PLEAS READ THIS NOTE: Ok, folks, I clearly made a big boo-boo in this video that I need to clear up. When measuring out easements, your TOTAL easement length should be 60% of your curve radius, so your measurement on each side of the point at which your circular, constant radius curve would begin would be 1/2 that. In other words each side of that point would be 0.6r/2. My sincere apologies. I don't know how I did that. Thanks to wcfn100 on therailwire.net for catching it for me. (EMBARRASSING!)
Ron's Trains N Things So instead of 10 inches yours should be 5? I'm doing a 34.5 inch radius. I'm wondering if I should try your trick. Just not sure because of the mods. What length would my easement be with 34.5? -Mark
Ron, great video despite your boo boo. I'm no mathmagican, so please bare with me. So what your telling me, that easement would be basically 5" on each end of the radius, correct? And since my layout is in HO, would those numbers be the same?...Dano
For the superelevation transition: Zero right at the tangent to spiral (T.S. in RR staking), first tape starts at 1/4 of the spiral, 2nd tape at the 1/2 point, 3rd tape at the 3/4 point, and full super right at the spiral to curve (S.C.) Otherwise, your super is starting on the tangent, and reaching full super before the full curve, resulting in rocking of the train. Max super is a 10% cross slope, or 5" super (scaled properly) at top rail. This from a former UPRR survey party transit man from the days of manual instruments, hand calculations from the tables, and actually staking track. Now, having nitpicked that, I will say, and give you full credit for, ANY transition and ANY superelevation on a model railroad is GREAT! Thanks for the video.
Thank you much for this. The input of the actual folks who do/did this actual work is extremely valuable. I need to make a renewed/updated video on this topic.
Hello from south-central PA! @23:16 On a shoestring budget, I decided to model my own ''Bullet Train". I took an nice old Alco and grafted a portion of a small section of a plastic disposable razor handle on to the front to give it an aerodynamic "look". Used JB Weld and a Dremil to blend it all together. For the "coaches", I took 3 identical small short reefers and replaced their plastic wheels with the larger metal ones for enhanced weight distribution. I removed all the couplers and (after removing the horns, filled everything in with JB Weld, sanded everything completely smooth), I spaced the 4 units .5" apart and applied a thin layer of school glue over all the top and side surfaces, and then a very thin section/single layer of fabric applied over the roofs and the sides which effectively holds the entire thing together in place of the couplers. Painted it and with a tiny piece of electrical tape made a mean-ass looking windshield Questions: Is 7 degrees elevated bank too much for the train to operate at slow speeds? If so, what would you consider the maximum in an extreme layout? Would the trains ability to handle the curves benefit if additional weight plates were to be added to the 3 reefers? Any and all information is greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Sounds like an interesting project. I'd love to see some pictures. Yes, I would say 7 degrees is probably too much--you would likely develop a problem with string-lining cars. I would say 3 or 4 would be ideal. Extra weight will help, but you need the extra weight in the middle of the train.
So like 3 extra plates in the first reefer, 2 in the 2nd, and one extra in the trailing car? (identical weight plates to what originally came in the cars)
With this be the same way to do if you have an existing track and you want to add another track to it like add it to the existing track if that’s the case thank you for your showing me this because that’s what I wanted to do with my layout
not sure why you are apologising for a minor error - we all need to take care to check for ourselves, and no one is perfect either, this video is excellent and informative, and thanks for taking your time to do so.
A lot of fantastic information! Thank so much for taking the time to create this. I have recently been put on permanent disability, and I have way too much time on my hands. Especially being March in Michigan. I’m just getting started on a small display, on a bay window. The best way to make it work and look scale, is with the proper curves. You were a HUGE HELP! I sincerely appreciate it!! Karl
Hello Ron, Re: railroad ties, and bridges. I've been watching most of your videos for a couple of years now, and am subscribed to your channel, (but under a different name). Your videos are terrific. I'm sure they'll be a big help to me when I start a model railroad sometime in the near future. In the real world railroad ties are square timbers, about 8 inches by 8 inches. Obviously about 3/4 of that is hidden, buried in ballast. Only the top 2 inches or so can be seen. I guess that's why model railroad ties are so thin. No sense wasting money on a lot of plastic material that will be hidden from view in the ballast. On every model RR video I've seen, where there is a bridge or trestle, and there is therefore no ballast, the ties ARE SQUARE. Is that portion of track hand laid? I know that no one likes to do hand laid track, but it LOOKS like that's how the track must've been placed. And I've never heard anyone in a model RR video talk about track installation on steel truss bridges, girder bridges, or trestles, whether steel or wooden. What's the deal? Also, IF commercially made model track has thin ties because that's the part that can be seen above the ballast, then why don't modelers put a thin coat of ballast on the roadbed first and then nail down the track on top? I am very interested in hearing your comments about this. Thank you in advance.
The best and easiest description of Superevetions I've seen. I intend to use Easements and Superelevations on my Golden & Silver Plume Excursion Line an Nn3 layout based on the Colorado & Southern - Clear Creek Line. My track will all be hand-laid...
I am brand new to this layout thing, always laid flat on floor . You are awesome! I wondered about this technique but your the first to explain perfectly ❤
The technique you’re using to scribe the easement has been used for centuries by ship builders to determine the curves of the hull of their ships and boats. The flexible wood strip that you use to create the line is called a “ batten” Just FYI :)
Thanks for the info. A tip for anyone having trouble with the flexible wood to make the easement curve is find an arts store where you find draftsmans tools (mechanical pencils, compass sets etc) and grab yourself a "flexible curve". Its a common cheap tool for exactly this task of making smooth arbitrary curves to join two lines/curves. Its a bendable length of rubber with a metal core which holds the curve position (its not springy so no need to anchor it). being easy to bend and hold its shape its easy to make pleasant curves joining two lines and easy to adjust it smoothly before you mark. downside is it'll hold small kinks if you put them into the curve and you have to work them out before marking. its also great for edging walls/fences trackside and for contouring roads on your layout smoothly too. far better than just a piece of string.
I am a draughtsman also ..... If you want an accurate and smooth curve, follow Ron and DON't use a flexicurve. They are OK for approximations . I always use a beam compass ( trammels.)
Great video. Just started building a n scale layout with 2 separate tracks. Am isolating certain sections so i can move cars from 1 track to another. On first try didn't have caulk. So just to try to move forward i used spray adhesive. Luckily i didn't go far. For the first 2 pieces i sprayed started to melt foam board. They were small pieces so wasn't a problem making new ones. Haven't laid track yet. Just set few sections just to see how it would line up. Fit great. Glad i saw this video so i can make proper transitions and banks. Thanks for the help.
Ron, glad that you are running this again. I'm glad it's back, the information is never old and always needed. Rebuilding my layout and one of my issues from before was the "curves". This video sved me from commiting the same error. Thank you for reposting and sharing with eveeryone. **Note Ron: It's not to much information or to technical. Muse
I have to admit, your tip for setting super-elevation with masking tape is brilliant. I was looking at using 0.5mm plastic strip. Tape will make the job a lot cheaper on 40m of scenic trackwork. Love your series.
Lack of mass in our car models does mean super elevation can make cars a little more likely to tip over. So it is important not to over do the elevation. Hence, NTrak recommends avoiding super elevation on modules where the extra long trains may increase the possibility of derailments.
