Whats the best approach to building a route?
It depends on your goals. If you want to model a specific section, true to prototype, then the approach is clear: dig up as much information as you can and follow it. There are also techniques whereby satellite-imaging data (called DEM, meaning digital elevation model) can be used to set the ground contours for you. See http://data.geocomm.com/dem/demdownload.html.   Many routes are freelanced. I like to build routes designed to accommodate the kind of operations I would like to engage in. That may be switching, such as an inner city industrial yard or a rural short line; or a rapid transit system; or just a general sort of thing where I can run trains. To this end I begin by developing a track plan that enables the desired operation, planning it in much the same way as I would with a model railroad, except that I would not necessarily have the trains run in circles (although, I might).   Many people turn to the pages of model railroad magazines for track plans. This is fine, e
