Hey Steve, hows about posting that benchwork plan 'to scale'.... You're an excel wizard now I'm messing with XtrkCad (Greg Barlow has a LOT to answer for!) a lot now and have just about got it sussed, so as a point of practice I wanna do your layout with it
Dis Is, Doing my layout in scale would be great! Please email me at grey_one@windingstream.com or post any questions here The tables are to scale. The part that is not is the cut for the windows and the turnouts. Dark lines are the Main Linie Light grey lines are “The Grey Line” Mainline and yard turnouts are Kato #6 All turnouts outside of the yard are Kato #4 All Main line curves are the biggest possible. All curves on the GandG short-line, (the Grey Line), are as tight as necessary, (8” is ok). The "Grey Line" drops an inch after leaving the yard at 2 to 3% grade. It levels out before the passing siding. The Main Line curve leaving south out of the yard is: 4 X 15” 4 x 19” 4 x 28” (I think) 1 x 9” straight 4 x 28” (I think) Does that help? [ May 26, 2005, 11:35 AM: Message edited by: Grey One ]
This time round, Yes, all Unitrak. I _might_ put flex on the sweeping curve across table 2. If not then it will be 28". I don't know. Also feel free to put sidings in where you feel they will fit.
so, all benches are 7' x 3'. Whats with the 18" cut out? Anyhoo, since you want them all transportable, that also means EVERY track piece should end at the joints in the base boards..... That will move things around a little. I'll get to it.
Hows about I fake it a bit and ignore your curve neasurements and just go with whatever will fit with the 'most appropriate' radii? I'm gonna anyway
Don't worry about the "movable part". I have a feelling that is not going to happen. So, let the track fall where is does. Thanks again
ok...here we go..lets try steves embedded image thing : dammit...cant get it to work... try this url : http://www.railimages.com/gallery/rogerbruce/aag?full=1 [ May 26, 2005, 03:04 PM: Message edited by: disisme ]
There are a few things you;ve managed to draw on your plan that I just couldnt get to fit Steve, no matter how I tried... that double ended 2 track yard in the bottom right? theres simply not enough room, and I'm also very dependant upon you putting a 'filler' in the corner between tables 2 and 3, or we're never gonna make the turn fast enough. Anyhoo, check it out...its almost what you drew.
Geeky: Good question: I intend to put the top of the bench work at 3 feet. I may live to regret this. Bob, (PowerSteamGuy), has adviced 50" in another post. I will then build up at least 6"s of foam The yard will be 3 or 4 inches above the frame. The Grey Line leading out of the yard will drop an inch before it reaches the siding. The main line will climb coming out of the yard at a 3 to 4 % grade. This will be tested before anything is glued down. The two curves near the windows might each become a once around Helix If I run out of expansion I will consider making a Nolex. To answer your question: "Sky's the limit" Yes I can see some dramatic scenery but like Bob says: "Start the bench work"
want me to add that siding on the xtrkcad pic Steve? I'm surprised how fast I did it too...takes some thinking, and a lot of screwing around in Unitrack, but you can eventually get it all in. Of course, with good old flextrack, the versatility would make tolerances on your benchwork corners a lot tighter. I could also have used viaduct unitrack for the bridges, but I figured you'd sort it out, and I didnt want to use trestles in case you didnt like em, so I left that 'open slate' I coulda done the whole layout in under an hour if you used flex.... took me about 3 hours with unitrack. I take back what I said about Unitrack..its not too bad at all once you fiddle a bit.
Since its such a glaring 'blank area', can I suggest running a spur of the "Grey line' where it parrallels the mainline, up into the top right corner area? Perhaps to a log 'pick up' point (ie, no sawmill, just a siding and possibly a Heel boom?). Can be fairly mountainous / ravine with white water river and the track just follows the river contour up...The river, of course, would then exit around the center of table 2.
