September - 2021

Track Plans Gallery

On this page you can view many of the layout designs I have created for other modelers in recent years. You can use the filter buttons and site search to locate plans by scale, prototype, state, size, and other characteristics.

I use a simple 2D CAD program called MacDraft to do my layout planning. It is not specialized for model railroading, but I've been using it a long time and it meets my needs.

Here are a couple of resources that you can freely download and distribute for non-commercial purposes:

Bob's Track Planning Questionnaire is the document I use to gather basic information for designing a plan. It might help you organize your own "Givens n' Druthers." It's a fillable Microsoft Word doc.

Bob's Curve and Grade Calculator is an Excel spreadsheet with multiple tabs. It can calculate the length of tracks at various curve radii and grades, along with train lengths and other functions for N, HO, S, and O scales. Have fun.

Ken Finlayson's Soo/CP Mississippi Sub

My favorite kind of plan -- as true to prototype as possible for a limited scope. Ken was especially interested in modeling the bridges that span the river at LaCrosse, WI, so the bottom level devotes a lot of space to that. Ceiling height was low, so we had to avoid some below-forehead-level clearance in coming up with this pike shape. I ordinarily avoid changing compass direction between levels, so that, for example, west is always to the left for an operator. I make an ex