Creating a Track Plan for My Model Railroad

In this episode, I begin translating the track plans I've created in xtrkcad onto my layout. As I work to finalize this track plan for my model railroad I employ a number of templates and tools. I also discuss a few resources that I've used along the way to learn more about prototypical operations and how to improve my model railroad. Finally, I encounter a few problems along the way and find creative solutions.
You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook @WhiteRiverLine for more photos and announcements
/ whiteriverline
/ whiteriverline
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xtrkcad - www.xtrkcad.org/
Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong - www.amazon.com...
Trackwork Handbook by John Mallery - www.amazon.com...
‪@RonsTrainsNThings‬ on Easements - • Model Railroad Track L...
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Shot on iPhones www.apple.com/...
Edited with Davinci Resolve www.blackmagic...

[@derekalexander4030]

Remember, nothing says that the table has to be square where the curves of the wye are. If you add a curved piece to the inside of the benchwork you can move the wye more to one side to allow for additional scenery like buildings and you can increase the radius of one or both of the legs of the wye.

[@WhiteRiverLine]

That's a good thought. By in large I'm happy with the track plan I came up with (so far), but there is definitely room for improvement.

[@MidtownSun]

Damnit… I really wasn’t wanting to Sub to anymore layout series, but this guy is doing too good of a job with the videos, so I don’t have much of a choice.

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks, Steve.

[@ameelmd]

Great video, happy I found your channel.

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Welcome aboard!

[@elleryparsons5766]

Balance Is Everything When putting down track.

[@TheTrainFreak]

Looks like you have a great plan moving forward! You might want to consider using #6s as they provide a more realistic look and less derail potential than #5s on your mainline and yard ladders when pulling pushing long trains. You can trim down the straight legs when using them in a ladder so the tracks aren't spaced too far wide. I am known to use #4s only in industrial areas to help conserve some space at slow limit speeds. Great job Drew and looking forward to seeing some track on that benchwork! - Jason

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks for suggestion, Jason. I'll look into it.

[@johnjohnston2962]

This is a very good series for going to an advanced step in building a room sized Pike as they said in the old days.

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks, John.

[@jamescarry4733]

I would love to watch as you continue constructing this layout. Take your time and don't rush, you'll be happy and proud Later on of you're accomplishments.

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thank you so much!

[@mishellcruz6180]

Perhaps youmay find the track planning ideas of Ian Rice helpful. He has a lot of plans for 1930s era and for spaces like you have. Perhaps you might consider picking up one of his track planning Books.

[@WhiteRiverLine]

I just ordered his shelf layout book from Amazon, thanks for the tip.

[@elleryparsons5766]

I knew I was right and it is True Different strokes Different Folks

[@jerrysmith1929]

You may want to reconsider using #5 turnouts. Although tempting to use so as to squeeze more into available space, it often becomes an operational headache. I'd suggest using larger turnouts and resorting to #5's only when no alternative can work.

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks for the feedback. I'm starting to sense a theme, lol. Definitely has me reconsidering.

[@coxsj]

Thanks for sharing. I recommend you skip #5s. Too tight to look realistic and prone to operating problems. Instead, use #7 or #8s on the main and #6s everywhere else. You have the room for it and it’s so much easier to make the improvement now rather than later after track has been laid. Otherwise your plan seems like it will work ok. Looking forward to your next instalment. Cheers!

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll play around with a little on xtrkcad see what I can come up with.

[@coxsj]

@@WhiteRiverLine Cheers! A lot of potential issues only show up once you get to the benchwork stage. What looks good on the screen doesn't translate as expected etc. etc. In any case, I know it's difficult and daunting and annoying to make substantial changes at this stage, but speaking from experience, biting the bullet now is far better than suffering a mediocre layout later. May my prior pain guide you to greener pastures!!! ;-)

[@rjl110919581]

thank you for sharing your detailed video did look at scissors wye in the industrial area give big curve and lay long siding in are

[@WhiteRiverLine]

I have not looked at a scissor wye. That could work. I'll mess around with it.

