What is the best way for me to transfer my center line to my benchwork so that I can lay roadbed. I drew out a rough track plan on paper which wasnt to scale in any way. I played with my track on the bench in the same manner as I would puzzle pieces until I was happy with the results. it was an on the fly process, constantly checking, fitting, rolling cars through etc, making everything fit the right way. I am happy with the results, but now want to transfer them to the bench so that I can lay my cork.Any help is much appreciated.
if the track is laid the way you like it, trace the outside edges of the track. then remove the track and use these lines to determine the centerline (draw a line down the middle of the two outside lines). done.
I tried several different ways of doing it, and the way I like best is to lay the track out as you describe trace around it and then you can draw your center line... Or you can simply eyeball it and start laying roadbed.... I doubt the union will pull your card for skipping right to the laying...
I have never been a patient guy for "details", but I knew I would be disappointed in myself, as would my wife, if I built a layout without making sure the numbers "added up". So, I did scale drawings and made sure it all made sense. Then, with some masking tape, I laid out the boundaries representing the edges of the bench that I would build in the space I had. Next, I used masking tape to place a representation of the tracks, all of them, including turnouts. I used a trammel to make doubly sure my curves were at the correct radii in every case. When my tape all matched up and it looked good, I left it in place and built my open framed bench above it. I then used a plumb bob to make marks for my centerline on the risers I would need situated correctly to support my splines. That worked well.
If you have the bench, and a plywood surface, you can skip the plumb bob route...just lay out the masking tape and use a ruler or trammel to ensure you have your tangents and curves to the best advantage for you. Check, and don't fudge.....good enough probably isn't.
Where you have turnouts marked, actually set them in place, tack them in with track nails, and then temporarily lay the track elements on either exit/entrance. Does the curve you get match the tape? Now, will your longest cars and longest engine go through that set-up? Power it up with jumpers and see for yourself. No go? Then back up and try something else. Maybe your original track configuration is unrealistic, or maybe you made an error in measurement just now.
-Crandell
Wazzzy if the track is laid the way you like it, trace the outside edges of the track. then remove the track and use these lines to determine the centerline (draw a line down the middle of the two outside lines). done.
I do my preliminary track aligning on cardstock, marked along the tie lines of the flex. Since I don't use cork roadbed, I don't need a centerline, but establishing one on the cardstock would be no problem. What I do next is cookie-cut the cardstock precisely to the tie lines, use it to lay out roadbed lines on thin extruded foam, which is then cut and carved to proper ballast-bed shape. My subgrade is plywood, and my adhesive of choice is latex caulk.
Then I caulk the cardstock template to the roadbed, so it will be in place as a guide to accurate tracklaying. Since it is cut exactly to the tie line, there are as many reference points as there are tie ends. Also, since I use grey caulk to anchor the flex track, I don't have to worry about obscuring the centerline.
My earliest trackwork on my present layout, laid as described, is now entering its third summer of high temperature dessication in my non-climate controlled Mojave Desert garage. By this time, cork would have dried to the point of disintegration. Careful examination indicates no deterioration of the pink foam or cardstock.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
no matter what technique you use, TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT. you may have to redesign a section or 2, but the smooooth track (no kinks) will pay for itself with reliable track work with years of use ahead.
sturdy benchwork + sturdy subroadbed + smoooth kink-free trackwork = solid foundation with years of enjoyment.
Since my drawings rarely match reality, I make full size photocopies of turnouts, etc and tape them to the benchwork. I trace around other track sections.
I designed my layout using Atlas' RTS program. There were a couple of issues I had to deal with.
There was a slight fudge factor, but I was able to connect them using flextrack. All in all, it came out the way I wanted. A couple of years ago, I ordered some styrene track templates for a company that seems to have gone out of business, and those were invaluable in cutting out the subroadbed, which I used 1/2" plywood to construct.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR