The jig for curves looks great, Mike!
You are lucky, glad you got everything worked out. Hope Tank the Inspector comes out ok at the vet!
I went to the train store yesterday, hadn't been for quite a while. While I was gone my wife went to the store and came home with this...
Yes, that's all cast iron, really heavy too! I had to use both hands just to pick it up!!
Good thing I didn't buy anything at the train store, I didn't have my helmet with me! 
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rtr12 posted:You are lucky, glad you got everything worked out. Hope Tank the Inspector comes out ok at the vet!
I went to the train store yesterday, hadn't been for quite a while. While I was gone my wife went to the store and came home with this...
Yes, that's all cast iron, really heavy too! I had to use both hands just to pick it up!!
Good thing I didn't buy anything at the train store, I didn't have my helmet with me!
Hi guys, the vet said Tank should be fine, should know in a week if his issues has cleared up!
RTR, I am sure your wife would have used that on you for buying something at the train store! Well most likely while your still awake! LOL
P.S. Great looking frying pan!
Hi Dave, After looking at it, I think what I am going to do is move the switch from the east side and put it right next to the one on the west. That way I have from that point to have elevation change one that outside track from that point. I can have a raised yard area, cause by the time I come out of the mountain I think I will be able to get back down to bridge level!
Please be honest! What do you think of this idea?
rtr12 posted:You are lucky, glad you got everything worked out. Hope Tank the Inspector comes out ok at the vet!
I went to the train store yesterday, hadn't been for quite a while. While I was gone my wife went to the store and came home with this...
Yes, that's all cast iron, really heavy too! I had to use both hands just to pick it up!!
Good thing I didn't buy anything at the train store, I didn't have my helmet with me!
There must be a way to incorporate that skillet into your layout...perhaps as the base for a small lake. Your wife will be so pleased you used it instead of buying something at the train store! 
Mike, I'm glad they think it will clear up for Tank!
RTR Takes two hands to lift this skillet! She can't swing it too hard! I would say you are safe!!
Mike,
I'm sure glad Tank is going to be ok! Hope his recovery is quick. But, I'll leave the track plans to the experts (like Dave) as I am terrible at it. I'm sure you and he will come up with something really nice. While I was at the train store, a little voice kept telling me 'don't buy anything'. 
HCSader73,
I sure like the way you think!! That is a great idea and just might work. Sure beats a big dent in the skillet, shaped to fit my head!
Mark, she's small, but really mean especially when mad. I'm still gonna be careful!! 
Mike, sorry, but I'm not following what you're saying.
Dave, I just played with your layout plan on Scarm train simulator and I love it! The 3d even makes it look even better!
Just wondering if I could move the switch from the left side of the bridge right next to the switch on the right side that gets the train into the inner loop?
As far as the sweeping curve, don't fret on that, I am still thinking about it and working it out!
Thank you so much for all your help!
I like it. What does Tank think? That’s what’s important!
Dave, if that is the last one you sent, then yes I like it very much!
Mark, Tank doesn't care he is in bed with momma! Dreaming about time in the she shed! LOL
Mama’s treats! LOL
Dave one other favor if I may ask, Is there any way you could raise the elevation from the point where the yard tracks leave the outer loop to the ends?
Mark Boyce posted:Mama’s treats! LOL
LOL He is sleeping on my side and when I come to bed he wont move till I give him a couple treats also! Man does he sure know how to play us! LOL
mike g. posted:Dave one other favor if I may ask, Is there any way you could raise the elevation from the point where the yard tracks leave the outer loop to the ends?
Raising it 3" results in a grade of 4.3%, 2" would be 2.9%. The photo and file are 3".
Note: Don't forget you'll probably be backing into the yard, the lead is on a curve and cars will be backing through switches. I believe that makes the grade seem steeper than the numbers would suggest, so I think 4.3% might be too steep.
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Hi Dave, I have been studding the new drawing and I have an off the wall question for you. What if the inside track was switched with the outside track for the reverse loops. and added a threw switch to the bottom of the top loop that would allow one to got to the yard?
I think I understand, so let me take a look at it a little later, I've got some other things to do at the moment.
Thanks Dave, I have been working on it for an hour now and my mind is about to melt! LOL
Hey Dave, before you do anything else, take a break! I need to step back and look at the room space, what I really want to get done. I am just getting to wound up in this. I want to make sure I make the right choices before I go any further and I don't want to be wasting your time!
My head is just spinning and need to just KISS it ( KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID )!!!! Give me some time to regroup and I will get back to you with what I come up with!
mike g. posted:Hey Dave, before you do anything else, take a break! I need to step back and look at the room space, what I really want to get done. I am just getting to wound up in this. I want to make sure I make the right choices before I go any further and I don't want to be wasting your time!
My head is just spinning and need to just KISS it ( KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID )!!!! Give me some time to regroup and I will get back to you with what I come up with!
