newbie questions

[daveg]

Really interesting Robin and a brilliant idea.

I guess the task will depend on the modelling experience and skill of the person doing the conversion.

I'm pretty much a non-technical modeller so I tend to leave the more complicated stuff to the experts!

Dave G

[kirky]

Thanks daveg. I will most likely pursue this idea, I am sure it will be a lot of work to get it to the level of detail I want, but that's the fun part isn't it? hehe. Anyways, is there a track layout software that will allow me to put this image as a background to that I can lay tracks on top of it to see what I need?

I guess I am one of the few on here who has been lost on the Norwegian rail network so i feel qualified to say 'Welcome'.
I believe what you are trying to achieve is possible with Templot. This is available free I think at www.templot.com. I'm sorry I can't check that at the moment, the site seems to be down.
I would like to add that you should definitely try to visit an exhibition and talk to n gauge modellers there. I'm not sure how popular model railways are in Norway, but if you can get to an exhibition it would be a big help.
Alternatively you could seek out your local model railway shop. I'm sure there will be a retailer in Norway who can let you try different dcc systems. I think I am right in saying *any* dcc system will work in n gauge, it's the loco decoders that are different, well smaller.
How easy is it to get the UK? I recall a few years ago here were stories in our local area of Norwegians making day trips to here in the NE of England!

Cheers
Kirky

[Sprintex]

Looking at the satellite map it's a great place to model. Through station, plenty of sidings for freight movements and storage, turntable and roundhouse - hours of fun

Wouldn't be too difficult to make it into a roundy-roundy layout by disguising the ends with a road bridge or lots of trees


Paul

[weave]

Hi,

Great to see another 'continental' modeller on the ship. Welcome aboard.

Sorry that this is going to be not much help to you at all as know nothing about Arnold tracks (although they are German so presumably good quality). I am now using Kato Unitrack as being a newbie I find the electrics so easy.

Know nothing of DCC or track plans (I am just making it up as I go along - if there's bits left over, think of another scenario to incorporate them).

Think you said the board could/would be 3m x 1m which if you've got the room would be great. Certainly don't go less than 0.75m  in width as I found out, starting with 2 feet wide (61cm). It's possible but IMO no. The length is up to you but it's all about the width as the 'actress said to the bishop'.

Eventually, my point is how are you going to model N gauge Norwegian? Maybe missed that bit. Know there's Danish stuff around. Are you a scratchbuilder or can you convert stuff? Would be good to know.  Never been to Scandinavia, hear the beer's very expensive!

Once again welcome and sorry if not helping much

Cheers weave

[EtchedPixels]

There are a few bits of Norwegian stuff that match other countries (eg DMUs) plus a fair amount of the freight does and of course you get 66s.

What little Norwegian stuff exists in RTR appears to be HO however and I've not found a good book of Norwegian rolling stock/loco drawings so I've managed to avoid the temptation to model any of it

Alan

[Lawrence]

I would agree with Paul, the image you posted of your home station would make an excellent layout, with a double loop disguised by scenery.  You can put a piece of light plywood or hardboard across the layout, end to end, splitting it in 2, so you only see the trains coming in to and leaving the station, you can paint a town scene or mountains on the board behind the station buildings.  Then behind the scenic board you can have an area, called a fiddle yard, to store trains on three or four tracks .

[luddiluddludde]

Excellent help in this forum , I really appreciate it. I am now playing with Anyrail, and I have been able to place my google maps image as a background and I am now placing the tracks to see if I can make it match... Not as easy as it looks. I am having difficulties getting the tracks to match the angles of tracks on the background image 100%, but I guess I can make some artistic changes .

Just wondering, I started out using Arnold, are there much differences in the different manufacturers?

[GroupC]

Hello luddiluddludde

I'm pleased you find this forum such a help - it's good to hear, and don't forget that as previous people have said, we all start out knowing nothing, so there are no stupid questions. No-one here will laugh at you for not knowing, which I find really helpful.

