Design Tips & Tricks: "Here is a collection of some of the things I have learned through the time. The examples and comments shown here are not the only real truth about model railroad design, they are just my humble opinion about [märklin] sectional track geometry and aestethic design..."
Some really good ideas presented clearly.
Showing posts with label Model railways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Model railways. Show all posts
2012-01-14
2011-12-15
Adnalms Järnvägsklubb - Modelling the railways of Sweden in HO Scale
AJK (Adnalms Järnvägsklubb) - Modelling the railways of Sweden in HO Scale:
"AJK is a model railway club (whose members are honorary), dedicated to the modelling of the Swedish railways in H0 scale. Our primary layout, the FLMJ (Fjällnäs Lövhöjden Månstorp Järnväg) is located in the garden around the Director General's home, in Farnborough, England."
2011-11-13
Minibaantje B.A. Bodil
I wonder if you could say this layout is in a particular scale? Count the railcars: I'm sure there are four of them.
2011-10-30
Modelljärnvägens Hus, Alunda
 |
| Yxkrokens Järnväg in the foreground. Good thing it was preserved at Modelljärnvägens Hus after its creator couldn't keep it any longer. As of now, the trains have run 18.5 km and carried 800 kg cargo since 1963 with every session (at least before it came here) recorded. |
2011-09-05
Know Your Limits!
Nevardmedia: Know Your Limits!: "I think it's all too easy to be over ambitious, get carried away and take on a project that's far too big and demanding."
Good advice for model railroaders.
But actually applicable to lots of other things too.
Good advice for model railroaders.
But actually applicable to lots of other things too.
2011-07-11
N gauge Kato 583 video
This is the kind of thing which makes me want to try to make a layout with a Japanese theme. But I seem to never get any layout finished.
2011-07-08
Märklin book shelf layout
2011-07-02
Dentetsu 轨道 线 Sakamachi
Dentetsu 轨道 线 Sakamachi
A small, really charming, streetcar layout. Mostly about design and construction. In Japanese.
2011-03-15
Ferrets investigating model train
2010-10-25
Designing compact layouts
Pre-planning matters for thought
When you're planning a compact layout, there're several things you need to make decisions on, since you cannot do everything:Generalist layout or specialist?
A specialist layout is what I call one where there's one major source of traffic, for example a steel mill, brewery or saw mill. In this case, you really, really need to study the subject in order to get it right. If you love the subject, this is the sort of layout you should build.
A generalist layout is where almost anything goes. A sea port for example could realistically be expected to send and recieve almost all kinds of freight cars. This is a good reason to choose this kind of layout.
2010-09-15
Choosing a suitable prototype for a limited space
One obvious way to get room for more railroading in a small space is of course to choose a smaller scale.
I don't like this, as I like the trains in themselves to be as prominent as possible, but it's naturally not wrong since a smaller scale lets one build a more impressive landscape, which sometimes is what you want. In general, I think you should use as large scale as possible. What you can do in general to get in more railroading in a given space is to use shorter rolling stock, shorter trains, tighter curves, just model a part of specific feature and a model prototype with more frequent operation.
I don't like this, as I like the trains in themselves to be as prominent as possible, but it's naturally not wrong since a smaller scale lets one build a more impressive landscape, which sometimes is what you want. In general, I think you should use as large scale as possible. What you can do in general to get in more railroading in a given space is to use shorter rolling stock, shorter trains, tighter curves, just model a part of specific feature and a model prototype with more frequent operation.
2010-08-28
My US style H0 railroad, since long dismantled
While in the air force, I started reading Americanmodel railroad magazines like Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman. When I left the air force, I used the money I had gotten to purchase a
![[Heisler]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1CDi6hc6UpQ/TCRUe64m8qI/AAAAAAAAAzg/uzoHLjz5RkI/s320/x_arc-heis.jpg)
Rivarossi Heisler, a Sagami can motor, some flextrack and a few cars. I guess the plan was to build a small logging railroad in my bedroom. But I really don't remember, as it was almost 20 years ago.
2010-08-02
Multiple deck model railroad layout design
In general, I don't recommend the use of multiple decks. Sometimes it may be the only solution, but it's also something which may cause problems in itself.
When it comes to what height to view scenes from, it's hard to make it look good from different heights when the separation has to be as large as it has to be between decks. One way is to either operate one level sitting down or the other from a raised floor section. Another, which I think is better, is the kind of design where different levels are on different sides of the backdrop.
The kind of railroad you're trying to depict doesn't directly tell you if it's worthwhile to go for multiple decks, as it will not give you space for larger stations or longer mainlines. I will enable you to put in more of them, though. So the prototype isn't that important, it's the kind of operation you want which matters.
A helix is the obvious way to get from one level to another. I can't say I like them. For one thing, if you don't have a lot of space, a helix will take up a noticable space so you won't get twice as much area to use for the rest of the layout. For another, it's also a place where trains remain out of sight quite a long time, perhaps they even spend more time in it than on the visible mainline.
I think that if one isn't certain if a multiple deck layout is what's needed, one should go for a single deck layout and concentrate on the important parts of what one want to do. Most layouts will in either case be a much compressed representation of reality.
When it comes to what height to view scenes from, it's hard to make it look good from different heights when the separation has to be as large as it has to be between decks. One way is to either operate one level sitting down or the other from a raised floor section. Another, which I think is better, is the kind of design where different levels are on different sides of the backdrop.
