Do the books help any?


F

flatbedcowboy

Member
I have recently decided to finally get around to officially designing and planning my railroad. I am using SCARM for the track plan but I am at a weird predicament: I don't really know how to design a full functioning yard or track side industry!!

I know the elements I want but I don't quite know how to get them from mind to design.... so are the Model Railroader's Guide books any good? I would be looking at the Locomotive service terminals, staging yards, and track side industry books.

What I want to do is incorporate a moderate roundhouse (serving F units), diesel works, service racks, large yard that ties into a meat packing plant across from stock yards and then goes into a city scape. Within the city I want to do a large factory that builds farm equipment. And the yard I want all the goodies that would have been around in the '50s like ice houses, warehouses, truck-to-rail, passenger service.. You get the idea.

So which books if any are good for me?
 
I'm going to say yes some books are very informative but at the same time I can get lots of information off google. The most important thing about searching on google is to stay focused and don't go wandering or before you know it 3 hours will pass and you will be scratching your head trying to figure out what exactly you were looking for. I find designing your own layout is more of a personal thing well for me anyway. After starting my 6th layout I have learned from previous layouts what exactly I like want and don't really need. You need to first make a list starting with what is most important and work your way down the list ie continuous run verses switching layout or both, scenery bridges etc.Personally I would incorporate a mainline into a plan then decide exactly what you want for structures and see where they will fit then add the sidings for the structures. Figure out how much room you will have available for engine facilities and draw it in.
 
flatbedcowboy, I had the same problem.
I designed no less than 50 layouts using several design packages.
Several people suggested books to buy and read.
I got several of the books and read them.

What I got from the books was almost nothing.
They had a lot of information however, I didn't understand most of it.

If you know what you want then books will help, if you are looking for ideas then the internet search is better.
After you find something that you would like to use then look for books that will help you design it.

In summary, I found that books are a great way to get information, not real good for getting ideas.
 
Books are probably are good guide BUT, as Dale said, unless you understand what is being said they are useless, as is any form of information. As an example, I bought a number of wiring books to read and learn from. After reading the first few pages, I put them on the shelf where they collect dust as I didn't have a clue what was being said. Despite being for beginners, they still ASSUMED a certain amount of knowledge. Instead, I asked questions here and learnt a lot more a lot quicker.

My advice would be to draw up what you want and don't worry about how realistic or good it is, just put it on paper then post it here. Once we can see what you want to achieve, there are many people here who can/will give you advice to achieve that aim and have the reality with it you are looking for.

In my opinion, books are good, if you know what you are doing and understand what you are doing. Getting first hand advice from people that you can ask questions of, and who have already done it, is much much better.
 
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Burlington Bob said:
http://www.amazon.com/Track-Planning-Realistic-Operation-Railroader/dp/0890242275

This is the only book needed for planning a layout. It explains what a railroad does and why, with plenty of examples. Read it until you understand the way real railroads do what they do and you will be well on your way to designing a fun to operate model railroad.
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I love books and the one Bob is recommending is absolutely the best! I have an older edition, but it is fascinating! I read it over and over until I had a god understanding of it and I enjoyed every minute of it. I still read through and it is on my desk right now.

I run a goofy railroad, realism is far down on my list, but I greatly enjoyed learning how it is done in real life and it has even given my a few ideas for my railroad. Even the BGR (Bruette Goofy Railroad) has benefited from reading that book.

If you don't understand something don't be shy to ask the experts on here will be glad to help you.
 
+1 at the book suggested by Bob, it really explained the topic on how to design a reliable and realistic track plan.
 
flatbedcowboy said:
So which books if any are good for me?
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The short answer to the title of the thread is, "Yes, the books help."

As the others have said, and based on your description, the best book for you is Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong. There are more advanced books for each of the areas you have discussed, but until you get the basics they would not be helpful.

I had a book in grade school that I didn't understand much of it, but each time I read through it I understood more and more.
 
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Thank you for the replies!