With Anyrail, you'll probably know by now that you can only plan a layout with 50 items before you have to pay. If you need more than 50 items, which isn't hard to get to, believe me, and you don't want to pay, you can always plan the layout in sections of 50-or-less items. There's no limit to the number of individual layouts (or sections of bigger layouts) you can have because these exist as as separate files. So for my layout I had a main section, a fiddle yard section (the bit where you store all the trains etc. out of sight, if that term's new to you... sorry if I'm telling you things you already know!) and a high-level section.

It's really helpful software, I found it very easy to use. The hard / fun / exciting / expensive part is transferring what's on screen to actual life!

If you're planning to model an actual station, it might be best to scale down the dimensions of the real thing - you can still keep the overall track plan, but have shorter platforms etc. It's amazing how big an actual station is when you convert it down, even to N gauge. You can never model the exact "real thing" because in real life almost all the track is, I think, tailor-made for one specific location, whereas in model form you get a few geometry / size choices and that's it... unless you want to make you own track from scratch, which I wouldn't recommend! But as you say, you can easily adapt the real thing and still retain the flavour of the original. It's all part of the fun too.

The trackplan you've posted looks really good with lots of scope. I have no idea how to pronounce the names of these Scandinavian places however.

Good luck over there in Norway, let us know how you get on. I'm quite excited on your behalf!

[daveg]

Useful info and advice from Group C but he forgot to mention the Peco flexi track that comes in 36 inch (914.4mm) lengths. It's listed, as I'm sure you've already found out in the AnyRail Track Library.

I succumbed and bought/downloaded the full version. Worth the cost in MHO but splitting the plan into sections is a neat way of saving the cash.

Dave G

[luddiluddludde]

Thanks for all the valuable information all . I am now playing around in Anyrail trying to create a layout with my google maps cutout as a background image. Not doing too bad I think. I have selected the N Arnold track library, and in there I found a 666mm flexi track that I have used many times . I have split the layout in two, as I exceeded 50 items easily.

I will post some images as soon as I am happy with the layout, to get your inputs on it.

In anyrail, is it possible to get a list of what I have used? like a shoppinglist?

If anyone is really good at anyrail, how can I scale the background image correctly? I created the layout itself by creating a line/surface and then putting the image inside it... However, it turned out to be cut on both ends for some reason... Anyways, my first attempt so I reckon it will be better next time around

On another note, I have tried contacting the railroad company to see if it is possible to receive schematics of the station and the surrounding area to make it easier to get it as exact as possible.

[Leo1961]

Thanks for all the valuable information all . I am now playing around in Anyrail trying to create a layout with my google maps cutout as a background image. Not doing too bad I think. I have selected the N Arnold track library, and in there I found a 666mm flexi track that I have used many times . I have split the layout in two, as I exceeded 50 items easily.

I will post some images as soon as I am happy with the layout, to get your inputs on it.

In anyrail, is it possible to get a list of what I have used? like a shoppinglist?

If anyone is really good at anyrail, how can I scale the background image correctly? I created the layout itself by creating a line/surface and then putting the image inside it... However, it turned out to be cut on both ends for some reason... Anyways, my first attempt so I reckon it will be better next time around

On another note, I have tried contacting the railroad company to see if it is possible to receive schematics of the station and the surrounding area to make it easier to get it as exact as possible.

Look under File -> Info -> List of materials 

[luddiluddludde]

Thanks Leo , I will have a try once I have completed my layout. This will take some time I think, and I will post randomly in here on my progress and there will most certainly be a lot of questions from me as it all progresses.

Also, just have to share this:
I received my first N-gauge tracks yesterday after buying some on ebay, and my are they cute . I am used to H0, but these N-gauge are really something. The mere exitement just to see the small sized tracks, can't wait to get more stuff so that I can get this project off the ground

[daveg]

Getting started is an exciting time.

As you say, everything being so much smaller than you are used too, it needs to be handled with perhaps a little more care.

Enjoy the planning stages and the gathering of the track, locos and rolling stock.

We look forward to seeing what you come up with. Ask away if you have any questions, there's bound to be someone who can help or advise.

Dave G

[petercharlesfagg]

  Velkommen!

Never been to Egersund but the map gives some details, Google gave some lovely pictures.

Glad to see someone else getting interested in European modelling.

Keep us all posted, MVH, Peter.