I am also 75 and have drawn a lot of tracks on real railroad maps for a living as I was a track civil engineer in the engineering department. I even laid out many track locations on the ground with a transit and tape and level.
I"m 75 and when I went to junior high school drafting was a required class for boys. (Unfortunately, back then gender equality was not a thing.) And my father gave me some drafting tools around the same time as he'd gone to engineering school. So I really liked this video, as in my teens I used the same approach to trackplans. But then I didn't have a choice, as personal computers were 20 years in the future! Cheers from Wisconsin.
Similar story as yours & I'm also 75 but, from western PA. I've been doing track plans on paper all my life in 3 rail, HO, and On30. I love doing it this way. Thanks, Dave for another great informative video.
That was Quick and CLEAN. I've used the same method, but in reverse. When someone ask to see my track plan, I then draw it up. When I started my layout a decade ago. I had an empty room, except for carpet. I had a visual idea of what I wanted. So I took a roll of masking tape and drew it out on the carpet. Built the bench work up from there and started elevations and laying track. Hopefully Dave, you've seen some of my videos. Thank You for sharing, I am in the process of building a couple of new Modules, and I will be using your ideas.
You have good audiences base! This enjoyable scenes! This is good entertainment for my family. You inspired me friend. Roses are red, violet are blue. So are the button, i clicked for you. hehe.
Just goes to show you don't need a computer when a pencil and paper gets the job done and it is more fun to. My plans where never that neat or into the detail level you go to, but none the less worked for me. For the imperial challenged that's a 2400mm X 1200mm layout metric engineering drawings are usually drawn in mm measurement, not sure why but that's the way it is. Now I know what track I am going to use I did not know Peco did On30 track (still very green-horn when it comes to On30) and that has always been my preferred brand regardless of what scale I am playing with. As always thank you for an informative video. Plans usually get tweaked a bit when it comes to construction any way so near enough as you say is usually enough to get it built and running reliably. Must remember to show more track side detail next time I draw a plan. I don't usually get beyond track and any signals to be used. regards John
Man I wish there were more videos out there showing track planing by hand. Great summary and you have inspired me to sketch more (I was close to dropping money on software). Do you have any videos covering the drafting of your layout?
I still think Anyrail6 software is one of the best investments I have made for track planning, especially when using sectional track. I model in Kato N and Bachmann HO, and it is nice to be able to print a track inventory. I'm also 75 btw (seems like a requirement among posters here)😎...
The old school ways rule!! Did you film this with a different device than normal? It doesn’t appear to be as sharp and clear as your other productions. The information, as always, is excellent! Thanks for posting!
I've done it that way, but my usual method is to draw the plan first lightly with a hard lead pencil and then go over everything and add details with a softer lead or even ink in some cases.
Great tips for track planning
I am also 75 and have drawn a lot of tracks on real railroad maps for a living as I was a track civil engineer in the engineering department. I even laid out many track locations on the ground with a transit and tape and level.
Excellent video, thank you
I"m 75 and when I went to junior high school drafting was a required class for boys. (Unfortunately, back then gender equality was not a thing.) And my father gave me some drafting tools around the same time as he'd gone to engineering school. So I really liked this video, as in my teens I used the same approach to trackplans. But then I didn't have a choice, as personal computers were 20 years in the future! Cheers from Wisconsin.
Similar story as yours & I'm also 75 but, from western PA. I've been doing track plans on paper all my life in 3 rail, HO, and On30. I love doing it this way.
Thanks, Dave for another great informative video.
I bet you can read and write cursive tell time from a clock with hands and do math without a calculator!
That was Quick and CLEAN. I've used the same method, but in reverse. When someone ask to see my track plan, I then draw it up. When I started my layout a decade ago. I had an empty room, except for carpet. I had a visual idea of what I wanted. So I took a roll of masking tape and drew it out on the carpet. Built the bench work up from there and started elevations and laying track. Hopefully Dave, you've seen some of my videos. Thank You for sharing, I am in the process of building a couple of new Modules, and I will be using your ideas.
I'm learning a lot!
yes. please more of those tips (:
You have good audiences base! This enjoyable scenes! This is good entertainment for my family. You inspired me friend. Roses are red, violet are blue. So are the button, i clicked for you. hehe.
thats how I do it, all my track plans are hand drawn, but I am an artist so I am good at it
Excellent video Sir.
Love your quick tip series! Do you think you could ever do a tutorail on how you wire and set up your sound modules?
DAVE, WHAT IS THE RADIUS? I MUST KNOW THE RADIUS! ALWAYS NEED TO KNOW THE RADIUS!!! 😉
Just goes to show you don't need a computer when a pencil and paper gets the job done and it is more fun to.
My plans where never that neat or into the detail level you go to, but none the less worked for me.
For the imperial challenged that's a 2400mm X 1200mm layout metric engineering drawings are usually drawn in mm measurement, not sure why but that's the way it is.
Now I know what track I am going to use I did not know Peco did On30 track (still very green-horn when it comes to On30) and that has always been my preferred brand regardless of what scale I am playing with.
As always thank you for an informative video.
Plans usually get tweaked a bit when it comes to construction any way so near enough as you say is usually enough to get it built and running reliably.
Must remember to show more track side detail next time I draw a plan.
I don't usually get beyond track and any signals to be used.
regards John
Great educational video. Thanks
Man I wish there were more videos out there showing track planing by hand. Great summary and you have inspired me to sketch more (I was close to dropping money on software). Do you have any videos covering the drafting of your layout?
I still think Anyrail6 software is one of the best investments I have made for track planning, especially when using sectional track. I model in Kato N and Bachmann HO, and it is nice to be able to print a track inventory. I'm also 75 btw (seems like a requirement among posters here)😎...
Interesting.
I use SCARM but I far prefer the look of the hand drawn plan.
The old school ways rule!! Did you film this with a different device than normal? It doesn’t appear to be as sharp and clear as your other productions. The information, as always, is excellent! Thanks for posting!
Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I’ve been experimenting with a new camera. I’m not that thrilled with it.
This is a great tutorial, do you trace the basic drawing on some blank paper to elaborate more detail and color the plan?
I've done it that way, but my usual method is to draw the plan first lightly with a hard lead pencil and then go over everything and add details with a softer lead or even ink in some cases.