| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Keeper
New Hire
USA
18 Posts |
 Posted - 07/08/2012 : 8:55:10 PM
|
My dad has finally built his train room and has asked me to help him design his layout. We been waiting for over 30yrs for this moment! The problem is, I know nothing about layout desing.
I picked up a book called "Track Planning for Realistic Operation" by John Armstrong (3rd Edition). In section 7, it talks about the use of squares as a foundation for track planning. These squares are ostesibly based on the minimum radius of a mainline curve. In figure 7-1, it has a chart of various gauges with three different types of curves and their respective radii. That said, I don't get it. The figure has an example square with a curve drawn in it and a couple notes. But nothing, either in the figure or in the text, says what the standard squard size is.
Can somebody explain the square to me? I assume I want it to be as small as possible so as to be able to handle the biggest curve. In the case of HO, the figure says a broad curve is 34", but diagram does not show the arc of the curve extending from corner to corner, which is what's throwing me off. |
|
|
Keeper
New Hire
USA
18 Posts |
Posted - 07/08/2012 : 8:56:00 PM
|
Other info:
We'll be modeling in HO. The focus of the layout is not necessarily operations, but it will be functional beyond "the wheels on the train go round and round" in a figure eight. The room is approzimately 17'x19' and will be based on west coast logging. So terrain will primarily be mountainous, a wharf scene, and two open areas for a lumber mill and a train yard. I've looked at a couple software programs to aid in the design, but I'm kinda old school and would like to sketch it out on paper a couple times before investing in software to fine tune it. |
 |
|
|
Graffen
Crew Chief
Sweden
861 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2012 : 02:16:17 AM
|
I have no clue to what squares means, but the ideas in that book has since long been superseded by more modern ones.....
Buy a copy of Tony Koesters book about track planning:
Realistic Model Railroad Design: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Creating a Unique Operating Layout (Model Railroader) by Tony Koester .
Or:
Realistic Model Railroad Building Blocks: An Introduction to Layout Design Elements (Model Railroader)
As long as you have some general rules about what makes a layout work, the rest will surely follow.....
Good luck. |
Swedish custom painter
http://sites.google.com/site/graffairbrushart |
|
|
|
jbvb
Fireman
USA
1865 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2012 : 07:42:32 AM
|
Armstrong's squares are a rough design tool, and there's nothing obsolete about them for doing paper sketches. A square is sized to the minimum curve radius you want to use. This depends on the gauge, the area you're modeling and the equipment you want to run.
For logging in HO, this could be as small as 18" if that looks good and the cars and locos will stay on the track. Some manufacturers tell you a minimum radius, but often you have to go a bit larger to make things reliable. If your father doesn't already have a minimum radius in mind, you can figure it out by buying some flex track, laying it out on the floor and trying his engines and cars.
If you want a starting point, try 24". If your father has brass steam engines with 3 or 4 driving wheels on a side (e.g. not geared locos like Shays or Heislers), you might do better with 28" or 30". Generally, larger curve radii look better, but you can't fit as much track into a room. |
|
|
|
dave1905
Crew Chief
USA
927 Posts |
Posted - 07/09/2012 : 5:42:39 PM
|
A square isn't a 'design' element its a way to estimate how much you can fit in a space.
The squares are determined by the radius. The bigger the radius the bigger the square. Figure the radius plus 2 inches. So a square for 34" radius is about 36" So if you want to make a 180 degree curve (end of a peninsula) it will take 2 squares or a minimum of 6 feet.
If your room is 15 ft wide that means it is about 5 squares wide. So you could easily accomodate benchwork along both walls and a peninsula down the middle, because that would be 4 squares or 12 feet. If the room is 20 feet wide, that would be a little over 6 squares long. With a curve at each end that's two squares. That gies you a little over 4 squares along each side. Allow one square for an aisle at the end of the peninsula and 2 squares for the turnback blob, that means you only have about 1 square of distance on the peninsula for straight track.
|
Modeling the Wilmington & Northern Branch of the Philadelphia & Reading in 1900-1905. Iron men and wooden cars. |
|
|
|
LVRALPH
Fireman
5430 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 04:59:37 AM
|
That is how I designed my layout 22 years ago. As was said above, it is a rough method of calculating what will fit in a given space. I divided my basement space into squares, whose size was determined by the minimum radius and double track spacing. It helped me to accurately locate the main line and other features.
Once that was done, I made a scale drawing in feet, ant the rest was history. |
|
|
|
Carrie Creek
Crew Chief
USA
950 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2012 : 2:27:11 PM
|
So a square is equal to a quarter of a circle? 4 squares equals one circle? So, this is what I've been doing when I draw in the radius arcs in the corners and other places and then see what fits inbetween.[:-bulb][:-bulb][:-bulb]
AH -HA and a light shines in the darkness. |
Phil
POR (press on regardless) |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Designing with Squares
