Help: Need a keen eye

chipset:

The track plan, design, and construction of this layout may be proprietary to TW Design's client. You may want to consider this.

Hi PTC,

That is what Traindame hinted at, since they made it for Lionel.

Thing is, anyone who saw the layout in person or who can find any pics/videos of the hidden middle area, can easily publish it.

I was able to get about 30% of it mapped, until I hit a road block.

I think this layout would fit into my train room perfectly and solve all my issues.

Oh well, back to analyzing and searching pics.

I wish you luck with this and wish I had time to help you, but I think this will take a bit of time and I have a rather crushing week of obligations before me.  First, I think someone took and posted a few pictures of this way back when - they might help you - not sure about that, but you know the timeframe and can go back through old threads.  Second, having quickly looked at the photos and all, I'd approach it - maybe you are - by trying to reverse engineer it.  You have clues in what you can see to a lot of it, but more important, you both know what pieces they had to put it together with, and the photos tell you where there is not track, which is a clue to figuring out where it was.  It's just sort of like a giant puzzle - that's why I wish I had time.  

Best of luck.  I will keep this in mind as I travel this week . . . 

Be careful, they made that GCT for Lionel too, thats quite the change of heart you've had Chipset.

This is not an issue.  The layout was available for public display.  Unless Chipset plans on making and selling the same layout, there is nothing to prevent him from trying to replicate the layout for his own enjoyment.  Now that may be difficult to do as a practical matter, but that is really no different than what happens anytime a layout is featured in a magazine and other hobbyists use  it to spur their own creativity.

There is nothing to stop him from replicating the layout based on what he saw in photo's or videos he has seen/posted.  The issue is the people that have access to the actual plans can't publish those without permission from the holder of the design.   It isn't clear who that is. It might be Lionel.  It might be someone that was contracted to do the work by Lionel.  What is clear is that's not forthcoming anytime soon.

Lee, on a seperate note...having seen the GCT video and/or pics, and based on your experience with "EZ Streets"...do you think that might be a cool addition to that layout? Especially, if I utilize it around GCT as in real life, i.e. instead of teh taxi's just sitting there, would not EZ Streets provide a realsitic speed for some great animation?

UPDATE:

I struck out with TrainWorx, they only used hand sketches not a bonafide track plan in the layouts creation.

They did offer me a $80 an hour price to create one for me, with an estimate of several hours x$80, but I passed on it.

So its back to analyzing videos.