I'm starting a Nscale layout using Kato Track that I would like to base on the Scenic Ridge. I'll be building it with my son and Scenic Ridge has everything he wants in a track, bridges, tunnels, and mountains. I was thinking about adding a foot to the "front" of the layout and trying to add a small yard. So I guess I have two questions, any thoughts about this as a concept? and when you are placing track pieces in XtrackCAD, how do you specify the direction that curves and turn-outs "pop" into the layout. It seems pretty tedious to place each piece and then try to move it into position. I hope I'm missing something simple.
Scenic Ridge Plus / Newbie Questions
- Thread starter kennydavisarch
- Start date
Adding to the front of the layout is quite respectable.
I'm not sure how XtrackCad works. I never do anything graphic with my computer. wall1
I'm not sure how XtrackCad works. I never do anything graphic with my computer. wall1
Ken, Hi...Just dug out an old link to "help", (am trying to get time and concentration to learn this myself), given to me by someone else. http://www.xtrkcad.org/Wikka/HomePage It's simple...maybe too much for some, but I think you will find an answer. Then, later, I'll come ask you, "How you do dat?" Bob C.
Poking around last night and I found the wikihelp, thanks for sending it. That's what I needed. Laying track goes much faster now. I managed to make the Scenic ridge layout using unitrack in XtrackCAD (mostly copied it from the Kato website, but at least I have it as an .xtc file now so I can fool around with it.) I added a foot to the front of the layout so it's 4'-0" x 6'-0" now. I tried a few switch yard ideas and didn't like any of them. Does anybody know of a good basic switch yard plan? I'm not really looking for a timesaver or puzzle, just a place to store a few cars and maybe assemble various trains. (not sure if I'm using all these term right, very much a newbie and not I'm not sure about the proper operational terms)
Kenny:
The current issue of Model Railroader has an article on yards. You could look it over in your bookstore to see if it's what you need.
The current issue of Model Railroader has an article on yards. You could look it over in your bookstore to see if it's what you need.
Ok, I've played around with XtrackCAD a bit and come up with the following layout, I'd like any thoughts you all have based upon the criteria of an 8 year old, he wants, mountains, tunnels, bridges, and a yard. (we did rule out a turntable due to the size of the door) I'm not sure how to show tunnels yet, but basically the top left corner is a mountain with two tunnels at different levels similar to Scenic Ridge.