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In this video I give you a step by step tutorial on how to hand draw a track plan. Track planning can be one of the most fun parts of building a model railroad and it doesn’t have to cost you money or require fancy computer software. We’ll provide some tips and give a teaser of what’s coming in the next video!
In this video we interview Bill Beranek “The Track Planner” about his 7 design elements for a realistic track plan. The great model railroad design elements are:
1. Walk alone main lines
2. Narrow Bench Work
3. Long Mainline Runs
4. Trains travelling through a scene once
5. Peninsulas with view blocks
6. Staging Yards
7. Prototypical Operations.
I have been looking forward to this!!
I'm surprised that this video has so few views and only 2 viewer comments after so long. Normally whenever I release a layout design video, I get several thousand views in the first day.
Although Bill and I disagree on some aspects of layout design, I do follow his work to some extent. He was the one who inspired me to go into business as a professional layout designer, and I too am fully booked up months in advance despite putting up my prices last year. Yes, I'm one of the guys who uses 3rd-plan-it for all my designs.
Very good interview. It has been about a year since the video in which Bill talked about coming back to do a more in depth discussion of realistic operations and to go over a plan from it’s inception and the stages that followed. Is there a plan for that second interview? I believe a lot of people would be interested in that content.
Great Video. glad that I came across it as my layout is still being placed together. Benchwork done, and now trying to figure out the "drop down" section to the staging area underneath. Where I live in Reno, NV, they have lowered the tracks to not interfere with traffic as the City has grown so much. I plan on incorporating this into my own around the walls shelf layout, to drop the tracks below the table level for staging rather than using a Helix. The going is slow, but it has allowed me many opportunities to watch videos such as this and tweak my own plan for above the table level. Thanks for putting this out there 🙂
Very nice Andy, I too enjoy the research part of model railroading and have enjoyed learning about the Marsh Line. Its a very interesting part of the C&NW and certainly small enough to model well. In addition to the great suggestions you provided for resources i have also used historic USGS maps and Historic aerial photos (NETR online is one of many resources for these). Finally, Sanborn fire insurance maps can also be helpful for track configurations and building arrangements. Looking forward to seeing the Marsh Line in operation!
scott
Nice explaining of your track planing
We’ll that looked almost too easy! I think I’ll switch the computer off and go and dig out the pencil case 👍
Great outline for a research process. My preference is more toward the freelance end of model railroading, but even then researching the prototype is important. Very interesting to begin with the straight line diagram of the tracks. I wish you'd spent some time on how you arrived at your bench work footprint. I've found this isn't always a simple choice. I hand drew track plans for years, but very recently have switched to computer design using AnyRail. There is a learning curve, but I haven't found it burrdensome. I've learned the computer approach prevents me from unconsciously cheating on what will actually fit in the spaces I have.
Or you could just buy Track Planning software
Yeah but what if your railroad you are planning to a model railroad on doesn’t exist anymore
Excellent ideas 💡 thanks for plenty of information !!!
Hallo! Great video thanks. Stay healthy
I got a 12×12 room here. I will try this concept.
great tips, thank you 🙂