Turnout Designer

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# 2.9.9 Turnout Designer

The Turnout Designer allows you to define new turnouts and sectional track pieces.

The Turnout Designer sub-menu is pictured above. As demonstrated by the sub-menu a number of different dialogs are available for creation of custom turnout and sectional track components. New turnouts and sectional track is added to Custom Management (Section 2.9.2) and Turnout Manager (Section 2.1.8) using the Turnout Designer.

The follow dialog is for a regular turnout.

Each dialog shows a diagram of the turnout and has fields to enter dimensions. The dimensions should be as accurate as possible. The various types of dimensions are:

  Length - measured from the base of the turnout to the centerline at the end of the turnout. Length is measured parallel to the centerline of the straight leg of the turnout. For track that ends on a curve (such as the curved leg of a regular turnout) measure the distance from the base to each rail and average the values.

  Offset - measured from the centerline of the straight leg of the turnout to the centerline of the track at the end of the turnout.

  Angle - angle at the end of turnout to the centerline of the straight leg of the turnout. This angle may not be the same as the Frog angle of the turnout if the rails curve past the Frog. The Frog Number|Degrees Radio button group controls whether the value is expressed in Frog Number or Degrees.

  Manufacturer - name of the Manufacturer

  Description - description of the turnout including size and rail code number, e.g., 'Left Hand #4'. This information is shown when a place the mouse pointer over the respective symbol on th Tool-bar. Therefor it should be made sure that the data entered here are helpful in finding the correct turnout.

  # - part number, e.g., '999-123'.

  Roadbed Width - if greater than the track gauge then lines are drawn along the edges of the turnout to represent the attached roadbed available on some types of sectional track and turnouts.

  Line Width - the width of the roadbed lines, measured in pixels when the layout drawing scale (Section 2.12) is 1:1.

  Color - color of the roadbed lines.

The rail height (Code) can be added to the Manufacturer, e.g., Peco-55, or the Description, e.g., Medium Right, Code 55.

The scale is the current scale from the Scale Drop Down List on the Layout dialog (Section 2.10.6).

Manufacturer, Description and Part Number (#) comprise the title of the turnout. These values are used in the Turnout Selection dialog (Section 2.1.8) and the Parts List (Section 2.9.6). For regular and curved turnouts there are separate Descriptions and Part Numbers for the right and left hand turnouts.

The Print button prints a full size diagram of the turnout. You can use this to check your dimensions and make any required changes. You should expect to make several printouts as you refine your dimensions.

The OK button completes the design. The new turnout is added to the list in the Turnout Selection dialog. The turnout data is saved in the `xtrkcad.cus` (Section 1.9) file for the next time you use XTrackCAD. Please consider contributing this information for others to use via the on-line addresses. You can change the Parameters or Title of existing designs by using the Custom Management (Section 2.9.2) dialog.

The Cancel button removes the Turnout Designer dialog.

Creating Turnout Designs

- It is best to start by marking the endpoints of the turnout on a piece of paper. Extend the curved leg of the turnout (try attaching a straight sectional track) and measure the angle. Frog numbers are easiest to calculate.

- Enter your data and press Print, if you have an accurate printer. Check the dimensions of the turnout against the printout and make adjustments as necessary. Concentrate on the lengths and offsets first, then adjust the angles.

- The resulting turnout is an approximation. In particular the curves will not be correct, but this is not important for placing turnouts.

- The new Cornu Turnouts allow you to build turnouts that have curved ends. The dialogs include radius information that can be set to zero for a straight end. The turnouts will be composed of simple curves and tracks and when extended the end radius will be used.
- The Group (Section 2.9.4) command can be used to add cosmetic details to Turnout definitions.