parallel tracks

[Terry Toenges]

Someone mentioned getting tracks parallel with turnouts.
I just did this one with Anyrail

[Terry Toenges]

I couldn't get any to go parallel with #4 turnouts and different curve combinations.

[Terry Toenges]

Parallel track using #4 turnouts not possible.

[Terry Toenges]

Getting parallel tracks with #5 turnouts. It can be done using a 33 1/4 12* curve.

[Len]

These are all of the parallel track configurations I could get to work using RR-Track software:



Len

[Terry Toenges]

Parallel tracks using #6 turnouts is not possible. A 1/3 (10*) 18" radius will get close but not exact.

[Terry Toenges]

I'm using Anyrail so I know that sometimes it isn't accurate. I thought the #4 would work with 1/2 18" but when I stretched it out with more straights it wasn't working. I used straight between turnout and curve so I could stretch it out more.

[Terry Toenges]

This is what I get with #4 and 1/2 18" doing like you did with no straight in between. I don't have any turnouts anymore to where I could lay it out and check it.

[Terry Toenges]

With the #5 Wye and one straight leg, a 33 1/4 12* curve is an exact fit.

[Len]

I turned 'loose fit' off for those parallel diagrams and the #6 came out parallel using the 1/3-18R curve. I've also done it with an actual turnout after I did the diagrams, and the #6 with the 1/3-18R curve worked. Although with real track there may be a slop factor in there, but it didn't look like it. With the 18" curve in there, I wouldn't run any long cars through there though.

Len

[Terry Toenges]

The last one is the #5 wye. There is only one that will work.

[Terry Toenges]

I figured the #6 with 1/3 18 would work with a little fudging because it wasn't that far off in Anyrail.

[Terry Toenges]

See the new chart following this post. I had omitted the #5 on this so I deleted it.

[jward]

Terry,

there is a trick to getting parallel track with Anyrail. The #4 is approximately 14 degrees, and the #6 is about 9.5 degrees. There should be enough give in the EZ track sections in real life to make the 15 degree curve work with the #4, and the 10 degree curve work with the #6.

To get this to work with Anyrail, you should first use the parallel track tool to create the two tracks. Glue those tracks to keep them from shifting, then add the switch and associated curve section to make it work. There should be enough "give" in the program to make the connections needed. I believe the default setting is 3 degrees, so as long as your connection is within that default it will connect. The glue function keeps the track from moving once the connection is made.

[Terry Toenges]

That's why I said "Close but not exact" and still included them . The other ones are good fits without any "fudging". I know I could have glued the straights but that wouldn't give an accurate picture of what it would be like without the fudging. Some folks can be nit-picky about thing like that.