[@centeroftheearthmining4095]

I believe this to be one of the most frustrating aspects in model railroading. Luckily the hobby shop I go to the owner also designs and builds layouts. He was a huge help in the designing process

[@WhiteRiverLine]

I really struggled with feeling confident that what I was designing would work well. It's really the first step in the process and if you don't have much experience you could be hindered by poor decisions in the design for years to come.

[@adriengadson3544]

Hello you are doing it correctly by laying your plan out first to find any real problems. Also use what you want , these people are not your boss or anything and can't try to persuade you to use what they want. It's your's at the end of the day ...have fun.

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks for the encouragement, Adrien. I'm planning to also do a little bit of testing to see how well the turnouts and radii I'm planning will work.

[@georgiasunbelt]

Great video on your planning and progress….I scanned through the comments and anything I may have added is already there…I should’ve been as meticulous as you as I was going along and wouldn’t have to redo a couple things…new subscriber….Anthony

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks for subscribing, Anthony. It is hard not to get impatient and be meticulous, but hopefully I'll end up with the layout I want in the end.

[@mishellcruz6180]

Great videos thank you very much Drew! Just recentar found your channel and had to subscribe immediately. I hope you can keep up with this marvellous quality! There seems some discussion going on. I would highly recommend doing test runs with your equipment and #5 turnouts. Test the longest and lightest ((Wright) cars for derailing. Derails because of Speed on the branch in the 1930s may not be an issue as you probably wonˋt race along at 80mph. I am more concerned of the 15ˋ Radius. Though using easements there is a chance your 2-8-0 cannot negotiate this curve. I have a 2-8-0 and it hardly makes it around my 20ˋ minimum curve. Another thing is that one leg of the wye is on the liftout. Cutting gaps in an angle in a 15ˋ curve might cause you operating issues. I had a wye on my sectional layout, ist spanned three sections and i cannot recommend building it this way. (Changing a track Plan of handlaid track for operational issues is Not as much Funk as it Sounds) So as well in this case i would recommend testing before building . Steve Brown made a video where he tested grades he wanted to use. I hope you may find my ideas useful. So far everything you do really looks great.

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've found nothing creates more discussion than track planning. Lots of different opinions and perspectives, so lots of things for me to think about. Another commenter suggested testing first, so I think I'll grab a few lengths of flex track for testing before I start hand laying track.

[@mishellcruz6180]

@@WhiteRiverLine Great handlaying track really gives you the liberty to do any track arrangement you want and with the tools and templates from fasttracks it is so much easier. Donˋt bother if you have tools for #5s you can use the filing jigs for #6 anyway. You may just need some tinkering. But i am sure with your skills you show in your videos you will make it anyway.

[@coxsj]

Oh one more thing...I think you may find the track height to be too low. Best practice for viewing and switching is closer to chest height. An extra 6-12 inches in height will help a lot. Again, it’s a lot easier to extend the legs now vs later. Don’t worry about crossing the windows, las it is at the current height the scenery and backdrop will partially block the window. With the layout raised to a better elevation, you’ll still have access to the upper and lower parts of the window. Cheers!

[@WhiteRiverLine]

I saw several different opinion on bench height when I was thinking through my benchwork and chest height certainly does seem to the preferred height these days. I opted for lower so I don't have to get on a step stool to work on the back part of the layout and so my young niece and nephew would be able to see when they come to visit.

[@coxsj]

​@@WhiteRiverLine Yes, I can see that being an influence, especially if the layout is mainly for them. Do consider, it typically takes years to build a layout. In that time, kids grow up and get taller. And in the mean time, they'll have no issue with step stools. Your choice of course.

[@jml8975]

Catzilla made their first appearance!! Making great progress thus far, keep up the good work!

[@WhiteRiverLine]

She's a pretty naughty cat and has already decided the benchwork is a great place for a nap. Could be a struggle in the future.

[@paulc1964]

Really enjoyed this episode track plan looks good

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks, Paul.

