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I tried to do this myself, but aparentlly i messed up becuase what i ended up cutting doesn't look right.
I am building a simple railroad to go around the perimeter of a bedroom. Simple enough right? The main road bed are 3/4" think x 6" wide pine boards. For the straigh aways I'm all set. I'm having a hard time getting the measurements for curves. Is there a template out there or something that I could use to get the measurments right so when I cut the wood for the curves the come out correctly? Its a simple 90 degree cuve. The track radius of the inner circle is 24".
If your tracks are spaced every two inches, that means Radius 1 would be 24" and Radius 2 would be 26" and the back edge of the self would be 28". So you'll need a piece of plywood 28" x 28" to start with.
To draw your track centers, tack a piece of string to one corner of the 28" square piece of plywood. Measure 24" down the string a wrap it around a pencil and draw the curve. Repeat this process at 26" for the other track. If you want to cut the plywood in a curve to match the tracks, draw lines at 28" and 22".
A great tool for drawing radius' is an old wooden yard stick. drill a hole big enough for a pencil tip at each inch mark on the yard stick. Put a tack through the hole at one end and put the pencil in the appropriate hole along the way and draw your radius.
There are several different mathematical forumulas you could use to get the correct cut but there's a much easier way. Just lay out your track on the board so the the curves meet the straights. Tack it down in a few spots to keep it reasonably aligned and then use a magic market to trace the tracks. Make sure you have enough clearance between the two tracks on the curve. measure out one inch from the outside edge of each track (assuming this is N gauge) and then cut. It should come out pretty close.
I appreciate the help guys. Math never was a strong point.
Space between track
If you go with a 2" space between tracks say 24" and 26" your looking for trouble. 22" and 25" or 23" and 26" etc is much better. Long cars, passenger cars and some steam engines will clip each other when there is only a 2" clearance on a turn. Do some testing before you commit to the any given radius.
NYC_George
If you go with a 2" space between tracks say 24" and 26" your looking for trouble. 22" and 25" or 23" and 26" etc is much better. Long cars, passenger cars and some steam engines will clip each other when there is only a 2" clearance on a turn. Do some testing before you commit to the any given radius.
NYC_George
Those measurements are only true for HO scale. If you're in another scale the measurements would be different. The OP didn't mention a scale.
Coner bench work
Do you mean you want your bench work to look like some thing pictured below?
NYC_George
Do you mean you want your bench work to look like some thing pictured below?
exactlly, but with less of the bench work around the tracks. insted of the trapazoidish shape more of a curve that fallows the track.
Those measurements are only true for HO scale. If you're in another scale the measurements would be different. The OP didn't mention a scale.
HO Scale is what I'm running.
Do you mean you want your bench work to look like some thing pictured below?
NYC_George
exactlly, but with less of the bench work around the tracks. insted of the trapazoidish shape more of a curve that fallows the track.
Actually.... that could be a heck of a lot easier and give me some extra space for a little scenery.... hmmm....
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