Track Work Blues

[BDWorkshop]

For the last two days I've been working on building a yard. Using the Horseshoe Curve track rules, I can't seem to get the job done. The turns are not tight enough to match the track diagram that I have. I'm having a real problem with the end of the yard track. The track that all the yard tracks turn into to go back to the main line. I start out ok but as I connect more of the yard tracks I run out of room for the points. I tried using different angles for the end track, but I run into the same problem.

Is there some other tricks to track building that I don't know about?
How do other people deal with this when they are modeling a real rail yard?
I could use some tips.

[gwgardner]

I relied heavily on track-laying tutorial vids when I started. There are some excellent ones on making yard ladders.Look around for what is available here, at trainsim.com, UKtrainsim, and from Railworks.

The basic technique is to lay multiple parallel tracks at once, for your yard. Then lay a single track at an angle across the mainline and all those yard tracks, extending farther than needed. Then off that cross track start making your turnouts to the main and yard tracks. Delete any excess tracks once done. The angle at which you make that crosstrack will determine if you have enough room to make your turnouts.

Sorry if that's not very clear, that's why I suggest watching some tutorial videos.

[tg626]

#1 use the yard rule for a yard, it allows much tighter radii
#2 I found that for making ladder yards, I lay all my parallel tracks longer then I need. I then lay the lead track across them at an angle. Then I add the short bits that make the curve of the switch (points). Then finally I delete the unneeded track.



First lay Red
Then Green
Then Blue
Then delete the "extra"

[BDWorkshop]

Thanks guys. The way you guys described the process is the way I've been trying to build my yards. I guess the first problem that I see is that in many places the yard tracks are on a big curve which doesn't help. I can only assume at this point that my end tracks are not at the angle they need to be.
The picture below is an example of the problem. This area's yard tracks are straight so I didn't have the problem as much. See the center track, it would not hook up with the end track so I had to make a crossover to the next yard track instead. Up from this location the yard take a sweeping turn and there are more smaller yards within the yard to build...here is where I'm having the problem.



Here is a map of the area I've been attempting to build.

I attempted this section of the yard about six times now and failed every time. It looks like it can easily be built... doesn't it?

[BDWorkshop]

Here is an added idea I just thought of. Could it be that the tracks are to close to each other? What is the standard spacing for US tracks? Is there a standard for US tracks?

[tg626]

Did you try using the HSC *yard* track rule?

[BDWorkshop]

Did you try using the HSC *yard* track rule?

If you mean by switching the type of track on the right side track properties menu, then yes.

[Bananarama]

Curved yards are possible with most of the available and newer track rules, including ScaleRail. It's takes a fair bit of planning though, and it's best to build that type of yard as flat. You can, however, build it on grade, but it'll be tougher all around.

[tg626]

My mistake, I just checked and there is no HSC yard rule - barstow is the one with a seperate rule for yards.

[BDWorkshop]

I took a little ride on the Horseshoe Curve route and did in fact discover that the track spacing is wider then the default setting. Is the default track spacing set in the track rules?

[Bananarama]

Yes, look for ParallelDistance. Measurements are in meters.

[BDWorkshop]

I found that the default parallel distance in the HRC track rules is 4.2. Does that sound right?

Edit: I just checked the current track spacing in Google Earth and I'll be darned...it is 4.2! So much for that theory.

[BDWorkshop]

Well I'm already off to a bad start today. I'm hooking up the first switch and it won't work. I'm making a switch from a yard track to the main line. I noticed that at it's telling me at the bottom of the screen: Mainline in ribbon does not have consistent blueprint data. What does this mean and how do I fix it?

[BoostedFridge]

The turnout track has to be the same type as the mainline. You can use the select tool to highlight the last few feet of the yard track and make them the same type as the main track.

[BDWorkshop]

The turnout track has to be the same type as the mainline. You can use the select tool to highlight the last few feet of the yard track and make them the same type as the main track.

I did figure this out however when I tried to make a crossover from a yard track to a the main track, I didn't work out so well. I had the two different track types meeting in the middle of the crossover. When the connection was complete, all the track that created the crossover turned to one type of track. It didn't look right. The blend tool wouldn't work to fix it. I guess I should stick with one type of track.