Laying double track

I'm trying to get two single tracks to make a double track, but they are constantly the wrong spacing and are branching off from one another. Is there anyway to lay good single track?
 
There are multiple ways, but you may find this useful...

Lay the single track in one direction, then start where the first track ended and press shift while laying the second track in the opposite direction. When you reach the end, press shift again to keep the two from snapping together. If you need to put in spline points, press shift to prevent the tracks from connecting to the previous laid one in the opposite direction. Then click and add your next segment.

This works for roads, telephone and telegraph poles, grass, and other splines. You'll become quite adept at pressing shift to get the track next to the one already laid down and then continuing the spline on its way to the next point where you press shift again.

Don't worry about the spacing. Once the track is in place, you can then move the spline points closer and line things up. If you need to, you can always use a spacer-tool which there are many on the DLS, or simply a level crossing, a bridge, or anything else that has two tracks.

Eventually you won't need the spacers at all because you'll judge the distance by eye. For our railroads over here, we use anywhere between 4 meter and 5 meter spacing. Our eastern railroads being the oldest, are put down the closest together. 4 meter spacing is pretty close and means the spline points overlap a bit. The western roads use 5 meter spacing because there was plenty of room when they were building. This track is spaced so that one spline circle just touches the ties of the second track.

It takes a bit of practice, but once you start doing it more and more, you'll find it's pretty easy. One more thing - avoid the already built double track. This has very bad performance in Trainz in general and is not even supported anymore, except for backwards compatibility reasons in TS12 and T:ANE.

Hope this helps.
 
I find using Setrack straight pieces (eg FT 250, FT 500) as a template an immense aid to keeping things in line, particularly when laying multiple tracks or attaching track to fixed objects. Just rotate the FT to match the angle of your object, lay track over it (with Shift Key to avoid unexpected attachment) then slide the FT across to the adjacent line.

I got fed up with building station layouts where the track went off at a tangent after laying by eye and, while I don't claim any originality for using FT as a template, makes the whole process much neater with satisfying results.

For longer runs, perhaps where you want to line up a station and several level crossings the FT 1000 comes in handy, just rotate to follow the course of the line on the map (if using Transdem) place your objects angled and lined up with the FT and attach the spline(s).
 
Use a 2 track dual track spline for straights, and connect them with single tracks in the curves ... later on replace the 2 track splines with single track. There are 5m (which have touching spline points), and 4m (which have overlapping spline points) ... I have measured mainline and yard tracks throughout the US, and 99% of them are PRR 13ft (4m) track spacing, even on bridges ... except in a few scarce specialized places
 
Last edited:
I use bekaember's fixed track spacers. Look for names like "FT 2T 2m 4.25" (Fixed Track, 2 Track, 2m long, 4.25m spacing). There's 3 and 5 track versions out there too. They go from 3.5m to 12.5 meter spacing. Available on the DLS. They work in TANE as well. :)

Andrew
 
Also have a look at Andi06's JK Way Gauge (several versions) on the DLS. I have used these to get the correct spacing. They will work in TANE but will not change to the correct track texture. So what I do is use them, then when the track is correct, delete them and join the track splines over the gap.
 
I have a few updating spacers on the DLS - to UK standards - look for Way Gauge, KUID 275817. (Probably TRS2004 but still working.)

Ray
 
Back
Top