[Trg888]

I wish I had looked on here 7 months ago before I started building my track! There is some fanstastic info and pics on here and many very talented modellers on here. Thanks to you all and I hope you don't mind me taking bits that inspire me from here.

Anyway here are my efforts... My track will eventually go into my loft in my house in Austria which is 15ft square with a central hatch for access. I'm building the boards in my London flat on 4ft x 2ft boards and part finished 1st and started on the 2nd. Given that I have to transport them 600 miles and get them into the loft this the max size I can do. Conservatory area is getting a bit full in my flat!!

This 1/32 scale rail curve has a radius of just a bit over 1 metre So these 2 boards together make a corner of the loft.

Given this has taken me 7 months. I estimate completion late 2016!!

 

[rooster364]

Trg888.
That looks stunning. Some things just can't be rushed & it shows in the quality of your work. Top draw

 

[Trg888]

Thanks. I'm competing with Crossrail link across London. Hopefully I will finish before that opens!

 

[Ember]

Great detailing Trg888. Looking forward to seeing what else you can come up with.

I gather, having to break it down into regular modules, requires a lot of planning ahead.

So far so good.
Embs

 

[Trg888]

Thanks. Yes have to plan a few boards away especially as the railway is on the rise and will be passed underneath by another train. It can only rise by about 6% and has to clear 7 inchs about 6 feet away from here

Having been to Amalfi a few times that is the inspiration, although no trains there.

So that road viaduct or whatever was what I modelled.

I'm planning on using 2 pitstop tracks next to each other so that 2 lanes become 4 and 2 of the lanes wizz around Amalfiland and the other 2 form a conventional racetarck and then join up half way around. I shall do a drawing and post on here next day or two.

Jim.

 

[Ember]

It's a jolly impressive beginning.

 

[gokartride]

Looks super! I live the way you woven the track and scenic elements together....that road looks like it belongs there!!! It also appears there are some great little centers of interest tucked in there...lots to see. Then adding the train? Wow!!

 

[Philip P]

Looking good!!!!!

Please show us more as it develops. It is stunning already....when completed it will be a masterpiece.

Cheers
Philip

 

[JEXY1]

What brand of train track is that? (i always get confussed with train scales etc)

 

[Trg888]

It's Marklin Gauge 1 which is 1:32 so rolling stock will fit the cars nicely going around the circuit.
It's quite pricey though, lucky I can't fit too many of them on my track otherwise would be broke!!

Jim

 

[perthor]

Servuz Jim, That just looks wonderfull! Great start, and I am looking forward to follow this one

Per PS Cant belive you have to get your inspiration from Italy when you live in such a beutyful country!

 

[PSRRFH]

Wow excelent work.

 

[Trg888]

Perthor - I intend to put a bit of the Military rd on the Isle of wight into it. Some whitish paint on cork would look good for the cliffs along there. But not many tunnels here.. so I will use some inspiration from the Austrian lake area, were there are many.

Here is my loft plan with the two boards I'm working on in bottom corner.

The space is square, not sure why it got a bit squashed on loading here. I can go outside the boarded area for a loop back on the trains. The racetrack area I'm undecided on but there is plenty of ideas on here to borrow from!! I will try my hand at a routed track in the village area - some time next year I reckon.

Anybody know of a decent track designer software?? The Scalextric free one is pretty crap.

Jim

 

[jmswms]

QUOTE (Trg888 @ 11 May 2010, 07:12) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Anybody know of a decent track designer software?? The Scalextric free one is pretty crap.

JimHi Jim, well, let me first say: that's some pretty cool scenery that you've already done!

As for software, I use Railmodeller for the Mac. It's fine. I'm guessing that you're using a PC though.

 

[ronMcRain]

Hi Trg888/Jim .. Great start to a track!

As your space is squarish and the track in modules, why not try different scenic settings for each corner? As perthor noted, UK .. Isle of Wight, huh? .. how's a bit of Welsh gravelstage in one corner? Dusty Greek roads in another? The italian setting of course is already there. Four corners of Europe, perhaps?

If you're on PC for Track Designers, the mostly used here I think is TrackPower>> .. Great little program but for a fee. But you won't regret it!
SlotMan>> is a freeware .. Good for starters & editable. No digi/off-set pieces though.
UltimateRacer 3.0>> is also a freeware. Might be suited nicely as it's also editable. Both SlotMan and UR allow you to do your own track-part-libraries. BUT UR allows you also to make off-set [digi] pieces, or model-railroad turnouts and such. And texture them! I did some model-rail-part-library into my UR. [not sure if I saved them]

Take a peek at those. And just give a shout if you want some guidance ..

-- ron --

 

[Trg888]

Thank you and great ideas.

And those track planners look great. I see the Railmodeller one has Gauge 1 and Scalextrix libraries. So I will try these out on the weekend. Thanks.

Jim.

 

[rjbrody]

Hi Jim,
That's a pretty impressive layout you have under construction. I like the idea of having a railway mixed with the car track.
I have a North American outline garden railway in my backyard and have toyed with the idea of putting in a Carrera track
alongside. Probably not practical. I'll be watching your progress eagerly.
Regards,
Bob

 

[Trg888]

Hi Bob,

Thanks, What scale are you trains? I think with Carrera track you can use 1:32 or 1:24 cars as it is wide. If your trains are G which I think 1:22.5 then the 1:24 would work well it if you can get some track inside that is.

Jim

 

[rjbrody]

Hi Jim,
The trains I'm running are mostly modern era 1/29 scale from Aristo-Craft and USA Trains with some compatible LGB. Although the trains are halfway btween 1/25 and 1/32 scales, the 32nd scale vehicles look better in scale with them. My son has been asking me to make a grade (level) crossing like the old Aurora track and I have no idea if it's possible. It would be cool 'though. If I did run slots outdoors it would have to be a wireless walkaround so Carrera is the only option. Right now my Scalextric analog slot track is indoors and measures about 6 ft by 14 ft.
Regards,
Bob

 

[Trg888]

Hi Bob,

A level crossing is a great idea! A train passing a switch could set of a bell and lower a boom on the road and then somehow it cuts the power to a a couple of pieces track near the crossing which could be independently powered so car then stops. Were you thinking off something like that?
Maybe also that new Scalextric digital powerbase that is coming out soon with ghost cars etc can be programmed with something like that.

Jim.