Professional track-planners

[Meiriongwril]

Has anyone had experience of having track plans drawn up by professional track planners? If so, was it a good experience, would they recommend it, and was it very expensive?

Any specific companies recommended?

 

[Cannonball]

I've seen listings on Google for professional track planners who design and build your layout for you. I don't get it myself. ..... Isn't part of the fun building and modeling your railroad the way you want it to be?

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I don't think he wants it designed and built. He just wants a track plan designed. The only person I know of who did that was the late John Armstrong. I don't know if any of the companies that build layouts will bother with designing one for you to build yourself or not.

 

[conrailmike]

You might fire off a letter to the editor of one of the model railroad magazines. They might know of someone who does it. Just an idea.....

 

[Meiriongwril]

Yes - the problem is designing something workable for the space - the number of drafts that I've worked thru ......

 

[pgandw]

The better you can communicate your vision for your model railroad, the better the result is likely to be. That's what Armstrong's Givens and Druthers was all about - trying to find out what his client really wanted. Even then, it usually took Armstrong several complete start-overs to come up with the final plan.

Second factor is the space available. For a small layout, say 12 x 12 in HO or less, there just aren't that many options, so a professional designer might not be worth the time and expense. On a larger layout, the designer has more room to be creative and come up with something you might not otherwise think of.

my thoughts, your choices

 

[johnnyb1216]

your in the right place

let these guys know what you have in mind--- space, budget, theme,...etc and sit back and get ideas these guys are incredible with the ideas they have

 

[Russ Bellinis]

let these guys know what you have in mind--- space, budget, theme,...etc and sit back and get ideas these guys are incredible with the ideas they have

Good idea. If you want to know what happens when someone starts asking on the Gauge just open up this thread and start reading through 5 the 56 pages to see what the results can be.

http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=18256

 

[cidchase]

"these guys are incredible with the ideas they have"

Ya, I don't even believe it myself sometimes...