For years we've been doing track planning, building models, and making benchwork. Now, we're finally approaching actually laying down some track! This is an N gauge layout, designed to pretty tight space tolerances and with very tight radii. We'er sticking with very short equipment and very short total train length. It's all run quite well through test tracks. We're quite happy with the way it operates and looks. For the actual layout, we needed some track laying gauges for the precision fit. Years ago, I had hammered through the equations for cubic spirals on an Excel spreadsheet and then from that drew templates on Illustrator that were used in our track planning. To keep the easements themselves from being too long, I started the equations at a 22.5" radius, and then omitted the first long leg from the tangent up until the spiral is displaced 1/64" off the tangent. This is still very functional for smoothing the transition into the curve, and keeps the easements quite compact enough for our space needs. Made 6 pairs of gauges ending in 12", 10.5", 9", 8 5/8", 7.5" and 6" radii. Cutting and fitting the dozen pieces of plastic took about 9 hours this afternoon and evening! Probably about 4 hours of actual work with periodic breaks to unsquint the eyeballs. Quite crosseyed now, and enjoying a wee dram of 14 year Oban for relief. :tb-biggrin: To make the plastic gauges, I printed out those illustrations on full sheet mailing label, cut each one out and stuck it onto .040 styrene plastic. Cut the plastic with an XActo knife, filed to fit, and made sure each one snaps snugly between the rails of the the Atlas C55 flex track we're using.