Helices can sometimes have problems with string-lining, or having the cars pull off of the inside of the curve. The combination of tight radii and high forces, due to the grade, can do this. In this case, sub-elevation can help. This is raising the inside rail. It doesn't look like anything the prototype does, so I would suggest only doing it in hidden trackage.
Thanks a lot Ron for the easy to understand explanation of both the subjects. It's gonna take me some time to convert it to the metric system but I'm sure I'm gonna work it out.
Thanks for the tips my friend,I am building a race track railroad and it keeps derailing on my elevated turns because I was having issues banking the turn evenly so I'm going to try some gorilla tape. Thank you.
I just picked up two N - scale train sets an extra engine and a passenger car all for $70. The steam engine by its self was stickered at $65. I had an N- scale train layout in a bar back in 1990 but lost my train room to my second daughter. Now my kids have grown and gone, I may build a new layout eventually. I used mostly flex track on my first layout and ended up building it into a bar a teacher at the school I worked at. It measured 3 foot by 6 foot. I already had a 3x4 foot layout so,I was able to almost double my layout size. I made a custom vynal cover for it and had a double line going with a double reversed loop. I may do that again as I found I could really pack lots of trains on that setup. I am thinking of modular this time. Something that can be unassembled and stacked. My first layout used phone line for wiring. All track sections had wiring every few feet so there were no shorts. zit would have been easy to do a DDC. I didnt get my curves correct on my radius so longer cars never worked on my layout. Mostly I used flex track and hand ballast everything. All my buildings were scratch built using balsa wood, plaster brick moulds and time, lots of time. I even used small pebbles to build a retaining wall. I dont know when I will start my new layout.
Absolutely fantastic! One of the things that always bothered me was that abrupt transition into the curves. Thanks for your work on this problem and the bonus of super elevation! My wife and I are planning a new n scale layout and this method will be employed as we build. Once again, thank you,
I've use a piece of code 100 rail when laying out a spiral on homasote. It ahchored well on one end and was easily spiked allowing for tracing the centerline.
Hi Ron. I liked your video and the measurements you used are a very good approximation of the actual figures for these spiral easements. In addition to the AREMA site, the 2011 issue of Model Railroad Planning included a good overview of this subject. One this that will help getting the curve laid out is that is passes through the midpoint of the line segment between the tangent line and the circular arc at the point where you measure the offset. I'm a mechanical engineer, so I have the formulas programmed into the RPN calculator on my I-Phone. I can't help it, it's an occupational hazard. :)
Hi, Tim. I like having the confirmation from an expert that this process is a reasonable approximation of the prototype. Thanks for that. I am no engineer, but I was a pretty good student in algebra and geometry, so this stuff is fun and fascinates me. I have that issue of MRP around somewhere, but had forgotten about that article. Thanks for mentioning it here for others to check out.
Thank you, Ron, this is so helpful as I am starting to lay track on my railroad and I want it to be as near to typical as I can. I live in Rangiora New Zealand and attend our Baptist church every Sunday.
Thanks for watching, Craig. I will go ahead and tell you now 2 things on your comment. 1) I use an aluminum yardstick as a straight edge to keep my track straight. 2) You may not want to get it perfectly straight, the prototype rarely is. I will cover this when I do that track laying video, though. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Ron, Not withstanding the error correction note at the start (Hey we can all make a mistake!) this is a video I’ve been wanting to see. Thanks for sharing. Just my thoughts to add to the ‘mix’ - How about making templates for easements, to save setting out time during a new development/ extension? Here is what I did, following your guidance. Using AnyRail 6 I marked out the radius curve for R4 (Peco). Then marked the offset based on R4 and drew the spiral curve. Next I calculated the length of the overall transition and marked the start and endpoints as per your video. At each marked point on the respective curves I cut the track. I then inserted a piece of flex track, connecting each end and then used the ‘smooth flex’ tool to draw the transition. Finally I turned on the roadbed and printed this completed transition. When cutout and fixed to card it enable the route for my underlay to be. defined. Bonus is that on turning the template over you have a mirror image for the other end of the curve, if needed.. Best Regards, T🚂
Finally, I now understand the tangent track. Would you please in a future segment, help me with what I should use as a tangent for a vertical curve at the top and bottom of a grade.
Thanks for this and all your other VDOs, I used XtrkCad which is a free layout design program that automatically sets out easements and saves a lot of manual work figuring it all out. I designed a large club layout with this program and the track was perfect on the first lay. When the track plan is drawn the secret is to create a 100mm x 100mm grid base on the Cad image (I'm Aussie so were metric here). Make sure you create a reference point on the cad image of the layout on the computer that can be identified on the actual base board. Then draw on the actual base board in pencil a 100mm x 100mm grid that covers the whole area that the track will be laid and that corresponds to the computer grid. All that needs to be done now is to hold the cursor on a point where the track centre crosses either a vertical or horizontal grid line, XtrakCad will give a X,Y coordinate and a measurement can be easily calculated from the crossing point back the the corner of that 100mm grid. Plot that point on the actual layout and place a panel nail. Do this for the rest of the track as it transitions across the grid on the computer. You'll end up with a line on nails at every point where the track centre crosses a grid line on the baseboard. Place a flexible strip of timber on the base board and bend it around the nails and scribe a line from nail to nail to get your track centre at every 100mm or so. This is how you convert a computer image to a full size base board. I have heard of people printing out the image at full size on paper sheets and then taping them together before laying the plan on a base board but that takes a lot of paper on a large layout! Keep up the great VDOs. Cheers, Barrie
I have been enjoying your videos, very clear for the moderate to advance modeller, looking forward to more videos from you, thanks for posting your ideas, and tried and true ideas. Thanks again.
Great video. I missed the formula for the transition area of the curve but watched it again and got it. There are a lot of nice pointers or tidbits that not only apply to track planning but track laying as well. I really enjoy how you explained the gradual elevation of the " super-elevated " rail and the reasoning of it's use vs the forces in real rail methods.
Thanks for watching. Please read the note I added in comments to this video as I misspoke regarding the length of the easement. What I said will work, but is double the length needed. I forgot to divide by 2. Math got me. UGH.
Thanks Ron. This was a great video and it helped me understand better the info that I have read in books and seen other people post online. I look forward to seeing more of your videos.
Hi Ron. You explained how to form a easement going into a curve from a straight section of track assuming the train was moving in the direction of the easement. I assume, if you plan to run a train the opposite direction, you would place an easement where the curve meets the straight track on the opposite end for trains coming from the opposite direction. Am I correct in my thinking?
I've had John Armstrongs Track Planning for Realistic Operation since th1980s. There is a good presentation in that book on laying out easements as well. In his table, for a 30" radius curve, he uses 1/2 inch for the offset and 18 inches is the total easement (9-inches from either side of the offset). I actually use a piece of HO flex track to carefully make the "bent stick" easement and mark a centerline using the flex track. Works well.
great videos not sure what radius i need for ho scale layout 18 22 or 24 i want to be able to run in the future a big boy and auto carriers what is the advantages and disadvantages of 18 22 or 24 radius thanks
+mack042 Running that size equipment you will want 24 inch or maybe even larger. The big boy will have trouble negotiating anything smaller. Also, you are longer equipment like auto wax will hang way over the inside Rail and look very odd that anything smaller than 24. Honestly most of your ho guys would tell you running the longest modern equipment like autoracks you probably want 28 or 30 in.
