Time Spent Planning
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Crandell was a fast learner.
It took me about five years and three layouts before I finally got one that ran well and that I liked running. Like Crandell, my current layout took me about an hour of thought and then about two hours on XtrkCAD to flesh out. I would guess about 95% of my layout came out the way I planned it. Crandell's advice about laying out tape to approximate your track plan is excellent, because it often looks much different when see how much space the track will really occupy in 1:1 scale rather than a computer screen or graph paper.
If you've never built a layout before, I would guess that 30 hours of planning, including research, deciding on a track plan, and posting it here so you can obvious problems fixed before you start to build benchwork is reasonable. This may sound like a lot but it's lot better than five years and a ton of money thrown down the drain because I didn't have resources like this forum available in 1966.
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Selector
Well-Known Member
Counting the time it took to build, use, and learn the limitations of my first layout, this one took two years. 
With the benefit of learning what not to do, and what to do that I had not done, in all sincerity, it took me an evening of doodling and a scale drawing of the final track-plan. I didn't really figure out bench dimensions and all that stuff. I measured as I went along with a basic plan to bolt four open grid modules together in a square and operate the layout from a central pit. So, with the basic layout in mind, for me the big task was to ensure the track plan was usable by both me and my then small stable of locomotives. Once I had curves, a yard, and grades figured out, plus the types of turnouts, the rest was just measure and cut, plane, sand, screw.....etc.
One tip: once you have a track plan figured out and are really quite keen on it, clear off the space it will occupy and lay 3/4" masking tape on the floor to simulate the track plan, particularly the main, sidings, spurs, and any yard or staging. Use green or blue painter's tape to map out the edges of any bench-work. Once you see it all laid out in 2-D using the tape, you'll get a better feel for your use of space, for curves, elevations, etc.
-Crandell
With the benefit of learning what not to do, and what to do that I had not done, in all sincerity, it took me an evening of doodling and a scale drawing of the final track-plan. I didn't really figure out bench dimensions and all that stuff. I measured as I went along with a basic plan to bolt four open grid modules together in a square and operate the layout from a central pit. So, with the basic layout in mind, for me the big task was to ensure the track plan was usable by both me and my then small stable of locomotives. Once I had curves, a yard, and grades figured out, plus the types of turnouts, the rest was just measure and cut, plane, sand, screw.....etc.
One tip: once you have a track plan figured out and are really quite keen on it, clear off the space it will occupy and lay 3/4" masking tape on the floor to simulate the track plan, particularly the main, sidings, spurs, and any yard or staging. Use green or blue painter's tape to map out the edges of any bench-work. Once you see it all laid out in 2-D using the tape, you'll get a better feel for your use of space, for curves, elevations, etc.
-Crandell
Counting the time it took to build, use, and learn the limitations of my first layout, this one took two years.
Crandell was a fast learner.
It took me about five years and three layouts before I finally got one that ran well and that I liked running. Like Crandell, my current layout took me about an hour of thought and then about two hours on XtrkCAD to flesh out. I would guess about 95% of my layout came out the way I planned it. Crandell's advice about laying out tape to approximate your track plan is excellent, because it often looks much different when see how much space the track will really occupy in 1:1 scale rather than a computer screen or graph paper. If you've never built a layout before, I would guess that 30 hours of planning, including research, deciding on a track plan, and posting it here so you can obvious problems fixed before you start to build benchwork is reasonable. This may sound like a lot but it's lot better than five years and a ton of money thrown down the drain because I didn't have resources like this forum available in 1966.
Cjcrescent
Master Mechanic
I'm almost ashamed to tell you how long I planned on this layout. Let's just say when I started on it, DOS was at V.2, and the Apple IIC was the hottest computer going.
lmackattack
old school
apple IIC
that must be about 15-17 years ago? LOL!!!
that must be about 15-17 years ago? LOL!!!
dmeephd
Modelleisenbahner1955
I spent over 10 years planning and acquiring locomotives, rolling stock, and everything else before starting construction of my layout. I had over 70 structures built and displayed in bookcases before building my first FREMO module so I could at least run something.
I also started on an Apple IIC! Then migrated to a PC, then moved to Windoze, then OS/2, and now use a powerful laptop and Vista to drive my WinTrack software on.
To give you some idea of how much can occur during this 'planning' phase, I managed to acquire 134 locomotives and over 800 pieces of rolling stock before building my first module. Now, 30 years later, I have over 200 locos and 2000 pieces of rolling stock and over 300 structures. All European, of course.
David
I also started on an Apple IIC! Then migrated to a PC, then moved to Windoze, then OS/2, and now use a powerful laptop and Vista to drive my WinTrack software on.
To give you some idea of how much can occur during this 'planning' phase, I managed to acquire 134 locomotives and over 800 pieces of rolling stock before building my first module. Now, 30 years later, I have over 200 locos and 2000 pieces of rolling stock and over 300 structures. All European, of course.
David
GWT&P
Member
Well, I planned and researched about 1 1/2 years before I started. Then I kept researching and tweeking and revising. It was probably another 6 to 9 months before I actually ran a train on it. I'm still working on it three years later. The track is just tacked down and no scenery, so I've got plenty of work still to do.
I spent about 2-1/2 years researching, planning, sketching, and really looking at other plans and layouts. I have had the bench work and track for the first stage of my layout built for about a year now. I wish I had spent more time researching the prototype as I have found some info that makes me want to tare it all out and start over.
To answer this, I had to go back and check my computer files. This five year old layout took about 6 months of research/planning and around 9 basic plans before starting the benchwork. Since then, the plan has been modified, added to, subtracted from, 23 times...and I'm sure there will be more. Keep in mind that my layout is a garage size retirement layout and is atypical of those designed by people being of sound mind and judgement
.
You know, Carey and I once had a discussion about layout drawings and both of us agreed that many times people use the drawing as an absolute instead of looking at it as a variable that can change when and anytime the need calls. This is pretty much the way it has been for me. I use the drawing/plan more for a beginning point and then modify it when something will work better or look better by doing so. All of my changes have occurred because the direction of my layout changed: from simple one-man operation, to formal operations, to adding signals, to adding traffic control, (future unknown). If I hadn't used flexibility in my beginning stages, I would have had to completely tear out the old layout and rebuild each time. Now, I just remove or modify a section when there is a better way.
.You know, Carey and I once had a discussion about layout drawings and both of us agreed that many times people use the drawing as an absolute instead of looking at it as a variable that can change when and anytime the need calls. This is pretty much the way it has been for me. I use the drawing/plan more for a beginning point and then modify it when something will work better or look better by doing so. All of my changes have occurred because the direction of my layout changed: from simple one-man operation, to formal operations, to adding signals, to adding traffic control, (future unknown). If I hadn't used flexibility in my beginning stages, I would have had to completely tear out the old layout and rebuild each time. Now, I just remove or modify a section when there is a better way.
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