Lesson learned about track plans

Ralph

Remember...it's for fun!
I had a "Eureaka!" moment last weekend and realized that by rearranging two turnouts I could create a better connection between my main and branch line, and make a spur where a third train could wait (a valuable thing since I don't have much hidden staging).

This thread isn't so much about my track plan though. Its really about the two things the track plan change reinforced in my modeler's brain:

1. Improvement is always possible. You may see how your original plan might be made better after you've spent some time with it to see how it works...or you may some day change the operations of your layout, prompting a track plan change to compliment your new interest.

2. Don't be reluctant to improve things once you see the possibility...even if you've already laid down ballast and scenary. The effort involved in reconstructing the finished look will be well worth the increased satisfaction you'll find in the better track plan.

So, to all who are concerned about getting their plan just right before building, don't get so caught up in the "perfect plan" to the point where you delay building for long. And to those who have a somewhat finished layout and notice an area for improvment, go for it!

The ultimate goal in the hobby is to enjoy yourself. Short term work can yield long term payoffs. I do hope to report in the future that this has indeed been the case for the small area I recently changed.

Best wishes!
Ralph
 

interurban

Active Member
:thumb: Well said Ralph :p

One can look at a scene thats up for a change for a long time , then all of a sudden :) daylight steams in, then we get quite giddy, :D he he he. :D
 

Matthyro

Will always be re-membered
Welcome to the real world Ralph. This has happened to me more often than I like to admit.
 

N Gauger

1:20.3 Train Addict
Yep - Mee too - There is no such thing as "Permanently laid" right of way! :) :) Everything can be changed around - for the better :D :D
 

jetrock

Member
There tends to be a definite shift in space and time between a track plan and its actual creation on the table...the human tendency towards optimism tends to measure clearances, turnout lengths, etcetera much more broadly on paper bumps up against the cold, hard ruler of reality. But, on the flip side, sometimes the real-world application of a plan reveals new ideas that never would have occurred to one otherwise.
 

rcline

Member
Ahhh heck Ralph, I changed my track plan 50 times before I ever laid one peice of track down. Now I have to change it again because of to steep inclines. And now I have to start building more tables for the add ons. Once the add ons are completed, I'm going to have to change track plans again just so I can do it! ( Am I loosing my mind over this?)
 

ausien

Active Member
The short answer is by no way are you loosing your mind. :confused: It just adds strength the saying (a layout is NEVER realy finnished). :D :D :D Good luck in easing those inclines and the NEW track plan, and the next one after this:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ....have a good one...steve...:) :) :)
 

RailRon

Active Member
I made my "perfect" track plan before I started construction. Now I'm still going along laying track, and I already made several changes to my planned layout.

When planning, I considered all kinds of stuff, then reality sets in. So I discovered that my fingers are somewhat thicker than I thought before. :D In this case this resulted in one yard track less than I had previously planned, so that I still could manipulate the cars by the old 0-5-0 switcher without overturning everything on the adjacent tracks. :eek: :mad: :curse:

As I remember from a former layout, sometimes it can even be helpful to rip out some turnouts. I once had a double crossover which looked great, but was a pain in the a.... by constantly derailing trains. :mad: Then I noted that I hardly ever used one possible crossover of the two. So out went one pair of turnouts plus the %#!&# crossing - and with the remaining simple crossover I didn't have any derailings anymore. :thumb:
Sometime you also can do too much planning! :D :D :D

Ron
 

ausien

Active Member
Hi railron,
Such colourful speach and from a person of your yrs and stature,,,:D :D :D but I know what you mean, my fingers are like tree stumps when handleing my N gauge trucks and things. :cry: and as you said" you can do to much planning:confused: " I think the KISS system works pertty well.. (keep it simple stupid) how many times have we all done our planning, to the enth degree and in the end we have said to our selves, gee' I`m stupid could of done it, this or that way better and easier???:curse: I know I have, many, many times:eek:ops: :eek:ops: :eek:ops: ...have a good one...steve:thumb: :thumb:
 

brakie

Active Member
Ralph,It has long been my policy to just lay the track in place and work it around till I like what I see.The same applies for my industries..I place the industry where I would like for it to go and then lay the track to the industry to see if my bright idea is workable..If not then I change industry buildings till I like what I see in my track work to include adding another switch for a second industry if there is room.
I find, for me,that saves me a lot of track rework due to mistakes in my planing and just spiking the track in place only to find out my best idea just went south in practicality. :cry:
 

spitfire

Active Member
Thanks for the words of wisdom Ralph!! As a beginner in this hobby, I find that I am always learning new things, and the track plan I thought was perfect last year, looks boring to me now. I started building my layout with the part I "knew" I wanted. Now I'm going to incorporate it into something much bigger, proving both that it's good to get started even if you're not sure where you're going, AND that it's good to wait sometimes!!!

Val
 
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