You are building a sprawling basement empire or a compact shelf layout, it all starts with a plan. Some of us dive into CAD software, others sketch on paper napkins—and a few brave souls just start laying track and let inspiration take over.
So let’s talk layout planning:
Do you use software like SCARM, AnyRail, or XTrackCAD?
How do you decide on theme, era, and setting?
Do you focus on operations, scenery, or realism first?
Ever scrap a plan halfway and start over?
Planning is half the fun and half the challenge.
Personally, I started with paper sketches, then graduated to XTrackCAD once I realized how many revisions I was making. It’s amazing how much easier it is to test clearances and curve radii digitally before committing in real life.
When it comes to theme and era, I try to balance what I love (early diesel transition era) with what fits my space and budget. Sometimes I’m all in on operations with switching yards and industries; other times, I just want to build beautiful scenery and run trains for the joy of it.
And yes… I’ve scrapped more than one plan halfway through. Sometimes the reality doesn’t match the vision or I get inspired by something completely new.
