RMweb Premium Chimer Posted April 6, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 6, 2018 I don't know for sure that you can do something similar in SCARM, but in X-TrackCad this is how I sort out getting lines "parallel on a curve", for example from the crossover bottom right on your latest plan: 1. Stick a straight track on the toe of the left-hand curved point. 2. Put an exactly similar track parallel to this straight track, at the correct separation (X-TrackCad has a button for this, might be more fiddly in SCARM). 3. (Get the system to?) join the second straight track to the free track on the right-hand curved point, using flexitrack (again easy in X-TrackCad). 4. Delete the straight tracks. Your two tracks at the left-hand end of the crossover will now be pointing in the same direction at the same angle, so you can start the curves from there. If the system made the join at step 3 using a curve and a straight (thus lengthening the second straight track), you will need to put the extra bit of straight back between the outer curve and the point, if it got deleted at step 4. Hope that mostly makes sense ...... Cheers Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolasgreenin Posted April 8, 2018 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 Hi Chris, It sounds like X TrackCAD is a bit more technical than SCARM I will have to get to grips with it. I am sure there are some videos in YouTube... I will try your method I do use the parallel straight track to get the gap but what I was finding was that the outer track looked good but the inner track isn’t parallel... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver Sidelines Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 (edited) This layout was built in room 11ft by 8ft and had to retain the door opening into the room. https://flic.kr/s/aHsj4uikpF It was an open frame layout which I hung from battens around the room. It was definitely not digital. Also it was out and back from a terminus into a reversing loop. I did miss the continuous run. Might be some pointers for you. Ray Edited April 8, 2018 by Silver Sidelines 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chimer Posted April 8, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 8, 2018 Hi Chris, It sounds like X TrackCAD is a bit more technical than SCARM I will have to get to grips with it. I am sure there are some videos in YouTube... I will try your method I do use the parallel straight track to get the gap but what I was finding was that the outer track looked good but the inner track isn’t parallel... X-TrackCad has a basic manual hiding behind behind the "Help" button, and a number of tutorials of varying usefulness accessible off the front page of the "Wiki" (http://www.xtrkcad.org/Wikka/HomePage). They got me to first base, then it's just about being inquisitive ... I'm a fan, others aren't! Cheers Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolasgreenin Posted April 8, 2018 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 (edited) Hi All, I may have been a little unfair to SCARM I found the parallel track function and I have come up with this, Green is the main line at 150mm Blue is the Freight line drops to 15mm 3% gradients Yellow the yard with an extra loop dropping to 0mm Edited April 8, 2018 by nicolasgreenin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolasgreenin Posted April 9, 2018 Author Share Posted April 9, 2018 (edited) Here is a better view Main line Freight Line Lower/fiddle not going to be scenic Edited April 9, 2018 by nicolasgreenin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolasgreenin Posted April 9, 2018 Author Share Posted April 9, 2018 My son has been wanting a turntable on our layout for a while so I with the extra space I have added this. I am not sure if this would be prototypical please advice Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdvle Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 My son has been wanting a turntable on our layout for a while so I with the extra space I have added this. Your son will only have a limited number of years where he will want to run trains on your layout with you as a child, if the turntable gives both of you enjoyment then put it in. It can always be removed when he gets older and either drifts away from trains or becomes more interested in things being correct. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolasgreenin Posted April 10, 2018 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 I agree he is only 8 and very creative my hope is that he hasn't reached his peak yet.. Having said that I would also like a turntable but they take up a lot of room and I want it to look right. With a bigger baseboard one can always fall for the trap of putting in too much track and not leaving enough room for the scenery and buildings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chimer Posted April 10, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 10, 2018 I don't think you can make a "prototypical" steam shed in the space you've got (they're normally huge sprawling things with lots of differing facilities arranged in fairly specific ways), but I'm sure you can make something look decent and interesting to operate, so go for it! Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolasgreenin Posted April 10, 2018 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 I have redesign the turntable taking some inspiration from the old Guildford MPD I can't do it justice due to the lack of space so I haven't attempted the roundhouse Image taken from David Heys http://www.davidheyscollection.com/page34.htm from the Guildford Museum Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crewlisle Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 Nicolas,How about this for a starter for ten? This is my 00 gauge 2.6M x 2.3M DCC exhibition layout 'Crewlisle' on three interconnected levels. You would never get bored with this as you have so many operating options. Forget about computer generated plans & do it the old fashioned way. When I designed & built it almost 40 years ago, I wrote down what I wanted. A double track main line representing the WCML together with OLE & a through station; a terminus for 6 coach expresses; steam & diesel sheds; turntable; goods yard & reversing loop. I consider fiddle yards wasted space so I incorporated a cassette section on the reversing loop inside the operating well. See my posts in 'Modelling Questions, Help & Tips', subject 'Anyone making laser cut cassettes? Post 13 & 17 on page 2.I have sent you a PM with a copy of a detailed answer I gave to someone 15 months ago with a similar question. Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harlequin Posted April 13, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 13, 2018 (edited) People work in different ways but it's probably best to have a clear idea of what you plan to do before you start otherwise you're likely to waste a lot of time and money. Computer programs are good tools for getting your ideas straight because the cost of making changes is very small. They are just tools, though, and you need to understand their foibles and limitations and make them do what you want, rather than allowing them to impose their restrictions on your design. Here endeth the lesson. Sorry to pontificate on your thread. ;-) Edited April 13, 2018 by Harlequin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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