AnyRail Model Railroad Forum

General Category => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: metras3 on November 10, 2021, 04:23:44 PM

Title: New, again
Post by: metras3 on November 10, 2021, 04:23:44 PM
I was into "N" 40 year ago. Sold it!
15 years ago I put my "HO" in storage. Last week I dug out my abandoned RxR and have been seeing what I have.
The layout is 15" x 96". It is in rough shape and all DC.
I am a retired computer person that understands most of the coding so I think I will redo mu layout or start over withe digital.

My first question is how do I layout the wiring with AnyRail?

I am looking into Arduino for the computer for most of the automation. I am learing this very quickly.

Marty
Title: Re: New, again
Post by: magnus on November 11, 2021, 06:07:35 AM
Hi and welcome back to the hobby. Like you, I returned after many years. My recommendation is to start new with DCC. I have upgraded a few of my old DC locos; the newer they were the easier it was. New locos are much better today than they were even 15-20 years ago with better motors, LED lights and (room for) sound. For small layouts, wiring is similar for the track, but depending on how you plan to operate switches, DCC can be very different depending on your DCC system. Some DCC systems don't deal with switches at all, others have built in operations for switches, signals etc.

AnyRail does not have any built in electrical wiring features. (It can detect Reverse Loops.) Instead you can use the free form drawing to show your wiring and other features. I use Layers for this, see picture. So in addition to track and scenery layers, I have a few layers to show power buses, boosters, lights, switches etc.
Title: Re: New, again
Post by: rlcross on December 03, 2021, 04:06:21 AM
Marty, welcome back.  I too am returning to the hobby after many years.  This AnyRail planning program is pretty cool compared to the back of the napkin scribbles I was used to.

Hey Magnus, that's an impressive breakout of your layout into layers.  Could you post your layout .any file so I can see the details of how you organized it?  I haven't seen anything like it and would like to emulate it.  Particularly the electrical layers.

Regards, Richard.
Title: Re: New, again
Post by: magnus on December 06, 2021, 07:28:11 AM
QuoteHey Magnus, that's an impressive breakout of your layout into layers.  Could you post your layout .any file so I can see the details of how you organized it?  I haven't seen anything like it and would like to emulate it.  Particularly the electrical layers.
Well, it was my first new layout in 25 years, and first use of AnyRail, during the pandemic to evaluate the hobby again. Attached is the plan. I'm running trains on it now and working on the scenery. It worked out fine. I actually had a lot of use of the various Electric layers to think through the wiring. Note that it might be off a little bit here and there as I have been moving the track a bit. The benchwork was built with 2" EPS foam glued on plywood with Hemlock (strongest lumber per $) frame and legs. Very strong, but heavy and not very flexible.

The Future layer was my plan of how to expand it if I did. But instead I decided to convert a bedroom and am now planning a larger layout, see the new plan attached. I am using layers in a similar, but also new way. The new layout I'm thinking of using a Rubbermaid ShelfTrack screwed to studs carrying hollow doors or IKEA table tops for sturdy and flexible base which can be moved. I am still early in planning this, and as you see in the .any file I plan to build it in 2 phases.
Title: Re: New, again
Post by: rlcross on December 06, 2021, 02:22:25 PM
Thanks Magnus!  I really appreciate it.  It was so impressive how you went beyond just planning rails and incorporated planning foam, electrical busses, feeders, etc.  You've opened my eyes.

Your new plan, under development is impressive in scope as well.  Be cautious of S turns where switches are placed point to point without the recommended straight (1 car length) in between ie. going into the first turnout of the yard in the middle section peninsula.

Regards,

Richard.
Title: Re: New, again
Post by: magnus on December 08, 2021, 12:03:32 AM
Thanks Richard. Good catch on the S curves, it's hard to see them when you work on turnouts. I found 2 there. I suggested AnyRail should detect S curves just like it detects reverse loops. Perhaps one day it will.