Best Way To Lay Down A Curve

Hi there,

I am been screwing around in the route builder which is what I call it and for the life of me, I am having issues in laying down curve track. Can someone tell me the simple way step by step in laying down curve track? It would be appreciated. Thanks.


Eaglefan
 
Lay two pieces of track at the required angle and distance apart. Use the straighten track tool on both pieces. Then lay a joining track from one to the other. Do NOT use the straighten track tool on the joining piece, you may have to insert a spline point at the centre of the joining track and drag it outwards just a little to smooth the curve, this depends on the angle and the length of the curve.

Cheers,
Bill69
 
Or, if you're doing Model Railroadz-style layouts which usually have more consistent curves, use fixed track pieces first and once done, replace each segment with splines.

Whatever you do, always remember that the start and end of a curve must always be of a bigger radius than the middle. Technically known as a "spiral easement".
 
Lay two pieces of track at the required angle and distance apart. Use the straighten track tool on both pieces. Then lay a joining track from one to the other. Do NOT use the straighten track tool on the joining piece, you may have to insert a spline point at the centre of the joining track and drag it outwards just a little to smooth the curve, this depends on the angle and the length of the curve.

Cheers,
Bill69

I am already trying to lay down two tracks as if I do a route. It will be double mainline throughout the route. Does that change anything?

Or, if you're doing Model Railroadz-style layouts which usually have more consistent curves, use fixed track pieces first and once done, replace each segment with splines.

Whatever you do, always remember that the start and end of a curve must always be of a bigger radius than the middle. Technically known as a "spiral easement".

I am not into those model railroadz style layouts. I am more into routes like Coal country and Mojave Sub. If I decide to do a route in the future no matter if it's in Trainz 12 or the new version that is planning to come out next year. It will be a fantasy route that goes from point A to Point B for about 50 to 75 miles. Something along that line. With a town on each end of the route and maybe one or two small towns somewhere in the middle of the route.
 
Its pretty simple once you get the hang of it. I just use two straightened sections of track and the curve is one continuous spline, curves that are approaching 180deg I've usually put in one point and bring it out.
If you wanna be technical you can lay to straight tracks at the angle, keep them going till the intersect with each other (no curves yet). Use the measure tool and go back 300ft or whatever each track, insert a spline point there, and connect the two. Then you will have a smooth symmetrical curve...

Usually if it doesn't look right it isnt :p
 
A RR track is a straight, connected to a curve, connected to another straight ... even an "S" curve has a short segment of straight track connecting the 2 curves, as do all turnouts, have a straight track lead in.

A straight track, leads into a subtle curve easement, then enters the curve itself ... then exits a subtle curve easement, and then on to another straight.

Laying track curves in Trainz is really easy when the curve is short, and under 45 degrees ... when a curve makes a 90 or 180, the curve is very distorted, and needs many additional track spline points.

A curve usually has two end spline points, and 2 more controlling spline points in the middle of the curve ... some curves require 5-6-8 or more controlling spline points in the curve section.

I use this method, using the Trainz ruler ... and make 2 intersecting straight tracks ... measure back an equal amount from the intersection on each straight track (@ 100 - 500m) ... place 2 track spline points at the ends of the 2 rulers ... connect those two distant track spline points with a piece of track ... delete the un-needed intersecting tracks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIZCvdB0Vn8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3HD6lZC3XA

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Another method is by using FT assembled track sections
Which you simply slide into place, use it as a tracing guide, for laying single track on top of it

By adding four 10m FT Straight on to the end of an an assembled curve, you get a subtle lead in / lead out curve easement

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An easy way to learn is by free Skype phone calls / share screens

But the track ruler is in the tools tab ... and FT track is in the buildings tab
 
Just out of curiosity for someone who knows how to lay track. How long would it take for someone to just lay down double main line track for 3 or 4 tiles?

Is FT track considered fixed track? If not, What is it?
 
