Old Posts

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Designing a Layout with POO!

In the vast ocean that this hobby is today, it can sometimes be challenging to come up with a train-layout that is fun to run, and operate at the same time.  Many manufacturers' boast layouts that are "fun", but how fun are they in reality?  For this, I came up with a simple test that applies to all layouts, big and, small.

My test consists of one thing, Points Of Operation, or POO.  The POO of a layout is the areas that make it interesting to operate.  POO is anything that requires switching maneuvers to store, swap, or service trains and train cars.  This list is only a fraction of things that count as POO, but these are most often seen on layouts.  Keep in mind that they are weighted equally as being one piece of POO each:

  1. staging yards
  2. stations
  3. RIP tracks
  4. Engine terminals
  5. grain elevators
  6. grain mills
  7. log landings
  8. yard tracks
  9. junctions
  10. container yards
  11. storage tracks that are not apart of any yard
  12. breweries
  13. factories
  14. vineyards
  15. any single part of an industry that is not directly linked to the rest of the same industry
  16. mines
  17. saw mills
  18. passenger terminals
  19. trolley and commuter stops

and is there anything I missed?

  After researching, I have found that in order for a layout to be effective for operation, three pieces of POO need to be on a layout.  Any layout, any size, that has operation potential has at least three pieces of POO.  Go to a track plan database such as here to test their layouts.  Some are good, some are bad, but that's for you to decide ultimately.  As an example from that website in the link, here are some examples of layouts with operation in mind.  Though I do not own these plans, they are excellent examples of basic layouts that feature operation.

This test carries over to micro layouts easily too!  As I said all layouts that have POO, are good layouts for operation.  In fact, micros have an advantage in that these points are easily put into their small space.
Visualize in you head that you have a model railroad, and you are thinking of key things that you want on the railroad.  My thoughts vary from everyone else, however I come up with a train in a yard: switching in a street line: and long, large trains rolling around curves on the outside of town.  that would mean that I like to switch industry, sort in classification yards, but at the same time, I like running main line trains.  What ever you come up with, is what you should have on your layout.
My main point with designing layouts for operation is that you need what you want on your layout, not a layout that some book tells you you want.  You should come up with your own plan if possible.  Now at this point some of your, even many of you, might say, "I can't design a layout my self, those plans in books look fine to me!"
Those plans that are on the Internet or in a book are not always the best but some are down right genius!  So when deciding what plan to use whether it is your own of someone else's, this test will help in your choice.

I know that I don't include enough of these, but here are some layouts that passed my POO test:
Lionel train layout from thortrains.net

Layout from thortrains.net
HO scale E-Z track layout from thortrains.net 

Lionel layout from thortrains.net
Here are some layouts that failed the test from thortrains.net:

The problem with this layout is that despite the small yard and siding, there are simply no more spots to add an industry in the available space.

This layout has no spur tracks or a straight section of the main line large enough to support any industry.

this layout has room for only 2 industries making it difficult to add a third on the main line 
These images are copyrighted to T. Sheil and A. Sheil as of 2004.  I do not own these images and can't give permission for any copying in any form of these images.  I give full consent to T. and A. Sheil.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

100th Page View

This is one of the first landmarks that this blog has had with the one-hundredth  page view.  I also see that there are some from here in the U.S. as well as Germany, the UK, Canada, Croatia, and even India.  My thanks goes out to all those who have visited and please follow this blog closely for more information about the "World's Greatest Hobby".  Any criticisms, comments or ideas that would help this blog are much appreciated.  If you have one of these please state it in the comment box below each post so that this site can truly mature and prosper on the Internet.

--Happy railroading!

The Union depot in Hot Springs SD.  Known as the "World's smallest Union Station''.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Railroad Photo Studio Box


Ever wanted to take pictures of your trains but didn't want to spend money on an expensive studio box  here is a very cheap solution with very similar results:


All it is, is a box that is lined with paper.  The best thing about this is that when the paper gets dirty, You can easily replace it.  The only thing that is missing in the photos is a good light source.  however i think that any lamp would do just fine.  This box didn't cost hardly anything!

Friday, February 4, 2011

My Current Train Layout; revisited

It's been a while since I've shown what I've been up to on my railway.  Though it looks about the same, some things have changed:
Canadian Pacific GP-38 3069 leads a train out of Rock Springs back to Milwaukee, WI

The back side of the layout features a large gravel pit and here is the loader. I plan to add a crusher next to the loader.

