Australian MSTS Workshops Forum

**Chris Anderson** · Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:05 pm Post subject: Route building basics

Okay, so you've downloaded the blank route Russ has extracted for you, and you're thinking... "so now what do I do." Relax, take a deep breath and we'll try and guide you through it.

What I'm going to do here is tell you the way that I would do things. Russell has a different method, Brian has one, so does Allan and pretty much everyone else does too. The trick is to find what works for you, and the only way you can fimd out what that method is, is to jump in with both feet.

The first thing you want to do is determine your starting point. On a five kilometre branch line, it's not too difficult to do, but it's a matter of personal preference. I started at the Yass Town end for two reasons. The yard is on a level grade, and it isn't too complicated. Determine where the first piece of track will be laid, and it is important to get this right, as it will all come out from this piece. Luckily, Russell has put a marker in for the station, as well as where the track goes.

According to the track diagram of Yass station in a previous thread, the straight track in front of the station works out to about 80m. There is no X-tracks 80m section, but there are pieces that will work out to 80m. remember the trick is to try and make the trackwork out of as few pieces as possible. The average object tile count (meaning the number of objects that will fit on to a tile) is about 1400. Track pieces also factor into the count, so the fewer pieces used, the more scenery you can add.

The NSW standard point radius is 10d, so whenever doing pointwork, use 10d points if possible. There will be some occasions when you should use 6d points, but we'll get to that eventually. The other thing I do is try to use manual points, especially if you want to create some shunting activities. I made the mistake of using auto points with my first route, and have heard all about it since then. You can tell the manual points by the "Mnl" at the end of the name, such as "A1Pnt10dRgtMnl". In plain English, this means that it as a single track point, 10d curve to the right, and manual switching.

Lost yet?

The thing to remember is to get the trackwork right. Lay the track, add the roads and then do the scenery.

I'll add some information later about grades and how to try to make sure that you get them semi-accurate (or at least as accurate as possible).
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**Chris Anderson** · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 8:51 am Post subject:

Courtesy of our good mate Yuri Sos and Steam4Me, here's a gradient table that you should print and keep handy whenever doing routes (mine is taped to the top of my computer desk)

Degrees .............Gradient %........... Ratio
0.100..................0.18..................1:570
0.150..................0.26..................1:381
0.200..................0.35..................1:285
0.300..................0.52..................1:190
0.450..................0.78..................1:127
0.575..................1.00..................1:100
0.600..................1.04..................1:95
0.750..................1.30..................1:76
0.900..................1.57..................1:63
1.050..................1.83..................1:54
1.150..................2.00..................1:50
1.200..................2.09..................1:48
1.300..................2.20..................1:44
1.433..................2.50..................1:40
1.500..................2.62..................1:38
1.600..................2.80..................1:36
1.750..................3.05..................1:33
1.900..................3.31..................1:30
2.050..................3.57..................1:28
2.300..................4.00..................1:25
2.450..................4.27..................1:23
2.600..................4.53..................1:22
2.750..................4.79..................1:21
2.870..................5.00..................1:20
3.000..................5.23..................1:19

So, when using the rotate object tool with the track, to do a 1 in 40 grade, you'd raise the track until the gradient number reaches 1.500. If you want to be really picky go to 1.433, but you'll need to hold the "end" key down as you raise the track, as this allows you to make minor adjustments to things.

Next lesson will be to start laying track and get the route started in earnest. Remember that it is always better to re-do something that doesn't look right and get it right than to look at it later and think that it's wrong and regret not having fixed it when it was first broken.
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**Mrdriver** · Posted: Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:00 am Post subject:

Ok lets have a few basics that will make or break a good route.
Never use 500 meter straights they have a habit of disapearing in the sim due to the viewing angles and LODs. Try to use less than 250 meter tracks. this goes for curves as well the bigger the radius use a smaller piece of track.
For example instead of using a size 20 use 2x size 10s or if on a heavy gradient use 4x5s to achieve the same result.
this will make for a better look as sometimes the track skews slightly on a grade and the smaller pieces are less noticable on the joins.
this also helps when and if you have to do a TDB rebuild you will get less errors this way.

I hate jerky routes that is ones that go from level to a significant grade in one step these go in the recycle bin on the spot.
Some times due to having a difficult track configuration it has to be done but try and keep the increments as small as possible.
Start out from say level and add a 10meter straight for example (Can be an equivelent length curve) and elevate to .150 add the next 10 meter piece elevate to .300 and continue in this fasion until the level of gradient has been achieved. Do the opposite for a descending grade.
This way allows for a smooth transition into the grade and looks the most prototypical.

(Not really applicable for the tramway route this) When building a highspeed mainline look at the speed of the track and use curvature that suits that speed.
Some rules of thumb.
150 meter radius curve equates to 40 kph
250 meter radius curve equates to 60
1000 meter radius curve equates to 100 to 115

I just hate it when you are screaming along at 115 kph and all of a sudden the builder has put in a 150 to 250 meter curve to accomodate an island platform.
remember you can achieve the same result with a larger radius curve just allow more room to fit it in.
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