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OCN Guy

OCN Guy

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I've noticed that everyone here actually takes the time to look at people's track plans... and mentally switch yards, mainlines, etc. That takes some time. I just wanted to say how great that is that everyone here helps one another.
And that even greater is that people like Stein will take the time to either recreate it in Xtraccad or will photoedit it to point out potential problems people may not have noticed. This takes even more time!

This is the way it should be. I think it says a lot about this community that we help each other.
 
I must say, I have to agree. I wish I posted my layout here before I built it. THis is a great place for layout design feedback. I really am impressed at the time people take to help others with their designs.

I am also sometimes surprised at how the people asking for help and feed back respond! Some folks respond and react greatly, others not so much. that being said, people keep cool heads. good work everyone.
 
My initial stab at a track plan has 250 views and ... one person provided feedback.

And really, I wasn't looking for much. It would take only a few minutes to give it a quick look and reply with "you'll never be able to build that because...", or "I think you'll have trouble with this section...", or "looks hard but doable...".

It's like anywhere on the Internet: "YMMV".

Thomas
 
I have to agree with the OP. I just wish some days I had moe time to be one of the frequent guys who take the time. Thanks everyone!!!!
 
At a guess I'd say there are a lot of members like myself. Don't have that much knowledge about railroads or how they're run. I look at all the plans to gain some knowledge and I have to admit I seem to have learned much , enough to decide on the type of layout I will build. The bench work is now set in my mind, but I have to move a portion of a wall, then it will be full throttle ahead. The overall track plan will be a loop to loop or folded dog bone around the walls to a center island. walk in no duck under or gates. I'm getting there and when I have a basic starting plan then we;ll have a discussion before mush else is done. So to those who post their track plans and ideas my heartfelt thanks

Cheers
Willis
 
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One of my favorite reads is this layout section... :)

...but can't offer any help because I'm a novice who doesn't have a layout and has never built one. :confused:

Greg
 
t_wheeler said:
My initial stab at a track plan has 250 views and ... one person provided feedback.

And really, I wasn't looking for much. It would take only a few minutes to give it a quick look and reply with "you'll never be able to build that because...", or "I think you'll have trouble with this section...", or "looks hard but doable...".

It's like anywhere on the Internet: "YMMV".

Thomas
Click to expand...

Thomas, I'm no expert by any stretch, but to me a layout is a very personal thing. I've built 3 in my lifetime, each one was a work in progress. Any plans I had on paper didn't look anything like what I ended up with in the end. You change a track here, add one there, see a mistake here, someone mentions you'll have trouble in this area etc. It's not that anyone doesn't want to help you with your planning. It's just it's hard when looking at a drawing and trying to "see" the layout. I always used cutouts of the track, never could go by a drawing myself.
 
Yeah, I agree... working on layouts takes years. You can get to the point where you think you're done with one phase, and suddenly you're rethinking everything. I know - I just stopped everything and got a redesign of my track plan, and am getting ready to start over!
 
t_wheeler said:
My initial stab at a track plan has 250 views and ... one person provided feedback.

And really, I wasn't looking for much. It would take only a few minutes to give it a quick look and reply with "you'll never be able to build that because...", or "I think you'll have trouble with this section...", or "looks hard but doable...".

It's like anywhere on the Internet: "YMMV".

Thomas
Click to expand...

I read through each interesting thread and watch for something to catch my eye. I am not expert enough on track planning to comment much. I wonder if most of the views are simply people like me.
 
IowaFarmBoy said:
I read through each interesting thread and watch for something to catch my eye. I am not expert enough on track planning to comment much. I wonder if most of the views are simply people like me.
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Yep. I don't feel qualified to comment on any one else's layout. But I am still looking for ideas. I think in most forums like these you have to expect many more views to a question than answers.
 
Then there's Guys like me that never draws a plan of a layout. I've always pictured the layout in my head & then built it. When I see a picture of someone's layout I have no idea what I'm looking at. I'm a self made engineer & most things I have made over the years never had a drawing 1st, maybe a sketch here & there w/a few measurements. I'm the type of person that hates to wait for something to happen. I jump right in & think the other guy should do the same. I can't understand why a person draws all of these pictures of a layout & 99% of the time never use the prints. I'm on my 8th layout in 53 years & have never had a schematic of a layout before I started. Picture it, lay it out w/a magic marker, draw out the curves w/a drafting tool right on the tabletop & buy the cork roadbed & lay it out & then buy the track & nail it down.
 
OCN Guy said:
And that even greater is that people like Stein will take the time to either recreate it in Xtraccad or will photoedit it to point out potential problems people may not have noticed. This takes even more time!
Click to expand...

