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topic: 1482How to construct an irregular diamond crossing
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posted: 16 May 2011 18:40

from:

Brian Nicholls
 
Poole - United Kingdom

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This topic is obsolete. Irregular diamond-crossings are now fully supported in Templot2.





Hi All,

I have been doing a re-write of Richard_t’s excellent irregular diamond crossing help guide (without which, I may not have attempted this).
This instruction guide was published before in a previous posting, but since Martin has kindly given us a particular separate “Tips and tutorials” posting area, I thought it only right to re-post in the correct place for easy access (see attached PDF file “How_to_Construct_an_Irregular_Diamond_Crossing_v2.pdf”  below).

I have decided to re-post the currently available version so that people who need such a document can use it straight away, however, I have discovered two important errors in the guide which need attention, so am listing the details here and now, but will eventually correct these errors and include them in a version 3 of the guide, which hopefully will be posted shortly when time permits.

The first of the errors is related using the F5 size key, which is used to adjust the turnout side of the templates.

It is wrongly stated in the guide that you should do the following:

          Then select < action >
                                         < F5 sizing options >
                                                                      < length locked >.
The correct instructions should be as follows:

          Then select < action >
                                        < F5 sizing options >
                                                                      < length free  (CNTRL + pgUp) >
.
          Next, use < action >
                                      < mouse actions: real >
                                                                       < adjust turnout size only (F5) >


          When the icon window for the F5 size appears, do the following:

          Right click on the mouse buttons and from the popup menu select < lock switch ( in F5 ) >.

The above mentioned corrected instructions should be used (or replaced if printed) wherever the < length locked >  is found in the document.

The second error is a little more complex as I discovered this whilst doing an irregular diamond crossing for New Street, which had a very sharp (small angled) vee at the one end, this being 1 : 3.62  which the layout dictated.
 
When I first tried  using F5 to align the diamond to the centre lines of the curves with this small angle, I found the main road wing rail alignment to the vee was grossly out and had to find a method of dealing with this, hence the work around detailed below.

The work around, below is listed what to do when faced with either a small angled vee (less than 1 : 4 ) or if complete accuracy is essential (or required), this work around will be incorporated into the version 3 of this document and will become, as far as this document is concerned, the preferred (and replacement) method of developing an irregular diamond template(s).
The main difference with the work around, is that it results in using two partial templates for each quarter diamond, instead of the current one.

In principle the work around, for each quarter diamond, first correctly aligns the main road wing rail to the vee, regardless of what is happening to the K end or the length of the template in the control.
When aligned, the rear of the template is cropped using F4 key until the just beyond the wing and check rail tips are fully formed and complete.
Then, using CNTRL + F3 blanking the template is further cropped from the K end, until the leading tips of the check rails are still fully formed.
Next, all the diagonal rails are removed, leaving only the partial main road rails in place.
This part of the template is then stored, and I usually define this as the Vee end of the template when re-naming.
The same template is then copied and re-called into the control, the blanking is removed from the K end.
Next this control template is correctly and accurately aligned at the centre crossing point of the two initial guide tracks.
When aligned, using F4 key the template is cropped from the rear end, until it just aligns with the main road rails at the front of the wing rail tips of the Vee end template previous produced.
Again, all the diagonal rails are removed, leaving only the K end partial main road rails in place.
This part of the template is then stored, and I usually define this as the K end of the template when re-naming.
Remember only the main road parts of both templates are used in the final finished article.

Below I have shown the instructions that are required to achieve the accurate quarter diamond templates, as described above.


This should be performed on the converted diamond, not the turnout switch.

If the vee has been omitted from the template, then bring this back into view as follows:

Use < do >
              < omit rails and joint marks...  (CTRL+O) >.
And tick the vee box, leave all the other boxes as was.

First check the alignment between the main road wing rail and the vee (zoom in as required), if not acceptable then do the following:

Ensure the peg is on the FP.

Next set < action >
                          < F5 V-crossing angles >
                                                             < any angle >


          Then select < action >
                                         < F5 sizing options >
                                                                       < length free  (CNTRL + pgUp) >.
          Next, use < action >
                                      < mouse actions: real >
                                                                       < adjust turnout size only (F5) >


          When the icon window for the F5 size appears, do the following:

          Right click on the mouse buttons and from the popup menu select < lock switch ( in F5 ) >.

so that the turnout side of the template vee matches that of the crossing formed of Exit roads (or Approach Roads as required) (only a reasonable portion of the vee needs to exactly match the crossing rails).
You will need to ZOOM in very close to align the small portion at the vee, and then again re-select F5 to complete the fine alignment.

