Here is my first drawing of the N gauge MAT. I used the RTS 5.0 freeware from Atlas to draw the layout. The blue squares are 12x12inches in size. Minimum radius is 20 inches. I designed this trackplan to take advantage of walk around control as I like to follow my trains. On the bottom right you will see the interchange at Sarnia where the MAT meets Catt's GVR. NARA at its best. I haven't showed where the various industries are yet. This is a big file that takes a while to load. Please tell me what you think of it?
Dick I will be having a mountain section in the Ingelow area. The main line will have no more than a 1% grade while the logging track could be 2% or greater. This will all come into place when I construct it. It seems to me, no layout comes out exactly as planned as we find better ways to deliver the look we are seeking as we go along.
Robin, Your new MAT plan show a completely new way of arrange a relatively long railroad going through a lot of towns. The idea with double sided backgrounds fit very well this layout. Every town is "isolated" from each other, and thereby give a feeling of greater distances inbetween. The yard at Sarnia before the tunnel to Port Huron looks great. As you mentioned, the fallout is many times a bit different compared with the first plan, when one are building the layout. Anyhow, it´s looking interesting and I can hardly wait to see some pics. In the meantime I will return to my basement and work further on with my extension. I have bought eight new turnouts today, and I´m nearly finished with my "Appalachian mountain" ------- Helge SR&WF NARA member #5
Robin,I like it I have yet to figure out where I will model the interchange between the MAT and the GVR.I am currently toying with the idea of having the GVR run from Port Huron on one end to Larry Gilbert's CEE on the other.With a diverging route going to Helge's SR&WF.Also a connection to Brian's INNR.
Robin, Great plan! How the heck did you get this to upload??? I have RTS v5.0 as well, and all my files are .ral files. When I've tried to upload my N scale O&NE track plan on, say, my Geocities website, it doesn't work. How'd you get yours to upload? BTW, I DID get my plan on Layout Depot.
Bob, RTS allows you to save the file as a bmp file as well as the default. I then bring the bmp file into MGI's photo suite and resaved it as a 70% compressed jpg file. Then it is just the same as any picture file.
Robin. I knew what I wanted to say but just couldn't get it into words. Thanks to Helge, he stated it perfectly. You saw the diagram I made for my new layout. I drew the top level to the same plans. Now I am having second thoughts about 2 levels because of the helix. Maybe just forget the second level and have a 2 percent raise from the left side to the south end and back down on the other side. That way I can have a small town and a couple of industries at the higher level as well as industries and a village below it.
Cool mate. Word of caution - the turnouts in the area between Inglelow and Harris are a bit further from the edge than I am normally comfortable with. 30" is the rule of thumb and you are just at 30" - but if the layout is high, then it can be difficult to get at derailments, particularly if there is a lot of detail in front of it. Engine Term looks great. Good to see a separate lead for the yard.
Thanks for the comments everyone. Yes Rob, now that I look at it you are right so will change that trackage to get the switches no more than 24 inches from the front, preferrably closer
