fixed track

1Partsman

Member
hi everyone...

just a question so I don't run into problems later, and have not seemed to find anything about this in the forums....

when building a new route, what issues might come up if you use fixed track and the switches that go along with them? I was playing with them the other day just experimenting and found out it might be the way to make a clean looking 'ladder yard'....any thoughts???? when I checked, the fixed track sections do have direction to them, so that would not be an issue I can see...thanks for any info you can furnish....

John
 
Not an answer, I'm afraid

I'd like to know, too. I was just about to start a thead on this subject when I saw this one. Also, I was wondering if there was any frame rate savings using fixed track vs. the spline variety?

Comments from the experts greatly appreciated.

<snark>Comments from others appreciated purely for their entertainment value</snark>

Many Thanks

Chris
 
It really depends on the items. Some fixed track pieces just use the normal spline track, and won't have much of an effect on performance. Others are a 'regular' mesh with invisible track (generally these ones have a 'non standard' track mesh, or scripting to change the texture, or similar). These ones are more likely to hit performance. For points, these can have a large hit on performance, due to the complexity of the meshes and scripts. That said, a well made set should perform reasonably well :)
Zec
 
FT

Using fixed track will severly limit your custom track araingments...just like in HO...using flex track makes beaultiful curves and custom track araingements.

There are several YouTube-search "Trainz Turorials, or Trainz Tracklaying" on yard track laying.
I will try to find them for you, and post as a link Here:
 
hi everyone...

I made up a 'ladder yard' and was going to post a picture of it in the forums, but it won't let me....seeing I have seen pictures posted, would someone tell an 'old fart' like me how to do it????..... I converted the picture so it is really small compared to the screen capture, so that is not the issue, I can not find a way to either embed or attach it in the forum...

John
 
hi all...

maybe I was misunderstood.....I made a 'ladder yard' and it looks nice the way it comes out....but it goes back to my first post, will it cause problems using fixed track....I played with it and made a 'ladder yard' and want to show what it looks like, but the forums will not let me post a picture of it.....

John
 
If you want to display a screenshot on the forum, you have to host it elsewhere and post a link to it. Auran do not allow screenshots to be uploaded to the forums.

Check your ISP, you may have some space available for something like this.

Peter
 
Ah, well, you have to host the picture somewhere, ie: Imageshack, Imagehut, Imageshanty....somewhere. Then you can copy a link to the picture from that host and insert it into this message area by using the little box up there that looks like a picture of some cheesy mountains.
 
dwell everyone...if I did this right I think this link will show you what I was talking about regarding the 'laddder yard'....it comes out with really smooth rails through each switch....or is something like this going to cause a problem???

John

sorry.......link did not work
 
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Yard ladders are relitively easy, you just have to use smaller repetitive track (like 2m or 4m) in turnouts, and remember to straighten the switch just in back of all the turnout spline points.

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

Laying track and turnouts while "Holding down on the Shift Key" is an invaluable method.

Some tracks are really kinky in turnouts, more than others...IDK why though.
 
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G'day 1Partsman,

I'm glad to see that you have managed to work out how to store an image on the web so that we can all see it. Unfortunately, you have chosen a hosting site that demands registration before anyone can gain access to it. There are some of us here (me included) who refuse to do such things, so this may not have been a wise choice. Aside from this, you have simply supplied the link to the image, which means that we have to click on it to go and see the picture. If you had followed Euphod's advice and 'placed the link between "image tags", like this...

Code:
[img][URL="http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/view.sfly?fid=c02c808c95d71ab86cdd16a80fdf8c46"]http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/v...dd16a80fdf8c46[/URL][/mg]

...then those who have already registered with the site would be able to see the image in your post directly, like this...

K9_01.JPG


...it makes things so much easier....

Jerker {:)}
 
Cascade...

my only thought on trying this was to try and help some of the people who are having problems making yards...you see it in quite a few posts where they want help because they don't understand how to do it, and I thought I would make one, try it, because it is really fairly simple to do, and they look good too...

only an 'of's' thoughts...

John
 
Photobucket

hi everyone...

I made up a 'ladder yard' and was going to post a picture of it in the forums, but it won't let me....seeing I have seen pictures posted, would someone tell an 'old fart' like me how to do it????..... I converted the picture so it is really small compared to the screen capture, so that is not the issue, I can not find a way to either embed or attach it in the forum...

John

Hello John,
You need to start a free account with a hosting site, like Photobucket or Imageshack.
Then you can post into here from there.

Angela
 
G'day 1Partsman,

To get back to your original question, then, John, speaking from personal experience where I have built a nine road yard based on a prototype arrangement using 'mostly' fixed track, I can say that there is no problem doing so (and the end result is, indeed, immaculate) but I cannot offer any advice with regard to performance issues because I have not attempted to recreate the yard without the use of fixed track. I can't provide images for you because the route 'lives' on my laptop and I am currently using my main computer to post this...

...I do have some images but I will have to "track them down" (pun intended)...

Jerker {:)}
 
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