AnyRail designer for hire?

[TheYakEmperor]

Hello, I'm wondering whether it's possible to hire someone to create my planned railway within AnyRail, as I myself struggle using it due to a variety of reasons. If anyone could help me out, I'd be glad!

[njee20]

Do you have a hand drawn plan, or at least some details of what you’re after?

[Harlequin]

Designing a layout is both a creative and technical endeavour. Different designers have expertise and are comfortable in different eras, regions, style of plan, scale, etc. so it would be useful  to know much more about your proposed railway to help people consider your request.

You might do better posting in the Layout & Track Design area.

Edited November 26, 2021 by Harlequin

[Mike Bellamy]

3 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Designing a layout is both a creative and technical endeavour. Different designers have expertise and are comfortable in different eras, regions, style of plan, scale, etc. so it would be useful  to know much more about your proposed railway to help people consider you request.

You might do better posting in the Layout & Track Design area.

 

Click on the link to Harlequin's Track Plans - I just did for the first time and was most impressed - you may find that Phil has already produced a design that fits your requirements !!

.

[Kris]

Just pop down available space and what you want out of your railway and I suspect that someone will give you some ideas. 

[TheYakEmperor]

19 hours ago, njee20 said:

Do you have a hand drawn plan, or at least some details of what you’re after?

I have a terribly rough mockup on MS Paint (as I mentioned before, I struggle with using computer programs). It's attached if you're interested.

Each black line is a length of track, and red blocks represent station platforms

[TheYakEmperor]

19 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Designing a layout is both a creative and technical endeavour. Different designers have expertise and are comfortable in different eras, regions, style of plan, scale, etc. so it would be useful  to know much more about your proposed railway to help people consider your request.

You might do better posting in the Layout & Track Design area.

I have posted my (very shoddily done) design above, if you're interested.

[Dungrange]

48 minutes ago, TheYakEmperor said:

I have a terribly rough mockup on MS Paint (as I mentioned before, I struggle with using computer programs). It's attached if you're interested.

Each black line is a length of track, and red blocks represent station platforms

How big is this layout going to be?  If it's 00, it looks to be a very large layout.

[njee20]

Even in N that looks enormous!

 

Would be good to know the space available. 
 

Why do you want to use a computer if you don’t think you’re good with them? Print out paper templates and lay them on the ground instead. No reason you have to use a design program. 

[TheYakEmperor]

1 hour ago, Dungrange said:

How big is this layout going to be?  If it's 00, it looks to be a very large layout.

It's 00 gauge, and in an area of 36'5 x 13'3

[TheYakEmperor]

1 hour ago, njee20 said:

Even in N that looks enormous!

 

Would be good to know the space available. 
 

Why do you want to use a computer if you don’t think you’re good with them? Print out paper templates and lay them on the ground instead. No reason you have to use a design program. 

I have listed the area in the above comment (it's 00 gauge, too). Also, I've found AnyRail is very good for ascertaining which pieces of track you'll use, as well as containing the design within the confines of what's actually possible/feasible using track.

[njee20]

Wow. Have you thought about practical considerations like how you’ll reach the middle? Your plan appears to be to fill most of the space with track, but obviously you’ll have to be able to actually reach the middle. 
 

As for what track you’ll need you can work out what points you’ll need, then just buy a few boxes of flex track, and top up if needed!

 

By the time you’ve got 3(!) yards that’s going to be 100+ points easily. 
 

I’d personally consider whether less is more. That layout will take decades to build, I assume you’re happy with that?

[Titan]

With a width of 13'3 you are really going to struggle to fit the central station in as is even if you go down to second radius curves.  The sharpness of the curves you have drawn seem to be considerably tighter than first radius!

 

What is the longest passenger train you hope to run?

Edited November 27, 2021 by Titan

[ITG]

Let’s suppose the outer radius curve either side of the station is 3’, meaning that will use 6’ of space. It looks like you have maybe 4 or 5 points laid in longitudinal manner either side of the station, which assuming they might be 9” long each, uses up at least 3’ each end. Add this all up and you have used 12’ of your 13’3”.…… with no station.

 

Or look at it another way. Roughly speaking, let’s assume you want 6 coach trains. With a loco, you’ll want to allow some 6’ of platform length, which means you have 3 - 4’ either side of the platform. How can you fit a 90 degree turn and all the points, and 4 parallel tracks at the top, 2 at the bottom.

 

Might I suggest the challenge is not about using Anyrail. It’s about getting to grips with basic track geometry, before even thinking about layout design. Sorry, but your aspirations need a complete rethink.

Edited November 27, 2021 by ITG

[Mol_PMB]

Having the main station across the middle isn’t necessarily a bad idea though. If it was reconfigured at an angle like this, there would be much more space available:

note: this is a very simplistic sketch. You can still have the multiple tracks and yards etc. 

[ISW]

11 hours ago, TheYakEmperor said:

I have a terribly rough mockup on MS Paint (as I mentioned before, I struggle with using computer programs). It's attached if you're interested.

