Created a SCARM track plan: opinions?

Hi,

Somewhere, on the runs to the passenger at 10", perhaps all, the grade will be too steep.

 

The footprints of buildings and the width of the streets will determine the density. You have enough space, but what will it look like?

 

Visit MTH and get some dimensions of buildings that you and make some rectangles in your plan as placeholders for spacing assessment. Look at Woodland Scenics roads or Scenic Express or scale it out and make some shapes to get the street size.

 

 

Nickstrains,

I was fooling around and trying to recreate your plan. One issue that stood out to me is that you are using enough large radius track and have enough space for this plan to run any train.(scale or semi-scale) Then you are injecting small radius switches and curves to achieve some angles and a look that takes away the ability to run scale.

 

I was able to use all 072 switches on the 060 inner loop and the passing siding in the lower right. Some re-design for the yard entry and yard lead would keep the ability to run smaller scale engines and scale diesels on that loop.

 

The length from corner to corner on the outer loop is not enough length to get to 10" from 0".

 

Are you using AnyRail? I am concerned if the length of the 072 switches includes the 1 3/8" extensions required with those and the 060 switches. The 036 and 048 do not use them.

 

You can make this happen with some more time on the plan.

 

 

Here is the FasTrack Lengths Chart to help to fill spaces. Measure the gap and find the combination.

Moonman, the Elevated track will have No grades, (to tricky and problematic.) Also, I have slightly edited the yard. I wish I could get the yard lead switch to be a 72 instead of a 36 so big engines could pull through the yard on the outer yard track. Anyway, here is the "updated" plan.

Is this what you are trying to do?

9' x 13' table-tunnel the two rear lower lines

one elevated line

 

The inner lower loop has my changes-not done yet

The outer lower loop  and the upper loop are yours the best that I could determine with minor fitment changes.

 

If this is close, I can tunnel the lower two and add the center terrain for the city.

 

Then, the yard.

Moonman, the dimensions of the layout are supposed to be 8x12. The vision is becoming a (digital) reality. The upper line will run through the town, so it will be on the same level as the town. The main lines will go into a tunnel where I have written it in the picture attached below. The "passenger station" will be more reminiscent of a subway station rather than a real train station, but some compromises must be made. Thanks for the help,

Nickstrains.

ok,

I have that. Now, will the inner loop run counter-clockwise and the outer loop run clockwise on the lower level?

 

Or which directions do want them to run?

Moonman, I will run my trains in both directions.  Whichever I feel like running them.

Hey,

Good morning.

 

The arrangement of the spurs on the outer loop and the yard on the inner loop dictate CC outer and C inner.

 

How will you use the yard? I ask because there is not enough space to make an enjoyable yard for cutting and building trains while trains run on the loops. That takes 10'-12' of length and space for yard lead.

 

The point I am leading to is for the expense of what you have and some of the iterations I have designed (yes, I have been working on it), I don't feel like the play value is there.

 

I am leaning towards parking made up trains and having the engine drop one off and pick up another or a complete train and engine parks and another leaves.

 

Right-click the SCARM file attached and select "save as" to your computer and open it.

Then you can see what I am working on. The elevated line is in Layer 2.

 

I am going to try something different and post the file. 

Ok, here you go. Check this out. I am away for while.

Open it up and check out the 3D.

thought about one more element I never like putting switches in a tunnel but it would give the option of going between both mainlines. only thing I would think is missing is a reversing loop but that might be asking to much

playing with it a little connecting both levels

 

J,

That's a possibility, needs an r-loop up top. He is putting a city scene there. It may take up too much room.

 

Did you see my v.4? I put the x-ovrs in the front on the corners. No tunnel issues.

I recommend either removing the S curve or adding at least a 10" straight section before the track turns out. A derailment from 10" high could ruin a running session. 

 

 

Here are two examples of what can be done:

 

 

 

The next picture has a reverse loop added to the upper level. The reverse loop will fit into the city scene area. Maybe some street running? 

 

 

Since Nick doesn't want a grade, here is some food for thought for others. A grade running from the upper level to the lower level can be added here. The upper level will have to be lowered to make the grade acceptable. (A 7" height will yield a 5% grade.) The lower level track plan will need to be reworked in order to accommodate any grade.