Still looking for some track planning help...

[DKS]

reminds me of this N scale plan...

Then I succeeded, since it was indeed based on that plan:

http://therailwire.net/smf/index.php/topic,16271.msg138867.html#msg138867

[asciibaron]

sparky's image did not show up until i refreshed the page - weird. 


i don't think it's going to work in HO - the grades will be huge.

[ednadolski]

i don't think it's going to work in HO - the grades will be huge.

Grades are relative tho, and percentage-wise won't vary with scale (unless you start changing the relative size).

[ednadolski]

I like the curve skyboard too. 

I have curved skyboards and I think they are a mixed blessing.  Even 1/8" masonite is hard to curve down to about a 12" or so radius.  On mine, I soaked the back with Formula 409 spray to improve flexibility, but it was a single-sided board.   Another thing:  the tighter curving throws off any impression of distance.

Have you considered the HO Alkali Central from the 1996 MR mag?   That didn't have the grades or the figure-8, but was correspondingly more convincing and easier to build.  If you elevate the track on 2" foam, you can still do scenery below track level.  Perhaps that would an adequate alternative to grades -- sort of a "less is more", but it's up to you

There was another nice 4x8 HO 2-sider in an MR from 1992 tho I don't recall the name offhand.  It was reprinted in one of the Kalmbach books.  It was cool that it had fall scenery on one side and winter scenery on the other.  (I'll see if I can find it.)

Both of those also had roads & scenery that went above/below track level -- a lot of visual appeal. 

[Alcuin]

Alcuin: I built a version of that when I was in high school, without the upper level part of the route. I put an enginehouse in the middle of the reverse loop.

I have the original book at home, in a small collection of old model railroad books that used to be my grandfather's.

I've had the book for years. My father gave it to me along with "HO Primer" when I was about 10 years old, along with my first Tyco train set. It's still in pretty good shape after all that time.

[sparky]

i don't think it's going to work in HO - the grades will be huge.

Why do you say that?  There's only one over/under with plenty of real estate on either side.  It's just like a figure 8 with the crossover shifted to one side of the plan.  Am I missing something?

[DKS]

i don't think it's going to work in HO - the grades will be huge.

Why do you say that?  There's only one over/under with plenty of real estate on either side.  It's just like a figure 8 with the crossover shifted to one side of the plan.  Am I missing something?

Actually, the grades are even easier for the twice-around than for the figure-8.

[sparky]

Actually, the grades are even easier for the twice-around than for the figure-8.

That's what I was thinking!

[asciibaron]

Why do you say that?  There's only one over/under with plenty of real estate on either side.  It's just like a figure 8 with the crossover shifted to one side of the plan.  Am I missing something?

look at the distances between the track center lines - look at the 3rd square from the right end at the bottom - how close are those center lines between the curve and siding?  what is the grade separation at that point?  there is not enough clearance for cars let alone the grade separation.  then there is the grade that climbs 2" in about four feet on a tight radius in a tunnel.  i think it's too much track and too much grade in too little space.

-Steve