How Model Trains Can Help You Plan Your Railroad

If you’re planning on building a railroad but haven’t got any experience, you may be wondering where the best place to start is. Although you will need professional advice on every aspect of the process there are some things you can do to fast-track your learning. As a provider of railroad construction and all related services, we’ve come to see that model trains can be a great tool in planning.

If you have any experience in planning buildings, then you’ll know that a model is the best way to truly see the project. The same goes for railroad construction, as there are a variety of different elements which will affect the whole operation. By investing in a realistic model railroad you can prepare for, and even overcome, any issues which might arise.

Here is an overview of the ways that using a model train set to plan your railroad can help you.

What Kind of Model Train Set?

Many children throughout the Western world will have grown up with toy train sets at some point in their childhood. Whether these were wooden, or the more modern Thomas the Tank Engine sets, they helped us to understand how trains work on a basic level. While these sets are suitable for helping a child, they are not relevant to planning a railroad as they often forgo realism.

Model Railroading

Unlike their toy counterparts, these scale models are engineered to both look and act like pre-existing railroads around the world. People will often access track diagrams as well as historic maps to recreate these railroads accurately, which can result in perfect replicas. This attention to detail in the reproduction of these railroads is exactly what makes them useful to those planning on building one.

What to Replicate?

When it comes to actually setting up the model railroad, you will need to be decisive in exactly what you want to replicate and what you don’t. Replicating long straight stretches with no geographical features may not be so necessary.

Geographical Features

Although model railroading enthusiasts can utilize scale models of particular trees alongside a train track for realism, this may not be necessary when building a model to plan the real thing. Instead focus on any geographical features which will directly affect the installation of a railroad, including berms, cliffs, hills, mounds, rivers, valleys, etc.

Buildings

As with the exact kinds of trees, building models of every building around a planned railroad may be unnecessary. Instead focus on those within the vicinity of the railroad, as these will be the only ones that are affected by, or may affect, your planned line.

Trains and Different Loads

Depending on what you’re looking at transporting you may be considering a variety of different trains. By testing out different trains on your model railroad you can witness any problems (for example if a certain kind of freight train is too big) before they occur. You can also test out your expected load and see how the carriages you’re planning to haul up and down those lines are fair. Certain geographical features may restrict the number of carriages or the load you can expect to carry in them, so working alongside someone experienced in railroad construction can be helpful here.

Model Railroading Resources

As this hobby is still alive and well in America, there are many different resources out there that can help you to successfully build a realistic model railroad. As with anything, finding resources that are accessible to your learning style is a must. Here are resources for those who like reading, watching, or listening.

Reading

The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) has proudly advanced the global model railroading community through education, advocacy, standards, and social interaction. The Education page on their website has a Beginner’s Guide which can help you to start. They also have an Achievement Program that helps individuals develop the skills used in model railroading.

Watching

The Model Railroader Magazine has a fantastic Youtube channel with plenty of videos exploring the many intricacies of model railroading. One can also gain plenty of inspiration from watching one of the many mesmerizing videos of incredibly detailed and ultra-realistic model railroads others have built.

Listening

Podcasts have quickly taken the place of radio in many modern homes, and model railroading is no stranger to this format. Wiley’s Bench Time has a wealth of knowledge on all things model railroad and can be perfect to listen to during those more monotonous tasks.