Professor Ron, great lecture! I'm in the beginning stages of a small 2 x 4 N scale layout and this will definitely help. What I like about your videos is explanation with demonstration, step by step.
+R G Thanks. That 2x4 can be a lot of fun--ssuper detail and model it like crazy. It is so much easier to do tons of detail on a small layout than on a large one.
One question: at @20:00 you have completed your easement, when you lay your cork, did you lay the center of the cork on the curved line and tangent or did you place the cork to left or right of the line?
RON, looked at the web site you recommended & it looks like several of the chapters looked like they could be a real help in modeling , 3-7 for track an even 8 for structure, looks like I've got a lot more reading to do now, thsnks! Ha ha!
Yes, I found that website just a few months ago and I have found it extremely helpful. More info than most people probably want to know, but better too much than not enough.
I can try to cover some principles that will help you, but choosing a track plan ultimately becomes very specific to your space, prototype, era, and purpose for your layout. I will try to put a video together that will help and point to other resources that will help you.
I'm planning this at this time; I want to stay with track which will either be all the same or track which will easily connect with the flex track necessary for the easement section.
Tips on hand-laying track would be welcome. I have pretty good results laying my own S scale track (code 100 rail or less), but there is always room for improvement, and I love to see what others do, and to see their techniques. I build my switches from scratch kind of like the "Fast Tracks" method, only without their expensive, inflexible jig. I use a paper template usually of my own design taped down onto a pine board, to which I start by taping down the PC board ties. But the method is just the same as what Fast Tracks espouses, carefully using a track gauge throughout the process. Using paper templates, I can easily design and build whatever kind of trackwork I can imagine. Without having to invest in a large number, of expensive jigs, one is unlimited in the kind of trackwork (including very unusual or unique trackwork) that can be built. built. Love your channel, but I only discovered it today. My wife dabbles in N scale, but it is too tiny for me. I like the size, and heft of S--"scale S," that is, no "Flyer or hi-rail on my track. Woof.
I laid all of my curves on foam using an eight foot by 1 inch piece of masonite using your method but used nails to hold in place. If the curve was longer than 8 ft, if you have placed enough nails, you the just slide it on around to where you need it. Thanks for the video.
That certainly sounds like it would work in much the same way. I have seen others use Masonite or tempered hardboard strips to do this. There are many things that would work well for the "bent stick" in this method.
Ron. This is one the best videos you’ve done. Great information in plain English for those of us who are mathematically challenged! I look forward to putting your information into practice on my new layout. Thanks so much for always sharing your expertise with us. Have a blessed Christmas!
I will be using flex track for my next N scale layout so I am glad to have found this video, thanks. On my previous layout years ago, I was very disinterested in laying the flexible track that I have now grown to love! So with my Atlas Snap Track I used an 11" piece of track at the beginning and end of a 180 degree curve with 9.75" radius. Granted it took a little more space than my track plan showed, but it did work and was close enough to make it fit with a few modifications. It was not as good as your method but for somebody of my limited skills and patience at the time, I was happy with it. :)
Great instructions Ron. I did read the note of course. the easement looked like it would have turned out the same with either measurement though, just my observation. I hadn't thought of doing the superelevation on the curves before and after watching how you did it I had a thought. 3M makes thin striping tape for fine detail painting work like 3M Automotive 6405 - Scotch Plastic Tape 471, Blue, 1/4" x 36 yds and I thought that this tape would save you a step of cutting the painters tape lengthwise and working in short strips. the thickness may be different though and would require compensation for that. I hope this will be helpful to you and others. I am trying to start my plan for a layout but I have to get two children out of the house first, but why wait on starting on the planning phase.
Ron thanks so much for the shout out. An excellent video and a great way to start. Thanks so much for your talent and efforts. Looking forward to the live show. Peace be with you, Art
Hi Ron do like the steam on the carves this will help out on my layout we have started on fast 2 of the CPDM railway ,keep up the great work on the videos.
A bit late for a question, but, how would you do the radius if the pivot point is off the layout and can't physically extend it? Such as up against a wall. I thinking of making a template, which I could flip over, not sure I could make it accurately, tho.
I have a question for you. You were doing engage when you're talking about how much to elevate the track. I am setting up an entire Ho gage Layout and was wondering how much should I elevate the track on a 20 inch radius.. I find your videos very informative and looking forward to learning more
the term is a banking curve where you increase or decrease 1 rail side to improve car handling through a curve may or may not benefit you depending of the rail stock you intend to run at that portion of the track.. might of been better to shape the cork bed to suit the 1.25-5% gradient you required than layering the tape..
+Jason howe "Banking" is the vernacular term. The techincal term railroads use is superelevation. One could sand the cork but it is much more difficult to be presice. The layered tape works great, is precise, and once tracknis secured, oainted, and ballasted you never know its there.
wow I wouldnn't of thought the term of super elevation would of been used as a descriptor for describing a banking curve, i would of thought the term would of meant gradient elevation.. as you are creating a bank to improve handling at speed
Ron, great video. I enjoyed it immensely. On the AREMA publication you mentioned: I went to the site and located it, however they want $200 to $250 for it depending on the format. One may also need to be a member of the AREMA to buy it. I did not check into further after I found out that what they wanted for it was far more than the average model railroader can spend for a reference. But in the end, for what we are doing it's not really necessary. But it would have been nice to reuse how the real railroads are built. Thanks again for the great video.
Interesting. I see that my link is broken. I'm pretty sure there used to be a copy one could see for free there. That is a little crazy. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Hi Ron Would you lay just one length of the track or would you join two or three lengths together to do a continuous curve so that the joins are easier to do. Thanks for showing us this part of laying track,
Hello Ron, I tried to go to the site you recommended, but when i did a WARNING Popped up saying it was unsafe???? I enjoy your site, but i thought you might want to know. Thank You and Happy New Year
Not really. Using commercial split cork, shimming under one piece creates an offset between the pieces in the middle of the track. Assuming you are going to ballast the track, there is not pay off to fight that offset. Glue holds down the track and tape, and once balasted, it is never seen and is going nowhere.
I don't know that there is an alternative, either use easements or don't. As for space, if you lessen the radius of your curve slightly it will allow for the easement.
I am not sure what you are asking. For the transom simply make a hole in the center to swivel, measure out 22", make another hole and that is your radius. If you are talking about the offset and transition measurements, offset = radius/64=22/64=0.34" which is approximately 5/16". Total easement length =60% of the radius=0.6 x 22=13.2" or approximately 13 1/4". Thus you want to start your transition curve 1/2 this length or 6 3/4" each side of the curve transition point. I hope this answers your question.
A good thorough explanation! Maybe it's cuz I'm an artist who has studied curved lines, but I got the gist of things right away, and spent the next 10 minutes waiting for you to catch up, and actually show me your new curve. I was falling asleep. You took too long.
Brilliant, just came across this video. Having real problems with a couple of curves in my 00 layout & your information really helps in trying to understand whats actually going on with the locos when they derail. The method of setting out transitions doesn't work if you can't get to the centre of the curve? Any ideas on that? ( Just realised this video came out 5 years ago )
If you mean their foam roadbed, no. Any roadbed would be much too thick, and WS foam roadbed is not a choice for me because is is "squishy" and unstable for a foundation for track. I much prefer something more rigid.
Rather than lay all this out on your train layout board can you make a template with good markings for each of the layout points and then just trace off the profile?
You probably could, but it creates an extra step and an added opportunity to make a mistake. If you have a clear reason for doing so yes, but I'm not sure what that would be.
