When to introduce transition curves

[Guy Rixon]

I am designing a fictional station that is curved throughout, with a curve slightly over 10 chains at one end leading via a short straight section into an opposite-handed curve >20 chains. Not being very clever at track, I've been making it with constant-radius curves. Should I redraw it with transition curves? Would this improve its plausibility or its running in P4?

I've assumed so far that the 10-chain curve puts such a low speed limit that transitions wouldn't gain much. Nothing is going to run through above 30mph.

 

[James Walters]

Hi Guy,

Transition curves would look nicer and are the root joy of Templot (for me).
Just in case you weren't aware, here's a tip.

Once you have a transition curve on your control template and you click the curve button with your mouse.
You'll get this box on the screen:

Whilst the 'curve' mouse action button is on screen you can use the '-' and '=' keys to switch between adjusting the first and second transition radius. Similarly, you can use the '[' and ']' keys to control the transition start and length. It's worth having a little play, as I have found these shortcuts to be really handy, and save the longer route of going through the 'action' menu.

You can also switch between 1st and 2nd radiuses by clicking on the white triangle in the grey box on the pop-up window. This works in all sorts of Templot controls and again is worth playing with.

Hope that helps,

James

 

[Phil O]

Hi All,

I thought it was "+" and "-" keys to change between the two transition curves.