Dual Gauge (NG2/3) Track questions

[ckthomson]

I'm trying to do a mixed-gauge route, consisting mostly of NG2/3 dual track. I don't rightly remember the KUID #s of the track in question, but I'm sure I can figure 'em out if they're required.

The problem I'm having is that they don't appear to respond to some of the track tools, especially "straighten track" and "smooth spline" - has anyone found a way to correct this problem?

Cheers,
Craig.

 

[Shortline2]

Hi,

Unfortunately, in order to make the dual track work, one has to set up the track as a kind bridge, which makes it not work with the normal track tools, like straighten track.
It is also impossible to use the dual track to make junctions, hence the extra parts needed (those parts work with all track tools though, as they are of kind track ).
Why this is this way, ask Auran.

Trainz operates on the idea that any models defined as a train will run on all meshes defined as kind track/bridge - and as a default it will always follow the middle of the mesh.
When it comes to kind bridge, it behaves a little different, as this type calls for a kind track to actually run the trains on - making it possible to set up several tracks side by side and have the trains run on all of them.

My guess is that by doing it this way, the program can not figure out which of those tracks one needs straighten/smoothed, and hence those parts don't work with kind bridge.
Might be wrong though - all I know is that it don't work.

Hope this helps?

Best wishes

Linda

 

[teddytoot]

If you want to have three rail track so that the rolling stock of both gauges will be alongside the platform, the only solution that I know of is to use separate 3ft and 2ft track superimposed. This means a lot of shift-click work to keep them from joining. On short trial lengths that I have laid in the past I have initially laid the narrow track offset to the broad one and then moved it across as a final step. I would hate to do it for any appreciable length of track however.

 

[narrowgauge]

Just a thought.

Lay one track with ('istrack' = 1) and ('isroad' = 0) and then lay the other track as ('istrack' = 0) and ('isroad' = 1). Set the spline heights the same. They won't join. Then change the latter track config.txt to ('istrack' = 1 etc). I haven't checked this but it should work. They should all be 'KIND' = track.

Cheers

Narrowgauge

 

[ckthomson]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

To start with, I'm not too worried about both lines being able to drop at one industry/depot - the way this track seems to work, I can steer one line off where I need to and place both lines manually. It might look strange, but it works.

Actually, I think the key to using the Dual ng2/3 track is not to use too much - better to keep the lines seperate where possible, although there will be some nice long stretches of dual-guage track.

The main dual-gauge track does indeed appear in the "bridges" section, although there's a bunch of items labled "join track" that don't have the pair of offset Invisible Rail indicators - these appear to be "proper" track.

If I can actually figure this out I'll make sure to post an update. I might have to host the screenies myself though, I can't stand the though of voluntarily spamming y'all with Imageshack's obnoxious gambling popups.

 

[Shortline2]

Hi,

In case it helps, if you open up one of the folders where the dual gauge track is, in TRS2006 just use CMP to open in Explorer (Ctrl+Shift+E) and read the readme file that should be included there.
It tries to explain how to use the various parts.

In short:

The track that looks like 3 rail, with two red lines going through it is the "normal" dual track (the one set up as kind bridge)
The one that looks like 3 rail with no red lines going through it is the "join track" (set up as kind track), and will work like any other track - where the 3' line is the one that will have the trains follow the rails.

Down the line, there will be some industry stuff (mining type of course ) that will work with both gauges (to connect one would need to use the join track and one invisible track), but it will be some time as life is not nice anymore to me.

It do sound like you have this figured it out though, so I will do as I did earlier today, keep on wishing you luck with your route - and should there be any trouble, post and if I can help, I will try my best.

Linda

 

[arum]

I have used some MAN dual gauge track on some routes, and although they dont share a rail, it is a single track that looks well with different gauges of equipment. (there are 2 sets of rails, the smaller being centered between the larger)

 

[jjslll54]

Had an idea after reading this thread. Don't know if someone has done this yet. Why not make a track with just one rail on one side, with a small rail on the other side that would fit inside a regular rail for guidence in laying inside standard guage. Then you would have three rail track that the trains would run on and look normal. It would need to be rail only so it would work on any track.

Jack

 

[RPearson]

What I use is similar but I use invisible track for the ng so you don't have to be as fussy with the placement - just so the ng trains track ok. It's basically just using the joiner approach - same pieces that are required to make spline turnouts in dual gauge. The mesh for the sg has the 3rd rail built into it but it's only a single track spline that carries the sg stock. An invisible track spline is added off center towards the common rail to carry the ng stock. This also has a problem with maintaining the correct spacing but it only effects the way the ng train tracks and not the appearance of the track.

I haven't made my invisible track like this but you could add an alignment gauge to the invisible track (it's only visible in surveyor) and use it to better center the invisible track against the common rail. I do the spacing with a cad program which is kind of cheating I guess but very accurate. For the bridge version of the dg track I use the same 3 rail mesh with 2 invisible splines for the "bridge" tracks.

I'll try to post a screen shot of the dual guage I'm putting in the EBTrr Mt Union yard - unfortunately the EBT used a lot of it.

Bob Pearson

PS. Here's some screen shots of the EBT MT Union Yard trackwork I'm working on - ungraded and no junction levers placed. I like Elvenor's stuff but I'll have to make my own as it doesn't suit the track spacing. I'll also have to work on making a single lever for the dg turnouts - 2 levers to handle both splines at each turnout gets to be a nightmare in this yard. The orange spline show in Surveyor is the invisible track used for the ng part of the dg track.