Hello all

I am trying to create a templot plan of a 7mm NG/SG layout as a learning curve(!). It contains a number of diamond crossings, two or three of which I would like to recreate now. On the attached (hopefully) box file it can be seen where I am trying to do it, but I can't seem to get the angles anywhere close. I have tried shift+F1 to insert a diamond, and "Insert half-diamond in straight track". I must be doing something wrong - can anybody help?

I am not sure if the background shapes (which are bitmaps of the track plan) will load with the box file, so I am attaching them to a separate entry

Hopefully

Paul

And here is the BGS file...

Hi Paul,

Did you upload the wrong file? That plan is 00-BF, not 7mm scale n.g., and I can't see any diamond crossings.

You need to upload the bmp image files -- the bgs file contains only the image dimensions and outlines.

regards,

Martin.

Martin Wynne wrote: Hi Paul,

Did you upload the wrong file? That plan is 00-BF, not 7mm scale n.g., and I can't see any diamond crossings.

You need to upload the bmp image files -- the bgs file contains only the image dimensions and outlines.

regards,

Martin.


Oops, I am still getting the hang of all this

The plan is drawn in 00 as all the track I have drawn so far is 16.5mm gauge - the standard gauge (O) track may or may not come later! I started this in version 74, and couldn't immediately find a way of doing (a) 7mm NG track or (b) mixed gauge track, so did what I could. I have now set up a custom scale for 7mm NG and may well use it for the "final" version.

I have gone through the templates again, deleting duplicates which I seem to manage to create with unnerring success, and naming the templates as something more useful. Template 50 is now called "Attempt at diamond", I am trying to get a diamond crossing between the turnout ends of templates 37 & 49 (points 25 & 26). This is where I am stuck as I can't seem to be able to get the angles right. I am sure it is something silly I have done, but any help would be welcome.

The updated box file is attached here, the bmp files will follow

Paul

Bitmap file 1 of 3

Note they run board c-b-a from left to right, and in the bgs file hopefully have been scaled up to an actual size of 5 ft by 2ft 6

Paul

Bitmap file 2 of 3

Paul

Bitmap file 3 of 3

Paul

Paulr1949 wrote:I am trying to get a diamond crossing between the turnout ends of templates 37 & 49 (points 25 & 26). This is where I am stuck as I can't seem to be able to get the angles right.Hi Paul,

1. add the branch tracks overlapping each other.*

2. slide the peg along one of them (CTRL-F8 or 8 key mouse action) until it is on the intersection (zoom in) and put the notch under it. (You may need to turn off timber infill in the generator to see the intersection.)

3. insert a half-diamond in the template.

4. change the crossing angle to a close guess, say 1:2.5 in this case.

5. crop all exit track (do > exit track > crop all).

6. peg it onto the notch.

7. action > F5 V-crossing angle options > any angle menu option.

8. F5 mouse action to adjust the crossing angle to match the underlying track (press the @ key to get extra-fine mouse response).

9. tools > make diamond-crossing.

10. delete the underlying plain tracks:



In this case the crossing angle turns out to be 1:2.27 (with straight roads).

*important -- in all current versions of Templot the radius in both roads must be the same. And in this case you can hardly have any curving in them at all , because the bottom limit on crossing angle in Templot is currently 1:2 (these tracks are straight, and any required curving would have to start beyond the diamond.)

If you want to have some curving through the diamond itself, the crossing angle will be shorter than 1:2 so you would need to build it up from a lot of partial templates.

In the next version of Templot I'm intending to reduce the limit to 1:1. Unfortunately at these short angles it is almost impossible to get a neat timbering result automatically, and prototype practice varies significantly anyway. Consequently manual timber shoving will always be needed, as you can see above.

regards,

Martin.

Martin

Many thanks - I have got it to work (with a bit of jiggery pokery re-handing things)

Paul

Paulr1949 wrote: Many thanks - I have got it to work (with a bit of jiggery pokery re-handing things)Hi Paul,

You're welcome.

I should have added that prototypically a 1:2.27 diamond-crossing is a bit unlikely.

More likely is either:

1. the nearest angle size crossing components (probably 1:2 V- and K-crossings) would be faired into that alignment for a best fit, or

2. a 1:2 standard diamond would be used, and the linking tracks from the turnouts curved to fit.

In this case I think the second option is probably the most likely. Model-wise the first option is easier, and usually makes the best use of space.

regards,

Martin.