Newbie help please

[kadidle]

Hehehe. At least you have an LHS. I just found out ours is closing out their MRR stuff and mostly becoming a craft store. Not that they had much, but still. Guess I'll be ordering off of the Internet soon. Maybe I should open an LHS, like I really have time for that!

Mark, have you tried the Atlas RTL software? For smaller layouts it sure is handy to get a feel for what your doing, plus a lot less eraser marks then doing your planning on paper.

 

[Big Mark]

Hi Mike, Yeah had a play with it but I'm not that PC minded. Main thing is that I have converted atlas to Peco (as it is hard to get Atlas over here) and I think my substitutions are a little out..... still I dont mind a 5ft by 3ft layout (even though I was aiming for 3 x 2) have lots of room for more shuting and scenery.
Wont know the full size until the curves are in tomorrow (stay tuned)

 

[60103]

Mark:
The gaps serve two functions. The obvious one is to break the layout into blocks for the controllers. The other is to prevent shorts from the turnouts. If you use an all-rail turnout like Peco Electrofrog, the point rail can cause a short from one rail to the other. A gap just beyond the frog prevents this. It's only a problem when there are power feeds beyond the frog (as in the oval you show, or in coming from the yard to the loop). The gap between the yard and the mainline should be in both rails; the gap in the mainline just in the inner rail. (A double gap won't hurt, but will be overkill.)
When you get your final plan, someone here or on RMweb will help you with wiring.

 

[Big Mark]

OK, still laying out and the track is changing...sure this happens to everyone
Layout is becoming a little more "normal" but it should be a final design by the end of the weekend. Will post pics when done

 

[Big Mark]

Hi again all.
WELL it has changed hasn't it
Decided between us that continual running was important after all. Tha overall layout is now 6ft by 2ft 6".
Comments welcome but be gentle, this took me ages

 

[MasonJar]

Mark & Fiona,

That looks good. The only caution I have is the "S" curve seen in the lower-centre of the picture. It may be a troublesome spot, depending on what kinds of rolling stock you have - backing though can sometimes be challenging.

But fantastic start. Lots of interesting switching possibilities, with continuous running too. Nice!

Andrew

 

[Big Mark]

Thanks Andrew, have been rolling my longest passenger stock over the "S" and things look ok (fingers crossed)
Thanks for your comments, just got to mount it now!!

 

[Triplex]

A single engine or car may not have problems with an S-curve where multiple cars coupled together will. I see several S-curves on spurs that would be easy to eliminate.

 

[Big Mark]

ok new revision ,Small station to go in the gap between the rails at the top,
Large farm complex to go in the left area

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I see a number of "S" curves that could cause problems with passenger coaches. I don't think they would be a problem with shorter freight cars at lower speeds. If you keep passenger trains to the main line and shunt freight trains into the two passing sidings and use the sidings for leads to the industrial tracks, it should work well at low speeds. Don't try to take the "S" curves flat out!

 

[Big Mark]

Cheers Russ, that sound like what I had in mind, I have put a very small straight between the two points in the centre since last night (just dont like the idea of points back to back

 

[Triplex]

Here's another way to deal with S-curves: http://maj.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=391416 As shown, it's a bit stiff-looking.

 

[Big Mark]

Here's another way to deal with S-curves: http://maj.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=391416 As shown, it's a bit stiff-looking.

Cheers Triplex, I will show that to the wife tonight (she is incharge of all things:thumb: ) see if she does not mind it looking "a bit stiff" compared with the S's