curve

The go-to tool for drawing curves is the compass.  Do you have a small drafting board or table ?  What about triangles, mechanical pencils and erasers.  A drawing table with a parallel straight edge and some triangles makes accurate drawing of our layouts much simpler.  

I have the same type 1" square graph paper that I have been planning a layout on.  I also happen to have a track planning template thanks to one of our forum members.  It is also made to 1" = 1', so the two go together, fortunately.  

Here is my rough plan that I was working on this morning.

Melvin,

Full disclosure, I work for VMware.  You can use VMware Fusion to run a Windows OS on your MAC to run RR Track or SCARM.  I have a MAC and I run RR Track and MTH's DCS Consumer Loader with no issues.  There are other options too, Parallels is a competitive (for me) that works too.  The only caveat is you need a version of Windows to load.  Windows XP is easy to find but I don't recommend it if you want to surf the web with it.  I run RR Track and the MTH Loader with Windows 7.

Tony

Dan I have a compass, eraser triangle.  But I cannot figure out how to get the proper radius that I need.  The track templet would be wonderful.  I have searched the web and cannot find one in stock at a multitude of vendors.  I will just have to keep looking on a daily basis for one.  Maybe I will get lucky.  

Melvin

Given that 1 inch equals a foot, a 72 inch radius equals 6 feet or 6 inches on your graph.  In your software draw a 12 inch CIRCLE and trim to fit. Russ

Melvin P posted:

Dan I have a compass, eraser triangle.  But I cannot figure out how to get the proper radius that I need.  The track templet would be wonderful.  I have searched the web and cannot find one in stock at a multitude of vendors.  I will just have to keep looking on a daily basis for one.  Maybe I will get lucky.  

 

Melvin

Melvin, Since the scale is 1" to the foot, set your compass to 3".  That would be the radius for a 6 foot circle.  I'm not sure how advanced you are on drafting and don't want to insult you.  Here's a simple example of drawing a curved section of track.  

Dan Padova posted:

The go-to tool for drawing curves is the compass.  Do you have a small drafting board or table ?  What about triangles, mechanical pencils and erasers.  A drawing table with a parallel straight edge and some triangles makes accurate drawing of our layouts much simpler.  

I have the same type 1" square graph paper that I have been planning a layout on.  I also happen to have a track planning template thanks to one of our forum members.  It is also made to 1" = 1', so the two go together, fortunately.  

Here is my rough plan that I was working on this morning.

Dan makes some good points but didn't mention the great option that is in his picture.  Search for "o scale design stencils"! 

Melvin, you talked about a 72" radius.  But most O gauge trains use a 72" diameter. In the discussion above examples were given for both 72" radius and 72" diameter. Be sure you keep your radius and diameter sorted out. 

Melvin P posted:

I am trying to design a railroad.  I am using graph paper, pencil and my mind (LOL).  I use a Apple MacBook.  No planning software that I know of, except for for TRAX, which I do not like.  I would like to use the old fashioned way.  

My question is, how do I draw curves to scale, for example a 72" radius.  My graph is one inch square equals one foot.  

Is there any tool out there to help me draw the radius' ? Any ideas?

 

Thanks Melvin

 

There is RailModellerPro for mac. It can do a layout now, with other features to come as it is developed. I have recently worked with a few individuals using it.

We traded track plan images and each worked in a our own software. I used SCARM and they used RM.

The paper and pencil with a compass and such can get the job done. The computer software will permit a more exacting fitment and a parts list. You sort of wing it when you build from paper.

Many thanks  to all modelers who responded..  I found some good input.  Thanks guys.

Moonman posted:

Melvin P posted:

I am trying to design a railroad.  I am using graph paper, pencil and my mind (LOL).  I use a Apple MacBook.  No planning software that I know of, except for for TRAX, which I do not like.  I would like to use the old fashioned way.  

My question is, how do I draw curves to scale, for example a 72" radius.  My graph is one inch square equals one foot.  

Is there any tool out there to help me draw the radius' ? Any ideas?

 

Thanks Melvin

 

There is RailModellerPro for mac. It can do a layout now, with other features to come as it is developed. I have recently worked with a few individuals using it.

We traded track plan images and each worked in a our own software. I used SCARM and they used RM.

The paper and pencil with a compass and such can get the job done. The computer software will permit a more exacting fitment and a parts list. You sort of wing it when you build from paper.

That sounds good Carl.  The price of $39.99 is reasonable.  Might make me want to give up my paper and pencil....I think not.....LOL

Hi Melvin.  For what it's worth, I have never used graph paper.  I draw everything to a 1/2 inch = 1 foot scale, beginning with the overall dimensions of the train table.  For my particular needs, I use carefully chosen bottle caps and jar lids.  My 0-72 curve is a Hellmanns mayonnaise jar lid that makes a curve that's correct to the scale I mentioned (a complete circle is an exact 3 inches in diameter, or 72 'scale' inches.

For smaller curves, I use the same formula.  You can laugh, but it works for me and I've had a lot of fun making up various track plans.  Of course I use a ruler and a pink eraser with the 'sharp' ends for fine work.  A freshly sharpened pencil also.  Using the ruler, each 1/8 inch represents 3 scale inches on the drawing, and so on.  Just make sure your caps and lids are the exact size you need to make accurate plans.Of course, to represent a switch, I use a short section of straight line with the appropriate curve branching off.  I use blank computer paper always.  Anyway, good luck with whatever method you use!

     Hoppy