The LNER Encyclopedia

hi. i'm putting together a reasonably simple test layout (to play with automated control via track circuits... for my sins..)

starte with lner since well hornby do a decent set which works for me. the layout however is small and requires crossovers on curves.

question: is there any information on track geometery for hornby track anywhere? I've used 'RailModeller' to try and get my head round this simple concept, but for the life of me i can't get from 2nd to 3rd radius or back and get the ends of the curves to line up. I'm assuming there is a small curve designed to work with these curved points to get round this, but i've never seen it.

looking for some info so i can drop a reasonable track plan and get down to the wiring of the AC track circuits and auto controls.

still playing around with a simple loop... oh and not got the loco to full speed without a dog attacking it either...

what i'm trying to do is go from straight parallel track through 90 deg with second & third radius and cross in one direction within this curve, (either direction, with the other on another 90 deg bend), so far i always end up needed a curve about half wht i can find, or nothing lining up at either end of the cross over.

ideas?

I don't know about 00, but in N gauge, the Peco setrack only has one set of points (one in each direction) and these make part of the inside curve, but would throw out the outside one, and I have had great difficuly with this, but from what I can remember Hornby do lots of different points.

track curcuits in 00 really? well good luck.

ok then according to Hornby's catalogue you will be using a RH curved point coming out of the 2nd radius, then you will need to add an R643 half curve to join to the LH curved point that is coming out of the 3rd radius curcuit.

To make the 3rd radius loop match up you will need to add the following to the corner: R610 short straight, R607 2nd radius double curve (yes in the outer loop), LH curved point, then a R606 curve.

On the inner loop the 90 degree corner should be: RH curved point, R607 double curve, then R643 half curve.

Its all described in the hornby catalogue (p132) and as far as i can recall has been shown in all of them through out the years.

If you can't get the track sections from your local model shop (you should be able to) then try Greg Cassar at www.chuffers.com he'll get them for you and is very cheap for all Hornby stuff.

hope this helps
Simon

I think Hornby also have a track plan book as well? This might be a good investment to crib ideas from.

Dogs (and cats) and model trains don't mix! Even with everything "up high" our dog isn't allowed in my railway room unless I'm in there with him. We also have child gates to control him - his middle name is 'mischief'.

Can you put it on a table?


Richard

ta for the hints... second raduis curve bit in the outer loop.... ah yes well that didn't occur to me. ho hum. back to the old drawing board with that one. i can see droppin back to flexi track, though given the number of blocks i'm using rigid works well.

track circuits... the concept is to drop a low voltage AC between the rails and use a filter to stop the motor seeing it, and a filter to stop the 'load' from seeing the DC traction supply.

the idea being the AC is always 'live' and thus the circuits work even when vehicles are stationary, with the required filters coaches etc can be detected also. I'm basically playing with automatic signalling and having isolated sections etc controlled by the trains to allow multiple trains at different speeds on the same loop.

as for getting it all off the floor, it will end up in a loft eventually, where with luck the cats & dogs can't get to.

ta for the pointers though, i was considering a track book, but since i already have a layout plan it didn't seem worthhile. i'll prob post the plan when its on the computer (still sketching the high level termius design)

If you're dealing with Hornby, get their current Track Plans book, which explains their curve geometry system clearly and is available pretty much anywhere where Hornby products are sold. Likelihood is that it won't really be compatible with any other system.