3D-View: D&RGW in 11'x15' Fastrack and On30

Here, I moved the top side cross-over toward the curve at the left, so as to eliminate the reverse-curve in the cross-over.

Here, I thought to add a grade along the two parallel loops on the right-hand section, to give the area a bit more scenic interest with a height difference of 1" and 2" around the right-side edge:  creating a kind of "bowl" from the yard outward toward the right.   Its hard to see with a small color difference around the edge, but you can see the grade and elevation markers.   

I would appreciate any feedback as to whether this is worth doing in the resulting layout.

A few adjustments and benchwork trimming.   I like to use 2" foam on an open framework, which allows the benchwork to be trimmed to follow the track quite easily.

Here, I worked in Menard's beautiful lighted and detailed station, with a platform.

Hey Ken, do you use layers when you are working with anyrail, or do you just add surfaces? I myself have only done surfaces as I've only done a bit of tinkering around the past months. I really want to do something imagination stirring, so was curious what you do.

Dave, I use both layers and surfaces.   The surfaces to represent the different levels of terrain, piling one atop the other to build mountains.  And layers are a great way to be able to remove and replace entire portions of the layout to see and manipulate the items at lower layers.

It takes a while to remember to think in terms of layers, I am always forgetting to change layers when I change from working on one aspect to another, but even so, its a great tool/concept.

For me, Anyrail is a great system to get good looking plans and complex track plans designed in a modest amount of time with any track system.   Often, getting the Fastrack fixed sections to align and join is a real time-consuming pain, requiring lots of time in experimentation and adjusting track and curve diameter here and there and combinations of small track sections, in order to close the shape.   I set my limit at a small 3/32" tolerance across even a long section of track (and zero degrees of curvature deviation - this has to be perfect in my plans), even when a larger "gap" would be fine across the length of a long runs of say 10' of track.  And then more time going over the layouts to optimize the curvature and alignments.   This is a result/aspect of using Fastrack that requires tight tolerances in order to close nicely. 

Other sectional track systems with rail joiners have much more play, and with flex track, even more flexibility, and go together more quickly.  But I stay with the same tight tolerances that I use with Fastrack, as I am a bit of a perfectionist.   But flextrack helps a lot.   Or even using custom cut sections of straight track, and occasionally I cut curved sections in half or thirds, but that is a multi-step process.

--Ken

Okay, that is a big help Ken. I haven't got too much into layers being that I've only tinkered a couple ideas out. And you're right with track not meeting, that is always FUN and takes a while even days sometimes as you may have to rip up everything leading up to that point.

One thing I do when I have made some track sections with switches or so odd stuff going on, I'll get the measuring tool out so I have numbers to compare. I find that very handy as it mostly cuts down on reassembly of track that had to be torn up. With a quick measure, I can just add up the opposing track sections and be able to close the gap(most times I've used that method anyway).

I'll have to see what I can come up with. May take a few days to get something out, but see what comes since I've got all day.

Ken, how do you get the colors for the ground looking like ground? I only seem to get solid colors, not anything that looks like turf. Am I missing something when I make a surface?

Dave, there is an option for working with surfaces, to load an image.   I have created some images of different colors and textures, that I can use to "load" a surface.  Creating those loadable images is whole nother set of issues.

Ah. Thanks, see what I can do with that.

Hi Ken,

I too am using AnyRail and Fastrack.  I also just purchased a Lionel Extended Truss Bridge (6-82110).  This bridge is not currently in the AnyRail library, that I know of. How did you model the bridge in the program?  Is that an exportable/sharable library piece?

thanks, Tim

Nice job, as always, Ken......

By the way, I purchased a digital copy of your layout book.....and, it's great! I have come to realize that many of the features of my new layout are clearly "Ken-derived" or "Ken-inspired" from your generous outpouring of layout plans......your plans always have me thinking....

Peter

@Profuse posted:

Hi Ken,

I too am using AnyRail and Fastrack.  I also just purchased a Lionel Extended Truss Bridge (6-82110).  This bridge is not currently in the AnyRail library, that I know of. How did you model the bridge in the program?  Is that an exportable/sharable library piece?

thanks, Tim

A single bridge with the piers (which are required) is 39" total length according to the Lionel website. I use a 30" straight with a 4.5" straight on each side to represent the bridge and the piers when planning and it worked perfectly on my layout when I put it together.

Looks like fun Ken!

You’ve got the Joint Line, Big Ten Curve, C&S Junction and the Narrow Gauge up to Georgetown and beyond. Cool

I am biased by location, and dreaming along similar lines.  Charge on!