QUOTE (Expat @ 17 Oct 2010, 14:16)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Greg,
I asked the question really to find out how you take into account the varying geometries of points etc. It is all to easy to miss the angle by a few degrees which can have a radical bearing on what will fit and what won't.
If you are between layouts at the moment do you have the sketches and photographs of any earlier layouts ?
Hello again,
Now I see what you are getting at. In simple terms, no. I don't tend to take pictures of previous layouts as I don't own, nor never really been interested in, cameras. Sorry.
Having sold off most of my N gauge stock quite recently and moved into OO I now find that the new N is better than ever and have been tempted back into it! Of course I have nothing to run my new locos on so a layout is needed.
My layouts are normally terminus to fiddle yard because these allow the maximum amount of operation in my opinion. As for "varying geometries" of points I never worry that aspect as I only ever use the same type, large radius Peco for the main layout and medium radius Peco in the fiddle - the geometry takes care of itself. Where I do use a smaller (i.e medium) radius on the main layout it would be in industrial sidings for example (if at all) but, again, as a self contained section; i.e. the straight track on the running line and everything off the curved (i.e. the pointwork) being to the same medium radius. Therefore the problem never arises.
However this does mean that my locos have few places to really run and so I also build a small "tail chaser" as well and this was sketched yesterday, in about 10 mins, on the back of a chocolate bar wrapper during the bus ride home. I know, from experience, that it will work. Basically it will be a six road set of loops (3 up/3 down) at the back and small through station with goods yard at the front. The board will be 4x8 feet (in N) and the front section will be double track, platforms capable of taking 4 coaches with ease (5 at a pinch), a three road goods yard and a bay on the down side.
The "front" will consist of one yard of gently curving Peco plain track in each direction, a crossover just west of the platforms, a point into the yard then another yard of straight track through the platforms. Leaving the station the line will enter a tunnel to hide the 3rd and 4th radius set track 90 degree curves and, after leaving the tunnel another crossover so locos can run round. Then into another tunnel and back to the loops. Then onto the 3rd and 4th radius curves at the other end and back to where we started. Simple.
This morning I spent about an hour trying to make it work on the computer using "AnyRail" and failed. I tried, I really did, but the computer says the design won't work because the mixture of set track and large radius is not compatable. As I said, in practice it will, my sketch "proves" it to me!
Ultimately, to each their own but computers make nice toys - for serious work give me a chocolate bar wrapper (or envelope) and pen!
I will try to get a sketch or computer drawn plan up for you but, as a "no hope computer dope", I hold out no real chance of doing so.
Please ask if anything else is on your mind over my methods,
Greg.