Parallel inside curved flex track

[rclanger]

Hi,
New user here.  I have a 22 inch radius half circle layed with code 83 #513 22in angle 22.5 degrees.  I want to add a curved track parallel with the 22in on the inside.  But do not know how to go about it.

The Atlas program has a tool to do exactly what I am describing.  However there is nothing else I like about the program.

I have actually layed the track and it looks and runs fine.  I just can't draw it.

Any suggestions at all would be helpful.

Bob

[David]

Hi Bob,

Is the picture below showing what you actually want?

David.

[rclanger]

Exactly.  Two tracks not three.

Bob

[David]

Hello Bob,

If I understood you correctly, you managed to create half a circle from #513 curves.
Well, do the same with #512 curves. You'll need six of them.

#513 has a radius of 22", and #512 has a radius of 18". So, they're 4" apart.

Before you proceed, please make sure you've set the measurement system to inches ('Tools/Options' menu, Tab 'Behavior').
Now, double click one of the outer endpoints of the #513 half circle.
Fill in the following values:
x: 30
y: 10
angle: 270
(If the half circle partially goes off the work area, you had the wrong endpoint. Drag the track into view, and try again with the upper endpoint.)

The inner curve should be positioned 4" from this one, so repeat the procedure with the #512 curve, but with the following values:
x: 30
y: 14
angle: 270
(Again: If the half circle partially goes off the work area, you had the wrong endpoint. Drag the track into view, and try again with the upper endpoint.)


This should provide you with two parallel half circles.

David.

[rclanger]

David,
I tried what you suggested.  With the 22" 513 I entered the values 30, 10, 270 on one end of the circle and it jumped across the room.  So I reloaded and tried the other end and it jumped further.

The same results when I tried the 30, 14, 270 512.

When I double clicked the setting were not what I entered and saved.

Simple directions, I think executed properly but unexpected results.

There has to be a way to add parallel curves.

Bob

[David]

Hello Bob,

Are you sure you set the units to inches?
Otherwise the track will end up too far in the left upper corner, and not parallel.

What did you end up with?

In the meantime, we've put the parallel track function on our to do list.

David.

[rclanger]

Good Day David,
I use inches, and tried both fractions inches and decimal inches. When I tried changing using the top end the half circle jumped to the right and up.  When I edited the bottom half the change caused it to jump in the same direction but much further.

Having a function to create parallel's in a future version is great but doesn't help now.  Your directions are simple but I do not get anything like I expected.

Thanks, Bob

[David]

Hi Bob,

For now, I've assembled a short instruction in PDF with pictures.
I hope it helps.

David.

[rclanger]

David,
You are to be congradulated for your efforts.  Most technical support would not consider going to the extent you have thus far.  I am glad I purchased AnyRail.

I was able to do as you suggested.  However my track is not 4 inches apart but 2 3/4.  Do you have the settings necessary to acomplish this?

Again thanks for your wonderful service.

Bob

[David]

Hi Bob,

What I did with the settings is define the starting point of each curve.

So, with these curves, you need to set them 4" apart:
outer curve: (x,y) = (30,10)
inner curve: (x,y) = (30,14)


Of course, you could choose to use 2 3/4 as a track distance, but that means you need to put in an extra 2 x 1 1/4 = 2 1/2 inch of track for the inner curve.

Positions could then be:
outer curve: (x,y) = (30,10)
inner curve: (x,y) = (30,12 3/4)

See the picture for the result.

By the way, you'd normally attach these curves to some other (existing) parallel track. If you choose the correct distances and curves (follow the manufacturers geometry) you hardly ever need to enter the track positions yourself.

More information about laying track can be found in our tutorials on the web site, and in the manual.

Hope it all starts to make sense now!

David.

[rclanger]

I give up.  I can not get the two tracks parallel.  I viewed your demo and will do so again.  Is it the one about flextrack?

Bob

[David]

Hi Bob,

Maybe I did not really understand what you want.

Do you want to put flex track as the inner track at a distance of 2 3/4?
If so, please confirm, and I can easily do another short instruction leaflet showing you how to bend the flexes to create a perfect curve.

It's also (more or less) described in the flex demo.

David.

[rclanger]

Actually, yes and it was my error not yours.  Sometimes I am amazed why others can't read my mind but more often I am grateful.

I am sorry to have put you to so much trouble.

Bob

[David]

Here's one with flex track.

Good luck!

David.