Full Version: Finally got a rough trackplan
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Been a while since Ive been on, so hey everybody! Cheers Havent done anything really train related lately, and last I was on here, I was having issues figureing out a trackplan. I came to the idea the other day though, that if placing track, and then structures didnt work, why not put stuff where I wanted it and then place track. I tried that tonight and now have a rough trackplan figured out that looks very promising. I also have plenty of stuff to have some good operating interest. I decided that a yard would take up too much space, so I opted for a siding, long enough to create a train on, and this is where every operating session will begin, with a inbound train entering the town to drop/off pick up, and when finished the train can return to the siding which I will just say leads off to another track. Industry wise, ther will be a grain elevator, lumber yard, good size gern complex, and a coal or gravel company (havent made up my mind). I guess Im kinda to a point where I can start laying roadbed down, I just need to finish drawing the trackplan onto the benchwork to make sure it will all work out.
Hi Keven, good to hear of your progress. How about a drawing of the track plan?
Im tryin to find a way to post a drawing, last layout I had on paper and used a neighbors scanner to post the pic. But now there is no scanner I can use.
Kevin, I went to Model Railroad Hobbyist.com when they first came out with the magazine. They have message board and blogs on the site as well and an interesting discussion on there has been the subject of "chainsaw" layouts. I don't know where the concept started, but a few guys on there are running with it.

Basically the idea is that no matter how much you draw something out on paper, you probably won't get a real feel for operating on the layout until you actually build it and use it. The idea is to build something and see how it works. If it doesn't work, take a chainsaw to it and cut it up and start over. Of course you save what you can from the layout, but as you keep building, cutting up, and rebuilding, each new layout should be better than the last one, until you achieve the layout that works best for you.

I think the term "Chainsaw" is figurative. Most of the guys are able to reuse most of their track, and structures. They can probably reuse whatever supports the bench work. Scenery is probably a loss, unless the contours of the landscape don't change with the new layout. It seems like an excellent idea to me. I expect to build my Los Angeles Junction switching layout without ballast or ground cover to see how it works operationally. I'll make changes to the track work until it works like I want it to operate, and then start adding ballast and scenery to it.
Kevin, you can use a digital camera to take a phot of your drawings and post them that way.
Gary S Wrote:Kevin, you can use a digital camera to take a phot of your drawings and post them that way.

I guess it really is that simple isnt it..... Misngth

I started laying out my roadbed tonight. Like I said there is a GERN industry on the layout, not sure what will be goin down there but once the track is layed they want to start taking all their deliveries by rail. They have 2 tank cars a week that will be comming in full but they wont give any info on whats in em......Not sure what they have up their sleeves. :?