Thank you for the kind words. And for understanding and acknowledging that it does actually take a bit of time (which is a non-renewable resource for all humans) to offer suggestions at a level beyond just "looks great".

I fear that I sometimes get just a wee bit obsessive about track planning, and spend far too much time (which I perhaps "ought" to have spent on my own layout) on offering suggestions - sometimes even unwanted suggestions :)

I enjoy discussing track planning - at least when the subject is something I find interesting - like e.g. track planning for operations.

I have met some great people during these discussions. And I would like to express my appreciation to all others who post in this forum - who offer suggestions or encouragement or ask questions.

I feel I quite often learn new things myself during these discussions - I go off to read again something I have read elsewhere that seems applicable, sometimes other people chime in with ideas I have not considered, or someone asks a question that makes you stop and think : "hmm - why did I suggest doing it this way instead of that way for this application?".

The only thing I personally find just a tad off putting is people who seemingly feel that they are entitled to other people's time.

Especially people who in effect seem to complain about how badly they feel treated if other people choose to spend their own time on whatever the reader happens to find interesting, instead of spending that time working for free on the thread poster's layout plan.

But it takes all kinds, I suppose. And stuff I don't usually find all that interesting for myself - e.g. layered wedding cake style layouts or 4x8 loops, can be great fun for others.

And of course - sometimes you just happen to stumble onto something that makes you go "what an elegant way to work within what normally is a fairly limited format!".

I remember seeing (over in the Kalmbach model railroader magazine forums) pictures of a a H0 scale multi-level 4x8 continuous loop layout which was made to be raised up to the ceiling when not in use (normally a mix of factors that make me shudder, shrug and move on) that made me go "wow".

A link to a thread over in the MR forum discussing that layout: http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/185346/2028418.aspx

Clearly not a beginner's layout, but very nice.

Anyways - guess I am rambling. Time for me to head for work :)

Grin,
Stein
 
It's not that anyone doesn't want to help you with your planning. It's just it's hard when looking at a drawing and trying to "see" the layout.
Click to expand...
This...

I am not expert enough on track planning to comment much. I wonder if most of the views are simply people like me.
Click to expand...
...and this.

I realize it's hard to decipher someone's layout, and I did expect to get a whole lot more views than replies. I think I got my expectations out of whack seeing some of the multi-page threads discussing some of the finer points of design.

Sorry to anyone who was offended by my complaining. It was just frustrating/disappointing to see 250+ views and only one useful comment.

Best,
Thomas
 
I think there are a variety of things involved in 'getting responses'. Like any group, they're more willing to help if they see you've been helping others. It shows you're actually interested and not just a passing goon in their hobby. You have been a member here for less than a month and have 9 posts on this board. All of which are either in your own threads or in this thread complaining about lack of response in your threads.

Also, you have two threads on this board. One is 2 days old, has 124 views, and 2 different people offering comments, with a total of 5 replies including yours. The other is 18 days old, has 528 views, 6 unique commenters, and 12 total replies. 124 / 5 = ~25 views per reply. 528 / 12 = 44 views per reply. If you look at New Posts you'll quickly see that's about par for the course. If you look at any forum with roughly as many members as MRFcom you'll see a similar trend.

A web forum is not an answer machine. It's not a collection of hundreds of professionals sitting around waiting to serve you. It's a bunch of guys likely just like you. Karma / golden-rule play a really big role in this community. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you - people act as they are acted upon. And it may not be recorded anywhere digitally, but by human nature and the operation of the brain we all have a mental scorecard and are keeping track of how much we like and are willing to assist others.

In closing ( :rolleyes: ), give it time and while you're waiting try contributing to others' threads.
 
I myself never comment on track plans since it is not something I consider myself very good at. Indeed, while I'm proud of my layout, to refer to it's track as 'planned' is being generous. It just sort of grew and morphed into what it is. In an effort to at least once complete a layout, I have decided to leave it as is. I do however like to see others plans for ideas for my next layout, should I be lucky enough to build one.
 
I feel bad for those who got little responses to their posts. However, I know in most cases I've seen, there are several people who have taken a great deal of time to offer help. This, compared to how Model Railroading is depicted in Model Railroader back in the 80's (I have several years' worth of 1980's issues), where the percentage of nitpickers seemed to have been higher.
I think that sometimes it's luck of the draw - if those who are good at track planning are busy the day you put up your plan, you may get a few hundred views and few comments. If on the other hand, you put it up when they're not busy, you're more likely to get feedback. I'm not very good at all at unwrapping a track plan, so I can't offer any in depth feedback.
I do what I can. I hope as my experience grows to do more.
 
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