Track Plans

You might want to take a look at some layout software programs.

SCARM - I believe it is free. Seems like a pretty nice program, also seems to be quite a few forum members here using it now. May want to try this one first.

Anyrail - I think is free for using up to 50 pieces of track, To use more than 50 you need to purchase the program. Reasonably priced. I have used this and it is a pretty good program. It didn't have MTH track when I was using it a couple years ago, may have it by now?

RR-Track - This is what I have. Possibly the most advanced with the most track libraries, been around a long time. Kind of on the pricey side, especially if you get all the libraries that are available for it. All track types are available, some at additional cost.

There are probably quite a few layouts posted right here on the forums, might do a search or just look around a bit. Also do a search here for these layout programs to see what others have to say. There have been quite a few layout and track software discussions here, many with plans posted as well.

Thank you very much for your reply.  I'll look at those for some ideas

I just looked at SCARM, and will look at others as well.  However, using Fastrack, do you know if these designs also tell you what track pieces you will need?

I think almost all of the software keeps track of the pieces you select when assembling your layout, I know Anyrail and RR-track do and pretty sure SCARM does as well. When you are finished there should be a list somewhere in the program that you can use to purchase the proper track pieces for the layout you have designed.

I have downloaded SCARM, but never used it. I am too heavily invested in RR-Track to switch now. Others have done some very nice looking layouts with it and posted here on the forums. I may take a look someday?

Also, the author of SCARM posts on these forums, do a search for SCARM and see what you find. From posts I have seen, I know the author is very interested in improving the program and listens to user input.

Here's some online FasTrack layout plans for 4X6-8.

http://www.thortrains.net/marx/48fastrack1.html

I have RRtrack and though it costs $, it will have what you want.

Anther source of layouts is the Yahoo FasTrack group.

Have fun!  FasTrack is a great product.

Peter

I also use RR Tracks and it is very good to work with and it cost under $100.

Yes, it does. I use RR-Track and play around with SCARM. SCARM is not that hard to learn and the price is right. Member "pro hobby" has posted several tutorials to use as a starting point. Here's a thread that fits your space and has several ideas that can be adapted to FasTrack:

https://ogrforum.com/t...-first-layout?page=1

My suggestion... spend a few bucks and use RR-Track.  When you think of the $$$ you're gonna spend on trains, track and your time when building the layout, the cost for RR-Track is a drop in the bucket.  There is no free lunch in life, so proceed accordingly.

David

"There is no free lunch in life, so proceed accordingly."

REALLY?  Did you really just say that.....wow....

Thanks to everyone else for your comments. 

BTW, the twin that's into trains will be 4 in March.  He is currently in a Spica cast rom a broken Femur bone so he watches and plays with the lionel lionchief stuff like no ones business.  I think the remote concept was outstanding from lionel.  

Currently, the track is on a 6 x 12 carpet in a dining room turned play room.  Downstairs I have an 850 sq ft 1/2 finished basement that my wife has no clue about my plans (wringing hands).  So, for something like that, I have zero problems spending money on a program to help in the design...really don't now either, it's just that this is a temporary setup until we can find a new home for his train set.

I should hae been more clear about that aspect.

They just recently published a new layout book for fastrck $14.95 Look on ebay for it or at local hobby shop.

Thank you very much...that sounds like a solid plan.  I've got great power down there and the walls are mostly OK.  I hit "Analysis Paralysis" when I hit the ceiling aspect.  I need to get over it and have a drop ceiling installed and get over the low points...it's not like I can really do anything about that...LOL.  

BTW, I'll get that book too!

Phil, based on your last comment, it looks to me like you are only looking for some ready-made designs to fit your 6x10 space with FasTrack on a temporary basis until you decide what to do with the basement. If that's the case, then some of us got the wrong idea and have been trying to help you work toward a permanent layout. David's suggestion to buy RR-Track was a good one and I don't think he meant it the way you took it. Matt's outline of how to proceed is excellent, even if premature for what you are looking for at the moment.

That said, were you able to check the links I and others have posted? Did you find anything useful? The problem with looking for ready-made layouts is that there are few for specific size spaces. I haven't seen the book douger suggested, but I suspect it's like many others, filled with different designs to fit different spaces that you can use for ideas. I went through this back in the 70's when I first started playing with trains and again 3 years ago when I got back into the hobby. I had/have several books with different design ideas, but none that fit my space. I tried doubling HO layouts, but in your case, you'd be working with 3x5 HO layouts and you won't find many of those in any books. In short, I found that I was better off getting a design program (XTrackCAD at the time for N/HO), learning the basics and then playing around with all those ideas. When I settled on O scale, I got RR-Track with the R-T-R set and eventually upgraded to the full version with accessory libraries, etc.

SCARM is free and that's why I suggest it as a way to determine how involved you want to get at no cost. You may get lucky and find exactly what you're looking for on the web or in books, but IMHO there's no substitute for trying SCARM and seeing what you can put together yourself with a little help. The thing I like about RR-Track is its simulation feature where you can operate a train on your design to see how things work. For me, that alone was worth the price of admission.

