My first attempt at a basement plan

Jeff,

I've posted an image of your layout so you'll get more responses.  You do have a lot of room.   I like the freeform of your track plan which is typical of real life short lines who tend to follow the lay of the land. 

I would suggest that you reconsider O54 curves for something larger.  Even small steam engines like larger curves.

Jan

Thanks for turning these into pictures. I am pretty new at the RRtrack program. I have been going back and forth between MTH Scaletrax, and going with Gargraves and Ross. I bought some Scaletrax 072 and 054 curves, a few straight track, and two 072 switches to just see what the stuff looked like. I really like the appearance of the ScaeTrax, but it really depends on the track locking system to maintain rail alignment, which seems a little worrisome. Gargraves uses pins, which looks like would just be better. BUT-- Gargraves has 063 curves, (ScaleTrax jumps from 072 down to 054) which I could probably substitute fr the 054, and gain a little more realistic curvature. After looking and looking at all the track, Atlas would be my first choice, but the availability is terrible. 

Jeff, there's no reason to constrain yourself to the preformed curves, not when Gargraves has flex track, and you can make your own curves.

That has occurred to me-- so I went back into the program, and created an 063 curve and then "duplicated" it and re worked on the 054 curves into 063 which could be made from Flextrack. Attached is the result. In the video's showing how to work ScaleTrax flex track, it starts off by staking one end in place for a few ties, and then curving it. In the Gargraves, it shows bending it around a template. I just question my ability to make a continuous smooth curve with the flex.

I sure wish there was an easy way to just "push a button" and convert my drawing from ScaleTrax to Ross. or Ross/Gargraves.

Jeffrey

Do not underestimate yourself.  I just created my first Gargraves flex track layout and it was fine.  I did it using a combination of both ways you mentioned.  Granted all my pieces were bought off ebay, for some reason some sections were incredibly stiff so I had to preform a curve to them, but then I started screwing the section down as I went along and it curved beautifully, though a couple especially stiff parts needed extra coercion.  On the pieces that were very flexy and curved easily I just screwed them down as I went and it was fine.

The key is to have a center line to follow with your middle rail.  What threw me was which rail to use for the diameter, was it measured off the middle rail or the outside rail or inside rail?  Different brands seem to do it differently, so double check.  If you plan a layout with 063 curves and assume that's the middle rail but turns out its 063 by inside rail, you may have some minor fit issues.

There is a model railroad show in Atlanta next weekend, and I hope to get to see some GarGraves and Ross stuff in person. I have some scaletrax in my possession, but it sure seems a little on the flimsy side as far as the ties, and the throw bars on the switches. I would really like to use Gargraves/Ross if the "look" can be made back woodsy enough. I see that you have a Shay, I just ordered one this week-- look forward to seeing it in action. I love geared Locos...and small stuff in general. My heart is really narrow gauge....but I love the features on the three rail stuff.

I love watching my Shay go.  It's not too fast even at full throttle, guess it's the way it is geared, I'm not too savvy on the technical side.  I really wanted a 3-truck Shay but I hear the Lionel ones had a lot of problems, plus they need wider curves.  Even my 2-truck requires 048 minimum.  I had wanted a logging railroad with tight curves, probably along the lines of a narrow gauge, didn't realize it needed wider curves.

I guess there's always On30, but I don't have the money, time, or the motivation to embark on a less mainstream scale.  They are gorgeous though!

I like the Gargraves, I have wood tie sections and I think they look really nice.  There are comparisons of tie sizes and distance but that's a level of accuracy I'm personally not fretting over, it all looks more realistic than tubular!