Atlas O54 Reversing Loop

Try downloading either SCARM or Anyrail; both give you enough free use to create any reversing loop for parts usage.

Chuck

I did these using SCARM.  The limited, free Atlas software is SCARM.

There are no cut pieces in any of these reverse loops.  The required short pieces are listed at each location.

The first file is a table of track gaps and the pieces that will close them.  I used the tape measure tool to size the gap and then looked up the necessary paces from the table.  Not all gaps can be filled; some gaps may need to be increased in order to fill them.

Jan

Jan, may I ask what your tolerance settings are? Mine are .079” and 2°, and 2 of these don’t join for me and didn’t join when I tried earlier. I’m sure they’ll join in real life, so I’m just curious.

I have never changed them and they are 0.2: and 2°.  I can see why they might have not connected for you.  In real life the reverse loops have enough play that they will connect.

I'll change my tolerances to yours and see what happens.

Jan

Dave,

I changed the linear tolerance to yours.  The second loop is off by 1/8" in the along track direction.  The third loop is off by 1/16" in both along track and cross track directions.

Both loops can easily be closed due to the inherit flexibility of the loop.

I just realized that I used my other right hand.

Jan

Thanks Jan!

Jan, that’s interesting since the default is .079”. I once changed them and someone suggested I change them back to make sure a design would join and not result in stress on the tracks, though we were talking about FasTrack at the time. I’ve always thought tracks, including FasTrack, generally had enough play. At the time, I even checked RR-Track and found it set to .05, which is even less, but it has options up to .2”. Since it was designed specifically for O Scale, I though any of its options would work. SCARM was initially designed for HO and since that’s smaller track, I thought the tolerance for O Scale could be more than .079”. I suppose it depends on how much track is involved too, .2” might be tough over a really short run.

i just read your other comment and that’s what I saw too.

I may have changed them a long, long time ago back when I was trying to work with the AtlasO double slip that had the wrong dimensions in the library.  I'm going to have to go back and check some of my personal designs.

I did a quick check and the tolerance doesn't change with scale.  I wonder if it should?

Jan

I asked that question a long time ago back when I noticed the setting differed from RR-Track. Then I started using GarGraves in designs and it always seems to require cutting, so I quit worrying about it. I don’t know what AnyRail, Rail Modeler Pro or XTrakCAD use.

Bigger, works as a reversing track, via a cross-over set of switches.  Done with O54 and some smaller curves leading to the Coal tipple.