Filosophy Phriday.

[BATMAN]

 Over on the MRR forum, there was a thread posted at random times by anyone so moved to do so, called "Filosophy Phriday", we would sometimes ask for thoughts/opinions, or how do you do it? Or what do you think of? Or what would you do if? Or a litany of other things. Seeing as how no one over there has picked up the gauntlet since I was let go, I thought I would see if it flies here. 

 So this week I would like to know what your philosophy is as far as the planning for your pike goes? Do you just throw down a table top, add some track and call it a day? Or do you use a CAD program and not only plan the trackwork down to the last spike, but also draw up how the benchwork will be built, or are you somewhere in the middle? 

I am the kind of guy that can build things just from working it out in my own tiny brain without a plan. I have helped build houses and even wired one without ever needing to draw it up and got a big two thumbs up from the inspector. House wiring is a different beast altogether from the technological knowledge required to get more than the basics done on a layout and it is here that I fall short. Though I learn what I need to as I go, it takes me a long time to figure some things out. As far as the benchwork and track planning went for my now ten year old layout, I mostly had what I wanted in my head. However, just to be safe I put some ideas down on some graph paper during my down times at work and when I thought I had it right, moved it over to giant sized graph paper I bought at Staples. One square equals one foot on the plan. I had three doors, a large window, a fireplace and a large opening into the room to deal with. Large graph paper did the trick. 

 I have used a CAD program to design houses and thoroughly enjoy doing so strictly from a hobby standpoint, however putting benchwork and track plans down on paper is my preferred method and it is a rough drawing at best.

  So tell us where you are at and why you do what you do as far as planning goes. Hopefully, some new model railroaders eyes will be stopped from glazing over as he approaches the starting line to this great hobby.



 Brent

[Brakie]

Plan? Plan? I don't need no stinking plan!

Brent,I plan my ISL as I go.. I move the track around until I'm happy then I spike it in place.

[riogrande]

I used 11x14 graph paper scaled with the room boundaries drawn in and the designed the layout to scale on the graph paper using a scale rule and a compass to draw out curve radii. I like it because I can visualize the space better than if it were on a computers screen. I used graphics software to do maps and figures for my masters thesis in grad school over 25 years ago, so I am reasonably comfortable with computers etc. It's more just that I can visualize better on paper with the boundaries and a scale so I know what can fit in a space.

My current layout I more or less designed on the fly and drew in the main features later on graph paper.

[Amboy Secondary]

No plan, just assemble the bench work, and connect track. Once I like what I see, I mark it and apply roadbed, then relay the track. Works surprisingly well.

[kentuckysouthernrwy]

Rough plan in my head, paper doesn't translate my ideas well.

[Paul Cutler III]

I've been a 3rdPlantIt CAD user since Version 2. I took mechanical drafting in high school and college, and learned AutoCAD back in the day (starting with r12), so transitioning to 3PI wasn't that difficult for me. There is a learning curve, but once I figured out the basics, it wasn't too bad. I also use 3PI to design other things. I used it to design a new set of back stairs for my deck, to design a retail business floor, electrical circuits and more.

I'm the Layout Design Chairman for my club, and we're currently building a 6000+ sq. ft. layout. The track is all 3PI CAD and so are the benchwork edges but we leave it up to the Benchwork Committee to decide how to build it. For myself, I built a 25 x 50' layout using 3PI. I cannot imagine trying to design a layout on paper ever again. For example, say you want to move a yard over a couple inches. With paper, that's a lot of erasing and re-drawing. In CAD, it's two seconds to grab the yard and slide it over (and if you want to put it back, "Undo").

The thing about CAD is that it won't let you cheat. If the curve doesn't work, it just won't work. You can't squeeze the radius down a 1/4" to make it fit and you can't bend the joint between two switches to get that ladder in place (unless, of course, you want to). It forces you to do it right.

My favorite example of the power of CAD is that I had a very complicated piece of trackwork that involved two curved switches, a diamond, and 4 curved tracks that swung in front of a major passenger station. I drew the whole thing out in CAD as part of the overall layout plan, then put a grid on the plan. I then drew that grid on my layout plywood and marked where each track intersected any grid line. Using a bending stick, I connected the dots. This resulted in a very accurate rendition of my CAD plan, and everything fit just like it was supposed to. No fudging it.

[kentuckysouthernrwy]

I'm diabetic Paul 3, the only fudge I get anymore is modeling.

[Brakie]

Apr 30, 2017 14:01:03 GMT -8 kentuckysouthernrwy said:

I'm diabetic Paul 3, the only fudge I get anymore is modeling.

Since I have my diabetes under control I can sneak a small piece of my daughter's home made fudge for a sweet treat.
Still my biggest sin is enjoying a slice of apple pie once a week other then that I avoid sweets unless my sugar drops then I grab a Snickers for such emergencies..

[BATMAN]

Thanks to all that replied and sorry I am tardy in thanking you. We had the kid's school fair this past weekend and the two weeks leading up to it are nuts. WE did make about $100.000.00 for the school though I really like getting people's perspective on things and I can often learn a few things along the way. Filosophy Phriday can be enlightening sometimes.

Brent