Urgent! Where to start?!

[myxomatosis]

Hey! I'm into starting my new route. I'm still gathering content but have enough for now. But I just don't know where to start! I always put some stuff down and end up quitting that because it doesn't come out right. I see these beautiful routes all over and just wonder, where should I start? I really want to do the DEM stuff (the route is prototypical) but I can't figure it out, maybe someone can help? Urgent!

 

[cascaderailroad]

Do you like modern big diesels, or older smaller steam or diesel transition switcher locos ? Do you like modern highspeed passenger trains, or 1930's heavyweight coachs pulled by GG1's. Do you like urban, rural, flat desert, or mountainous terrain. When you think of the perfect train layout, what are your preferences ? US, Canada, Europe...? Making perfect radius curves, and gradients, and yard throats, are detailed with techniques in several receint threads...as well as in mine: PRR Screenshots.
If you want to exactly reproduce a prototype area, Basemaps with Google Earth or Topo map overlays are easily mastered. I would be able to send you any particular Topo or Google Earth 1km x1km image, for editing images onto Basemaps, using MS Paint or Irfanview.

 

[NIARTcar]

Agreed, Track work is the basis of any good route. Start with the tracks, and worry about the scenery later.

 

[myxomatosis]

I'm modeling the ex-D&H from Whitehall, NY to Montreal.

 

[myxomatosis]

Agreed, Track work is the basis of any good route. Start with the tracks, and worry about the scenery later.

What about terrain?

 

[NIARTcar]

It depends on what your focus is. If you are looking to model an exsisting real world line, then start with the terrain maping. However, If you are looking for a route that fits you needs, and tastes, start with the track

*not necesarily facts, just my opinions*

cheers,

 

[leeferr]

It's much like building a model railroad except that you don't have the space and cost factors involved. It appears that you've already figured out that the first step is whether it's going to be freelance or prototypical.

I don't do prototypical routes because I quite honestly don't have the time required to perform all of the research required (and I don't want to listen to the rivet counters point out that my grades are off a quarter of a percent somewhere ).

If you're doing freelance, you need to decide era and locale. Is it early steam, transition or modern? Is it mountains, plains, coastal, etc?

Once I figure these things out, I like to at least produce a paper sketch of what I'd like the track schematic to look like in order to give my railroad something to do. After that, it's only limited by your imagination.

Best of Luck

Mike

 

[patchy]

simple way to do the area you want is run google earth then run trainz
then all you got to do is hit the windows key to switch between the two
lay your track you'll have rough idea where to place it
same as terrian you should have some idea where hills and rivers are
its not perfect but close enough

cheers n beers,
patchy

 

[cascaderailroad]

The Port of Montreal is a pretty big project all in itself. I measured the line and it was at least 130 miles or 200 kilometers which would be @ 300-400 baseboards at the very least. It would take a train over 2 hours, at 60+ miles an hour to travel that prototype distance.

A condenced route showing only the important areas, with many, many small joined dioramas, would make building the line more fun, and alot less of a chore, or full time job.

The D&H sounds like a pretty cool route, with some real nice topography.