[@BCHonea]

I sure would love to help you model. If you’re within 3 hours of DFW let me know. I’ve been modeling HO for 35 years and no longer have my layout so it would be fun for me

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks for the offer. I'm about 16 hours from DFW, in Colorado. Have you looked into local clubs? It might be a great way for you to continue modeling without having to maintain a home layout.

[@elleryparsons5766]

Different Methods and ways to Build layout Take your Time Don’t Rush it.

[@erichayden2121]

Great stuff and nice work! When you assemble your yard ladder, make sure to assemble the turnouts as one “piece”. This makes install easier. How long is your peninsula? I’m playing around with a Y as well. Mine’s 8 ft long by 2 ft wide. TIA!

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Great idea on the ladder. Should take a little bit of thinking through. My peninsula is 7' x 1.5'

[@RonsTrainsNThings]

What areas/towns in the Ozarks do you plan to model?

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Hi, Ron, thanks for stopping by. I grew up near Springfield, MO so generally that area. I'm not modeling specifically to any prototype, but more "inspired by". Commercial street in Springfield was the heart of the Frisco in the era I'm modeling so I'll have a little bit of that. There was a small branch that went down to a tiny little town named Chadwick and I've been fascinated with the history of that branch, the Chadwick Flyer. I put together a video this summer talking about my inspiration a little bit, when I took a trip back home to visit my family, kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5CsnKqBbJ16aZI.

[@RonsTrainsNThings]

@@WhiteRiverLine That isninteresting. I live about an hour from Springfield and have lived in the area for a number of years. I went to college 8n Bolivar.

[@WhiteRiverLine]

My grandparents lived in Bolivar. He was president of the local branch of Commerce Bank. My parents met at SBU in the 60s and lots of my family went there. My wife and cousin were roommates at SBU in the 90s so lots of Bolivar connections for me. Small world.

[@abdullahabu1252]

I like your show. My question is what type turnout switch is used in this layout. Because I have Atlas turnout size #4,and #6. Thank you ALWABIL

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Good question! I'm building my own turnouts. Although I talked about using #5s in the video, I will be using #6's off the mainline and #5s everywhere else. Here is a video of me hand-building a #5 turnout. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZuWqY15aZuUkJI

[@billberanek910]

A professionals opinion... I agree with diff19707 using #5 turnouts is okay if 1) you use Peco or Walthers code 83 (not Atlas), 2) your rolling stock is primarily 50's era. 3) you diesel motive power is primarily 4-Axle and your steam power is 0-6-0. Of more concern (my opionion) is some of your radii being too tight. Trying to use 15" radius is not good, even for 50's era equipment. Equipment "might" run on it, but will look non-prototyical on curves that tight. You went to the trouble of adding easements, which is fine, but then started using 15" radii "to make things work"! The success of any model railroad depends on three things, 1) setting minium standards and not diviating from them, 2) using computer aided track planning software using those minimum standards, and 3) setting realisitc achiveable goals. Case in point... be very careful with using elevation changes on small switching layouts. Even a simple 1" elevation is a lot for a small layout, i.e., at a 2% grade, you'll need over 4 feet of lead track. If you want tracks to crossover themselves (at 4" elevation) you'll need over 16 feet of track on either side of the crossover to maintaiin a 2% grade! Bill Beranek - The Track Planner

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks for all the feedback. The era I'm modeling is the 1930's. I've currently only have a 2-8-0, but am planning on adding 0-6-0 to my roster at some point in the future. All of my rolling stock will be relatively short due to the era. I plan to add some passenger cars at some point, but they won't ever operate on 15"/18" radii curves. My elevation changes will done by not only having the mainline go up, but by the branches going down. I've done the math on the layout and should be able to achieve proper clearance at 2.5%. I'm will to have it not quite look prototypical as long as it is runs okay. I can probably do a little more finessing to get the wye to 18" radius.

