@polybear
Hi Brian,
That looks ok.
The link functions work only with two plain track templates, so branch tracks are created as temporary dummy templates for the purpose, and shortened or deleted afterwards.
You would have got a slightly different result by first swapping over the dummy branch track templates, so that the other one is in the control template -- click
make the control on the background template (CTRL+click). You might want to try both results and see which you prefer.
The new bit of control template is simply Templot trying to be helpful. It doesn't know which of the link templates to leave in the control template, so it creates a new one for you instead. (You can't not have a control template.)
If the ends of the two diverging roads are close together to begin with then is it still possible to fit in two branch tracks and them link them together?
Lots of ifs and buts there. If both turnouts are the same crossing angle and the main roads are concentric/parallel it is simply a crossover with a modified track spacing. If the turnouts differ in crossing angle and/or the main roads are not parallel there are several ways of doing it, but most likely you wouldn't be starting with both turnouts. Start with just one of them, create the plain tracks intersecting, and then fit the second turnout at that position. Either by converting from a diamond-crossing, or using the
find intersection function.
That might often result in a non-standard crossing angle, which might bother you or not. If you want to work with only standard crossing angles in a complex formation there is an option in the
find intersection function to do that by adjusting the radius between each V or K crossing and the next one. But that is getting into experienced Templot user territory.
There are also manual methods of course. Roam or snake the second turnout along and alternate with adjusting the V-crossing angle and/or other settings until the rail edges align smoothly over the first turnout template without dog-legs. This is often quicker than doing a strict geometrical design. When zoomed-in on Templot small discrepancies will become insignificant when translated into the model.
cheers,
Martin.