Hand Drawing Track Elements

fotoflojoe Mar 16, 2012

  1. fotoflojoe

    fotoflojoe TrainBoard Member

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    After playing with XtrackCad and SCARM, I've decided that until I have a much more complete and solid idea for a track plan, I'm going to draw them by hand. The above programs are excellent, however, my low skill level doesn't allow me to experiment with a design by "doodling" in them yet.


    Seems much quicker to ink in my bench work on graph paper, then scribble away as ideas come to me.


    For hand drawing, I'll work in 3/4" to the foot scale.


    I've got a firm grasp on straight track (ruler) and curves (compass), but I'm not completely sure about turnouts.


    When drawing a "#X" turnout, is it really as straight-forward as: measure X units along the straight from point A to point B, measure over one unit from point B (either right or left as appropriate) to point C, then draw the diverging leg as a line between points A and C?


    That seems logical to me, but I'd like to be sure - I don't want my drawings going off into fantasy land. :rolleyes:


    How might one draw other elements, such as a wye or curved turn-out?


    Can anyone point me toward a link that would have this information?
    When I googled for it, the only results that came back were for full-size track templates, and track plans that the user had hand-drawn.
    My search-fu has failed me... :(


    Thanks for reading!
     
  2. Ristooch

    Ristooch TrainBoard Member

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    Fast Tracks has full scale templates of many common turnouts by scale at:
    http://www.handlaidtrack.com/Fast-Tracks-Printable-Track-Templates-s/11.htm

    However, they are drawn at 1:1 and you would have to figure out how to scale them down to 1/16 their actual size to work at 3/4" = 1'-0".

    It would seem that, even if you decided to use 1:1 track/turnout templates, you would have to do some scaling.

    Purely speculating here, but what if you printed out the desired turnouts from one of the track-planning software packages at 3/4" = 1'-0", and created a custom template by mounting the particular turnout on heavy paper?

    Another alternative might be to locate a CAD-savvy person, give them the full size track drawings that you find, have this person reproduce them in CAD, and then plot them at 3/4" = 1'-0" scale for you.

    Hope that this helps.
     
  3. SteamDonkey74

    SteamDonkey74 TrainBoard Supporter

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    I learned in architecture school that I am much more "fluent" with my hand sketching and that I also tend to be a lot less constricted in my thinking if I don't immediately rush off to use CAD. What you say resonates a lot with me, and as a ten plus year professional now I STILL use graph paper or a sketch pad first when coming up with ideas and puzzling them out and THEN both build the presentation and confirm the reality in CAD.


    For turnouts, might I suggest that you make little templates of those that you plan on using (if you are using commercial turnouts) and then just trace them in your plan. I tend to draw my earlier track plans as centerline diagrams, and I make myself a little template or count out the requisite number of boxes of length and of divergence for each turnout as I am sketching. I find that this works a lot better for me in the earlier stages than all this other sort of mucking about.

    If you have track planning software already, may I suggest just printing out the turnouts you want at the scale you require for your hand drawing and then fashion templates from them?

    Good luck,
    Adam
     
  4. BobD

    BobD TrainBoard Member

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    Well I guess that I am not alone in the MR world. I too still use my trusty drafting board and T-Square. I made up a full set of templates, but it was before the interweb. I was lucky that my local hobby shop allowed me to scale out the turnouts and even then realized that when it came time to go from paper the reality, some adjustments were still necessary. I also made templates of every kit that I had, so that during my planning I could ensure that they would fit where necessary. I simply inserted the template under the velium and traced what I needed. Those old rapidograph pens never wear out.
     
  5. paulus

    paulus TrainBoard Member

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    Hi,
    learn to doodle by the squares; an old John Armstrong trick. Any turnout can be drawn with a ruler and triagle quite easily.
    Paul
     
  6. fotoflojoe

    fotoflojoe TrainBoard Member

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    Yes, but how?
    That's my question.

    Thanks!
     
  7. markwr

    markwr TrainBoard Member

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    Instead of trying to draw various switches at the scale you're using why don't you place the switches you need in an XtrakCad drawing and print it at the scale you need. Cut the switches out and use them as templates on your drawing.
     
  8. BobD

    BobD TrainBoard Member

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    Oookay, my bad. I reread your question and think I see what you want to do. Your AB to C thought is correct as to draw the approximate centerline for a #4, 5, 6 etc. turnout. A wye, the same way except that you go "left" and "right". Curved TOs just use your compass. However, your drawing will not show the exact positioning of the points or the frog. Turnout dimensions (except for the frog angle) vary from one company to another. You will get an idea of where things will be, so leave some wiggle room when going from paper to layout. As Ristooch mentioned, download the freebie templates from Fast Tracks and translate them to a scale template. You will be better served that way.
     
  9. jdetray

    jdetray TrainBoard Member

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  10. fotoflojoe

    fotoflojoe TrainBoard Member

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    Excellent, excellent advice from all of you!
    Thanks everyone!

    I think I have enough information to get myself into real trouble now... :tb-biggrin:
     
  11. paulus

    paulus TrainBoard Member

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    hi, it could be done like this:
    [​IMG]
    an exemple
    when drawing a #5 turnout in N-scale:
    Offset= spacing/2= 1,2 / 2 = 0,6
    length turnout is = 2 * switchnumber * offset = 2 * 5 * 0,6 = 6
    so AM= 3, woo woo woo = your choice; but 4" or more from M would be great, lets assume woo woo woo= 5
    Then BE = 5 / switchnumber = 5/5 = 1"
    Draw ME; but the real end of the turnout is a bit back, just above the end of the turnout
    Paul
     
  12. cuyama

    cuyama TrainBoard Member

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    Hand-drawing track plans can work fine. But general rules-of-thumb for drawing turnouts may not be accurate enough in areas where many turnouts are joined.

    [​IMG]

    In this example, three #6 turnouts are combined in an arrangement like a pinwheel ladder yard throat. As can be seen, the dimensions of the combined turnouts differ significantly by brand. So it's important to use templates accurately-sized to the brand of turnouts you plan to use in tight areas. Note that there is even variability in the Fast Tracks turnouts (designed from the NMRA HO #6 pattern), depending on whether one builds them to the minimum size possible on the jig (for tight areas) or the typical size on the jig.
     
  13. ken G Price

    ken G Price TrainBoard Member

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    When I started to plan my current layout (2007) I noticed that various N scale planing templates were being sold from many of the online stores.
     

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