Each black line is a length of track, and red blocks represent station platforms

I must admit I had similar misconceptions about space requirements when I originally thought about my layout (link in footer). It was only after I started drawing it up in 3rdPlanIt layout software that it became immediately obvious that I had to scale back my ambitions. I did, however, manage to squeeze quite a lot into a 4m x 5m bedroom by using a twin level approach (storage below, scenic up top, ramps inbetween).

 

For now I suggest you download, print, and cut out the turnout drawings attached (or from the Peco website). I'm assuming you have a printer? You can probably get away with just using Code-100 medium radius one for the time being, and lay them out on the floor to 'plan' your stations / yards. You'll soon get a new appreciation for the scale of your endeavour (I certainly did) and how much space each area is going to take up.

 

SL-91,92 - Small Radius Turnout.pdf

SL-95,96 - Medium Radius Turnout.pdf

SL-88,89 - Large Radius Turnout.pdf

 

If I was going to make one other suggestion, it would be spend lots of time 'planning'. I drew up my entire layout in 3rdPlanIt (once I'd learnt how to use it) and drew up the baseboard designs in Xara DesignerPro and Google Sketchup (which I had to learn too). I must have spent a whole year 'planning' before starting any construction. It was time well spent, as it made me sort out all the problems cheaply on paper and not expensively as I built the layout.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Ian

[TheYakEmperor]

I've read all your replies and have resolved to remove the 'heritage railway' and the 'central station', which I feel sleekens the design. The new line will consist of a depot/yard and a loop of double track with only one station, something like this, perhaps (again, a very simplified plan):

Edited November 27, 2021 by TheYakEmperor

[TheYakEmperor]

10 hours ago, njee20 said:

Wow. Have you thought about practical considerations like how you’ll reach the middle? Your plan appears to be to fill most of the space with track, but obviously you’ll have to be able to actually reach the middle. 
 

As for what track you’ll need you can work out what points you’ll need, then just buy a few boxes of flex track, and top up if needed!

 

By the time you’ve got 3(!) yards that’s going to be 100+ points easily. 
 

I’d personally consider whether less is more. That layout will take decades to build, I assume you’re happy with that?

 

8 hours ago, Titan said:

With a width of 13'3 you are really going to struggle to fit the central station in as is even if you go down to second radius curves.  The sharpness of the curves you have drawn seem to be considerably tighter than first radius!

 

What is the longest passenger train you hope to run?

 

8 hours ago, ITG said:

Let’s suppose the outer radius curve either side of the station is 3’, meaning that will use 6’ of space. It looks like you have maybe 4 or 5 points laid in longitudinal manner either side of the station, which assuming they might be 9” long each, uses up at least 3’ each end. Add this all up and you have used 12’ of your 13’3”.…… with no station.

 

Or look at it another way. Roughly speaking, let’s assume you want 6 coach trains. With a loco, you’ll want to allow some 6’ of platform length, which means you have 3 - 4’ either side of the platform. How can you fit a 90 degree turn and all the points, and 4 parallel tracks at the top, 2 at the bottom.

 

Might I suggest the challenge is not about using Anyrail. It’s about getting to grips with basic track geometry, before even thinking about layout design. Sorry, but your aspirations need a complete rethink.

I have drastically simplified the design above, though I may consider adding some branching tracks at the station, as well as perhaps a siding for service vehicles.

[AY Mod]

[AY Mod]

I think you're a thousand miles from knowing what you want. Spend some time looking what others have achieved and pick some elements you like; they've all learned what works and what doesn't.

 

Look at Harlequin's plans on here and/or buy a digital book of plans e.g. https://pocketmags.com/british-railway-modelling-magazine/the-brm-guide-to-trackplans-and-layout-design

[njee20]

Putting the station on the short edge of your new plan seems a bit daft. 
 

It does seem you’ve completely flipped though; you had a huge station, three separate yards, secondary station and a heritage line.  Now you’re saying just a two-track loop with a modest station. Maybe with some sidings. 
 

Make a list of features your layout must have (two-tracks, major station, industry, whatever). Then a list of those you’d like to have (heritage line, big viaduct etc). Then spend time looking at what other people have achieved in the space and work out what you can realistically accomplish. Or if you want someone to design it for you then you’ll at least have a brief, rather than it being like you vomited track onto a board.

[Titan]

Well I had a constrained space of just over 11' x 11' and managed this:

 

 

It has a terminus station that any train from any platform can get to either of the main lines in any direction, and it can handle 6 coaches plus loco.  There is plenty of space either side for access, and there is also the "intermediate" station on the mainline for local services.  With 13'+ width available there would be scope for a four track main line, especially if you have your goods yard to the right of the terminus instead of where I have mine, not to mention the space to make the terminus as long as you want!  The curves on the main line are fairly gentle, not sure what exactly but greater than 4th radius, but I used 2nd radius on the station throat to get the platforms as long as possible.

[Nick Holliday]

4 hours ago, AY Mod said:

I think you're a thousand miles from knowing what you want. Spend some time looking what others have achieved and pick some elements you like; they've all learned what works and what doesn't.

I've just been watching the video of Byford that @richard.h has recently posted 

and I thought it had neatly captured many of the concepts that you were trying to achieve, in a space of 7m x 3.5m, so well within your parameters.