Customer Reviews

How To Design A Small Switching Layout

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I purchased the "How To Design A Small Switching Layout" and found it chuck full of good advice. First, the way the material is presented piece by piece from simple to more detailed information and finally culminating in the design of an actual layout utilizing examples from each chapter is very helpful for both the "newbie" and experienced modeler to keep thing in focus as they plan a layout. This type of presentation provides the reader with a feeling of not only accomplishment but encouragement to help him get started on his own layout using examples from the book.

Secondly, I found the chapters on "Scenery Only" Zones, Industry Selection and Planning and Rough in Your Structure Locations the best. I still need to work on the attached plan to expand my scenery only zones but he importantly pointed out the differences of number of car spots for at least one large industry versus one large structure with only one or two spots or those with the same car types rather than a multi car type industry like a food processor. I have to admit I am still a "sucker" for industries that use reefers and tanks and he picked a good one to illustrate his point especially for modern prototypes.

Third, the chapter "Now For The Track" encouraged me (as a "former"?) N scaler to be prepared to accept not only larger radius curves but #6 turnouts as minimum to ensure good, trouble free operation and a realistic look. This is one area I am having a bit of trouble adapting to in HO...how much bigger everything is and how much more room is required to build even a small simple HO layout. I believe that if I make sure there are one or two scenery only zones, hold the number of structures to a minimum and utilize only a couple of small foreground industries and three or four larger, space saving ones I can design and build an interesting nicely detailed switching layout with a couple of options for continuous operations. Lance's books will help keep me focused as I begin this adventure.

This book, as well as Lance's other book, "8 REALISTIC TRACK PLANS For Small switching Layouts" are 2 books that are way over due.
There have been several track planning books published over the years, but they seem to be aimed at people who have endless room and bank accounts to match.
I've been in the hobby of Model Railroading for over 50 years and have had way
too many layouts to try to remember them all. They ranged in size of the old standby "Plywood Pacific" on many 4'x 8' sheets of plywood to several shelf type layouts.
This new book by Lance has been a big help to me as I'm in the process of building yet another small switching layout in H-O Scale.
Times have changed and so have materials and model railroad supplies.
Better equipment means more interesting operation on small layouts than we've ever had in the past. We can now build a layout without breaking the bank, have it up and running in a very short time. And we can always change it if we find something better.
These books contain information and ideas that make the building a model railroad a lot more enjoyable and easier to build.

One would think that Mr. Mindheim, a professional layout designer-builder, is trying to put himself out of business. Having published two superb track plan books that set a new standard for that genre, he has now clearly and concisely explained how to design `em yourself. For all the bloviation out there about layout design, this two-hour "read" says and shows more really useful stuff in 68 pages than you're likely to dig up in a month of web searches. As I read, I quickly came to understand why some layouts look and "feel" good and why the prototype and Mindheim use certain track configurations. Even if you have your own layout, you'll likely gain a greater understanding of your own and your colleagues' layouts and why their aesthetics and operation work the way they do, after having read this book. Although "How to Design" is a bit longer than Mindheim's previous books, it still benefits from an efficiency of language that makes a seemingly-opaque topic quite clear. This book is a very good value.

Being new to this hobby I plan to start with a really small layout and to that end I found this book to be extremely informative and I am learning a lot from it. The author does a great job explaining concepts and giving examples of how to do things. I only gave it four stars because this book has a somewhat "home-made" look about it. The pages are non-glossy "copier-type" paper and the color images all look like they were printer on a color laser printer. Only the cover is of the traditional glossy paper style, as seen on the books of the two main publishers of such manuals, Kalmbach and Carstens. While this approach is perfectly valid and probably yields higher profits for the author (this is after all both a hobby and a business for him), it definitely does make the book seem overpriced (in my view). I feel a retail price in the $ 12.94 - 14.95 range would have been more appropriate for this book, given the somewhat "home-made" look and slightly lower image quality.

