Planning Software

[Estar]

Hello

After being absent from the hobby for quite a number of years, I am very much looking forward to rekindling my childhood interest. For quite sometime now I have been contemplating a OO garden railway, predominantly as a tribute to the memory of my late father. So much so that I pretty much have the plan in intricate detail running around my head. I do need to get this down on paper, and I plan on putting my thoughts into AnyRail 6 at some point soon. However, this project of mine is actually quite a bit bigger than that, as I am in the fortunate position of being able to remodel my whole garden. I am comfortable with the modeling layout software I have chosen, however, I would greatly appreciate any advice, recommendations, regarding a landscaping software package. It does need to be free, as my planned ventures won't be cheap, and any funds spent on software just reduces my budgets for landscaping/modelling etc.

I'd greatly welcome any advice, thank you in advance

Eddie  

Pemburgh Jct

[mick]

Hi Eddie

I'm pleased to hear you've decided to enter the world of OO garden railways so welcome to the forum!

Don't be deterred by the lack of responses you receive as we're only a minority bunch and there are times it might feel you're talking to yourself but take it from me, others will be listening.

I'm afraid I have no experience or knowledge of any landscaping software but that might already be evident from the state of my own garden, however, I'm sure these days that there will be something available at reasonable cost, if not freely available, that might assist you. Likewise I have no experience of track planning software as I simply transfer what's in my head onto paper and then start cutting the wood, but that's just me and how I tend to work.

What I would advise is not to attempt something too sophisticated with your track planning. Start small and keep things very basic until you feel confident enough to move forward. It's so easy to attempt to replicate an indoor layout outdoors but they rarely work. Start with solid and perfectly level foundations. Electrically bond every single length of track to ensure continuity and keep pointwork to a minimum. I get a lot of enjoyment from operating predominantly a single line but double track running would be fine too and it all depends on what you would like. Simple loop circuits are easy enough to maintain if you're happy to sit back and watch trains running.

A good compromise is to have the bulk of your layout under cover in an outbuilding where you can have stations and an abundance of pointwork and then use the garden as a plain running track. Under cover you can safely install point motors and the like without fear of them getting damaged by the elements and you have somewhere to store trains. In my opinion electronics in the garden have limited life expectancy.

It would be interesting to hear what your plans are.

[Estar]

Hi Mick 

Many thanks for the welcome, it's greatly appreciated. I understand your comments regarding the membership, and I will bare this in mind. I have a long road to travel with regards to developing, let alone running, my OO garden railway. Still, hopefully time doesn't currently appear to be to greater a factor for me. I appreciate your comments with regards to Ops, and I was pretty much thinking similar. However, I do like things a little on the elaborate/moderately complex side!

My current plan is a phased build, finally ending up with a Y formation layout. Each branch is likely to have a covered loop and fiddle yard, which will have grade separation access. The space in question is perhaps 20m x 8m, I should mention that the space also has a natural slight gradient in places. As the name eludes too, "Pemburgh Jct" the middle uncovered section will comprise of low speed switches. I am looking for a layout with both semi and full automation DCC functionality. I'm planning on operating DCC converted Lima loco's. 

Hopefully, I'll be able to achieve great things, still no real rush. I'll post the initial Anyrail6 Track plans once I have been able to fully measure/survey the proposed site (Hopefully Late Oct/Early Nov for initial plans)

Regards

Eddie - Pemburgh Jct

Edited October 3, 2019 by Estar

[mick]

It's amazing how far model railway operation has progressed in recent years, especially since the onset of DCC control. Complex setups and fully automated layouts are within reach of almost anyone simply by adding another credit card sized 'module'.  I've never progressed further than electronic switches such as solenoid control and auto-frog modules mainly because of the conditions outdoors. My 8-way DCC Concepts universal DCC decoder was housed inside the shed, within a plastic box, but didn't survive the winter. Some of my DCC Decoders and Auto-frog modules for outdoor points eventually gave up the ghost too despite my best efforts to keep them protected. Now I try to keep away from anything that looks too delicate and wherever possible at least house them inside the shed even if it means running wires that may be considered too long for successful operation.

I'm not sure how you plan to incorporate DCC automation but do give it plenty of thought as to where everything is located.