You do both ends of the curve in the same way, and yes, this would be most important on an S curve to reduce stresses on the rolling stock through the S. This will take some planning, but will be well worth it operationally.
Ron I need help, I don't see good videos of helix's. I feel like mine doesn't lay right. Can you show more of the one in your intro, and show you started it and keep it level. Thanks Russell
+atsf81rj Here is what I know about building a helix. 1) You have to start with a nice sturdy, level base. 2) The first turn is most important. You need to know what your grade will be. Carefully work your way around the first turn, blocking it at the proper grade every few inches. My helix is 2.25% grade and 96" in circumference so it raises 2" every turn, thus 1" at half a turn, 1/2" at a quarter turn, etc. 3) You have to lay and wire and test track on each turn as you go. 4) Once the first turn is done you just need blocks of the distance between the turn at full rise--for me 2" rise per turn minus 1/2" for the plywood = 1 1/2" blocks. As long as your blocks are consistent and you are careful to be sure everything stays plumb as you go up you should be good. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have other specific questions.
Instead of cutting masking-tape to size, you can use 1/4" trim-tape (don´t know the exakt english word for it). It´s made for decorative lines on cars etc.
You're referring to pin-stripe tape. This is narrow enough across, but it's usually thicker than the painter's tape Ron shows. Another choice is Tamiya modeling tape, which is paper-thin but also in various narrow widths. Maybe expensive outside of Japan, but I agree it's good to consider alternatives.
Thanks Ron, great explanation on curves & elavations, thought I would try easement curves on my new layout this time and I have been using super elavations my last few layouts but sanded the cork, which is a little messy (truth: really MESSY), but thanks on the explanation as I really didn't think of it for that reason, thanks again keep the videos coming I really enjoy them!
Thanks Jack. Yes, sanding the cork will certainly work, but I find it easier (and less messy as you say) to add elevation than to subtract. Thanks for watching.
I thought you'd put the tape under the cork so it's not so visible... And once you adhere the track to cork with the latex adhesive, would that not through out the mathematics of the tape layers??
No, but, depending on how many extra components you have in your Digitrax system, it should be as easy as disconnecting the components of your Digitrax system and hooking up the NCE.
Wow some great advice I will take for a layout I have in the planning stages. Question: would it work to put the tape strips under the road bed rather than the track? Just to keep it more out of sight?
I think you will want the roadbed solidly adhered. With track you have ballast to help hold it down, and once painted and ballasted you will never aee the tape.
Hi, Ron. Thanks for the videos. I'm returning to the hobby for the first time in probably 15-20 years (basically since I was a kid). As a kid I was an O scale guy running freight, but now I'm collecting N scale passenger cars. These cars seem a lot longer than freight cars. Can you give me some advice about the minimum radius to use for passenger cars? I'd like to build a layout, but space is a major concern (of my bride). If I've missed a video you've already made for this topic, just point me that way. Thanks!
Well, the best advice I have is this. I have 18" radius curves and run one Amtrak train on it and I would say from an aesthetic point of view you really need 20" or bigger to make these look good. Mine run ok on 18" but they hand far enough over the inside of the curves to not look as good as they deserve. I know this is not the news you want to hear when you are tight on space--I've been there.
Hi Ron, Perhaps you have already answered this but did not see it in the comment section. Re super elevation - what is your recommendation for HO? I like the tape idea. I presume in HO that I would need more layers of tape. Yes? But if too many layers this sounds like it would get tedious. Thoughts? Thanks John Geddes Vancouver, BC
Thanks for your time , I very much appreciate, There is a lot videos I mean I can't understand When you watch a video If you are a beginner you'v lost heart because to complicated to understand heartbreaking because you lost interest , can't understand it, I appreciate what you do You make it to make it simpler to understand , Sorry for keep repeating Simpler, I should 4 beginners In trains, They understand what you Were doing, A lot of videos they could Not understand to complicated for a beginner, To be honest we never did this before, We can only do it, If it is made simpler to Understand, I am dyslexic , I apologise in advance if you can't understand some of my Writing, sell check is god Send. Thank you for the videos Thanks Geoff
@@RonsTrainsNThings I am missing one curve track meaning that the loop cannot be completed. There is an empty space between the curve track and the straight track.
Awesome video - Stopped my first easement at the top of my table, then did the exact same process on the other end of the circle. They didn't meet up perfectly at the top, sort of "overlap" and make for a rough radius. Did I do something wrong here or is this to be expected with easements?
PLEAS READ THIS NOTE: Ok, folks, I clearly made a big boo-boo in this video that I need to clear up. When measuring out easements, your TOTAL easement length should be 60% of your curve radius, so your measurement on each side of the point at which your circular, constant radius curve would begin would be 1/2 that. In other words each side of that point would be 0.6r/2. My sincere apologies. I don't know how I did that. Thanks to wcfn100 on therailwire.net for catching it for me. (EMBARRASSING!)
Ron's Trains N Things So instead of 10 inches yours should be 5? I'm doing a 34.5 inch radius. I'm wondering if I should try your trick. Just not sure because of the mods. What length would my easement be with 34.5? -Mark
10.3"
No problem. Senior moment!! :)
Lol true.
Ron, great video despite your boo boo. I'm no mathmagican, so please bare with me. So what your telling me, that easement would be basically 5" on each end of the radius, correct? And since my layout is in HO, would those numbers be the same?...Dano
Over 50 years of modeling railroad scenes and I hate to admit it , but I’ve never considered these two factors. Thank you a great video.
For the superelevation transition: Zero right at the tangent to spiral (T.S. in RR staking), first tape starts at 1/4 of the spiral, 2nd tape at the 1/2 point, 3rd tape at the 3/4 point, and full super right at the spiral to curve (S.C.) Otherwise, your super is starting on the tangent, and reaching full super before the full curve, resulting in rocking of the train. Max super is a 10% cross slope, or 5" super (scaled properly) at top rail. This from a former UPRR survey party transit man from the days of manual instruments, hand calculations from the tables, and actually staking track.
Now, having nitpicked that, I will say, and give you full credit for, ANY transition and ANY superelevation on a model railroad is GREAT! Thanks for the video.
Thank you much for this. The input of the actual folks who do/did this actual work is extremely valuable. I need to make a renewed/updated video on this topic.
Hello from south-central PA!
@23:16
On a shoestring budget, I decided to model my own ''Bullet Train". I took an nice old Alco and grafted a portion of a small section of a plastic disposable razor handle on to the front to give it an aerodynamic "look". Used JB Weld and a Dremil to blend it all together.
For the "coaches", I took 3 identical small short reefers and replaced their plastic wheels with the larger metal ones for enhanced weight distribution. I removed all the couplers and (after removing the horns, filled everything in with JB Weld, sanded everything completely smooth), I spaced the 4 units .5" apart and applied a thin layer of school glue over all the top and side surfaces, and then a very thin section/single layer of fabric applied over the roofs and the sides which effectively holds the entire thing together in place of the couplers. Painted it and with a tiny piece of electrical tape made a mean-ass looking windshield
Questions:
Is 7 degrees elevated bank too much for the train to operate at slow speeds?
If so, what would you consider the maximum in an extreme layout?
Would the trains ability to handle the curves benefit if additional weight plates were to be added to the 3 reefers?
