Tutorial on flex track

[David]

We often get questions about working with flex track.

To get everyone who's interested up to speed with it, we've written a short tutorial.

You'll find our tutorials here:
Flex tutorial AnyRail version 3

I assume that there are more topics that could do with a tutorial. Please let us know if you've special requests!

David.

[kimbo]

Excellent addition to the tutorial section. Would have definetely helped during my first few cracks at flex!

[Duchess Of Montrose]

Thanks David,

the tutorial on flexible track is useful, but I think more detail is required, especially with double (parallel) tracks (or any number of tracks greater than 1).
I am having difficulty trying to get double tracks to remain parallel (keep the spacing between the tracks constant) if I use the Easement option.  Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.  I am using Peco OO/HO guage code 100 flexible track.  I am unsure on how to keep the right distance between the tracks.

I can keep the tracks parallel where I use the Curve Flex option.  I am using minimum radii of 21 inch and 23 inch.  I found it best to decide on the radius I wanted and then create pieces of flexible track for whatever angle I wanted for that radius.  ie make the curved flexible track work like fixed curved track.

If possible it would be good to add something to the track geometry files which contains the spacings for each track type.  May not be possible for all types, but when it is possible it would be very useful.

Charlie

[David]

Thanks for your feedback.

Indeed, one of the things with the easements is that for each combination of angle and radius, a different circle is defined with a different centre.
This implies of course, that you cannot have two parallel easements as they never share the same centre for the circle they approach. Maybe we can add something like pseudo easements. Please give us some time to think this over.

You are right, that for a simple circle, the best approach is to make a 10 or 20 degree curve, copy/paste it a few times and work with it like sectional track.

Finally, you're right that some sort of 'distance holder' would be useful. We already had that on the wish list, but it did not get enough attention yet.

David.

[whisperer]

I tried to use the link for the Tutorial but it came up with Fatal error. I'm afraid I still don't get how to "cut" flex track down to the SHAPE AND SIZE FOR A PARTICULAR size I need to connect  a gap. You talk about dragging but I am not confident I know how to drag to get the cut I need. Could you be more explicit than in the Manual, please. Is the tutorial still live or has it been replaced?

[David]

The link has been fixed, but please note that this tutorial is a bit outdated, as it applies to AnyRail version 3.

However, many things have remained more or less the same.

The main point is that you need to understand the difference between dragging the flex track itself, and one of its control points.

To span a gap, simply grab one of the outer control points, indicated by a black cross '+' (not a purple endpoint). Just move the mouse cursor around near the end of the track until the cross gets highlighted. Left click the mouse, and drag the endpoint towards one of the existing endpoints of the gap. It should connect to the existing track. Repeat for the other end. Finally, drag the remaining two inner control points of the flex to shape it to your liking.

If grabbing the control points is difficult, open the 'Settings' tab, and increase the value for 'Control point' in the 'Sizes' group.

I hope this helps.

David.

[hvdkooij]

Is there a new version of this?

[David]

You might want to watch this one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLUf2gpAb2E