02-11-2009, 04:00 PM
oh you guys are full of questions! 
Okay so Tetters: reasonable scenery (including structures in with scenery) and switching. Obviously watching trains roll by is not an option in the space. Era is late 40's early 50's branchline-ish.
Height of layout will be in the same range as yours however height will not allow more room around the bench as there are cabinets above the bench that I am not willing to part with.
Nomad: all sidings have been checked for lenght by running trains on them in Xtrkcad... not perfect but it helps to see how much room you have to play with.
Doc: Have to read your post in depth this evening and do some noodling with XTC. If you are familiar with the program I would be happy to upload the raw file. The layout in #1 is actually a regurgitation of a layout that I built successfully a number of years ago but then had to part with prior to completion so I was able to work in some fixes from the original plan. Grades do need further consideration for sure but you can consider these plans as basically drafts or initial thought process to get the juices flowing. The code 70 is because I very much like the way it looks... handlaying is because I want to try it, appearance and practice for the big layout and to keep squidbait from whining that I cheated
Time is less of a concern than I may have made it out to be...
I had considered CV tie strips.... Squid tried them once and had mixed feelings. Hand laying will allow me some flexibility in that I wont be stuck with a standard numbered turnout if I get into a tricky situation although I notice CV has flex turnout strips as well now. Have you used CV tie strips?
Okay so Tetters: reasonable scenery (including structures in with scenery) and switching. Obviously watching trains roll by is not an option in the space. Era is late 40's early 50's branchline-ish.
Height of layout will be in the same range as yours however height will not allow more room around the bench as there are cabinets above the bench that I am not willing to part with.
Nomad: all sidings have been checked for lenght by running trains on them in Xtrkcad... not perfect but it helps to see how much room you have to play with.
Doc: Have to read your post in depth this evening and do some noodling with XTC. If you are familiar with the program I would be happy to upload the raw file. The layout in #1 is actually a regurgitation of a layout that I built successfully a number of years ago but then had to part with prior to completion so I was able to work in some fixes from the original plan. Grades do need further consideration for sure but you can consider these plans as basically drafts or initial thought process to get the juices flowing. The code 70 is because I very much like the way it looks... handlaying is because I want to try it, appearance and practice for the big layout and to keep squidbait from whining that I cheated
Time is less of a concern than I may have made it out to be...I had considered CV tie strips.... Squid tried them once and had mixed feelings. Hand laying will allow me some flexibility in that I wont be stuck with a standard numbered turnout if I get into a tricky situation although I notice CV has flex turnout strips as well now. Have you used CV tie strips?