_Model railroad plans
_Don't just hope your new railway setup will work and look right; eliminate this risk with a well thought out model railway layout plan. You can purchase or even pay someone to draw a railway model layout plan for you. But, wouldn't it be more fun and rewarding to design your own plans for a model railway layout?
Layout plans for a model railway require thought in deciding where to install the tracks, place the hills, mountains, tunnels, or a valley that leads into a town, the list goes on and on. It can be intimidating, but if you follow these 5 steps, you will be able to create the perfect layout plan for your model railway.
model railroad layouts
Knowledge Is Power
The more knowledge you have about designing model railroad layout plans the better your plan will turn out. You can find all kinds of railroad layouts in model railroad magazines or from the railroad section in the library. Other excellent sources are joining a model railroad club or going to railroad hobby shops for ideas.
Once you have learned the different ways your railroad can be designed then you are ready for the next step.
Size and Obstacles
Before you can design your layout you will need to know two things about the area where you want to set up your railroad; the size it is and what obstacles that might be in the way. Once you have the measurements, then draw on paper the size you will need your train's "bench work" (platform that train lay on) to be. Then write down any obstacles that might be in the way like; support post, doors, even the lack of electrical outlets. Next, what are your goals?
Goals
This is where you need to decide what type of railroad you want to create. Do you want a 1920's era passenger train that leaves the 'big city' and travels through the country side to its next destination? Or, maybe, you want a freight train that is hauling coal through the mountains with a lake in the foreground. The possibilities are endless, but, you'll need to decide what you want before you can do the next step, drawing your layout.
Drawing The Layout
First, complete the information for this list:
What scale size do you want?
What is the size of the setup area?
What and where are any obstacles?
Where the electrical outlets are for setting up my transformer etc?
How big do I want to make the track?
What the sizes of the scenery settings; mountains, lakes, cities, etc?
Where do you want to place your scenery settings?
With this information, you can draw out to scale on architectural paper the answers to the questions above. Don't forget to take into account the width and height for each display; you want the overall setup to be proportionate.
Once the layout looks right, it's now time to put your drawing onto your bench work. This might seem redundant but experience has taught me that what works on paper not necessarily works on the final layout area. If your model railway layout plan looks correct (make adjustments if needed) then it's time to start installing your railroad system.
Patients
Make your model railroading experience fun and enjoyable by carefully planning and designing your layout plan. Trust me, if you rush into building your railroad system, unseen problems most likely will appear in the near future.
Also, as you're putting it all together, you might find something that just doesn't quite fit right, no worries, just make the necessary adjustments, move on and have fun doing it.
model railroad plans
Layout plans for a model railway require thought in deciding where to install the tracks, place the hills, mountains, tunnels, or a valley that leads into a town, the list goes on and on. It can be intimidating, but if you follow these 5 steps, you will be able to create the perfect layout plan for your model railway.
model railroad layouts
Knowledge Is Power
The more knowledge you have about designing model railroad layout plans the better your plan will turn out. You can find all kinds of railroad layouts in model railroad magazines or from the railroad section in the library. Other excellent sources are joining a model railroad club or going to railroad hobby shops for ideas.
Once you have learned the different ways your railroad can be designed then you are ready for the next step.
Size and Obstacles
Before you can design your layout you will need to know two things about the area where you want to set up your railroad; the size it is and what obstacles that might be in the way. Once you have the measurements, then draw on paper the size you will need your train's "bench work" (platform that train lay on) to be. Then write down any obstacles that might be in the way like; support post, doors, even the lack of electrical outlets. Next, what are your goals?
Goals
This is where you need to decide what type of railroad you want to create. Do you want a 1920's era passenger train that leaves the 'big city' and travels through the country side to its next destination? Or, maybe, you want a freight train that is hauling coal through the mountains with a lake in the foreground. The possibilities are endless, but, you'll need to decide what you want before you can do the next step, drawing your layout.
Drawing The Layout
First, complete the information for this list:
What scale size do you want?
What is the size of the setup area?
What and where are any obstacles?
Where the electrical outlets are for setting up my transformer etc?
How big do I want to make the track?
What the sizes of the scenery settings; mountains, lakes, cities, etc?
Where do you want to place your scenery settings?
With this information, you can draw out to scale on architectural paper the answers to the questions above. Don't forget to take into account the width and height for each display; you want the overall setup to be proportionate.
Once the layout looks right, it's now time to put your drawing onto your bench work. This might seem redundant but experience has taught me that what works on paper not necessarily works on the final layout area. If your model railway layout plan looks correct (make adjustments if needed) then it's time to start installing your railroad system.
Patients
Make your model railroading experience fun and enjoyable by carefully planning and designing your layout plan. Trust me, if you rush into building your railroad system, unseen problems most likely will appear in the near future.
Also, as you're putting it all together, you might find something that just doesn't quite fit right, no worries, just make the necessary adjustments, move on and have fun doing it.
model railroad plans