# Inspiration found but where to begin



## kcm (Apr 3, 2013)

Not totally new at railroading but never found the track plan that suited me until now. This was designed by Dave Meek its the n scale Tonto @ Sudinero 3'x9' using Atlas code 55 with 12" minimum radius curves. but there is only a pic of the layout no detail of the track that was used was wondering how to go about starting to design the track plan. I have atlas track planning but not sure if anyone still uses it or not. Link to the track plan below if i did it right

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DFaWpl6Dl5w/TVliyyBb2iI/AAAAAAAAAqg/VuYPbBef6L8/s1600/T%2526S3x9.jpg


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Welcome... sort of. I see that although this is your first post, you've been a member for 4-1/2 years.

Atlas track planning software's only virtue is that it's free. It's primary drawback is that it will force you to use Atlas products. While their track is fine, their turnouts are definitely mediocre, so you might want to consider other brands (Peco, Walthers, and MicroEngineering are all excellent).

There are much better software tools out there (my personal preference is AnyRail -- $60 for the full version); even some free ones. Primarily, you'll want to look for one that has full libraries of track pieces, so you can pick the brand of turnouts / track that you want to use. And a word of warning: you can't just drop a different brand of turnout into a track plan. They all have slightly different geometry, so you have to reconfigure the adjoining track as well. 

I can't see your picture due to firewall issues, but I will say that if you have sketched it out using the software, and it fits together with no fudging, then you have succeeded -- there is no right or wrong. As long as you're happy with the overall plan, then it's all good. Many of those plans that are shown in magazines are for reference only, and aren't intended as "build from" plans, and you often can't build them exactly as shown without hand laying your own track.


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## kcm (Apr 3, 2013)

Yes, soon after I became a member I sorta lost interest just didnt have the space for the size of layout I wanted. So I decided to try again in N scale. Any way thanks for the input. I will look into the Anyrail Program.


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