[@mishellcruz6180]

@@WhiteRiverLine Hi Drew very nice videos so far, thank you for the great quality you are providing. Looks like there is some discussion going on about this video. I would recommend doing test runs with #5 turnouts and the wye including the 15‘ Radius. There is a certain Chance your 2-8-0 will not make it. Better invest in a little bit of track you are planning to use now before you glue down your sub roadbed. The ohne thing i stumbled on besides 15‘ radii was That it seems one leg of your wye is on the liftout so the track meets the gap at an angle. I have a sectional layout myself and tried the same „wye-thing“ crossing three sections. Cannot recommend it. i am now trying to keep every track that crosses from one track to another at a right angle. You can also test elevations with some test track and your equipment as Steve Brown did in one of his videos. Looking forward to a „testing Video“ . Thanks for the great work. Yours Matthias

[@dff19707]

The consensus is obvious here, and, yes, if you can fit larger turnouts, by all means, go for it. However, I have a lot of #5 Walthers (Shinohara) turnouts on my HO layout, and they are flawless in operation. I can easily run six-axle locomotives and 85’ passenger cars through at track speed with no issue. Don’t let others scare you from your plan, if you can install reliable trackwork. Yes, larger turnouts look better, but we all have to compromise at some point. If #5 turnouts make the difference of getting the plan you want, do what you have to do. It’s your layout. Don’t build it to satisfy a bunch of strangers. Build it to satisfy you.

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks. I've learned there are a lot of opinions, perspective and advise given in this hobby. It can be difficult to figure out what advise to take and what advise to ignore. I try to be grateful for all of it. Of course, my package with supplies for building the #5 turnouts just arrived today. So now I've got a dilemma.

[@dff19707]

@@WhiteRiverLine Watching your video, I see the plan includes 18” and even 15” radius curves. I’m surprised you’re not taking a beating over that from your viewers as compared to turnout sizes. Anyhow, if you’re using such sharp curves, it’s overkill to rule out #5 turnouts. Oh, and one suggestion to help your wye fit: consider a #2-1/2 wye turnout (same radii as a standard #5, but both legs are curved, dividing the length of the turnout in half). That might even be able to increase the radius of the two legs of the wye to 18”.

[@adriengadson3544]

Exactly do what you need , these people are only viewers. They are not your boss , they can keep their anal , loner , and no life attitudes to themselves.

[@SuperFrecciaNera]

Why didn't you use a plotter service to print the trackplan in 1:1 scale?

[@WhiteRiverLine]

There were a couple reasons for this. First, I didn't feel like spending month a full sized plot. Second, I wanted to have a little hands on to help me think through the plan in a little different way.

[@patrickhalsey4000]

nive vid….what did you use to glue foam to benchwork?

[@WhiteRiverLine]

I actually haven't glued it down yet. I want to make sure they their placement won't interfere with placement of my switch machines later down the line. I'm planning to use construction adhesive, it what I've seen recommended elsewhere, but I'm open to recommendations.

[@patrickhalsey4000]

thanks for the reply

[@elleryparsons5766]

I Knew You didn’t Need a Computer to Build A Train Layout.I would Like to Wildly like to Know How Many People Are Still Trying To Build the Trophy Layout?

[@WhiteRiverLine]

I actually did quite a bit of work on the computer before I got to this point, but strictly speaking it isn't necessary. Doing work on the computer allowed me play around a lot, make adjustments easily and think through what I wanted to do.

[@effenbeezeetravel4474]

Not-bad, nice track plan and checking how it will function ! I think easements are vastly overated on small layouts with short trains and short locomotives may not even be apparent to the viewer anyway ? You will build superior turnouts if you dump the numbered ridiculous numbered angle turnouts with the nutty strait section imbedded in the middle of them all. Goofy people at a association cooked those up anyway and they are not reality that much and go down to a real railroad an look at the track ? You can do better than those stiff-leg , silly numbered turnouts yourself ! I Quit constructing them on hand-lad track after getting sick of them because they are a joke and a mind game and make my own superior and more smoooth track ! I hope you did not purchase those dingy fixtures they sell !🚆🚅🚂🚃🚇🚉🚊🚝🚞🚄🚂🚂

[@WhiteRiverLine]

Thanks for all the feedback and thanks for watching.