The kind of railroad you're trying to depict doesn't directly tell you if it's worthwhile to go for multiple decks, as it will not give you space for larger stations or longer mainlines. I will enable you to put in more of them, though. So the prototype isn't that important, it's the kind of operation you want which matters.
A helix is the obvious way to get from one level to another. I can't say I like them. For one thing, if you don't have a lot of space, a helix will take up a noticable space so you won't get twice as much area to use for the rest of the layout. For another, it's also a place where trains remain out of sight quite a long time, perhaps they even spend more time in it than on the visible mainline.
I think that if one isn't certain if a multiple deck layout is what's needed, one should go for a single deck layout and concentrate on the important parts of what one want to do. Most layouts will in either case be a much compressed representation of reality.
2010-07-10
Model/prototype gauge and scale relationship
If one is prepared to build some rolling stock oneself, there is plenty of possibilities to
use ready made track and mechanisms. And if one doesn't have to stick to a certain scale, it may be easier to find suitable equipment to start with. For example, if it's a 1067 mm prototype railway one plans on modelling, either 12 mm track (TT) in the scale 1:87 (H0) can be used, or one can use 16.5 mm track (H0) and model in the scale 1:64.
This diagram lists some common prototype gauges and model track gauges. Note that standard track will not quite look like narrow gauge track in another scale. Ties are relatively longer and wider and spaced further apart compared to the track gauge on narrow gauge. The narrower the gauge, the more pronounced the difference. (But some narrow gauge tracks are so overgrown that one can get away with it.)
When it comes to rolling stock, wheel sizes don't decrease as much as track gauge does, so unless you're modelling a specific prototype and thus know what diameter wheels you need, you should try to use large standard gauge wheels and long wheel base trucks if you use them to model narrow gauge in a larger scale.
If you haven't already decided what you want to model, I recommend you think about this possibility.
Last modified 1998 Nov 03,
content reviewed 2000 Sep 05
by Urban
use ready made track and mechanisms. And if one doesn't have to stick to a certain scale, it may be easier to find suitable equipment to start with. For example, if it's a 1067 mm prototype railway one plans on modelling, either 12 mm track (TT) in the scale 1:87 (H0) can be used, or one can use 16.5 mm track (H0) and model in the scale 1:64.
When it comes to rolling stock, wheel sizes don't decrease as much as track gauge does, so unless you're modelling a specific prototype and thus know what diameter wheels you need, you should try to use large standard gauge wheels and long wheel base trucks if you use them to model narrow gauge in a larger scale.
If you haven't already decided what you want to model, I recommend you think about this possibility.
Last modified 1998 Nov 03,
content reviewed 2000 Sep 05
by Urban
2010-06-27
My smallest "layout"
![[A very small layout]](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_1CDi6hc6UpQ/TCRTLGwBqjI/AAAAAAAAAzA/I8UaGUqPUe8/s1600/tiny.jpg)
This layout is built on a piece of printed circuit card,
9 x 9 cm large.
The track consists of a Swedish 5-kronor coin glued to
the "baseboard" and a piece of N gauge flex track with
one rail removed and joined together in a tight circle
with the rail joint soldered.
The loco is a N gauge Fleischman loco I purchased
at some time, with the intention of rebuilding it into
a H0e loco for my narrow gauge
layout. It could have worked out...
It really works, and I've never had a derailment on the
layout.
Text last modified 1996 Apr 15
by Urban
2010-06-25
Designing your first or second model railway
This document is intended to help you design a good looking, well operating, layout, using the same resources (time, space and money) that would often result in a "toy like" layout. If you're planning on filling a basement, you may find something of use here, but if you are, you're probably either very experienced or have better qualified help than I can ever be.
Even if you are planning a layout in the range I'm thinking of, you don't have to follow my advice at all, but if you're a beginner, I strongly encourage you to be certain why you aren't following them and something else is better for you. (If you should think I'm wrong, please tell me about it.)
Even if you are planning a layout in the range I'm thinking of, you don't have to follow my advice at all, but if you're a beginner, I strongly encourage you to be certain why you aren't following them and something else is better for you. (If you should think I'm wrong, please tell me about it.)
Small Gn15 layout in progress (as of circa 2004)
Very slow progress, that is.
with three small four wheel cars.
Rolling stock
So far, my rolling stock consists of a Sidelines Hornetwith three small four wheel cars.
2010-06-10
Track plans in old magazines
I'm in the process of culling my huge stack of magazines, as I really don't want to move with that much paper again.
About 1980-2000 I used to read American model railroad magazines, almost every issue of some. Now I'm looking at a few issues from 1980-85 and what strikes me is that many of the track plans are really bad. It's not clear how they're supposed to be operated, there are slopes on run around tracks, often the tracks aren't laid out even close to what would be done in reality. Often for no good reason at all. But then I probably thought they were good and were inspired by them.
About 1980-2000 I used to read American model railroad magazines, almost every issue of some. Now I'm looking at a few issues from 1980-85 and what strikes me is that many of the track plans are really bad. It's not clear how they're supposed to be operated, there are slopes on run around tracks, often the tracks aren't laid out even close to what would be done in reality. Often for no good reason at all. But then I probably thought they were good and were inspired by them.
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