| Last updated on January 9, 2021
Time for the big track plan reveal…well, almost! David first shares some additional historic photos that help complete our overall view of Crystal Lake, Illinois, the community that inspired his design. Finally, aided by Ben Lake’s 3-D renderings, David walks and talks you through the entire plan for the C&NW HO scale layout.
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Fantastice series. I like seeing how the compromises are worked out.
Great series. I grew up in Crystal Lake in the 70s and 80s. Would really love to see this one built!
Hello all,
Not to worry, we have on episode to go, and it will run in early April – it is about operating the railroad, and should explain the remaining questions you may have. Ben is also working on a complete 3-D track plan tour of the railroad, which will also be up in April.
Jordan, thank you for the photo links! I had someone else pass one of those images along to me this week as well – it just goes to show that by working with a community of people, all sorts of great things come from it, including more photos, maps, book images, and connections to others that have had information. The final plan is much better because of all of the input. Thank you everyone who has participated.
You’ll be able to see the final drawings and complete story in Model Railroad Planning 2020, out in late December/early January.
Alas, the layout is just too involved (and large) to build as an MRVP project railroad. However, I would like to produce a series on building a traversing table that I hope to include in my future British railroad some day. We have to get the M&E rolling along first though.
Glad you’ve enjoyed the series. It’s been a fun project!
David
Excellent series. How about an article on building the traverser? Maybe using the stepper motor of a 3d printer like a recent article in MR.
Great Series! I would like to know which program you use for the 3D Room Animations. They are great and really make the plan come alive. Not as good as an actual build but very realistic.
Great News!! Congratulations!!! Happy to see you back!
I second Mike’s request – Please build this layout!
Yes, very enjoyable series David. If this is not the next project layout can you publish the track plan.
Hey there,
I’m not sure if these will be of use to you, but the Chicago & North Western Historical Society has placed the following images on there facebook page of Chrystal Lake this week.
https://www.facebook.com/196429967120072/photos/a.869904963105899/2046908202072230/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/196429967120072/photos/a.869904963105899/2046904475405936/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/196429967120072/photos/a.869904963105899/2046899708739746/?type=3&theater
The first is from 1950
Great series David. I assume that the transfer table would enable a timetable succession of trains traveling east and west through the station/freight area with some switching of industries and locomotive servicing. Lots of operating opportunities to be sure. BTW, where is Jenny? Thanks.
I concur, this is a very informative series. Thank you for sharing what goes into the planning process. This will save a new modeler a lot of time. Many great ideas. At first I didn’t see it, but it came together very nicely in the end. As others have said. This is a great idea for a project railroad.
Hi John,
I am still here, but with a new last name!
Great Ideas and nice to get an understanding of the effort involved in ascertaining all the information needed to design a layout based on reality! My thoughts are; How difficult is it going to be to get the traverser to align at both ends? If you have a fool proof way of doing this, this would be worth a detailed article in Model Railroader.
Thanks for your hard work wnd effort!
Please build this layout! It would make a great series.
Well done David, as you’ve thought of better ways to use corner space than I have. Saw the announcement on the next MRVP project layout. Is the Crystal Lake plan a future endeavor in one of the rooms similar to the plan for Kent’s former office?
While I like how this series came together, lord knows I’ve done dozens of sketches like these over the years as I moved from house to house as my career changed, I think a natural extension of this would be to do an episode or two on converting the paper drawings to scale drawings in a basic track design program such as AnyRail, Atlas track planning software, or SCRAM. I suggest these basic softwares as opposed to a higher end CAD program as a way to introduce this simple to use software to the modeler who might be intimidated by some of the more advanced track planning software packages. Just a suggestion.
David, am I correct in assuming that there is a double track main running around the layout? Kind of hard to see in what you have drawn. I also presume, from erasure lines, there may be a connection to the east end of the commuter storage track(s). It would be a help if that were so.
Nicely done David, this was a really good and informative series. It makes you think about just how to fit a lot railroad into a space.
Sorry Jenny M misspelled your name…. MAASKE
Glad you put that lift-out/up/Drop down section in.Thought you might have us crawling under the layout!!!
Great video series!! I see you have a new assistant Editor Jenny Freeland when will we meet her? and where did Jenny Maske go? Have not seen or heard from her in quite a while!!
Excellent design job, and the presentation of the plan was even better. The traversing table sets the whole shebang up nicely. Early on, I was wondering how you’d get most of the elements in, but you’ve done an outstanding job, and I personally LIKE the fact that things bend around the space. Bravo!