Any and all information is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Sounds like an interesting project. I'd love to see some pictures. Yes, I would say 7 degrees is probably too much--you would likely develop a problem with string-lining cars. I would say 3 or 4 would be ideal. Extra weight will help, but you need the extra weight in the middle of the train.
So like 3 extra plates in the first reefer, 2 in the 2nd, and one extra in the trailing car? (identical weight plates to what originally came in the cars)
With this be the same way to do if you have an existing track and you want to add another track to it like add it to the existing track if that’s the case thank you for your showing me this because that’s what I wanted to do with my layout
not sure why you are apologising for a minor error - we all need to take care to check for ourselves, and no one is perfect either, this video is excellent and informative, and thanks for taking your time to do so.
A lot of fantastic information! Thank so much for taking the time to create this. I have recently been put on permanent disability, and I have way too much time on my hands. Especially being March in Michigan. I’m just getting started on a small display, on a bay window. The best way to make it work and look scale, is with the proper curves. You were a HUGE HELP! I sincerely appreciate it!! Karl
Hello Ron,
Re: railroad ties, and bridges.
I've been watching most of your videos for a couple of years now, and am subscribed to your channel, (but under a different name). Your videos are terrific. I'm sure they'll be a big help to me when I start a model railroad sometime in the near future.
In the real world railroad ties are square timbers, about 8 inches by 8 inches. Obviously about 3/4 of that is hidden, buried in ballast. Only the top 2 inches or so can be seen. I guess that's why model railroad ties are so thin. No sense wasting money on a lot of plastic material that will be hidden from view in the ballast.
On every model RR video I've seen, where there is a bridge or trestle, and there is therefore no ballast, the ties ARE SQUARE. Is that portion of track hand laid? I know that no one likes to do hand laid track, but it LOOKS like that's how the track must've been placed. And I've never heard anyone in a model RR video talk about track installation on steel truss bridges, girder bridges, or trestles, whether steel or wooden. What's the deal?
Also, IF commercially made model track has thin ties because that's the part that can be seen above the ballast, then why don't modelers put a thin coat of ballast on the roadbed first and then nail down the track on top?
I am very interested in hearing your comments about this. Thank you in advance.
Hi Ron, I love your videos! I also wish you sold them on DVD's. Lewis
The best and easiest description of Superevetions I've seen. I intend to use Easements and Superelevations on my Golden & Silver Plume Excursion Line an Nn3 layout based on the Colorado & Southern - Clear Creek Line. My track will all be hand-laid...
You should teach math to kids. You're great. If I had had a math teacher like you in school I would have been a straight A student.
Thanks, that quite a compliment.
I am brand new to this layout thing, always laid flat on floor . You are awesome! I wondered about this technique but your the first to explain perfectly ❤
Thanks Ron. The segment on super elevation is exactly what I was looking for. Great piece.
The technique you’re using to scribe the easement has been used for centuries by ship builders to determine the curves of the hull of their ships and boats. The flexible wood strip that you use to create the line is called a “ batten” Just FYI :)
Thanks for the info. A tip for anyone having trouble with the flexible wood to make the easement curve is find an arts store where you find draftsmans tools (mechanical pencils, compass sets etc) and grab yourself a "flexible curve". Its a common cheap tool for exactly this task of making smooth arbitrary curves to join two lines/curves. Its a bendable length of rubber with a metal core which holds the curve position (its not springy so no need to anchor it). being easy to bend and hold its shape its easy to make pleasant curves joining two lines and easy to adjust it smoothly before you mark. downside is it'll hold small kinks if you put them into the curve and you have to work them out before marking. its also great for edging walls/fences trackside and for contouring roads on your layout smoothly too. far better than just a piece of string.
Great tip, thanks.
I am a draughtsman also ..... If you want an accurate and smooth curve, follow Ron and DON't use a flexicurve. They are OK for approximations . I always use a beam compass ( trammels.)
Great video. Just started building a n scale layout with 2 separate tracks. Am isolating certain sections so i can move cars from 1 track to another. On first try didn't have caulk. So just to try to move forward i used spray adhesive. Luckily i didn't go far. For the first 2 pieces i sprayed started to melt foam board. They were small pieces so wasn't a problem making new ones. Haven't laid track yet. Just set few sections just to see how it would line up. Fit great. Glad i saw this video so i can make proper transitions and banks. Thanks for the help.
Very well taught and explained. I enjoyed seeing the painters tape trick for super elevation. Great job Ron.
Thanks. Glad you found it helpful.
Ron, glad that you are running this again. I'm glad it's back, the information is never old and always needed. Rebuilding my layout and one of my issues from before was the "curves". This video sved me from commiting the same error. Thank you for reposting and sharing with eveeryone. **Note Ron: It's not to much information or to technical.
Muse
Hey, David. I am so glad this video has continued to be of help to so many people.
Amazing what you can achieve in such a small space!
I'm now track planning my 2nd layout one of whose goals is to correct track related issues incl
Well good luck as you do. Great trackwork is the secret to a well running and thus satisfying layout.
I have to admit, your tip for setting super-elevation with masking tape is brilliant. I was looking at using 0.5mm plastic strip. Tape will make the job a lot cheaper on 40m of scenic trackwork. Love your series.
Lack of mass in our car models does mean super elevation can make cars a little more likely to tip over. So it is important not to over do the elevation. Hence, NTrak recommends avoiding super elevation on modules where the extra long trains may increase the possibility of derailments.
+Jerry Smith That is a good point, especially if one overdoes the superelevation.
Helices can sometimes have problems with string-lining, or having the cars pull off of the inside of the curve. The combination of tight radii and high forces, due to the grade, can do this. In this case, sub-elevation can help. This is raising the inside rail. It doesn't look like anything the prototype does, so I would suggest only doing it in hidden trackage.
+Tim Rumph This is good advice. No, I don't superelevate the curves in my helix.
Thanks a lot Ron for the easy to understand explanation of both the subjects. It's gonna take me some time to convert it to the metric system but I'm sure I'm gonna work it out.
+kees kors Even in metric the formula works: offset = r/64;l easement length each side of your curve transition point =.6r/2.
Thanks for the tips my friend,I am building a race track railroad and it keeps derailing on my elevated turns because I was having issues banking the turn evenly so I'm going to try some gorilla tape. Thank you.
I just picked up two N - scale train sets an extra engine and a passenger car all for $70. The steam engine by its self was stickered at $65. I had an N- scale train layout in a bar back in 1990 but lost my train room to my second daughter. Now my kids have grown and gone, I may build a new layout eventually. I used mostly flex track on my first layout and ended up building it into a bar a teacher at the school I worked at. It measured 3 foot by 6 foot. I already had a 3x4 foot layout so,I was able to almost double my layout size. I made a custom vynal cover for it and had a double line going with a double reversed loop. I may do that again as I found I could really pack lots of trains on that setup.
I am thinking of modular this time. Something that can be unassembled and stacked. My first layout used phone line for wiring. All track sections had wiring every few feet so there were no shorts. zit would have been easy to do a DDC. I didnt get my curves correct on my radius so longer cars never worked on my layout. Mostly I used flex track and hand ballast everything. All my buildings were scratch built using balsa wood, plaster brick moulds and time, lots of time. I even used small pebbles to build a retaining wall.
I dont know when I will start my new layout.
That sounds pretty cool. I hope you are able to get that new version going soon.
