Drawing turnouts

billk

Active Member
I've been using a "generic" CAD program to experiment with various track layouts and have been pretty pleased with it. The biggest problem I have is trying to put in the turnouts. I don't need to be highly accurate, like I was going to use the drawings to scratch build turnouts, or even to print out full size to lay track -- I'm just trying to get an idea of what fits etc.

Does anyone have a quick and dirty way to depict turnouts? I've found various data on the web but I just get confused, probably because it for drawing them with more accuracy than I need. For what its worth, assume N scale and Atlas.
Thanks, Billk
 

kf4jqd

Active Member
Billk:

Did you know that you can download a track laying program for FREE from Atlas? I used it. Works good. Your options of track are the sameones that you can buy! After you layout you track, you can print out the types of track you need to finish the project.

Andy

www.atlasrr.com
 

billk

Active Member
Andy-
Thanks - I've used Atlas' RTS software and personally don't like it. If you're using 100% sectional track it is probably OK, but it drives me nuts trying to use flex. The CAD program I've been using is, to me, a lot better (except for the turnout problem), plus I can us it to make plans for trestles, building, circuits, whatever.
Billk

[This message has been edited by billk (edited 07-19-2001).]
 

shamus

Registered Member
Hi Billk,
I use a program called Freehand 9 it is not a cad program but it is a professional drawing package.
All my trackplans are drawn in the proggy.
As a rule I only ever use a single line to represent a piece of track, I don't draw it as a cad program would do, as two rails etc.
Here's what I mean
pl3.jpg

waver.gif


NARA Member #24
http://www.badger-creek.co.uk
 

billk

Active Member
shamus - what method did you use to lay out the turnouts in your drawing? With the sw I'm using it's easy to draw a line "X over, 1 up" (X = the switch no, i.e.#4, #6) and it's also easy to draw a circle with a specific radius that is tangent to a line at a specific point, I'm just not sure what's the best way for the (low) accuracy I need.
billK
 

shamus

Registered Member
Hi Billk,
In Freehand 9, there are literately 100's of commands to use, I nearly always use the "ARC" command to draw a point. When drawn, if you click on the line, up comes two pointers for you to move the Arc to the desired place and curvature needed. Very difficult to explain this manoeuvre in here, but easy to do on the screen.
Here's something I did a while back to show where insulated joiners should be placed using Electrofrog (Live) points(Turnouts)
wire.jpg



Shamus
waver.gif


NARA Member #24
http://www.badger-creek.co.uk


[This message has been edited by shamus (edited 07-20-2001).]
 

billk

Active Member
shamus - what you described is very similar to how I would do it - I can make a circle of radius X tangent to a line, where I can specify the point on the line, and then cut the circle back to an arc of Y degrees. I can then draw a straight line that is tangent to the end if the arc. I guess my question is, using that method, what is X and Y for a given turnout?
thanks, BillK
 

shamus

Registered Member
Hi Bill,
Don't use what is X and Y coordinates, just look at the screen, I don't use a circle and cut it, the ARC lets you use it as a freehand tool like a cursor on screen.
I also use Freehand 9 for my scratchbuilt structures, this one I did for a magazine and it's full size for HO.
ascratchbuild.jpg
 

billk

Active Member
shamus, X an Y weren't coordinates, I just chose bad letters. Think R (radius) for X, A (angle) for the degrees of the arc. Sorry about that.
billk
 
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