Beginner Help Needed - Track Planning

[Doneldon]

TB16 -

I know you meant cops.  That's what the constabulary is.  are.  whatever.

                                                                                   -- D

[napa15]

Mr. Bach-Man,

Would you please chime in if at all possible on what you remember the radius of E-Z Track used on the lower level inner loop segment, closest to the docs? I still don't have a 100% clear understanding if it is 18 degree radius at that juncture. I thought you said that you used 22 degrees for the outer loop on the lower level, and 18 degree radius on the inner loop. I'm really trying to be as precises as I can when ordering my track, but mainly want to make sure I don't come up short and that I order the proper track. DO you think you used 15 degree radius on the top level with the smaller loop for Thomas? And maybe 18 degree outer and 15 degree inner for the middle level?

Thanks for any help you can give. Now that my son and daughter know we are going to be doing this project they are bugging me every day about it.

[Joe Satnik]

Dear napa15,

18"R has about 34 ties per section,  15"R has about 31 ties per section.  (Look closely at Sodor pics.) 

I suggest AnyRail.com over the Atlas program.  Free program, free Bachmann library up to 50 pieces, I think.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

[Joe323]

I know you meant cops.  That's what the constabulary is.  are.  whatever

Bad boys Bad boys Whats ya gonna do with the Sheriff John Brown come you.....

[the Bach-man]

Dear Napa,
I have found a sketch I did at the time. Let's start at the end furthest from the docks, and proceed in a clockwise direction. The furthest piece of track is a 3" straight. From there: 18, 18, 18, 9(st), 9, 9, 9, 15, 15, 15, 2.25(st), 15, 15, 3(st), 9(st), 18, 9, 9, 9, 18, 18, 18. This completes the oval.
Let me know how this works.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[napa15]

I do believe that get's 'er done sir. Thank you for the time to find your notes and post your findings here.  I think I'm now ready to make the move to order track. I am considering NOT adding the docks and boats to the end that is on the one built by The Bac-Mann. I am thinking of taking an approach where I will easily be able to add to that section should I want to expand my layout in the future. Anyway, I feel way more confident now about what I need to order and in what quantities.

[Doneldon]

napa -

Your kids will love it if they can take something off of a boat, put it on a train car, and then take it off of the train car to place it on a station platform or such like.  If you have a truck which can deliver the item after the train ride, that's all the better.  One thing I learned from my children and grandchildren is that it's important to have flats and gondolas so the kids can load and unload things.  They won't necessarily enjoy the same aspects of model trains that we as putative adults do.  Also, be sure to have some figures they can move around, even if they are out of scale and have to lay down on the top of a box car.  They'll love it.  You can have the figures fall or jump off, get into chases with one another, try to dodge the trains and on and on.  Don't hesitate to use silly voices.

Now you know two things about me.  One is why my kids and grandkids think I'm a fun and funny guy.  The other is why I wrote "putative" adults.  Oh, actually three things.  You also know why my wife thinks I'm immature.  (But she's jealous that the kids like me more than they like her so I consider her opinion about this to be neither accurate nor meaningful.)

I'm not completely nuts, though.  We don't have Donald Duck jumping on and off of brass locos or great old wooden passenger equipment.  Just have a cheapie engine or two and some junk cars and you're all set.  We never did purposeful train wrecks though it always seemed like the kids wanted to explore that experience.  But I had to set some good examples.  It's fun to watch the kids as they grow up, too.  Sometimes they'll regress and play like they did years before and you can see on their faces that they have no idea why they remember their earlier antics as so much fun.

                                                                                             -- D

[napa15]

Mr. Bach-mann,

One final question concerning your Sodor Island layout. The 3 turnouts on the lower level, are those the #44561 Remote Turnout-Left ones (which is what I think they are), or the #44565 #5 Turnout Left? Those are my final 3 items to purchase and I want to make sure I'm purchasing the correct ones.

Thank you for your assistance.

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Napa15,

All three are the #44561 left remotes.  The main clues in the photo gallery pics are the 30 degree turns.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

[napa15]

Thank you Joe. That's what I thought they were, but was slightly worried that I'd pay in excess of $60 for track I couldn't use. Hopefully my local hobby shop will have them end at the end of the week.

[the Bach-man]

Dear Napa,
Joe is correct (needless to say!). 
Good luck with the layout!
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[Joe Satnik]

(blush) Not all the time.

Don't ask me to pick stocks.

BTW, what is the status of the Sodor layout?

Thanks. 

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: added Q.

[the Bach-man]

Hi, Joe!
When the Sodor layout was in transit from the World's Greatest Hobby to Philly, there was a small problem...evidently the parachute didn't open...
I plan on making a few trips down to the home office to get it back in shape for the fall season.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[napa15]

Another question....


At the stage where you laid your large blue foam piece (lower foam) you laid another layer of what looks to be 1/2 foam sections on top of that to cover the 4'x8' area. Can you please explain why? I am finally at the stage where I'm ready to lay my large sheet of blue foam but am trying to understand the need for the second layer. Thanks in advance!

[the Bach-man]

Dear Napa,
I was pretty much making it up as I went along, and really hadn't figured out how I'd do the harbor area. After the white foam was down I decided to use the roadbed, and even then it became necessary to build up the water surface. But foam is light, and so far it's absorbed a lot of punishment, so it worked out.
I could certainly have started on the blue surface.
Have fun!
the Bach-man