Random Track Plan thoughts From the mind of Hanson!

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Chris, I like that plan a lot better. A more simple start and you'll have better curve radius. That will mean more to you in operating pleasure than a longer mainline. Looks like you've got plenty of room for industries in your two town areas and you could easily add a mine and loading tracks in the canyon on the left side.
 
Another Idea for my room! I haven't put the spurs, passing, or detail to it yet! Any comments?
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Chris - good looking plan overall, but I've got a few observations:

1) I notice the aisle area toward the top is isolated, i.e., you or your guest operators will have to go under the layout somewhere in order to get there. Is your benchwork going to be high enough (5ft+) so back-challenged people don't have to bend down too far?

2) In your Industrial Area at the lower right, your spur is all the way back toward the wall. I'd bring the track out closer to the front where you can easily reach your trains, this way you can have some nice tall industrial structures toward the back and you won't need to reach over them to fix a derailment or whatever... (see green-blue track in the image below)

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Ken,
The back area was opened up for Maint. on the hidden staging. I don't plan on OPing from there. I planed on OPing in the front area mostly. The table hight would be between 54"-60", not to worried about people with bad backs when it comes to back there! The industrial area hasn't been planed yet but, your Idea looks good! Hmmmmmmmm...A Big Evil Conservative Industry! But of what nature? or diffrent little ones? How about a BIG OIL Refinery producing Gas for BIG SUV's? Or BIG ELECTRIC! Burning clean coal! Ken, you got my mind working!!! then paint the back drop yellow!!! LOL's I plan On Union Pacific handling the work.


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I noticed that the track layout program you were using is RTS from Atlas...
any body have any idea of how 'interchangeable' the individual components would be with other [than Atlas] turnouts, etc...
Basically, would a track plan created with Atlas be able to [maybe somewhat roughly] used for say, Micro Engineering flex track and turnouts ..??

thanks
 
You can use Atlas flex track and the space occupied will be the same as ME track so that's not a problem. If you use Atlas #6 switches, the geometry isn't much different than ME #6's. The only issue is using snap switches or Atlas #4's, since these are much smaller than the ME switches. If you need to squeeze switches in small spaces, the ME switches will be too big anyway. Otherwise, any of the larger Atlas switches will be close enough to ME for a rough draft.
 


Chris, I like the town area - lots of switching possibilities and some interesting buildings. Your yard tracks will never fit in the area shown since the track centers are too close to even get your hand between the tracks so that will need some work. The change I would make for sure is that lift out section. I can't see any reason to have three tracks going across the bridge. It just makes it wider and heavier for no operational purpose. Two tracks, one for the main and one for a passing siding and yard lead makes sense, but not three.
 
UP2CSX said:
Chris, I like the town area - lots of switching possibilities and some interesting buildings. Your yard tracks will never fit in the area shown since the track centers are too close to even get your hand between the tracks so that will need some work. The change I would make for sure is that lift out section. I can't see any reason to have three tracks going across the bridge. It just makes it wider and heavier for no operational purpose. Two tracks, one for the main and one for a passing siding and yard lead makes sense, but not three.
Click to expand...

The yard track will fit, also the track centers a 1.25" my fingers are small and at 1.25 thats plenty of room to do what ever:) any wider than 1.25" wouldn't look right!

Two of the three are staging! one is for east bound the other west.:) the third it's a drill. much needed to ready a train while the staging is full:) I have to go across the bridge or the staging wouldn't be long enough to hold a good size train. I might still add more staging and ditch the small storage yard?

As for the lift out bridge it's only 6"x38" if i can't handle moving that small thing I need to order me a Training Bra and Pantiesand call myself Betty!;):D
 
Chris, I think your Evil Conservative Industrial park needs to be more to the right...:rolleyes:
Enough politics, It looks good, but you probably should have a runaround track there so you don't have to push your trains to the next town.
 


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