# Getting Restarted



## Kilian (Feb 27, 2012)

I've been a member on here for nearly 2 years and over the past 2 years I began collecting track, and structures. 

Now I have my layout shape in place, but having the hardest of times creating a track layout.

1. I do know what i want to see on my layout
- Mountain scenes, valley
- river
- small town
- small staging area
2. The shape of my layout is like the capital Q. Whereby the curled part is a 5 foot staging yard.
3. The layout is a wrap around per-se, and is 2' wide at all spots.
4. I am conflicted in my industry. I pick up a bunch of structures because i liked them but as i read magazines and forums, i realize that the structures I have may not be supportive of each other. i.e. (wheat fields, flour processing plant, brewery).

So with the experience of members, how do i get started? I tried the track software program and found it difficult to use and time consuming and it would always tell me my grades are too sharp or curves, etc. (I plan on using the foam risers anyway).

I know i want to have a double mainline, and a third main line that would be In a mountain scene and interchange in the town.

Thanks for your consideration... I get so inspired, but when I go downstairs, i am so lost!


----------



## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

Here's one very simple key. It's your railroad so model what you like. If nothing else, you may be able to adapt buildings and repurpose them into something that could feed your planned layout. Your example of wheat fields, flour plant and brewery should be able to work together. The idea is build it as you like, not worry about what others like. It should be relaxing, not stressing over "do these work together" unless you're striving for prototypical realism and hope for a magazine layout.

Carl


----------



## singletrack100 (Dec 18, 2013)

Kilian, Carl brings up some good points regarding re-purposing. I would like to add: don't overlook things right before our (your) eyes either... PVC plumbing caps can become oil storage facilities the same as TP tubes can become cylindrical structures as well. Cereal boxes can be the material for simple structures. Old RR rolling stock can be used for any number of things. And, like he said, it's YOUR railroad, which is "Rule #1".

A year or two ago I realized my humble layout had no refueling facility for the few oil-burning steamers I had (or future F3's or F7's). An old tank car with trucks removed, set on some small wood pieces shaped to fit and painted like concrete supports, some leftover plastic sprue for piping, wire for hoses, and a small shack/office built out of cereal box cardboard, scribed with a blade, painted silver with rust color dry brushed on it (looks like corrugated metal shack now) and some clear plastic from some blister pack for windows and taadaa! A refuel facility, repurposed as an outlying RR yard might do to keep up with the times! Prototypical? Maybe, maybe not, but "Rule #1" applied.

I needed an "office" for the coaling tower operation... an old caboose shell, painted grey and weathered to the rescue.... and since it was on a hillside, it needed to be on pilings of some sort. Some 1/8" (maybe it was 3/16"???) dowel for pilings, 1/8" square balsa for crossmembers under the caboose, and 1/16" balsa for the piling bracing, all weathered, and it becomes an office.

These may not be "industries" but mere examples of imagination to fit a "need". Many on this and other forums have scratchbuilt, repurposed or just plain "kit-bashed" many an item, pre-existing or not. With a little practice you can start to go to a store or somewhere and "see" a "layout something" in some random object. If you have a significant other, they may look at you like you lost your mind when you try to explain what you "see", but that's okay! I just read in a thread somewhere somebody mention painted Schrader valves (the part inside your valve stem on your tires) look like auto transmissions for a junk yard! Let your imagination run wild! 

Happy RR'ing!

Duane


----------



## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Killian

The guys have some good ideas.

Here's some more thoughts for your 'industries'

You can have 2 or 3 small businesses that can share one spur.
I have an electrical supply Co. on the same spur as a Less then
Carload freight house. On another spur there is a construction
company, a Metal distributor and a large Food distributor. There is
also a stock yard and lumber company on other spurs. These
of small businesses provide lots of switching manuevers for your 
layout. One very interesting 'customer' I don't have, is a coal
dealer. The spur has an incline so that the coal car is above an
area where the hoppers can dump the load.

Don


----------



## Kilian (Feb 27, 2012)

Thank you for your feedback.

While i don't aim for prototypical, but i do want to aim for some realism. It would be easier just doing scenery with minimal structures, but then i think it would get boring.


----------