Once you have achieved this alignment, you will now find that the centre of the diamond does not reach the centre point of the crossing made by the two curves so, we must use a copy of this template to correct this

Next, use < do >
                      < parking bay >
                                           < bay 1 : park template (CTRL+P) >
.  Or Paking bays 2 or 3 whichever is available.
Now < do >
              < blank up to V-crossing >
this will eliminate the K crossing end of the template up to as far as the front end of the check rails.

Now remove all rails, crossing vee and joint marks, except for the main-road crossing rail, main-road stock rail and the main road check rails, un-tick all the boxes except the three rails mentioned, leave these ticked,
Use < do >
               < omit rails and joint marks...  (CTRL+O) >.


Now store this using < main >
                                             < store & background (CTRL+V) >.


Next use < do >
                      < parking bay >
                                   < bay 1: retrieve “xxxx” (CTRL+R) >
or bay 2 or 3 as appropriate.

Ensure the peg is on the FP.

Next set < action >
                          < F5 V-crossing angles >
                                                              < any angle >


          Then select < action >
                                         < F5 sizing options >
                                                                      < length free  (CNTRL + pgUp) >.
Here, set < geometry >
                                < track centre-lines >.
        
          Next, use < action >
                                      < mouse actions: real >
                                                                       < adjust turnout size only (F5) >


          When the icon window for the F5 size appears, do the following:

          Right click on the mouse buttons and from the popup menu select < lock switch ( in F5 ) >.

Then adjust until the two track centre lines converging point of the diamond, matches that of the crossing point formed by the centre lines of  the two Guide Curves. You will need to zoom in to achieve accurate line up. As in Figure 10 in my instruction document.
You will need to ZOOM in very close to the centre line crossing point, then re-select F5 in order to accurately position the half diamond centre lines.
Do not worry about one of the half diamond centre line not quite lining up with the centre line of Guide Curve, as this is not significant at this time, but do ensure the crossing point centre is correctly aligned by the other half diamond centre line.
This will now give you an overlapping template to that previously set down, we must now remove the vee end of this new template.

Now, un-set < geometry >
                                    < track centre-lines >.
Next use < action >
                          < mouse actions: geometry >
                                                                   < adjust overall turnout length (F4) >,
and adjust the length of diamond until it just meets the blanked section of the previous template.
Now remove all rails, crossing vee and joint marks, except for the main-road crossing rail, main-road stock rail and the main road check rails, un-tick all the boxes except the three rails mentioned, leave these ticked,
Use < do >
               < omit rails and joint marks...  (CTRL+O) >.


Now store this using < main >
                                             < store & background (CTRL+V) >.


You should now have your quarter diamond crossing with accurately positioned wing rails.
Now do the same for the other quarter diamond on the same side of the crossing, then do the same for the other half diamond.

I know this may seem a bit long winded, but it is a reasonable good way of getting accurate positioning of the template parts.

To avoid any confusion, I will try to get the version 3 out as soon as possible.

All the best,

Brian Nicholls.

posted: 23 May 2011 19:00

from:

Brian Nicholls
 
Poole - United Kingdom

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Brian Nicholls wrote:
To avoid any confusion, I will try to get the version 3 out as soon as possible.


 

Hi All,

As promised, I have now completed Version 3 of the “How_to_Construct_an_Irregular_Diamond_Crossing_v3” document for use with Templot 0.91c, albeit a little late since the new pug is now on the horizon.
The document has been fully updated and re-written and includes all additions and corrections.

See attached PDF file.

Unfortunately, it has considerably increased in size due to the following reasons:

     1.     Two (2) templates have now been used instead of the original one, to increase accuracy, therefore the instruction set has almost doubled.

     2.     An Appendix has been added at the end of the document, dealing with irregular switched diamonds, complete with instruction set.

To some it may seem an awful lot of instructions, but when you actually get down and think about, this is what you (or anyone) actually do, perhaps without thinking, to achieve the construction of an irregular diamond.

Also this document is aimed mainly at the beginner using Templot, to give then a blow by blow guide to producing a complex formation, and in using this guide it is hoped will give them some confidence and familiarity with the operating functions of Templot, to say nothing of the elation they will get when successfully completing an irregular diamond on their own.

However, is all I can add is, I hope it helps someone else.

All the best,

Brian Nicholls.



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