Dream and design
What scale is that plan for?
A gentle reminder - All too often I've seen (and been guilty of) track or benchwork plans posted without clear notation as to which scale they're intended for.
A configuration that might be wonderful in N scale might raise eyebrows in HO.
If there are elevation changes it's also very helpful to viewers to mark the main places they change.
And I find that a plan drawn over a grid in some standard size (feet or meters?) makes it much easier to visualize the reaches, aisle widths and radii involved.
3rd Planit Software
I've been doing alot of thinking about my layout plans recently. And I've drawing revisions upon revisions the old fashioned way. It takes a lot of time and I have to measure very carefully because my train rooms walls aren't exactly of uniform length.
Module planning help!
I've recently thought up plans to model the Houghton MI Copper Range Railroad yard, as it was in the late 60's early 70's (COPR close its doors in 1972).
Initial plans call for Free-mo modules to be used. I was thinking somewhere in the range of 3 or 4. I want the track plan to be decently accurate in length. My largest issue as of now seems to be the track set-up at the ends of the yard.
The West end of the yard has three tracks (on the blueprint), though only one is a main, the other two being storage/passing sidings.
How do you make a good looking trackplan?
Joe (or someone else),
I have looked at your Siskiyou Line trackplan many times and it's one thing I don't understand. How do you make your trackplan look so good? I mean all the trees, bushes, rivers, buildings and so on. Can you please tell me how it's done? I don't think you ever told that in your excellent DVD series.
Every trackplan I see in Model Railroader is also the same graphical style.
Benny
Sweden
Import XtrkCad designs into JMRI PanelPro
June 16, 2008
XtrkCadReader is an addon software for JMRI that allows you to import your XTrackCAD designs for use in their PanelPro application.
I just saw this and thought I would pass it on.
Essential artistry of layout design
Rather than get into the prototype vs. freelance debate, which is about like trying to figure out which color is the best, I'll offer the following thoughts. These came in response to a comment from an ongoing discussion on my Southern New England Railway Yahoo! Group (which you're invited to look into for more details on the layout itself) - but thought they may serve as grist for the layout design discussion mill. As they say on TV, we join this dicussion, already in progress:
Painting clouds
I've got my train room painted but I still need to ad clouds. I've looked thru several books and I also have the demonstration that comes on the first Dream-Plan-Build Video from Kalmbach. Anyone have any advice, hints or tips they would like to share? You'll find a photo of the room below. The blue is Behr 560C-3 Holiday Road.
Pictures of my train room under construction
I am trying to attach a few photos of my train room. Right now there is no layout but there will be once the room is painted, some more outlets are put in and indoor/outdoor carpet is laid. The rom measure 12' 3" by 15' 6". Not all of it is usuable since i have to leave a path beteen two doors and one wall is made up of closets.
These pictures were taken this morning. Since then I have painted another wall.
Irv
Pros & Cons of Prototype Modelling
I freelanced for a while but I decided earlier this year to switch to strictly modelling a prototype, the B&O Landnenberg Branch to be specific. I'm posting this thread so that others can better see how they want to model before planning and building a layout.
First the Pros of prototype modelling:
- Track planning becomes easier as the prototype has already laid out the tracks, you just have to compress or make modifications. I find this makes planning much easier than starting from scratch.
Track Planning Software Discussion
Howdy folks!
Some of you may know me from other online modeling forums, and it is nice to see MRH growing with every day. And I look forward to building more friendships and relationships as we grow along with the MRH new online community!
I'm really geared up and excited about the January 2009 Premier issue of MRH online magazine especially since Part I of my 3rd PlanIT tutorial will be included. I like the fact that with each MRH issue readers will be able to interact with the author in making comments and such in a sort of Q&A approach.
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