Absolutely fantastic! One of the things that always bothered me was that abrupt transition into the curves. Thanks for your work on this problem and the bonus of super elevation! My wife and I are planning a new n scale layout and this method will be employed as we build. Once again, thank you,
Now I've got a use for bunk beds!!!! Double storey, epic idea.
I've use a piece of code 100 rail when laying out a spiral on homasote. It ahchored well on one end and was easily spiked allowing for tracing the centerline.
Hi Ron. I liked your video and the measurements you used are a very good approximation of the actual figures for these spiral easements. In addition to the AREMA site, the 2011 issue of Model Railroad Planning included a good overview of this subject. One this that will help getting the curve laid out is that is passes through the midpoint of the line segment between the tangent line and the circular arc at the point where you measure the offset. I'm a mechanical engineer, so I have the formulas programmed into the RPN calculator on my I-Phone. I can't help it, it's an occupational hazard. :)
Hi, Tim. I like having the confirmation from an expert that this process is a reasonable approximation of the prototype. Thanks for that. I am no engineer, but I was a pretty good student in algebra and geometry, so this stuff is fun and fascinates me. I have that issue of MRP around somewhere, but had forgotten about that article. Thanks for mentioning it here for others to check out.
Thank you, Ron, this is so helpful as I am starting to lay track on my railroad and I want it to be as near to typical as I can. I live in Rangiora New Zealand and attend our Baptist church every Sunday.
Ron .. you made this really simple to follow .. thank you. Looking forward to your track laying video as I have trouble getting my track straight.
Thanks for watching, Craig. I will go ahead and tell you now 2 things on your comment. 1) I use an aluminum yardstick as a straight edge to keep my track straight. 2) You may not want to get it perfectly straight, the prototype rarely is. I will cover this when I do that track laying video, though. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Ron, Not withstanding the error correction note at the start (Hey we can all make a mistake!) this is a video I’ve been wanting to see. Thanks for sharing. Just my thoughts to add to the ‘mix’ - How about making templates for easements, to save setting out time during a new development/ extension? Here is what I did, following your guidance.
Using AnyRail 6 I marked out the radius curve for R4 (Peco). Then marked the offset based on R4 and drew the spiral curve.
Next I calculated the length of the overall transition and marked the start and endpoints as per your video.
At each marked point on the respective curves I cut the track. I then inserted a piece of flex track, connecting each end and then used the ‘smooth flex’ tool to draw the transition.
Finally I turned on the roadbed and printed this completed transition. When cutout and fixed to card it enable the route for my underlay to be. defined. Bonus is that on turning the template over you have a mirror image for the other end of the curve, if needed..
Best Regards, T🚂
this was very informative for me as a beginner. took me three times to understand it but I am a newbie...very important info thanks
Hope it helps. Thanks for watching.
Finally, I now understand the tangent track. Would you please in a future segment, help me with what I should use as a tangent for a vertical curve at the top and bottom of a grade.
Thanks for this and all your other VDOs,
I used XtrkCad which is a free layout design program that automatically sets out easements and saves a lot of manual work figuring it all out.
I designed a large club layout with this program and the track was perfect on the first lay. When the track plan is drawn the secret is to create a 100mm x 100mm grid base on the Cad image (I'm Aussie so were metric here). Make sure you create a reference point on the cad image of the layout on the computer that can be identified on the actual base board. Then draw on the actual base board in pencil a 100mm x 100mm grid that covers the whole area that the track will be laid and that corresponds to the computer grid. All that needs to be done now is to hold the cursor on a point where the track centre crosses either a vertical or horizontal grid line, XtrakCad will give a X,Y coordinate and a measurement can be easily calculated from the crossing point back the the corner of that 100mm grid. Plot that point on the actual layout and place a panel nail. Do this for the rest of the track as it transitions across the grid on the computer. You'll end up with a line on nails at every point where the track centre crosses a grid line on the baseboard. Place a flexible strip of timber on the base board and bend it around the nails and scribe a line from nail to nail to get your track centre at every 100mm or so. This is how you convert a computer image to a full size base board. I have heard of people printing out the image at full size on paper sheets and then taping them together before laying the plan on a base board but that takes a lot of paper on a large layout!
Keep up the great VDOs.
Cheers,
Barrie
I have been enjoying your videos, very clear for the moderate to advance modeller, looking forward to more videos from you, thanks for posting your ideas, and tried and true ideas. Thanks again.
Thank you for your comment and thanks for watching.
Great video. I missed the formula for the transition area of the curve but watched it again and got it. There are a lot of nice pointers or tidbits that not only apply to track planning but track laying as well. I really enjoy how you explained the gradual elevation of the " super-elevated " rail and the reasoning of it's use vs the forces in real rail methods.
Thanks for watching. Please read the note I added in comments to this video as I misspoke regarding the length of the easement. What I said will work, but is double the length needed. I forgot to divide by 2. Math got me. UGH.
Thanks Ron. This was a great video and it helped me understand better the info that I have read in books and seen other people post online. I look forward to seeing more of your videos.
Thanks for watching. Glad I could be of help.
Hi Ron.
You explained how to form a easement going into a curve from a straight section of track assuming the train was moving in the direction of the easement. I assume, if you plan to run a train the opposite direction, you would place an easement where the curve meets the straight track on the opposite end for trains coming from the opposite direction. Am I correct in my thinking?
Yes, place an easement in both ends of the curve
I've had John Armstrongs Track Planning for Realistic Operation since th1980s. There is a good presentation in that book on laying out easements as well. In his table, for a 30" radius curve, he uses 1/2 inch for the offset and 18 inches is the total easement (9-inches from either side of the offset). I actually use a piece of HO flex track to carefully make the "bent stick" easement and mark a centerline using the flex track. Works well.
great videos not sure what radius i need for ho scale layout 18 22 or 24 i want to be able to run in the future a big boy and auto carriers what is the advantages and disadvantages of 18 22 or 24 radius thanks
+mack042 Running that size equipment you will want 24 inch or maybe even larger. The big boy will have trouble negotiating anything smaller. Also, you are longer equipment like auto wax will hang way over the inside Rail and look very odd that anything smaller than 24. Honestly most of your ho guys would tell you running the longest modern equipment like autoracks you probably want 28 or 30 in.
thanks i appreciate that
Professor Ron, great lecture! I'm in the beginning stages of a small 2 x 4 N scale layout and this will definitely help. What I like about your videos is explanation with demonstration, step by step.
+R G Thanks. That 2x4 can be a lot of fun--ssuper detail and model it like crazy. It is so much easier to do tons of detail on a small layout than on a large one.
One question: at @20:00 you have completed your easement, when you lay your cork, did you lay the center of the cork on the curved line and tangent or did you place the cork to left or right of the line?
The line I drew is the center line of the cork and track.
RON, looked at the web site you recommended & it looks like several of the chapters looked like they could be a real help in modeling , 3-7 for track an even 8 for structure, looks like I've got a lot more reading to do now, thsnks! Ha ha!
Yes, I found that website just a few months ago and I have found it extremely helpful. More info than most people probably want to know, but better too much than not enough.
Could you do a video showing how to choose a track layout
I can try to cover some principles that will help you, but choosing a track plan ultimately becomes very specific to your space, prototype, era, and purpose for your layout. I will try to put a video together that will help and point to other resources that will help you.
I'm planning this at this time; I want to stay with track which will either be all the same or track which will easily connect with the flex track necessary for the easement section.
