We got quite a lot of track for brio (some bought, some given) and are trying to get some decent layouts. However, it all seems a little random. We start with a good idea and then have to botch it to get the track to complete. Is there any help online? Perhaps a newsgroup of people who've built good tracks and want to share them.
then again software where you enter the items available and it shows you the best layout would be VERY helpful! (but a little far fetched)
Peter
Dude: you're taking this WAY too seriously ;-).
-- Kizhe
Peter, just let the kids plan and build. They will enjoy it much more if they do it and you get enthused and praise them and their work.
When my s> just be>>> We got quite a lot of track for brio (some bought, some given) and
The best layout is the one I am currently designing. I am a little biased though.
The best layout for you is to figure out what you would like. Simple end to end operation, oval, oval with siding, yard, station, and the list goes on. What do you like about trains? How much track do you have? How many engines and cars? Do you want a permanent layout or something to take out on weekends only? Once you have some idea of where you want to go with it, hit google. Search for something like: model train layouts with passenger stations, steam era Germany
From there you should have a few ideas, and be able to start putting something together.
Or if you really like, hold off until my perfect layout is finished, and I'll send you the plans. :)
Carolyn
"B> We got quite a lot of track for brio (some bought, some given) and are "B> trying to get some decent layouts. However, it all seems a little random. We "B> start with a good idea and then have to botch it to get the track to "B> complete. Is there any help online? Perhaps a newsgroup of people who've "B> built good tracks and want to share them. "B> "B> then again software where you enter the items available and it shows you the "B> best layout would be VERY helpful! (but a little far fetched)
Here is a clue:
*Real* railroads don't plan their 'layouts' in advance. They discover transportation needs and then 'deal' with geography (mountains, rivers, etc.) -- their 'layouts' tend to 'grow' in a somewhat 'organic' way as needs arise.Let your kid(s) figure all of these things out *on their own*. The layout does NOT have to make any sense. It just needs to allow your kids the ability to get 'stuff' (train loads) from one place to another, dealing with the 'geography' in between. Such has getting imaginary passengers or blocks or hoppers of Cheerios or Fruit Loops from the couch to the easy chair avoiding the coffee table in between.
One of the 'wonderful' things about the Brio system is that it allows kids near infinite possibilities with a safe and easy to use system that is rugged enough to handle all the abuse small children can dish out. Brio and other companies are now offering many of the sorts of *modern* RR things that follow some things that exist in the prototype: operating rotary coal dumpers, inter-modal trains w/containers + crane, car floats (with tugs) working draw bridges, auto-racks, etc.
"B> "B> Peter "B> "B> "B>
\/ Robert Heller ||InterNet: snipped-for-privacy@cs.umass.edu
Hi Peter,
Am Mon, 31 Jan 2005 21:30:55 -0000 schrieb Peter Brown:
As far as I understand you want to play with brio, but don´t like to sit on the floor??? ;-)
I´ve found something for you:
:-)
Micha
That page crashed Firefox on Win98SE. I had to power down the computer and restart it to get back here.
Bob McConnell N2SPP
Am Fri, 04 Feb 2005 00:48:48 GMT schrieb Bob McConnell:
This is in no way a usual behavior. I tested this site with Internet Explorer, AVANT, Opera and Firefox. No Problems so far...... This is the original site - but its in german:
BM> On Thu, 3 Feb 2005 23:14:30 +0100, Michael Hirschler BM> wrote: BM> BM> >
BM> >
BM> >:-) BM> >
BM> >Micha BM> BM> That page crashed Firefox on Win98SE. I had to power down the computer BM> and restart it to get back here.
Works fine with Mozilla 1.0.2 (Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i586; en-US; rv:1.0.2) Gecko/20030717) under RH 7.3.
BM> BM> Bob McConnell BM> N2SPP BM> BM>
\/ Robert Heller ||InterNet: snipped-for-privacy@cs.umass.edu
It works ok in Firefox 1.0 on Slackware/KDE as well.
But on Win98SE, "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Win98; en-US; rv:1.7.5) Gecko/20041107 Firefox/1.0" crashes hard. Not even Ctrl-Alt-Del will bring it out. I have to go for the big round reset switch on the front of the box.
This is an IBM 300PL 450MHz P-II with 256MB of memory. I have no plugins installed, and only Symantec Antivirus 9.0.0.338 Corporate running.
Bob McConnell N2SPP
Am Sat, 05 Feb 2005 21:01:12 GMT schrieb Bob McConnell:
Hm.... This behavior indeed is unusual - and I can´t find a reason in the source. On the other hand me is far away from being a HTML-Gutu :-)) Bob, I don´t know this for sure - but you´re computer may have a prob with either Java or JavaScript. Found code of both in the source of this website.
But if this is the only website with this strong behavior I don´t believe it´s worth doing something.....
Micha
MH> Am Sat, 05 Feb 2005 21:01:12 GMT schrieb Bob McConnell: MH> MH> > >>BM> >
Hmmm.. I wonder if Bob McConnell's computer has a broken JRE installed (or a JRE not compatible with the version of Mozilla installer). OR some random broken .DLL somewhere in system land or something.
MH> MH> But if this is the only website with this strong behavior I don´t believe MH> it´s worth doing something..... MH> MH> Micha MH>
\/ Robert Heller ||InterNet: snipped-for-privacy@cs.umass.edu
In message , Peter Brown writes
There is certainly an American site with example layouts, but I can't remember the address. Sorry!
However, I find that it is best to start with a basic oval, then work from there. Once the oval is set up, you can start to replace the ordinary track with other bits and pieces - switches, crossings, bridges or whatever you have. Sidings (spurs?) can go anywhere, perhaps to a turntable and engine shed, or Cranky the crane.
Try to ensure that you have a good supply of those little lengths of straight track that are either male-male or female-female, as well as the ordinary male-female ones.
We bought a boxed set cheaply (half price) from a supermarket just after Christmas, and a huge boxed set before Christmas, from Costco. I'm sure Costco US must sell them, too. Excellent range of track and bridges, as well as figures, trees, buildings and trains.
My son James will be four in April, and whilst he is perfectly capable of building a layout, he does struggle to form proper ovals (so does his Mum!), so I usually help, too. The secret is ensuring that the basic oval is even i.e. both sides match in length, as do the two ends. We have added a wooden roadway, with little wooden vehicles, and that helps increase the fun. You can never have too much track :-)
Good luck!
Looking at the directory, I see C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_05. What should I check for, or would it be better to simply reinstall? I think this was installed by Thunderbird.
Bob McConnell N2SPP
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