Wise move, Mike! If one is stressing rather than enjoying, what's the point?
HCSader73 posted:mike g. posted:Hey Dave, before you do anything else, take a break! I need to step back and look at the room space, what I really want to get done. I am just getting to wound up in this. I want to make sure I make the right choices before I go any further and I don't want to be wasting your time!
My head is just spinning and need to just KISS it ( KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID )!!!! Give me some time to regroup and I will get back to you with what I come up with!
Wise move, Mike! If one is stressing rather than enjoying, what's the point?
Thanks Pete, I am headed out to the train room to get my thoughts right! place some buildings and see how I like the track plan. There are so many ideas going threw my head right now I don't know whats a good idea or not! LOL
Thanks Dave, That's what I was looking at. but I put everything on hold right now till I get my thoughts right. What I want and what I can really have!
Thank you so much for your time!
Always here to help, Mike, and if I had something else to do, I'd be doing it, so you're not wasting my time. There's nothing wrong with taking a step back and deciding what you really want/need.
Mike, We had that same issue when Dave was helping me. There were some great ideas out there, one being to run tracks through the window that used to be the exterior of the house before the addition and have benchwork over the laundry area like Paul 2. I knew it works in his case, but I actually didn't think it was worth it in my case. Of course no one out there can see my space, even when I took photographs, it seems crazy how small an area the laundry is, and the angles involved. Well, I did some measuring, Dave did some designing, but when it was all said and done, there were too many walls and doors in this small house that confined any yard Dave could come up with to about 2 car-lengths. Even when we went with the bigger room, there were several ideas that just wouldn't work.
We will stay tuned for whenever you get some measuring and sizing figured out. Laying track down on the floor or table sure makes things much clearer.
Mike, I had some time, so if you're thinking about something a little simpler, you might take a look at this. The grades are the purple tracks with grades of 3.8% & 3.3%, the green tracks are 46" high and there are no reversing loops.
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Dave, were on the same page! I have been working on something just like that but with a TT and Roundhouse instead of a reversing loop!
Thanks Dave, I think were getting closer. I have been playing with SCARM and when I get a little more done I will post it for you to see what I have in my little mind! LOL
I like the TT Mike. One thing I've noticed is you lost the second reversing loop for the outside run.
Hi Bob, your right! I was out setting buildings out on the bench and started looking at what I wanted and thought I could get the same thing but removing the reverse loop and adding a TT. Just takes a few more steps! I know I want a service area, a yard to store cars to make up trains, an industry area and a place for a small town.
I figure if I got rid of the loop I could move that area somewhere else to get what I wanted. We will see how things go. I will work on it some more today!
Hey Dave, do you have a round house in your collection from scarm?
I'm lost.
Ok, I see where you're trying to go. I do have a roundhouse, but as you can see in the version I've been working on, it's very large with 40" whisker tracks and almost certainly no way to include it full size. It does look good though. It will take some work to resize all the components, so I suggest you just place it close the the TT as I've done and work around the size until you settle on a design.
The way you get it into your design is as follows:
1. Open my file.
2. Select the roundhouse and right-click to "copy" it.
3. Open your file and right-click to "paste" the roundhouse.
The way to "see" the whisker tracks is to make them bridges using the menu bar bridge icon.
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Hi Dave, I have no option for a roundhouse!
Mike, there is no option for a roundhouse. Here's a file with just a roundhouse. I made it a "Group", so all the components can be selected with a single click.
1. Download SCRAM file.
2. Open SCARM file.
3. Click on the roundhouse.
4. Right-click and select "copy".
5. Open your SCARM file.
6. Right-click anywhere in your design and select "paste".
7. Move and rotate the roundhouse so it lines up with the TT. This takes a little hit&miss to get it just right.
If you have trouble, post your latest SCARM file and I'll add the roundhouse for you and post the new file.
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Sorry I haven't been following along Mike.
Whatever happened to the early plan with the double reverse loops on the bump out? I really thought it was a unique feature.
As for turntables and roundhouses, They are fun, but take up a lot of space, and frankly aren't really worth it when you're limited. I have them just because I've been carrying them around for the last quarter century (literally), and I had the wasted space inside the helix.
I see what looks like a lead going outside. May I suggest that you turn that into a wye. That way if the outside extension has a reverse loop of some sort, you could change direction at will. Doing that would make the reverse loops on the bump out unnecessary.
Elliot, that design is still in play, he's just looking at alternatives trying to reduce the size of the bump-out, add a TT with yard, etc.
Here's a version with the double reversing loop and a wye going outside. I just threw it together, so it needs some work to make things fit and reduce the lower right grade to less than 4%. As it is now it won't fit through the window. Plus, since it's outside, the loop outside won't be available at all times.
Here's my latest attempt at adding the TT, outside wye as well as the upper reversing loop.
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