Tips on hand-laying track would be welcome. I have pretty good results laying my own S scale track (code 100 rail or less), but there is always room for improvement, and I love to see what others do, and to see their techniques. I build my switches from scratch kind of like the "Fast Tracks" method, only without their expensive, inflexible jig. I use a paper template usually of my own design taped down onto a pine board, to which I start by taping down the PC board ties. But the method is just the same as what Fast Tracks espouses, carefully using a track gauge throughout the process. Using paper templates, I can easily design and build whatever kind of trackwork I can imagine. Without having to invest in a large number, of expensive jigs, one is unlimited in the kind of trackwork (including very unusual or unique trackwork) that can be built. built. Love your channel, but I only discovered it today. My wife dabbles in N scale, but it is too tiny for me. I like the size, and heft of S--"scale S," that is, no "Flyer or hi-rail on my track. Woof.
I laid all of my curves on foam using an eight foot by 1 inch piece of masonite using your method but used nails to hold in place. If the curve was longer than 8 ft, if you have placed enough nails, you the just slide it on around to where you need it.
Thanks for the video.
That certainly sounds like it would work in much the same way. I have seen others use Masonite or tempered hardboard strips to do this. There are many things that would work well for the "bent stick" in this method.
Very well done Ron. Understood everything and looking forward to using it on my layout and also looking forward to watching more videos of yours.
Ron. This is one the best videos you’ve done. Great information in plain English for those of us who are mathematically challenged! I look forward to putting your information into practice on my new layout. Thanks so much for always sharing your expertise with us. Have a blessed Christmas!
Very useful video!
About to build a small Timesaver shunting layout with some curved sections,
glad I saw this before I made the track!
I will be using flex track for my next N scale layout so I am glad to have found this video, thanks. On my previous layout years ago, I was very disinterested in laying the flexible track that I have now grown to love! So with my Atlas Snap Track I used an 11" piece of track at the beginning and end of a 180 degree curve with 9.75" radius. Granted it took a little more space than my track plan showed, but it did work and was close enough to make it fit with a few modifications. It was not as good as your method but for somebody of my limited skills and patience at the time, I was happy with it. :)
Yes, that is a good starting point.
Thanks for the great tips Ron on tracking laying and easments
Great instructions Ron. I did read the note of course. the easement looked like it would have turned out the same with either measurement though, just my observation. I hadn't thought of doing the superelevation on the curves before and after watching how you did it I had a thought. 3M makes thin striping tape for fine detail painting work like 3M Automotive 6405 - Scotch Plastic Tape 471, Blue, 1/4" x 36 yds and I thought that this tape would save you a step of cutting the painters tape lengthwise and working in short strips. the thickness may be different though and would require compensation for that. I hope this will be helpful to you and others. I am trying to start my plan for a layout but I have to get two children out of the house first, but why wait on starting on the planning phase.
Hi, Christiaan. Thanks for the tip on the striping tape.
Ron thanks so much for the shout out. An excellent video and a great way to start. Thanks so much for your talent and efforts. Looking forward to the live show. Peace be with you,
Art
Thanks, Art...and good to know your name. I missed it before. I look forward to the live show. I think it will be a lot of fun.
N Trak has a very good article on this in there How To book.
This is a great video.... straight up. A super job.... Thank you.
Thanks for the tip on incremental curvature adjustments. Good tool advice and examples for such
Thanks.
Hi Ron do like the steam on the carves this will help out on my layout we have started on fast 2 of the CPDM railway ,keep up the great work on the videos.
Thanks you and thanks so much for watching.
Ron's Trains N Things b
A bit late for a question, but, how would you do the radius if the pivot point is off the layout and can't physically extend it? Such as up against a wall. I thinking of making a template, which I could flip over, not sure I could make it accurately, tho.
I have a question for you. You were doing engage when you're talking about how much to elevate the track. I am setting up an entire Ho gage Layout and was wondering how much should I elevate the track on a 20 inch radius.. I find your videos very informative and looking forward to learning more
the term is a banking curve where you increase or decrease 1 rail side to improve car handling through a curve may or may not benefit you depending of the rail stock you intend to run at that portion of the track..
might of been better to shape the cork bed to suit the 1.25-5% gradient you required than layering the tape..
+Jason howe "Banking" is the vernacular term. The techincal term railroads use is superelevation. One could sand the cork but it is much more difficult to be presice. The layered tape works great, is precise, and once tracknis secured, oainted, and ballasted you never know its there.
wow I wouldnn't of thought the term of super elevation would of been used as a descriptor for describing a banking curve, i would of thought the term would of meant gradient elevation..
as you are creating a bank to improve handling at speed
Thanks for this! I really needed this level of detail.
Thank you, Ron. Now I know why I suffer a lot of derailments in my layout.
Ron, great video. I enjoyed it immensely. On the AREMA publication you mentioned: I went to the site and located it, however they want $200 to $250 for it depending on the format. One may also need to be a member of the AREMA to buy it. I did not check into further after I found out that what they wanted for it was far more than the average model railroader can spend for a reference. But in the end, for what we are doing it's not really necessary. But it would have been nice to reuse how the real railroads are built. Thanks again for the great video.
Interesting. I see that my link is broken. I'm pretty sure there used to be a copy one could see for free there. That is a little crazy. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
Hi Ron Would you lay just one length of the track or would you join two or three lengths together to do a continuous curve so that the joins are easier to do. Thanks for showing us this part of laying track,
I always solder together any track joints that will be in the curve before laying the track.
Say space was not a factor, If you increased the offset, it would make the transition to the 18" radius track more gradual??
Yes, that is correct to a point. You would reach a point at which the offset is too great and destroys your track geometry.
Hello Ron, I tried to go to the site you recommended, but when i did a WARNING Popped up saying it was unsafe???? I enjoy your site, but i thought you might want to know. Thank You and Happy New Year
+SFCRambo60 That is odd. I will check that out. Thanks for the heads uo.
Very informative. Would it not be better having the superelevation spacing under the cork?
Not really. Using commercial split cork, shimming under one piece creates an offset between the pieces in the middle of the track. Assuming you are going to ballast the track, there is not pay off to fight that offset. Glue holds down the track and tape, and once balasted, it is never seen and is going nowhere.
@@RonsTrainsNThings I hadn't thought about that. Thank you!
What if you don’t have the space to put the easements in according to your video what else can you do regarding the curves
I don't know that there is an alternative, either use easements or don't. As for space, if you lessen the radius of your curve slightly it will allow for the easement.
Can you explain for a 22inch radius on your.swivel stick how you measure it
I am not sure what you are asking. For the transom simply make a hole in the center to swivel, measure out 22", make another hole and that is your radius. If you are talking about the offset and transition measurements, offset = radius/64=22/64=0.34" which is approximately 5/16". Total easement length =60% of the radius=0.6 x 22=13.2" or approximately 13 1/4". Thus you want to start your transition curve 1/2 this length or 6 3/4" each side of the curve transition point. I hope this answers your question.
A good thorough explanation! Maybe it's cuz I'm an artist who has studied curved lines, but I got the gist of things right away, and spent the next 10 minutes waiting for you to catch up, and actually show me your new curve. I was falling asleep. You took too long.
+Tom Hannah Ok, but some people need a detailed explanation. Thanks fpr watching.
Great track tip. Found it interesting and informative.
+Rickey Allinen Thank you, and thanks for watching.
Nice. Just what I needed to see.
