I found working on this layout very relaxing, until I wanted to run multiple trains. Back then, digital control wasn't as common as it is now, so I secured everything with relays and reed switches. This worked fine for the hidden staging yard, but I never quite managed to solve it properly for the single-track stretches that were used in both directions. In the meantime, I also did a lot of work on the scenery. I found some old photos and included them.

You can also find the track plan in AnyRail format here.

After some years in this house, we moved to a slightly larger house a few streets away. This house also had an attic, and even a much larger one! I then dismantled the Märklin layout, sold everything that was still usable, and started over with RocoLine track. But more on that another time!

The lower level, originally with M-track, was intended as sidings in the hidden staging area. That was a bad decision. You should never use the worst track in places you can no longer reach!
Later, I replaced it with K-track.

In the middle section, you see the through station and a double-track stretch. Again, the height differences allow you to visually separate these areas and create a different atmosphere in each.

In the upper section, you see the parade track at the top. This is a track ascending to the terminal station. The terminal station itself, with its turntable, is very cluttered with track. I wouldn't do it that way now, but then I liked it a lot! However, I hadn't sufficiently considered things like access roads, buildings, and (loading) platforms, so I ultimately got stuck creating the scenery.

I still had a whole stack of Märklin M(etall) track from the past, as well as a lot of locomotives and other rolling stock. The idea was to use these old tracks in the hidden yard and install new K(unststoff) track in the visible area. This was especially helpful because of the flex track, which allowed for wider curves.

I wanted three stations: two terminal stations and a through station. Because this was obviously far too ambitious, one of the terminal stations became more of a stop.
By placing the stations at different elevations, they were easy to visually separate, and it took a bit longer for a train to arrive after departure.
This also left room for a parade track, where the trains would pass by majestically. Well, at least in my mind.


AnyRail did not have a 3D option at the time, but here is an image of the plan anyway.

When we bought our first house, back in 2003, I finally had a full attic for trains.
As you can see in the picture, taken from the backyard, the house was not very big.
These are terraced houses, maybe 5 meters wide, so the attic was small, but accessible by a fixed staircase!

Not being happy with the existing track planning software at the time, I decided to create my own to design my new attic layout. The first version was called DRail (D from David), but my wife thought it was a terrible name, especially in English, with derailing trains and all.

Select all (CTRL-A) and move it to the right.
This frees the space on the left.

Also, instead of the dashed line, you can draw a table top via Insert/Free form.

I have extra grid
4' of it
need to eliminate it
and put it on the Left side

how do I do that??

I believe it is Ross...
it is a single track into a quad
I used it before, and I'm going to use it again...seems I cannot help myself but to run all around the room again

https://youtube.com/shorts/xN7TmQVJq0s?si=U94x6XAOMWqVvoYv

For the curved track:
   center-to-center diameter is 392.5 mm.

For the gauge:
   16.5 mm

For rail height:
Each "rail" is actually three parts, two outer ridges with a flat "valley" in between. The train wheels roll in the "valley" and the ridges guide its movement.  You might need to refer to the images to clarify what's going on.
 
Here's their dimensions:

   ridge  width:  1 mm
          height: 10 mm

   valley width:  8.5 mm
          height: 7.5 mm

So each "rail" is a total of 10.5 mm wide, for a total track width of 16.5 + (10.5 * 2) = 37.5 mm. 

If you require a single height, go with the "valley" height.


For the sleepers:

The rails and sleepers are a single piece of molded plastic.  The exact shape of the sleepers varies a tiny bit between different tracks pieces, but these values are pretty typical:

   length: 45 mm
   width:  6 mm
   height: 4 mm

Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul an faith
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
But what's confusin' you
Is just the nature of my game, mm yeah
Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
They say that life's a carousel
Spinning fast, you've got to ride it well
The world is full of kings and queens
Who blind your eyes and steal your dreams
It's heaven and hell, oh well
And they'll tell you black is really white
The moon is just the sun at night
And when you walk in golden halls
You get to keep the gold that falls
It's heaven and hell, oh no!


ok
enough of that

Heres my last railroad....The Manchester Intermodal Service Center
Called The Missy--- Short for Miscellaneous
But the locals call it The MESSY

It is a Servicing Center just west of The St. Louis Arch.  All Roads travel to here on their way to somewhere else. So one can see anything on these tracks

https://youtu.be/LTyLMZSqF6E?si=mV9ezAeH9gmAQG-b

Herer's my attempt so far...I'm just looking to see how wide my baseboards should be to accommodate the new design



I'd like to share what I've done so far with my 50 pieces
but I'm still learning this new laptop I bought to run this program on
and I believe I just figured it out...move to desktop...then drag to here


welcome to the Jungle

 

Look at post #100 of this thread.  If you need a double crossover, replace the two S248s and two S124s in Revision 10 with two S62s and a 310mm double crossover.