Here is the overall view of Rock Springs.  The building on the left is a Dentist office.   Behind the Burlington Northern hopper is the Rock Springs Commuter Station, and to the left is the old Switch tower Controling two way movements on a one track line.  Off to the right and not in the photo is the old wood-cribbed grain elevator, one of the few remaining in Wisconsin.  

Here is what would be seen by spectators.  Notice that the backdrop has been almost finished using artist-grade oil paints.

One of the things that i got for Christmas in 2010 was a herd of horses, I will have to get a fence built so they don't sneak on to the tracks
Here is what the town looked like a few weeks earlier.  The oil tanks in this photo are no longer therebut were replaced by the grain elevator. 

Here comes the Commuter train with an AMTrak engine in lead towing an observation car and a double decker coach.




The Art of Track-planning

Introduction:
Track-planning is a very important stage to planning a model railroad.  For small layouts, one can just use real track to plan with, however, anything larger than a small layout should have a formal track plan to scale on a piece of paper.  So, what is track-planning anyway?  Track-planning is a form of art that railroad modeler's use to figure out where the track will run on a train layout.  
Preparing:
There are two stages to track-planning, the planning part comes first.  
  • This stage includes making a list of features that you want to have on the layout.  This list includes all tunnels, bridges, switches, power, specific industry, era, and the motive power on the layout.  After this list is made it is time to find a prototype to model.  This may not be important if the layout is not modeling an area but rather operations on an imaginary line, however, most choose to model an area.  Using Google maps is a great reference if you know what you want to model.  The first stage is also about finding the scale of trains you want to model.  From largest to smallest, 7/8'', G, O, S, HO, TT, N, Z, and now T scale.  Also there are Lego trains which are surprisingly realistic considering Legos are toys.  to see the general size of a few of these scales please go to, "Building a Model Railroad: part 1".  another thing to consider before track planning is whether or not garden Railroading  is right for you.  Garden trains can be as small a O scale and as large as 7/8" scale so the size of the garden footprint is essential to think about.  Generally, garden trains need about 4-6 foot wide area to accommodate  the trains.


  • The second stage to track-planning is the actual making of the plans.  Before starting the formal track plan on graph paper, draw up plans free hand first to get a feel for what the railroad will look like.  You will find that you will favor one design over another when you think about what you really want.  After the overall design is chosen, grab a tape measure, and measure the area that the layout will go in.  Minimum space for layouts can be any size really.  From 1 square foot to 1 million square feet.  Generally though, the average space for a layout is somewhere between 40 and 150 square feet or about the size of a large closet to a spare bedroom.

(2-1)
  • Proper track-planning requires some tools:  Figure (2-1) shows examples of these tools.  From left to right;

Squares: 
These are used to draw straight lines and 90 degree angles.
Protractor: 
This tool is used for measuring and drawing angles.
Pencils:
#2 lead is preferable.
Graph paper:
The lines that mark the paper ensure straight lines when making plans.
Compass:
Fig. 3-1
This tool allows one to draw curves and switches.

Drawing the Elements:
When track-planning, drawing switches, straights, curves are fundamental and the most basic elements of the art.

  • Drawing curves are simple.  Step one is marking the center of where the tack will go with an X to find the distance (fig 3-1).  To find where the X will go, measure the radius of the curve and use that to put the x on the center.  Next: Use the compass set to the width of the radius and hold the point on the X and rotate the compass in a curve that is a little larger than what is necessary.

See Figures 3-2. and 3-3. for reference.

Fig. 3-2
Fig. 3-3

  • Drawing straights is hard because two or more points must line up exactly But graph paper makes the process easier. Take the square and line up with the blue graph lines, then take a pencil and draw as carefully as possible. Drawing straights at odd angles is harder than they look. Take a look at Figure 3-4.  But taking the protractor and measuring out the angle at which the straight will run.



Fig. 3-4








Fig. 3-5  Measure Out 9"

Fig. 3-6
Draw a point that is 1/4 the length between the lines out ward .

 
Fig. 3-7.
Take the compass and draw a curve between the straight section and the point.


  • Drawing switches is simple but it takes practice.  The thing with switches is that they don't come off at an angle greater than curves of standard snap track. But switches have been categorized by the ratio of rise-to-run. For example, No. 4 switch goes out 1'' for every 4" of track running straight. Other numbers are 5,6,8,10.  To draw switches refer to the final few figures.