I've been wanting to write this review for a couple of weeks now, but every time I pick up Lance Mindheim's "How to Design a Small Switching Layout" a new facet or idea has caught my attention--and stoked my enthusiasm.
Every design work is a reflection of its author's philosophy, and Lance's philosophy provides a refreshing note of simplicity and practicality at a time when most layout design books focus on huge, gadget-filled plans. Indeed, one of the thngs that makes this 72-page softcover compendium not only enjoyable but significant is Lance's ability to empower the modeler whose space, budget, skills and available time place him or her in the 'average' category. This is a welcome and much-needed bit of validation for those of us who don't have a gymnasium and a trust fund to devote to our hobby.
Don't dismiss this as a 'beginner's book' (although a beginning modeler could use it to good effect). This reviewer has been a model railroader for many years and designed literally hundreds of layouts, and I keep finding ideas and insights in this book which are changing the way I view model railroad design.
Over the course of the book, Lance takes the reader step by step through the design of the Union Belt Line, an L-shaped switching layout which illustrates his principles. If you're feeling a little intimidated at the thought of doing your own original design, this layout (or one of the two bonus plans included with it) can be built verbatim from the book--and it looks like it would be a very practical, feasible and enjoyable railroad when it's done.
Even if you've got a gymnasium and trust fund to devote to the hobby, get this book and assimilate what Lance Mindheim has to say about cramming too much onto the layout, track spacing for mainlines and yards, making many design decisions before you ever pick up a pencil, the ratio of track and industries to scenery, engineering for maximum efficiency, and lots of other design principles which are applicable to all scales, sizes and types of layouts. Your next model railroad will benefit from the knowledge.

Switching, particularly on a model railroad, has been likened to playing chess as both involve strategy. If you are planning to start a layout and want something small for your first attempt, a switching layout could be just what's needed. Enter this book.
The author has presented interesting information on the 'mechanics' of designing and building a small layout over a number of chapters. This book, however, is not intended for the person with a large basement who wants miles of mainline trackage, but rather someone with a spare room -or part thereof- who wants to maximumise available space.
While it touches on the 'baseboard building' stage it's more of the what and why tracks and structures are utilised the way they are. The result is not a large layout with track everywhere but a plan that will hold the operators interest for quite a while and provide operating interest and enjoyment.

I just finished How To Design A Small Switching Layout.
Terrific stuff!
The process that Lance laid out was very well thought-out. I may even adapt his initial approach to my consulting business.
The type / format was really nice. Larger type and a very good use of text box and text color to emphasize a particular point.

I especially liked page 25, Hidden Industries. The material lay down areas were a neat idea that my favorite prototype RR used extensively. The Central Indiana Railway would use the main in Anderson, Indiana that bisected the Eveay's Grocery Store parking lot to sell peaches by the car load and use the same parking lot for passenger loading for fan trips and pro-baseball outings. They would also spot gondolas with utility poles along the 49 mile long main anywhere the Indiana Public Service Commission wanted them! Things you can do when only one train operates on the line.

Also the shipping from Amazon was A-OK. I purchased the two track-plan books with HTDASSL.

Thanks for publishing this terrific book.

I am really glad I have this book.

Having read many hundreds of articles in model railroad magazines
about layouts and having my layout featured in a magazine, I can say from experience that this book offers an
entirely new perspective on layout design. I don't judge it by the number of pages but by how much it has opened my eyes to optimal layout design.

When I design my next layout, I will use this book and will have a lot more fun with my new layout.

Thank you, Lance.

This book is another excellent model railroad design resource from Mr. Mindheim!

While most model layout design guides tend to run either to the large, basement size layouts, or the the 'bowl of spaghetti' designs typical up to the 1980's, this book (along with "8 Realistic Track Plans for Small Switching Layouts", also by Mr. Mindheim) gives plenty of tips on designing layouts that

a) Fit into a more modest space
b) Look and operate protoypically
c) Are realistically achievable to complete

The railroads shown offer plenty of ideas that will help you design a layout that will fit your space (and budget)! Highly recommended!

After many years of modelling, an new approach in how to develop a track plan and design to fit a specific foot print. As apartment (condo) spare rooms become the norm for most people, this book by Lance Mindheim shows a different approach on how to design such a layout. Some very practical tips and demonstrations on what will fit in the space and the considerations of trackage location aid in achieving the desired outcomes.

The book follows a logical pattern that even if you do not build such a layout, you will benefit from the way the material is presented in your own design. I specifically liked the fact that the author avoided the use of track puzzles... after all, a well designed plan will keep you busy enough without having to "problem solve" your next move...

This book is a great start in a series that is followed up very well with How To Build A Switching Layout which is basically a construction manual which shows techniques and methods to build your design. This is then finally followed by a plan book 8 Realistic Track Plans For Small Switching Layouts If you follow the steps and methodology, you will surely build a very convincing layout.

If planning and design still elude you, this book will help, if you just want some plans, then the venerable Mr Lance Mindheim has done some of the work for you in 8 Realistic Track Plans For A Spare Room and or 8 Realistic Track Plans For Small Switching Layouts