Montana Rail Link 2nd and 3rd Subs - "The Divide"

[trainzluvr]

I managed to squeeze in a bit of layout planning time, and inch that much closer to the finish line.



Looking at Garrison, I went back to using the original decline, and shortened it by 2.5ft instead. Didn't like having Silver Bow branchline on the same level as the mainline. It lacked separation in my mind being that way.

While shortening the decline, I'm still within 1% grade, but more importantly I opened up the pinch point to the peninsula below, which made a difference in that area.

I don't know whether I should add a siding back on that decline or not. I guess I don't have to decide that now because Silver Bow area is still very much unfinished, and will probably remain WIP while I'm working on the mainline.

The rest of it, IDK, I'm feeling skittish to finally start laying track down, even though the plan looks complete...

[nkalanaga]

Looks good to me!  As with almost any layout, compromises were required, but it looks like you have almost everything you wanted, there's enough industries for an operating session, and plenty of "just scenery" if you just want to run trains.

[packers#1]

It looks like a good plan, and you’ve definitely put a lot of work into thinking it through and your various givens and druthers. The main thing I would say, and it’s advice others here have given me before, is just start building it. You’ve analyzed and analyzed the plan, incorporated feedback, and figured out what you want. At this point, you really just need to put some track down, add a few temporary feeders, and see what’s what. At this point, I think that’s the only way you’re going to see if there’s anything else you want to tweak on the plan. You can always relocate tracks and adjust siding lengths and switches while running some test trains.

[trainzluvr]

I ran a track usage report from AnyRail..

Code: [Select]

SL-300F, N Peco Finescale Code 55, Flex 36". (wood) 202 (Minimum number of units: 119)
SL-E383F, N Peco Finescale Code 55, Double crossover 10 21/32". 10º  (conductive frog) 1
SL-E386F, N Peco Finescale Code 55, Right curved turnout 10º (conductive frog) 3
SL-E387F, N Peco Finescale Code 55, Left curved turnout 10º (conductive frog) 2
SL-E388F, N Peco Finescale Code 55, Right turnout 6 15/32". (conductive frog) 4
SL-E389F, N Peco Finescale Code 55, Left turnout 6 15/32". (conductive frog) 3
SL-U395F, N Peco Finescale Code 55, Right turnout 5 13/32". (conductive frog) 28
SL-U396F, N Peco Finescale Code 55, Left turnout 5 13/32". (conductive frog) 40
*gulp*

I have 25 of Medium U395/U396 each, and some curved and large ones, and a total of 4 boxes (120 pieces) of flex track.

It seems I'll need to buy more flex track just in case, and another 19 turnouts...

[MDW]

It looks like a good plan, and you’ve definitely put a lot of work into thinking it through and your various givens and druthers. The main thing I would say, and it’s advice others here have given me before, is just start building it. You’ve analyzed and analyzed the plan, incorporated feedback, and figured out what you want. At this point, you really just need to put some track down, add a few temporary feeders, and see what’s what. At this point, I think that’s the only way you’re going to see if there’s anything else you want to tweak on the plan. You can always relocate tracks and adjust siding lengths and switches while running some test trains.

Yep....agree that it’s probably time to start building.   Not sure that there is much additional value you’ll get out of the computer model.   Start building & mocking things up as you go and make those final adjustments on the layout.  Very excited to see the plan come to life.

Michel

[Specter3]

At this point I will echo the rest. Put down some track. Run some feeders and run some trains. You will not find the issues any other way. Track that will hold a curve helps, but you can use multiple methods if it does not. Dont worry about the yards, but turnouts, industry spurs, and sidings will tell the story.

[nickelplate759]

By the way, i haven't yet found any layout-planning CAD tool that gives a perfect match to the physical layout.   As you lay track you should expect to make minor adjustments.

Also, if you are like me you will likely come up with ideas for additional improvements as you build.

[trainzluvr]

By the way, i haven't yet found any layout-planning CAD tool that gives a perfect match to the physical layout.   As you lay track you should expect to make minor adjustments.

Also, if you are like me you will likely come up with ideas for additional improvements as you build.

Oh the frustration about transfering plan to practice...

AnyRail does not print-align things nicely and you can't pick and choose an origin point, so 1:1 pages end up overlapping backdrops in peninsulas. If only I could say start at the backdrop and not on the other side of the aisle...

Also, as I don't want to print directly from AnyRail, I opt to make a PDF, but then all the aligning markers are lost because for whatever reason the margins get reset.

The previous layout I tore down (the staging at least) was also planned with AnyRail, but transferring it to the benchwork was easier because it was HO and it was all yards. I didn't need to print anything, I just picked the most critical starting point (entry to/exit from the helix where a double-crossover was) and just went with it.

Now in N Scale, the tollerances are much tighther, and I have slightly slanted trackwork against the edge of the benchwork, so finding a right angle to meet up across 15 feet is fun.

I know it can't be perfect and as you said, it will have to be re-adjusted as it progresses, if nothing else but for the turnouts that have Tortoise motors under them.