Brilliant, just came across this video. Having real problems with a couple of curves in my 00 layout & your information really helps in trying to understand whats actually going on with the locos when they derail. The method of setting out transitions doesn't work if you can't get to the centre of the curve? Any ideas on that? ( Just realised this video came out 5 years ago )
Look for some help. I’m doing a single oval layout, What is the tightest turning diameter I can have for an HO scale train? Thank you.
Would woodland scenic road bed better for elevation change than tape
If you mean their foam roadbed, no. Any roadbed would be much too thick, and WS foam roadbed is not a choice for me because is is "squishy" and unstable for a foundation for track. I much prefer something more rigid.
Rather than lay all this out on your train layout board can you make a template with good markings for each of the layout points and then just trace off the profile?
You probably could, but it creates an extra step and an added opportunity to make a mistake. If you have a clear reason for doing so yes, but I'm not sure what that would be.
I am using your formulas to do my easements and find it very helpful! Can you tell me where you got your flexible wood? I'm having trouble finding it.
Mine was just a 1/8" scrap I had ripped off a 1x4 for something.
would the 1/64th you mentioned to start the easement be the the same in HO scale? Thanks
Can you make a video of how to use the UT4?
+Co V I assume you refer to the Digitrax throttle, but I do not have a Digitrax system.
Though what the difference between a spiral curve and a circular curve Ron
A spiral curve, in continued, gets gradually smaller as it curves--a spiral. A circular curve eventually meets itself to form a circle.
That actually sounds pretty interesting i never knew that before thank you Ron
I like the video on transitioning you did but my question is how do you do the other end of the curve? And do you need to do it on a s curve?
You do both ends of the curve in the same way, and yes, this would be most important on an S curve to reduce stresses on the rolling stock through the S. This will take some planning, but will be well worth it operationally.
Ron I need help, I don't see good videos of helix's. I feel like mine doesn't lay right. Can you show more of the one in your intro, and show you started it and keep it level. Thanks Russell
+atsf81rj Here is what I know about building a helix. 1) You have to start with a nice sturdy, level base. 2) The first turn is most important. You need to know what your grade will be. Carefully work your way around the first turn, blocking it at the proper grade every few inches. My helix is 2.25% grade and 96" in circumference so it raises 2" every turn, thus 1" at half a turn, 1/2" at a quarter turn, etc. 3) You have to lay and wire and test track on each turn as you go. 4) Once the first turn is done you just need blocks of the distance between the turn at full rise--for me 2" rise per turn minus 1/2" for the plywood = 1 1/2" blocks. As long as your blocks are consistent and you are careful to be sure everything stays plumb as you go up you should be good. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have other specific questions.
Thanks that's a lot of good help.
Instead of cutting masking-tape to size, you can use 1/4" trim-tape (don´t know the exakt english word for it). It´s made for decorative lines on cars etc.
You're referring to pin-stripe tape. This is narrow enough across, but it's usually thicker than the painter's tape Ron shows. Another choice is Tamiya modeling tape, which is paper-thin but also in various narrow widths. Maybe expensive outside of Japan, but I agree it's good to consider alternatives.
Excellent tips, Ron!
Thanks, Mike. I tried to reach you a while back via a comment on your channel. If you get a chance, drop me an email at ronstrainsnthings@gmail.com
Ron, I will be using your techniques for both easement and superelevation on my N Scale layout. Thanks so much!
Thanks for this, am building a layout and will include this. Wish you would have shown an end result tho.
Ron, do you study a martial art? You have a wear pattern on certain knuckles that looks like lots of knuckle pushups. Mine used to look like that.
Thanks Ron, great explanation on curves & elavations, thought I would try easement curves on my new layout this time and I have been using super elavations my last few layouts but sanded the cork, which is a little messy (truth: really MESSY), but thanks on the explanation as I really didn't think of it for that reason, thanks again keep the videos coming I really enjoy them!
Thanks Jack. Yes, sanding the cork will certainly work, but I find it easier (and less messy as you say) to add elevation than to subtract. Thanks for watching.
Ahhh.ok. I thought the easement seemed a bit long. I'm glad you posted the clarification.
Awesome video Ron. Very informative
Thank you for your comment and thanks for watching. I'm glad you found it helpful.
Interesting ideas, I like the pivoting screw idea
Thanks. It works really well and produces pretty sweet results.
I thought you'd put the tape under the cork so it's not so visible... And once you adhere the track to cork with the latex adhesive, would that not through out the mathematics of the tape layers??
Once ballasted the tape is not visible. Pushing track into the caulk, there is no appreciable change in the angles.
Ron, I'm looking for ideas on switching a digitrax layout to NCE. Just like NCE better, but the one in the "train room" has digitrax.
No, but, depending on how many extra components you have in your Digitrax system, it should be as easy as disconnecting the components of your Digitrax system and hooking up the NCE.
Ron, it seems to have a DT 42, DB 150, and a Loconet track status panel. Does that make sense?
Wow some great advice I will take for a layout I have in the planning stages. Question: would it work to put the tape strips under the road bed rather than the track? Just to keep it more out of sight?
I think you will want the roadbed solidly adhered. With track you have ballast to help hold it down, and once painted and ballasted you will never aee the tape.
Hi, Ron. Thanks for the videos. I'm returning to the hobby for the first time in probably 15-20 years (basically since I was a kid). As a kid I was an O scale guy running freight, but now I'm collecting N scale passenger cars. These cars seem a lot longer than freight cars. Can you give me some advice about the minimum radius to use for passenger cars? I'd like to build a layout, but space is a major concern (of my bride). If I've missed a video you've already made for this topic, just point me that way. Thanks!
Well, the best advice I have is this. I have 18" radius curves and run one Amtrak train on it and I would say from an aesthetic point of view you really need 20" or bigger to make these look good. Mine run ok on 18" but they hand far enough over the inside of the curves to not look as good as they deserve. I know this is not the news you want to hear when you are tight on space--I've been there.
Yvettep
Hi Ron,
Perhaps you have already answered this but did not see it in the comment section.
Re super elevation - what is your recommendation for HO? I like the tape idea. I presume in HO that I would need more layers of tape. Yes? But if too many layers this sounds like it would get tedious. Thoughts?
Thanks
John Geddes
Vancouver, BC
Thanks for your time , I very much appreciate,
There is a lot videos I mean I can't understand
When you watch a video
If you are a beginner you'v lost heart because to complicated to understand heartbreaking because you lost interest ,
can't understand it,
I appreciate what you do
You make it to make it simpler to understand ,
Sorry for keep repeating
Simpler,
I should 4 beginners
In trains,
They understand what you
Were doing,
A lot of videos they could
Not understand to complicated for a beginner,
To be honest we never did this before,
We can only do it,
If it is made simpler to
Understand,
I am dyslexic , I apologise in advance if you can't understand some of my
Writing, sell check is god
Send.
Thank you for the videos
Thanks Geoff
Thanks, Geoffery, for your comment. I am also dyslexic and dysgraphic, so I completely understand. Thanks for watching.
What can you do if you are missing one curve track? I don’t want to stretch the track
I don't quite understand what you are saying? What are you missing?
@@RonsTrainsNThings I am missing one curve track meaning that the loop cannot be completed. There is an empty space between the curve track and the straight track.
Awesome video -
Stopped my first easement at the top of my table, then did the exact same process on the other end of the circle.
They didn't meet up perfectly at the top, sort of "overlap" and make for a rough radius. Did I do something wrong here or is this to be expected with easements?