Constructing a Passing Siding
by Jim "Sniper" Ward
This is one of those things
everybody thought you already knew, so it hasn't been discussed much. The
end point curve sections, left and right, are very slightly different from
each other, and each one is designed to go with the switch with the same
orientation. In other words, left switch, end point left, right switch,
end point right. After starting a passing siding from the right, I place
2 10 meter straight sections at the end of the doubletrack section (shortened
for illustration purposes) to correspond to the length of the end point
curve. I place a left switch on the end of the 10 meter straights, and
hit the T key to flip it around pointing back at the siding. Since the
switch curves to the left, I want the track to curve back to the right,
so I select an A1tendpnt10drt.s section.
And it doesn't work, note the blue poles indicating
track misalignment, this is a derailment point.
Now that I know a left switch needs a left end
point section, I delete the right end point curve and attach a left one
instead. Curves the wrong way if I attach to the switch instead of the
siding, but.....
hit the "T" key to flip it. It looks the same
flipped that way as the right curve did, but since length/curvature is
subtly different.
It now lines up properly.
13 Feb 2002
Tutorials