Layout design with double reversing loops using O-36 Lionel Fastrack. Overall layout size is 5-1/2 feet by 8-1/2 feet.

Note: This layout plan was created using SCARM and the Lionel Fastrack O library. 

I don't think RockyMountaineer meant it that way? Looks to me like he was just saying RR-Track is a more proven program with all the options, been around for years and costs money, and SCARM is free and may not quite be there yet. In other words, you get what you pay for. RR-Track is a drop in the bucket when you consider how much you can spend on all the other stuff, like $2,000+ for a new die-cast steamer. That's how I read it anyway? Also why I only have plastic diesels!  

Yes, thank you to all....perhaps I took that out of context as for the "free lunch" comment.  I did look at some of the links, but having said that, I don't have tons of time as I have 4 year old twins, a 12 year old and 14 year old with a horse farm...so my time is very limited on what I can research.  I was hoping to get plans from some place that has done the leg work for me...then just buy the parts and assemble.

Yes, it's an expensive hobby, or at least as expensive as one will allow...nothing like horses though...and that's my wife's and daughters hobby.

But I did look at the links and have actually setup a new track layout based on comments.  I hope I didn't come across too strong with my comment, but at 51, I do realize everything worthwhile comes with a price...I guess I took that comment in the wrong manner. My apologizes. 

Pro Hobby...I LOVE that layout with the parts list...THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

Phil, no problem on my end. I wish you had mentioned some of that at the beginning so we could have tailored our comments better and not gone astray about choice of track, software, etc. If nothing else, we're guilty of providing too much information. I'm glad you took my suggestion to look up "pro hobby". His examples are more tutorial in nature for SCARM, but some of his latest designs work well for smaller layouts and they all provide a basis to work with. Glad you found something you like.

Yeah, I should have been more clear.  However, all of the comments are more than useful as anything I do now will eventually have a future use of sorts.  Also gives me ideas and food for thought.

It can be hard to find exact track plans for a given space, but keep in mind that you don't need to use an exact size either. If your space is 6x10, a 5x9 would fit, for example, and any extra space could be used for 'scenery' (if on a carpet, whatever you want to use.....

There are books of toy train layouts, CTT has some decent books (I have their one for small and midsize plans, some of which are for fasttrack, others probably could be done with fastrack relatively easily, as long as they don't use specially cut rail or a lot of pieces fasttrack doesn't support.).....I don't know if the forum premium membership allows looking at prior issues of OGRR magazine in digital form, that is another possibility as well...

WEBMASTER NOTE:

The OGR Forum Premium Membership allows viewing of back issues to December 2009, Run 239.

With your basement, you have some options. My basement is probably the same size as yours, and it has a pretty low ceiling, little over 7 feet or so.....and that can be tough. Standard hung tile has a 4" drop, which may make it a bit too claustrophobic. Others have handled this in a variety of ways:

1)Sheetrock the ceiling. Problem here is if you want access to the pipes and such, won't allow it.

2)Spray paint the ceiling black, which tends to make it 'disappear'. Advantage is you don't lose headroom, don't see stuff, but it can be messy, you would need to mask certain things like junction boxes or anything you don't want paint in, but people have done this and it is does work

3)They have ceiling tile systems that use flexible channel to hold the tiles (the channel doesn't 'hang down' on wire, the channel screws into the joists in the ceiling, the tiles can be put in because the track is rubbery..Lowes had it, not sure about HD.....you won't lose headroom, but it also takes some serious installation work (if you can afford to have someone do it, might be a good option)

4)I have also seen where people put up tile directly to the joists, using various forms of attachment (saw one using velcro, believe it or not, not sure how that worked..but the tiles could come down if needed), some use panel nails with white heads, others screws. Acoustic tile is pretty light, and is somewhat easy to work with, but can be messy when cutting it and such.......probably not that impressive looking, but it works. 

The other big thing with the basement is the floor. If your basement has the possibility of flooding, I would not put in a regular floor, but rather would use rubber tiles or matting that if it floods, can be dried out. As a friend of mine found out, dricore sub flooring is great stuff, but if it gets wet, it basically has to be ripped up and thrown out..on the other hand, if you are lucky not to live in an area where a)the basement floods/high water table and b)don't lose power and have a good drain/sump pump system (or have a good generator backup), then doing a full floor may be nice...you want something easy on the feet, rubber flooring is pretty cheap, and can be easier on the feet..

Yikes, those things make my $2,000 steamer above look like chump change! My wife is a big thoroughbred fan, she watches a lot of the horse auctions (only watches-way above my pay grade). Those things go for some serious $$$, have big teeth and they bite! Trains much safer!

Good that you liked pro hobby's plan, looks like a really nice one for a small layout. Quite a bit of track and train running there, making it more interesting. Should make for a good layout.