Since the track on tables 2 and 3 will be laid by "feel / trial and error" and subject to change there is no need to update the plan. The curve in the upper right will likely be fully exposed in a "horseshoe curve". That is a good suggestion. I think the GandG will expand into the area. The track from the horseshoe curve leading to the bottom of table 3 will cross a gorge with a steal trestle. I expect it will be at least 18 to 24 inches long. I expect it will be 12+ inches above the valley at one point. The curve around the bottom of table 3 will be along the outside of a mountain. Double track may run from where the siding starts on table two all the way to where the main passes under itself on table 3. I may have to get another loan to finance this. Thanks again and please, folks, keep the ideas coming. If anyone wants to visit and help, I have plenty of room and I'm not going anywhere this summer.
Oh yeah Steve... nowhere on that xtrkcad plan is there a true S-bend.... Every curve has at least 6" of straight before starting another curve. I also semi easement'd most curves by opening with a couple of 19" radii sections before dropping into 15's, then ease out with 19's. I've also used quite a few 28.5s in places. You'll notice that a few of the curves are constant.... some even go 19,15,13.75,19,15,28.5.... LMAO.... Thats because its dang unitrack and that was the only way to get it to position EXACTLY within the confines of the layout and other track... Trying to get 5 tracks to run through that 18" wide gap was a major feat of engineering brilliance, IMHO, using Unitrack... LOL
ooh, ooh... Another suggestion... The Grey line and the mainline almost form a double track loop (though at different levels) at the bottom of board 3. How about, rather than run under a bridge and out again and have the problem of a retaining wall where the tracks are so close together, have the Grey line go into a tunnel where the (bottom left) bridge is come out again where the tracks start to diverge again. The tunnel would only be 18" or so long, and pretty close to the edge of the bench (so the HOG can assist with the inevitabe derailment in the tunnel). Also give you a little more freedom in track placement of the mainline.
Hmmm top of benchwork at 3' is different from common practice these days. I think it may be kind of cool to stand over the layout at birds eye level and railfan everything. I think if you build down a deep river valley coming out of the upper right hand corner at a 45 degree angle, you could get some really neat effects. Maybe place some really tall hills at that back corner with a big steel trestle bridge crossing at the head of the valley for that big curve you have back there. My biggest fear in your design right now is making that lower right hand section fit properly. What kind of radius is that over there? Do you have enough distance for all the bridges and grades you have over there? I think you could squeeze another passing siding on your mainline and use it as a staging track. Or maybe even leave space for a double ended yard on your mainline sometime later on. I don't recall what the scenery is going to be on your layout. I am thinking rolling hills covered by deciduous trees would look cool. I really like the way that mainline sweeps around the room. It's going to be a blast to sit back and run a long train around that main.
" Hmmm top of benchwork at 3' is different from common practice these days. I think it may be kind of cool to stand over the layout at birds eye level and railfan everything. " Yes it gives me that but also it is more flexible. I have a chair I can raise and lower so I can still view it at near to eye level. " I think if you build down a deep river valley coming out of the upper right hand corner at a 45 degree angle, you could get some really neat effects. Maybe place some really tall hills at that back corner with a big steel trestle bridge crossing at the head of the valley for that big curve you have back there. " Currently I have in mind cut into the edge of a mountain side and then as the curve ends striaght across a foot deep valley on a steel girder bridge to the curve at the bottom right which will run along the outside or through cuts along the edge of a mountain. This curve / mountain will be the first thing you see from the entrance to the room. " My biggest fear in your design right now is making that lower right hand section fit properly. What kind of radius is that over there? Do you have enough distance for all the bridges and grades you have over there? " The main intent on the lower right is to leave enough room for a couple of industires the Grey and Grandure can serve. I think I will be able to use 12 to 15 with a couple of 19s as well and still leave room for the GandG. " I think you could squeeze another passing siding on your mainline and use it as a staging track. Or maybe even leave space for a double ended yard on your mainline sometime later on. " Where did you have in mind? " don't recall what the scenery is going to be on your layout. I am thinking rolling hills covered by deciduous trees would look cool. " I really like the way that mainline sweeps around the room. It's going to be a blast to sit back and run a long train around that main. About the only hidden area will be the GandG return loops and the upper right of the main line. May be none of the main. Hmmm. All that said. I have yet to lay an inch of track so.... all of this speculation is fun but unless you are coming out to help, it could be a while.
