Track Plans
- Thread starter sweet_sean
- Start date
I have never done it, but I would think drawing a 6" or 12" grid on the 4x8 would be the way to do it
Jesper
Jesper
I bought a set of Atlas track templates, made a bunch of copies, cut them out and laid out my track plan full size on the benchwork. I then lightly misted over the layout with spray paint to transfer the pattern.
Doc
Doc
I have a set of the old Arbour models track templates. Prior to any benchwork assembly I laid kraft paper on the floor and used the templates to lay my proposed track plan on the floor. Everything fit as expected. I traced the outlines of the templates, cut the kraft paper, then taped the paper first to plywood in such a way as to get best usage, later to homasote, making sure I overlapped the joints. Then I built the benchwork to support the roadbed. worked great!
Gary
Gary
I sketched out the trackwork on my plywood tabletop in pencil. Useing a straight edge, and the switches that I had already collected to determine the centerline of the track. For curves I fashioned a 'tammel' . It's a long stick with a point in one end and the other end is drilled at certain distances to determine tack curve radiuses.
Its partialy in view at the bottom-right hand side of the picture
Its partialy in view at the bottom-right hand side of the picture
I made a giant compass to draw the track radius for my main yard. 10 tracks on a curve seemed like a bad idea to eyeball.
Things turned out very smooth. I just followed the lines when laying track.
Things turned out very smooth. I just followed the lines when laying track.
Same here. I found center line of the turn-outs by using some turn-outs. THe rest was drawn using a straightedge and a yardstick with a hole drilled at the 1" mark for a marker, and at the 19" mark for a nail.
Personally, I'm still in the planning/layout phases, but here's what I've read on the subject:
It helps to have a scale drawing with gridline reference. For a 4x8 layout, I'd suggest 6" gridlines. Reference your drawing when laying track and make sure everything fits. It also helps if you have cork roadbed so you know exactly how everything fits. Once everything is in place, use a light dusting of spraypaint over the finished layout. This covers the glossy finish on the railroad ties and makes them more realistic, and the paint on the tracks is easily cleaned off with an eraser type track abrasive.
When pulling up the track, be sure to label the track, corkboard, and plywood so you'll know what goes where.
It helps to have a scale drawing with gridline reference. For a 4x8 layout, I'd suggest 6" gridlines. Reference your drawing when laying track and make sure everything fits. It also helps if you have cork roadbed so you know exactly how everything fits. Once everything is in place, use a light dusting of spraypaint over the finished layout. This covers the glossy finish on the railroad ties and makes them more realistic, and the paint on the tracks is easily cleaned off with an eraser type track abrasive.
When pulling up the track, be sure to label the track, corkboard, and plywood so you'll know what goes where.