Welcome to The Track Planner
Why Use a Professional Track Planner?
You would not start construction of a new house without an architect's floor plan? Yet many model railroaders start building their dream layout without a well designed and well thought out track plan?
My designs are interesting, but not overly complicated. While I have designed numerous complex multiple level plans, my passion is designing track plans for individuals whose first layout turned out less than optimal or they are having problems conceptualizing a design based on their wants. My designs are fun to build and fun to operate. They don't become boring after a few years. With a custom designed track plan, you can take pride in the fact, you built a layout that not only looks good, but at its core is designed based on prototypical railroad operations.
My designs are specifically tailored to the clients needs. Most of my designs include the seven design elements described below. A custom designed track plan, will save you time, money, and eliminate the stress of trying to create your own design, while giving you many years of model railroading enjoyment!
Seven Layout Design Elements(LDE) for a Successful Track Plan
LDE #1. Walk-Along Mainlines... With the advancements in electronics and the quality of today's equipment, in my opinion, a model railroad should be designed to mimic real railroads. Walk-along mainlines not only creates a visually stunning look, but also let's operators feel like they are "operating" their trains. Walking with your train, gives you the feeling of actually going somewhere. The hardest two elements to emulate on a model railroad is time and distance. Walk-along mainlines substantially improve that feeling.
LDE #2. Narrow Benchwork... This element is important for the overall comfort of operating a layout. Narrow benchwork makes building the layout much easier. Narrow benchwork can also help reduce those narrow pinch-points in aisles. I try to avoid reach-ins deeper than 36", for maximum comfort. Most of my designs have benchwork depths in the 12" to 30" range.
LDE #3. Long Mainline Runs... Having long mainline runs, incorporated with walk-along benchwork, reinforces the feeling of trains "going somewhere". Where space permits, designing track plans with multiple peninsulas can maximize mainline runs and enhance the hard to emulate time and distance element.
LDE #4. Trains Traveling Through Scenes Once... This element also helps increase the feeling of time and distance. It enhances the illusion, your models are real and there is a reason for them traversing the layout. Combined with staging (element #6), operators get the feeling of operating a real train. Trains actually "come from" and "go to" somewhere.
LDE #5. Peninsulas with View Blocks... View blocks also help create the illusion of time and distance. They help operators focus on what is directly in front of them. As the operator walks with his train, he only sees the landscape his train is currently passing through. While the other side of the peninsula may only be a few feet away, can feel like miles away.
LDE #6. Staging Yards... If a model railroad is to function like the prototype, staging yards are a necessity. Trains need places "to go" and "to come from". Combining staging, traveling through scenes once, and long mainline runs, you're creating a "mini-transportation system". Think of staging as everything "beyond the basement".
LDE #7. Prototypical Operations... Model railroads that have been around for decades, usually have one thing in common. They can be operated like the real railroads. I pride myself in being able to create, not only a beautiful looking track plan, but a track plan that can be built and operated like the prototype. Think in terms of designing "mini-transportation systems" not a model railroad.
Computer Aided Design(CAD): Using a CAD based design program will guarantee that everything will fit and operate as designed. Its easy for individuals to become intimated by CAD software. When you purchase a custom CAD designed track plan, from "The Track Planner" you can rest assured the design will fit the available space and operate as designed.
Go to my Gallery page to see additional examples.
Go to my Referral page, to read some of the testimonials and feel free to contact any of the individuals listed.
The Cost of a Professionally Designed Track Plan
Model railroaders who are thinking about using my services, have to decide if the cost of a well thought out, well designed, operations oriented track plan is worth the investment. The Track Planner can design a custom track plan that will operate prototypically, fit the available space, and save the model railroader time and frustration. In my opinion, it is one of the best investments you can make.
Go to the Getting Started page and find out how easy it is to get started.
Thanks for visiting my website!
You would not start construction of a new house without an architect's floor plan? Yet many model railroaders start building their dream layout without a well designed and well thought out track plan?
My designs are interesting, but not overly complicated. While I have designed numerous complex multiple level plans, my passion is designing track plans for individuals whose first layout turned out less than optimal or they are having problems conceptualizing a design based on their wants. My designs are fun to build and fun to operate. They don't become boring after a few years. With a custom designed track plan, you can take pride in the fact, you built a layout that not only looks good, but at its core is designed based on prototypical railroad operations.
My designs are specifically tailored to the clients needs. Most of my designs include the seven design elements described below. A custom designed track plan, will save you time, money, and eliminate the stress of trying to create your own design, while giving you many years of model railroading enjoyment!
Seven Layout Design Elements(LDE) for a Successful Track Plan
LDE #1. Walk-Along Mainlines... With the advancements in electronics and the quality of today's equipment, in my opinion, a model railroad should be designed to mimic real railroads. Walk-along mainlines not only creates a visually stunning look, but also let's operators feel like they are "operating" their trains. Walking with your train, gives you the feeling of actually going somewhere. The hardest two elements to emulate on a model railroad is time and distance. Walk-along mainlines substantially improve that feeling.
LDE #2. Narrow Benchwork... This element is important for the overall comfort of operating a layout. Narrow benchwork makes building the layout much easier. Narrow benchwork can also help reduce those narrow pinch-points in aisles. I try to avoid reach-ins deeper than 36", for maximum comfort. Most of my designs have benchwork depths in the 12" to 30" range.
LDE #3. Long Mainline Runs... Having long mainline runs, incorporated with walk-along benchwork, reinforces the feeling of trains "going somewhere". Where space permits, designing track plans with multiple peninsulas can maximize mainline runs and enhance the hard to emulate time and distance element.
LDE #4. Trains Traveling Through Scenes Once... This element also helps increase the feeling of time and distance. It enhances the illusion, your models are real and there is a reason for them traversing the layout. Combined with staging (element #6), operators get the feeling of operating a real train. Trains actually "come from" and "go to" somewhere.
LDE #5. Peninsulas with View Blocks... View blocks also help create the illusion of time and distance. They help operators focus on what is directly in front of them. As the operator walks with his train, he only sees the landscape his train is currently passing through. While the other side of the peninsula may only be a few feet away, can feel like miles away.
LDE #6. Staging Yards... If a model railroad is to function like the prototype, staging yards are a necessity. Trains need places "to go" and "to come from". Combining staging, traveling through scenes once, and long mainline runs, you're creating a "mini-transportation system". Think of staging as everything "beyond the basement".
LDE #7. Prototypical Operations... Model railroads that have been around for decades, usually have one thing in common. They can be operated like the real railroads. I pride myself in being able to create, not only a beautiful looking track plan, but a track plan that can be built and operated like the prototype. Think in terms of designing "mini-transportation systems" not a model railroad.
Computer Aided Design(CAD): Using a CAD based design program will guarantee that everything will fit and operate as designed. Its easy for individuals to become intimated by CAD software. When you purchase a custom CAD designed track plan, from "The Track Planner" you can rest assured the design will fit the available space and operate as designed.
Go to my Gallery page to see additional examples.
Go to my Referral page, to read some of the testimonials and feel free to contact any of the individuals listed.
The Cost of a Professionally Designed Track Plan
Model railroaders who are thinking about using my services, have to decide if the cost of a well thought out, well designed, operations oriented track plan is worth the investment. The Track Planner can design a custom track plan that will operate prototypically, fit the available space, and save the model railroader time and frustration. In my opinion, it is one of the best investments you can make.
Go to the Getting Started page and find out how easy it is to get started.
Thanks for visiting my website!