Atomic Systems

Hi Guys,

We are currently working on details to allow Narrow Gauge track creation in Rail Simulator. Minimum curvature was an easy change, so we are now looking at rail cross-sections and how the junctions render. Taking the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch line as a minimum before we get into large scale model railways (no offence intended if anyone doesnt like that term), what rail extrusion design is used?

Im looking at the list Corus Rail supply here:
http://www.corusrailconsultancy.com/doc ... rsion2.pdf

Pages 31 >> 47

Cheers for any help.

That is almost a question without an answer! These days many preserved railways have rails from a great many sources, depending on what was available cheap at the time, and that means that rail is not uniform even on a single railway. Many of the more substantial 2' gauge lines in this country were laid with 40lb/yd flat bottomed rail, BS40A on p41 would be appropriate, though many lines, even 3' gauge used lighter rail and the BS30M or 20M would be more appropriate for many industrial lines. Narrow gauge lines tend to keep rail rather longer than main lines after 30 or 40 years of use, it will have worn somewhat. The Festiniog was originally laid with bull head rail of 46/50lb per yard - so the Manx 60 on p42 would be rather too heavy. (Most model narrow gauge railways use rail which is far too big.)

Hope this helps

I think you've hit the nail on the head there Reg.

Unless you are prepared to go to the lengths of building several different rails it would be easier to just use half the size of standard gauge.

What is probably a more probing question is that of sleeper arrangement, this is what really distinguishes a narrow gauge PTway from standard.
I have personally spent much time trying to emulate narrow gauge in MSTS1 with varying degrees of success. The thing is narrow gauge PTway can vary from Ffestiniog mainline to 1950 Talyllyn (virtually no sleepers visible), this is what, I believe, the user in any simulator will want. We need to somehow emulate the feel of old and decrepitude....

For what it's worth.
Thank you for asking.

Yes - as an engineer I know I ought not to, but I love the overgrown-but-used look ofThe Talyllyn in the early 1950s, with the rails and sleepers held in place by the undergrowth!

Mind you, that effect could probably be emulated in the same way as it often is in MSTS, by sinking the track just below ground level so the ground grass texture covers the sleepers.

Or at least, I've always presumed that's how its done!

Can only agree with the two Andrews. There are so many variations of track that it's impossible to say that one particular rail section is correct. It depends what railway your modelling.

At the moment, it seems possible to make one's own custom rail extrusions. Is this facility to be removed from railsim?

Kevin

MuzTrem wrote:Mind you, that effect could probably be emulated in the same way as it often is in MSTS, by sinking the track just below ground level so the ground grass texture covers the sleepers.

Or at least, I've always presumed that's how its done!

At the moment, in railsimulator, you could model track with no sleepers quite easily, although you would still have to have a raised trackbed. As you say, sinking the track into the ground could be an alternative.

Kevin

Not at all, wouldnt dream of it! Im am not saying RSDL is working on a Narrow Gauge route, but that we are testing that narrow gauge can be prototypically built with custom track cross sections. In order to do that we need to make some accurate assets to test out Rail Simulator. Wouldnt want you guys thinking you're beta testers!

So far we've had junctions diverging from straight track at 10m radius successfully. Y junctions are proving an issue in that they dont seem to work at anything less than 40m radius for each curve. Still testing many junction types though.

Adam, here are a few things for you to try:

I think dual track gauges is something completely different than here.