LAYOUT DRAWING: TUTORIAL

 

Step 13: DRAW THE REMAINING TRACKS

In current state of the layout, there are three tracks missing:

  • the two sidings, on top and bottom of layout,

  • the pass track on the main oval.

This will be done in three substeps:

  • draw the straight segment on any of these three tracks,

  • add buffer stops on sidings,

  • link the straight segment to the turnouts, with circular links.

 

ADD STRAIGHT TRACK SEGMENTS

Begin with the lower siding:

  • Click icon "Add straight segment" (leftmost yellow icon).

  • Check box "Fixed length", and set length to 100 cm.

  • move mouse (with anchored sketched line) about 10cm below the lower track patk,
    and 30cm on the right of the free turnout port: see figure below.

  • Click to confirm.

 


Figure 13-1: add straight segment of lower siding.

 

Repeat the same operation with the upper siding: see figure below.

 


Figure 13-2: add straight segment of upper siding.

 

Same operation for pass track, but only 7 cm above the main line track, and still 30 cm from turnout.

 


Figure 13-3: add straight segment of pass track

 

ADD BUFFER STOPS

Here, we add the two buffer stops on the sidings.

  • Click on icon "Add Buffer stop": third yellow icon, starting from RIGHT.

  • Modify default length (in parameter menu), from 10 cm to 1cm.
    This is not necessary, but will be a recommandation for layouts intended for real RUN operation.

  • Instantiate a buffer stop on the right-hand side of both sidings. The figure below is a screen shot
    immediately before instantiattion of the second buffer stop.

 


Figure 13-4: instantiate the buffer stops, on both sidings.

 

JOIN TRACKS TO TURNOUTS

The goal, here, is to link the three straight segments just added, to the corresponding turnouts.
And we are going to use the circular link primitive as already done in step 10.

Let's begin by the lower siding.

  • Click on icon "Add Circular link" (third icon starting from left),

  • Click on turnout free port,

  • Bring mouse close to the straight segment free port, until snapping occurs.

  • Click on straight segment free port: see screenshot on figure below.

  • Click on OK, at bottom of coordinate menu, on left of screen, to finalize.

 


Figure 13-5: circular link on bottom siding, just before clicking OK.

 

Repeat operation on both sides of the pass track: see figure below.

 


Figure 13-6: adding circular links on the pass track.

 

And finally repeat on upper siding.

 


Figure 13-7: circular link on upper siding, just before clicking OK.

 

 

And here is how it looks like

 


Figure 13-8: completed.

 

That's it.

Just two more operations before going to next step:

  • Build and check module; there should not be any error.
    Click on the first green icon (starting from left): this is the "Check and build module" icon.

  • Resize the layout bounding box (since we added a new siding): see step 12.

 


Figure 13-9: final result.

 

 

We are now almost done with this tutorial.
The last step explains a little more about the "buid and check" operation.

Click on right arrow below.

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