anyrail and gave incorrect measurments originally. As far as the roundhouse, yard, and mainlines, you are correct. I suppose I could shrink down my radii and allow for one more additional outer switch branch feeder?
I reworked it and essentially came up with the same plan, with the exception that I kept my railyard as a dead end style and fed the roundhouse through my service shop line. Off to the the hobby shop today to get some more switches for the added switching line head and to explore DCC. In this small layout I think the small Zephyr set from Digitrax will work just fine. Now time to go to work and make some $ to pay for it all! Will be back at it Monday.
I too agree with the Zephyr choice. Great introdcton to DCC without spending money on all the extra bells and whistles. For this size layout it should serve you well!