FT is fixed track, and lays flat and won't go up grades. It is a good tracklaying guide tool.

I use MB Quad multitrack as a 4 track spacing tool. I use it only in straightaways, and connect it with single tracks in the curves.

This track is highly visible in surveyor mini map, so it is a great track spacing tool, for straights.

After my route is complete, I delete the MB Quad, and replace each of the 4 straight tracks with single tracks, and straighten them.

What kind of route are you designing ? A NG backwoods line generally has much tighter curves than a mainline. My Horseshoe Curve has a 600' radius, and my Muleshoe Curve is a little tighter radius... some EU high speed manlines have huge radius curves ... where as my NG 36" Wopsononock RR has really tight 50m curves
 
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FT is fixed track, and lays flat and won't go up grades. It is a good tracklaying guide tool.

I use MB Quad multitrack as a 4 track spacing tool. I use it only in straightaways, and connect it with single tracks in the curves.

This track is highly visible in surveyor mini map, so it is a great track spacing tool, for straights.

After my route is complete, I delete the MB Quad, and replace each of the 4 straight tracks with single tracks, and straighten them.

What kind of route are you designing ? A NG backwoods line generally has much tighter curves than a mainline. My Horseshoe Curve has a 600' radius, and my Muleshoe Curve is probably 300' radius... some EU high speed manlines have huge radius curves ... where as my NG 36" Wopsononock RR has really tight 50m curves

Like I said in my original post, I am just playing around in the route builder which is what I call it to see if I can lay track properly. As for the route that I would do if I had a chance would be just a desert type of route. Something like the route that Kimo has been posting which you can find screenshots of that route on page 2139 of the USA pics thread in the screenshot forum
 
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Mainline high speed crossovers, measured on Google Earth, are @ 650' or longer, on my EBT RR route my crossovers are @ 150' long, and switches are much tighter, with curves @ 100' radius.

Tracklaying is my favorite aspect of Trainz ... and I lay track from looking straight down from above, sometimes using a trainzoptions setting of -surveyorfov=185
 
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LOL Crossovers are the last thing on my mind right now. If I can figure out how to lay curve track and get a 2 or 3 miles of trackage going on a route. Then, I would be thinking about that. However, I need to get the curve track down first.
 
What ever you, or anyone else needs in the way of tutorials, I will be more than happy to share my techniques.

I could even put up a small route with FT Track, curves and rulers, on a Cubby file.
 
What ever you, or anyone else needs in the way of tutorials, I will be more than happy to share my techniques.

I could even put up a small route with FT Track, curves and rulers, on a Cubby file.

Right now, I am going to lay down for a while as I have a headache. I woke up with one this morning and I still have it 4 hours later. I will get back to you via PM sometime within the next few days. Thanks for trying to explain stuff to me.
 
My headache, is still in North Carolina on vacation at present ... and she won't be back home till late this weekend :hehe: I got plenty of time for Trainz ... besides dawg watching 5 dawgz, and 3 katz (the katz are sitting on top of the china cabinet, looking down like gargoyles, keeping their distance from the unruly dawgz) !

Last time I took an aspirin was just before she left, 18 dayz ago ... Last time I went to a doctor, he said: "You're getting old ... Get used to it" ! "Your bill is $165.00" ... I never paid him !

I will post a Cubby link to a tutorial route ... soon !
 
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We've been here before:

http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?114985-perfect-cyrves&highlight=template

I still maintain that the only way to do curves is to use a template.

Look for kuid 37522:9994. It's an ancient asset, so include pre-TRS2004 in the search of the Download Station.

There are many others.

OK, I hit the download button for the template, But nothing is showing up in CMP as downloaded. I am not sure if it is in the program or not right now. It seems like nothing that I download from the download station goes into the CMP as I just downloaded a locomotive from the download station and nothing shows up in CMP. However, If I download a locomotive from jointedrail. I have no problem installing it in CMP.
 
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