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Easement question Dream and design
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Regular poster 194 posts Athlon Regular poster 194 posts
Athlon

 

Easement question
 
I used Scarm to plan my layout ( discussion here: http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/12103).  I used atlas code 55 'snap track' to do the design, but plan to use flex when laying track (except for the turnouts).
 
When transferring the plan to the table I would like to add easements where it's possible and makes sense to do so. 
 
Now I'm stumped..........
 
I'll use the following route as the example that has me stumped the most.  It's the main on the right side half circle.
 
It starts on the top (going clockwise) at the #10 left hand turnout, goes into a 13.75" radius turn until about half way through where I have an 11.25" radius until it goes into the left hand curved turnout.  
 
The outside radius of that curved turnout is 21.25" (the inside radius is 15"), by the way.
 
My original thinking was when I did started drawing using flex track I would wind up with a radius somewhere between the 11.25" and 13.75" using the large radius of the curved turnout as one easement and somehow calculate the easement at the #10 turnout at the top.
 
1) What would you do?
2) How do I figure an easement out of the #10 at the top?
3) Do I even need one at the curved turnout?
4) Am I over thinking this?
 
Full plan:
 
Top of right side:
 
 
 
Bottom of right side:
 

Dave
Uxbridge, MA

How I Installed An NCE USB Adaptor Into My Fascia
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Mike C Regular poster 115 posts
Mike C

easements

If you're going to use flex track it will form its own easements as you lay it. Just keep the joints lined up properly and let the flex flow through the curve.  

Is the back of the layout against the wall ? Looks like the turnouts may end up being a bit hard to reach......Mike
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DKRickman Prolific poster 3,069 posts
DKRickman

Not that complicated

An easement is just a spiral, as the curve gradually transitions from infinite radius down to whatever minimum you have decided on.  If you think about it that way, you can't put an easement into a plan that's not designed for it already, since as the radius increases, the curve must take up more space than it otherwise would.  In your case, you're not likely to see much in the way of an easement, but using flex track will probably allow you to finesse the curves a little bit.

With all that said, I think you are definitely over-thinking things, and you probably don't really need easements anyway, unless you're planning on running super light, super long cars backwards.  I would just lay the darn track, taking all the usual precautions about soldering the joints before bending the curves, etc.  Just keep the kinks out and don't exceed your minimum radius, and you'll be fine.

Ken Rickman

Danville & Western HO modeler and web historian

http://southern-railway.railfan.net/dw/
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Athlon Regular poster 194 posts
Athlon

Thanks guys - less work and

Thanks guys - less work and less brain sweating is always good!

For each of those two curves I'll solder a couple of pieces of flex together and let it come to a natural resting place taking care none of it winds up being less than the minimum radius I'm after.

Mike - you can see the discussion about the reach issue in my planning thread (linked in my first post here).  I made some compromises for sure, but it's the space I have to work with.  I'll be able to pull the table out to work on them when I have to, and they'll be remotely controlled otherwise.

Ken actually helped me with the final (so far) design.  The table is up now, and the flex and that curved turnout is on order......... (I already have the rest of the turnouts.)

Dave
Uxbridge, MA

How I Installed An NCE USB Adaptor Into My Fascia
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