THE LITE AND NARROW: Build a Model of Your Train Layout About our narrow gauge and branchline columnist
Ramblings on Narrow Gauge and Branchline Modeling
Y
ou’ve been collecting trains for a while and now the time has come to build a layout. Most of us have spent lots of time doodling track plans. If you’re a typical model railroader, you probably have lots of trackplan ideas. Once you know the size of your available space, it’s time to get serious about planning the new layout.
Lew Matt is a published writer, photographer, and illustrator whose work has appeared in many model railroad hobby magazines. Click here to learn more about Lew.
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One method is to just jump in and begin construction. While this method is immediately gratifying, spending some more time in the planning phase often reveals little gotchas before investing lots of effort (and lumber). Many people draw scale trackplans to help them visualize their new layout in some detail. But a scale trackplan is only two-dimensional. There’s a way to increase the visual utility of a trackplan. How about trying your hand at building a scale model of the proposed layout before you start making sawdust with plywood? The three-dimension method helps to visualize an entire layout, or build a module, or just a scene. Seeing, as they say, is believing. A scale model will show you not just the look of the track plan, but will help you to visualize terrain, view blocks, back drops,
Figure 1
Figure 1: Looking straight down, the 3D model looks like a 2D track plan. For the purposes of description, I’ll call the top of the model north, the right side east, etc. The track plan is drawn to scale and with correct track spacings and turnout point locations. Figure 2: Here’s a view of the south side. Wood spacers set the heights. The HOn2 layout will occupy a 4’x 8’ table.
Figure 2
Figure 3: The east side features a trestle over a river fed by a waterfall. The model view block’s measurements will be used to determine how to cut the full size pieces. The two layout levels meet here. Figure 3
Page 22 • Issue 11-12• Dec 2011
The Lite and Narrow column, page 1
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