Xtrkcad question on connecting track ends

[JimInMichigan]

Sometimes when placing a new piece of track ( lets say, a curved piece ), it wants to connect ( snap fit ) to the current track on only 1 end. If I try rotating the track, it will NOT "snap fit" to exsisting track.

Now this is how I figured out how to do this, and I am asking if this is the proper way or if there is an easier version.
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Place new track on layout and press "Space bar".

Click " Select Track " button.

Place pointer over new track piece and right click to open commands window.

Click on " Join ".

While holding down the " Shift " key, left click on the 2 ends of the track you want to join.

Shazam! Track snaps together.

 

[D94R]

If you are connecting two parallel pieces, or a straight piece of track to a curve as its tangent, then it will want to automatically "snap" together as you have noticed.

However, there are two connect feature buttons that give you greater control of how you connect track that isn't parallel or tangent to a curve, one of which "snaps" the track together for you without going through the right click process you use. This button though will realign and/or rotate the other piece of selected track to connect properly to the first. I'm sure you've noticed this? (Like I said, it performs the same operation as your right clicking method) If not careful with the order you select the ends of the different tracks, you can cause an entire layout to shift all the connected tracks if you select in the wrong order. Simple to fix by undoing, but it's a nusense really.

The other "connect" button does so by "joining" them, kinda like using an easement. This is my preferred method because if you want to join two tracks that diverge at any angle from 1* to 180* it will do so by drawing the curve for you and won't realign either piece of track to get them to 'snap' together. This also means for instance, if you want to make a 90* turn in your layout (to follow two walls) you don't have to put down a piece along one wall, create a curved piece, put another piece along the other wall, and then try and connect them all separately. You can just draw the two along the wall and then join them using that button as it will draw the curve for you.

To make more complicated curves though you can start to experiment with drawing the curve out and extending the ends to make an almost full circle. Then draw the other pieces near to where you would want them to connect to the curve. Then again use the join button to select the ends you would want to connect and create the transitional track that way.

 

[D94R]

Here's some pics to help explain.

These two buttons in your tool bar will connect two track segments. The one on the left will "join" without disrupting orientation of the pieces. The one on the right will move one of the pieces so they snap together. I always use the left one to join tracks and never use the connect button on the right; personal preference.

Say you want to join these two pieces, you can do so without disturbing the placement of either using the "join" button.

To join them without easements, use the join button shown above the arrow. When you click the second connection point, before releasing the left mouse button, you can drag the mouse around, and reading the display at the bottom of the screen, it will show you how big of a curve you are creating when connecting the two.

To connect them with an easement on either end, then you'd draw a curve seperately. Like so, setting the curve just inside the other tracks to allow for proper easements.

Then connect them like before using the join button. You'll see that the straight (tangent to the curve) track is connected to the 30" curve we designed using an easement curve of 158".

This method, like I said, can be used to join any two pieces of track. From anything that barely makes a turn, to having to complete a 180* turn to head back in the opposite direction (following along 3 walls in a narrow room for instance).