HO Track Specifications

[BIGMIKE09281946]

I am having a difficult time locating detailed drawings of HO track components such as switches, crossovers, and crossings. I need this information so that I can design a model railroad platform. I am currently studying AutoCAD, and want to use it to design the track.

Model Railroader is having a track-plan contest, and they require that these components be commercially available. I have been designing it using the track templates available for DL at haindlaidtracks.com, and must stop this behaviour.

I must say that I have only a smattering of an Idea how to draw one of these things, which happens to be in the late fifties. And, I have a pdf file of PECO Turnout Dimensions, that I am trying to understand.

[Dr EMD]

Here's a start

"Right Track Freeware is a layout planning program for the PC"

[BIGMIKE09281946]

I have Right Track Ver 8.0. I am designing the layout with a student version of AutoCAD 2006, I can't get the measurements out of RTS.

[Yampa Bob]

Obviously to design in AutoCad you need all the component specifications.  Curved track pieces are measured in inches of radius, not degree of curvature. An Atlas track catalog has all these values. The Bachmann catalog also has radius specifications for their track.

My suggestion is to design the layout in Right Track, then save as .DXF file, which can then be opened in AutoCad.  Once you have it open, you can duplicate the component values.  In Right Track, you could also make a parts catalog by placing non connected pieces using the place feature. You can place every piece of the Atlas HO track library on a single page, then "save as" a .DXF file. Then you can copy an object as needed.