Mo- Here are my recommendations for you to halt frustration and to make for easier operations that make more sense. You MUST have a rudimentary understanding of wiring which can be obtained by thoroughly reading the plan book AND obtaining the Complete Atlas Wiring Book #12. Otherwise is it only going to be "Monkey see, monkey do" and at the first variation, you will be lost. On the upper level, please see picture below. I would urge the following- get rid of the double figure 8. It takes up a lot of room and does nothing for you. Redesign, if you like it, as shown, including a reverse loop so you can have trains not always going in one direction. Add some areas for industry. The viaduct section (or make it a long bridge) needs to be extended to connect at around the area of the old #24 turnout. This will allow a gentler curve. You must map out the footings of the viaduct or bridge very carefully as to not interfere with track sections on lower level. You can use the RTS program for doing your layout on a computer - it can be downloaded from the Atlas site, or there is a free CAD program that someone here posted on two weeks ago. On the lower level, in the yard area and old track 1,2 and 9- and please note this is a very rough sketch- to make the radius of your turns larger- make block 9 your new lower main. connect it into 8. Make 2 into your new other main line and make sure that you connect into the old main BEFORE you get to turnout #1. Make your connections between your two mains where appropriate. Get rid of one of the sidings in the yard to allow for buildings. There is scant room for such on the original plan. Allow for re-access to a main line from the right side of block 10 or 13 so you need not back a train halfway up block 7 to get out of the yard. It may require you to buy some more track, it may not. It will require money for a few different turnouts. Please take a careful look and see if this is on the way to what you want. The best is to design what you want for yourself. If it is beyond you, then take ideas from others, but do not treat the same as the end all of track plans.
Thank you very much Mark. I like to keep the upper level with 2 tracks. I like to see more trains going everywhere. Since your layout is the same as mine, is there any way for you to look at your layout and tell me what additional track and turnouts do I need to get? You are always been a great help.
Al- I also hope he has not abandoned it. I have not heard a word for about two months or more. I am pretty ok with the way I have progressed with mine.
Hello friends, thanks with checking on me. No I did not give it up yet. It is summer time and it is more fun to be out in the garden than in the basement. Very soon I will show you all how far I have gone with this. I think it is good to take a break from it for a while. Again thank you all for all your support and kind help. Mo
moshken: We have summer in Florida all year. Now is the time to be inside after noon time. Have fun outdoors. Let's see some photo's of what you've accomplished. Stay cool and run steam....
Mo, You have done a terrific job recording every inch of this project. I tend to use what you have done as an instructional. Thank you for doing this.
Cripp12: Fothergill has completed this layout. Speak to him. Stay cool and run steam..... [ July 18, 2005, 07:58 PM: Message edited by: Powersteamguy1790 ]
Thanks Power, I have spoken to him. Thank You. My progress with this is that I actually have run trains on my layout at one time. The difference is that it was flat without levels and no scenery. Due to a house move I had to take it apart before I could continue. I hope to use all these resources to begin again.
Please be very careful and see if you can modify the grades, even a little. Also, please take a look at the last two pages of my album. You can see how I modified the upper level so it makes a bit more sense, operations wise (at least to me).
