Track laying question

I have started laying track for my fictitional short line route. I want use smooth gradient transitions. I have already decided that I will use 10m straight increasing .1 for each straight. My question is, how do you determine how many straights to use for the transitions up and down grade? Thanks.Shawn

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RE: Track laying question, lenglel, Jul-07-03, 04:44 PM, (1) RE: Track laying question, shawnbecher, Jul-07-03, 04:46 PM, (2) RE: Track laying question, lenglel, Jul-07-03, 05:18 PM, (3) RE: Track laying question, shawnbecher, Jul-07-03, 05:25 PM, (4) RE: Track laying question, lenglel, Jul-07-03, 05:46 PM, (5) RE: Track laying question, shawnbecher, Jul-07-03, 05:50 PM, (6) RE: Track laying question, zdierkes, Jul-11-03, 03:20 AM, (10) RE: Track laying question, CharlieB, Jul-09-03, 07:36 PM, (7) RE: Track laying question, shawnbecher, Jul-10-03, 02:18 PM, (8) RE: Track laying question, muskokaandtahoe, Jul-10-03, 09:42 PM, (9)

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There are two approaches to transitioning grades, one uses
the same step size for each 10m straight, the other is to
use increasing stepsizes until the angle is halfway to the
desired value, then decreasing stepsizes until the desired
angle is reached. E.G. .15,.45,.75,.9 vs. .15,.3,.45,.6,
.75,.9 On curves I do the same thing with one degree
sections instead of 10 meter straights. How many pieces
to use depends on how steep the target grade is.
Lloyd

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I guess I'm asking if there is a way to do it when you don't know what the target grade is. I'm laying track in an area where there actually is track, but I don't have elevation data or grade data because I'm not following the exact path of the track. Thanks.Shawn

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In that case, get the curves and straights lined up where they
belong, then work out the grades and transitions. For example,
you may have a curve at 0, followed by a 500m straight at .6,
a curve at .9 etc... In this case you'd delete the 500m straight,
use 10m pieces to transition to .6, then a 250m straight followed
by a 100m straight, 50m straight and transition to .9, which will
leave you slightly above or below where the second curve was
placed. Then just delete the second curve and re-attach it to
the end of the last straight. Very much a trial and error
process, make sure to save and make a backup after each
successful tangent before starting on the next curve.Lloyd

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OK thanks. One more question. The area that I am going to start laying track is approximately a 3km straight. Is there an easy way to measure distance in MSTS so that I can determine what the grade of this straight needs to be? It starts out flat for the first km or so, then pitches uphill slightly. I'm just not sure how to figure out what the grade of that portion of track should be. Thanks.Shawn

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I think Geoff Mayo's MSTSPoker tool might help you with that.
When I'm building track myself I generally do my measuring
by building, as outlined previously. You can get the elevations
from the object placement window as you move the crosshairs
across your terrain.Lloyd

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I was thinking about that myself (laying track to figure out how long an area is). Thanks for the help.Shawn

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Where would I get the Geoff Mayo's MSTSPoker tool? Ive been trying to deal with measuring distances also.Zac

~CSX Fan...Good 'Ol Blue And Yellow~

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You could also "brute force" it, by placing trees on the ground along your track bed and writing down the x-y-z coordinates for each tree. A little math gets you the necessary grade. That's sort of the reverse of the process I use. My route follows the shoreline at about the 30 ft contour, so I "plant" trees along the contour. (You put one where you think is right, check the x-y-z, then move it and re-plant until you get the correct elevation.) If everything works out right, you end up with a bunch of trees growing on your track. Charlie
Old Colony-Newport Branch
Newport, RI

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I have come up with yet a different way that is working quite well for me. I'll lay out several sections of the same size track for one grade and adjust each so that the end point is just touching the ground. Then I go back and get the grade for each section of track and average them out. That way I have my distance and my grade. Works out pretty nicely with the markers I have down for the main line. Thanks.Shawn

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What I usually do is lay a section or three of longer track just to see what the ground ahead is going to do and then as necessary delete enough sections to begin the grade transitions with new placement of track. Sometimes I need to delete only one or two of the long ones but if I need to go farther back I will.Dave Nelson Aug 1950

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