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Rating: 
Summary: Good intro to UK compact layout methods in USA RR settings
Review: "Small, Smart & Practical Track Plans" was my first introduction to Iain Rice's excellent illustrations and his explanations of compact layout techniques. I recognized seeing many of the ideas -- such as sector plates, fiddle yards, and train cassettes -- in some UK model railway magazines. Soon enough, I found some of Mr. Rice's books published in the UK. (Some of which can be readily found on the Amazon.com's British site at www.amazon.co.uk if they can't be found ion the Amazon.com site.) This book does a decent job of translating those British small layout ideas into USA railroad settings. For many model railroaders, this is be an eye-opener, making us think of creative ways to work in small spaces. For anybody who wanted to build a model railroad layout but has been discouraged by lack of space, this book may be the catalyst to pursue the dream. One caution, not to deteract from the book's value, the illustrations are wonderfully captivating but they are suggestions for the scenic possibilities. They are not scale blueprints. So for some of the plans, not everything shown in the drawings will easily fit into the space, especially if one doesn't custom hand-lay the track. Not a major flaw; there are ways to adjust the plans or make compromises. Even if one can and will build a larger space railroad layout, the book is a wonderful inspiration. Some of the train handling concepts, such as train cassettes, can be used in any size layout.
Rating: 
Summary: Good food for thought
Review: I really liked the way the author gets inside the whole concept for each layout, explaining his vision of the important elements of each plan and then illustrating it very nicely. Think of this as a starting point for your own ideas and you won't go far wrong. Like the previous reviewer I'm slightly dissapointed by the way the book is bound, with plans being printed across a very tight spine.
If, like me, you've always had trouble designing a lot layout to fit into a tight space, then this is the book for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but could be better
Review: Iain Rice is a wonderful designer and there are some great ideas in this book, but it lacks small railroads and blue prints. Even so I think it would be a good purchase.
Rating:
Summary: Deceptive Title
Review: Nice track plans and concepts, but there only a couple of SMALL track plans in this book. If you really want SMALL track plans, check out the other track plan books such as the Atlas #6 and #7 books if you want N scale or the HO versions. Much less expensive and small, although nowhere near the nice concepts in this book.
101 Track Plans is also good.
Rating:
Summary: Good but also disappointing
Review: This is a nice book. I like the illustrations made by Rice and his style of writing. It offers layout plans that are different then found in most similar books or railroad magazines. However, I feel that the book does not reach its full potential. In the past, the author has written an excellent and refreshing book on layout design, "An Approach to Model Railway Layout Design" (Wild Swan). That book offers a wealth of concepts and ideas that are not found in most (popular) layout books. None, or only few, of these ideas or concept can be found in "Small, smart and practical track plans". I feel it is a missed opportunity and in this regard the book is a disappointment. Still, it offers more than most other layout books and is a good start in developing your own plans.
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