newbies track plan.

QUOTE (hip hop chip shop @ 22 Sep 2008, 12:59) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>There's so much I don't know. I had the idea of starting an N gauge model railway a few weeks, ago so I got a few magazines and went to a shop. I guess I didn't know what I was letting myself in for. So much to learn!

Anyway I guess the best place to start is with some sort of track plan. I drew this up. The central idea is stolen from something I found on the net, with a few things moved around.

I guess I want to do something that is fun as opposed to being strictly accurate to a time or a place.

Having said that I was hoping to set it around 67/68 so I could have Steam and Early Diesel.

I also had an idea that I would like it to have a coastal setting and to that ending was wondering if the bottom edge could be a very vague aproximation of the Dawlish Sea Wall. This would mean that edge would have to be a slightly rasied level and explains the second station and foot bridge.

The measurements are 5 foot by 3 foot though the width would come out if I added a beach!

Amongst my many, many questions for you are...

1. Are these gradients doable in the tight space?

2. I'm unsure of the scales of the roads and distance between the tracks etc. Would it be possible do you suppose to fit some buildings in there? Next to the road etc?

3. Is there some kind of software that makes track planning easier? and can you get it for a mac?

4. Where do I go from here?

You can be rough with me. Tell me if I've got it all wrong. I'm thick skinned.

Cheers Darren

Hi Darren.
First off welcome to the forum

Being an N gauge modeller myself i have had lots of ideas to the theme of my layout and have settled now ... well this weekend anyway.

If you keep the levels graduated and gentle you should be ok, a word of caution for the Farish steamer locos though they will not take to kindly too sharp gradients i found out recently on my layout.

What make of track are you considering as Kato is limited of course in its use for curves in tighter spaces, Peco flexitrack either in code 80 or 55 works a lot better the code 80 having that little bit more flex.

Are you going to power it via DC or DCC as DCC is the way to go from new if you want good steady control of your locos ........ more information on it is here in a current discussion ...... http://www.modelrailforum.com/forums/index...?showtopic=6278 of course there is lots of information about either way of control here on the forum.

Distances between tracks can be easily sorted with a peco track gauge available at any model railway shop stocking their products 20 Pence well spent an invaluable little tool.



Look around at things and ask away anything ......... as i'm sure your plan can be done with some good planning.

Looks like you have an interesting plan here. Your curves are down to about 1ft which is about the minimum for N gauge. You may want to think about some scenerly to hide some of these sharper curves where they are not already in tunnel. Also the Peco Streamline track spacing is too small below about 15" radius but it is quite easy to spread the tracks out a bit more on the tightest curves when you build them. Best to do this rather than have a wider spacing everywhere, as it will look more realistic and the points are designed for the narrow spacing.

You also seem to have about 5ft for a track to climb over another one. As you probably need about 3" of climb for this, you will have gradients of up to 1 in 20 which is too steep for anything except a very short train. Could you rearrange your plan so the tracks only cross over each other in one place? Then you could have probably 7-8ft for each incline which would get you back to 1 in 30 or so.

I also think loops at the main station may also be a bit ambitious, points take up quite a lot of space so you'll only be able to fit about two coaches in there.

Hi Glad you found it some help

Whats code 80? What Code 55? There are different types of track??

code 80 is SetTrack and code 55 is StreamLine track, the code is the height of the rail above the cross tie, The larger the number the taller the rail is, i.e. Code 55 rail = .0.55 inches
Most N scale track used is code 80

The rail on code 55 set in the sleepers more protoypical if you go to a stockist of both types put a piece of each side by side and you will see.

Is this a tool that is used to draw the plan onto the baseboard? Or is it used to draw plans?

The track gauge is used to space lines parallel to each other evenly spaced i have drawn in the track here on the original picture i posted of it

What would the reasons be for choosing Code 55 over 80 though?

I'm redrawing my plan in line with some of Edwin's comments.

QUOTE (upnick @ 23 Sep 2008, 08:03) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Glad you found it some help

Whats code 80? What Code 55? There are different types of track??

code 80 is SetTrack and code 55 is StreamLine track, the code is the height of the rail above the cross tie, The larger the number the taller the rail is, i.e. Code 55 rail = .0.55 inches
Most N scale track used is code 80

The rail on code 55 set in the sleepers more protoypical if you go to a stockist of both types put a piece of each side by side and you will see.

Is this a tool that is used to draw the plan onto the baseboard? Or is it used to draw plans?

The track gauge is used to space lines parallel to each other evenly spaced i have drawn in the track here on the original picture i posted of it