I definitely understand where everyone is coming from. I am a pretty visual learner to so I always hope I can just see what something is not read a description. I hopefully will post up the beginning of my layout soon as I figure out a good way to transition from my yard to the packing plant.....

I have heard of "Track planning for realistic operation" before. Sounds like its the ticket!

Ill try to post my beginnings tonight. But first how do I get my design from SCARM to photobucket to upload here?
 
To get SCARM to Photobucket, I'd suggest you open SCARM, bring up your design then take a Screen Shot as a JPEG then upload that to photobucket.
 
prettyclose_zpsf2ab56b9.jpg
 
What do you think? I used sectionals to make it easy on myself, 22inch curves (30 degrees). And I know what your thinking TWO roundhouses??!! Well the large is for engine service, the smaller along with the smaller staging yard is for major repairs.

See my railroad streams in colors of Green and Yellow.... To do this they started buying retired locos from all over, some in pretty bad repair. Which allows me to run some older and newer locos and rolling stock.

The bottom of the yard where the curve starts I want to put a very large stock yard with sale barn. Then around the curve to the right I plan on a large meat packing plant that has separate stock corrals than the sale yard. After that I want to start a city with a large tractor factory. Still trying to figure out to do all that without fouling the main and still using my staging yard to build long trains.

.
 
That is going to be an impressively large layout. If I might make a suggestion, and while I appreciate your use of sectional track to make it easier on yourself, have you considered using Flex Track for your "straight sections"? The main reason I suggest that is to minimize some of the joins.
 
flatbedcowboy said:
Still trying to figure out to do all that without fouling the main and still using my staging yard to build long trains.
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So which is the main? The track across the top and left side? Is this the staging yard, or do you have another planned somewhere? If this is the yard for staging why would it foul the main? OR maybe we are just cross terms. In my book a staging yard is where pre-built trains are "staged" waiting their turn to run on the layout. A classification yard is where trains are broken up into cars and reassembled into other trains. An interchange yard is where cars from one railroad are put (usually in blocks) for another railroad to pick up. A storage yard (or track) is where empty and unused cars are parked until needed. Hmm seems like I am missing one yard type, I can't recall off the top of my head.
 
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At a minimum you need to pick a scale to work in (HO, N or whatever) and get a current (rather expensive but worth it) Walthers catalog that supports that scale and just start browsing.
 
the track planning book mentioned is a must have and read.
also look at this website (The Ten Commandments of Model Railroad Yard Design) for good reading. http://www.housatonicrr.com/yard_des.html
I have spent many years just looking at and studying plans printed in model railroad magazines and books.
Steve
 
Man that picture is kind of hard to see huh?

Well the main line is the line all the way to the left and all the way to the right. I think my yard lead is sufficient and it has inbound and outbound consist tracks (following the commandments) But I guess my question is, would a railroad typically send a locomotive by itself down the main to a siding? Or should I try to incorporate another line coming from the yard not connected to the main to service my industries?

At this point this is my only yard planned (till I can make more room) but at the very top it actually interchanges with another short line that is "prototype" its still in the construction stage to.
 
wombat457 said:
That is going to be an impressively large layout. If I might make a suggestion, and while I appreciate your use of sectional track to make it easier on yourself, have you considered using Flex Track for your "straight sections"? The main reason I suggest that is to minimize some of the joins.
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Yes I do plan on using flex track for almost everything. I will use factory turnouts thought. I just used sectional track to get the idea down. Thanks!
 
Iron Horseman said:
So which is the main? The track across the top and left side? Is this the staging yard, or do you have another planned somewhere? If this is the yard for staging why would it foul the main? OR maybe we are just cross terms. In my book a staging yard is where pre-built trains are "staged" waiting their turn to run on the layout. A classification yard is where trains are broken up into cars and reassembled into other trains. An interchange yard is where cars from one railroad are put (usually in blocks) for another railroad to pick up. A storage yard (or track) is where empty and unused cars are parked until needed. Hmm seems like I am missing one yard type, I can't recall off the top of my head.
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HAHA Dang. I didn't think of all those! I guess what I am going for is a classification yard!
 
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