Haggis;
I'm not against a freedrawn plan, esp when just used by the guy who drew it. But to have a freehand drawing with no length, wideth, minimum radius etc. are not included, I find it extremely difficult to help. However if things like demensions etc are included, its easier to help.
But the main reason as I said, I'm against using a freehand drawing, is that the majority of the folks that use them, draw their turnouts, switches whatever you want to call them, with angles too big, curves too tight, spurs & sidings too short, terminals and yards too small, etc. When they draw something like that I find they're disappointed more than they are helped by more experienced modelers.
By learning a "disciplined" method of drawing, be a CAD program or even a manual ruler-pencil-compass, even if they go back to freehanding, they at least have learned, what will or will not be possible in the area available. That, I believe, would help them more than anything.