Add a Siding

Make Room for Left Hand Turnout

To facilitate placement of the two turnouts (Atlas Snap Switches) required to create the siding, it's necessary to split the oval layout into two sections. To make the task of doing so easier, use View/Zoom from the Menu Bar or the "Change drawing scale" Tool Bar button to change the drawing scale to a ratio of 4:1.

Check the Map Window to see if the lower left quadrant of the layout is in view in the Main Window. If it's not, place your cursor over the viewing area in the Map Window, click and hold the left mouse button while dragging the view to the lower left quadrant.

Click on the "Split a track" button or the press the <Ctrl+Shift+S> keys to issue a "Split Track" command. With the command active, place the cursor over the track joint at X= 24.75" and Y=0.875" and press the left mouse button. You'll know the track sections split if the single black line that indicated the joint turns into three lines.




Place your cursor over the viewing area in the Map Window, click and hold the left mouse button while dragging the view to the upper right quadrant of the Map Window. The upper right hand side of the oval should be in view in the Main Window.

Click on the "Split a track" button or the press the <Ctrl+Shift+S> keys to issue a "Split Track" command. With the command active, place the cursor over the track joint at X= 69.313" and Y=45.625" and press the left mouse button. You'll know the track sections split if the single black line that indicated the joint turns into three lines.




Using View/Zoom from the Menu Bar or the "Change drawing scale" Tool Bar button, change the drawing scale to a ratio of 12:1. Once the drawing scale is set, the entire layout should be visible in the Main Window.

Pick the "Select" Tool by using the Change/Select function from the Menu Bar, the "Select objects" button from the Tool Bar or the <Ctrl+E> shortcut keys. Move the cursor over top of one of the curved sections of track located on the right side of the Main window. While holding the cursor over this track section, press and hold the shift key then click the left mouse button. Completing this action causes the track segment on the right side and across the bottom of the Main Window to be highlighted in red. If the entire track plan highlights when the "Select objects" command is issued, review your actions as this indicates one of the previous steps wasn't completed correctly.




The Move function will now be used to relocate the highlighted segment of track approximately 9" to the right. Select the "Move" tool by using the Change/Move function from the Menu Bar or the <Ctrl+Shift+M> shortcut keys. Place the cursor over any piece of track located in the highlighted section, press and hold the left mouse button. Watch the highlighted section of track as you move the mouse to the right. The entire highlighted section of track should follow the mouse movement. Continue dragging the section to the right until there's an approximate 9" opening between it and the stationary section of track to the left.




It's good practice to "Deselect All" layout components once editing of such is complete. Doing so removes any chance of making unintentional changes. Using the Edit>Deselect All function from the Menu Bar, the <ESC> key or the <All+Shift+A> shortcut keys, de-select all previously selected components.

Make Room for Right Hand Turnout

To facilitate installation of a right handed turnout, it will be necessary to remove two sections of Atlas #821, 9” straight track located adjacent to the curved track section in the top left quadrant of the Main Window.

Pick the "Select" Tool by using the Change/Select function from the Menu Bar, the "Select objects" button from the Tool Bar or the <Ctrl+E> shortcut keys. Move the cursor over the section of straight track located at X=29.5, Y=45.75 then click the left mouse button. The track section should now be highlighted in red. Repeat this procedure for the section of straight track located at X=38.25, Y=45.75




Using the Edit/Delete function from the Menu Bar, the <Ctrl+D> shortcut keys or your keyboards Delete key, delete the previously selected components; 2 x Atlas #821, 9” straight tracks.

Install Right Hand Turnout

Select the "Atlas #851, Right Snap Switch" on the Hotbar. Drag the turnout from the Hotbar to the layout, placing it next to the existing piece of curved track in the upper left hand corner of the Main Window. Ensure the diverging route curves inward toward the centre of the layout. If the diverging route curves away from the centre of the layout, hold the shift key and click on the turnout with the left mouse key. This action cause the next End-Point to become active and makes placing the turnout easier. Once the turnout is position properly, press the space bar to fix it in position.

Re-connect Straight Track

Pick the "Select" Tool by using the Change/Select function from the Menu Bar, the "Select objects" button from the Tool Bar or the <Ctrl+E> shortcut keys. Move the cursor over top of one of the three sections of straight track located along the upper edge of the Main window. While holding the cursor over this track section, press and hold the shift key then click the left mouse button. Completing this action causes the three sections of straight track to become highlighted in red. If something other then this section of track highlights when the "Select objects" command is issued, review your actions as this indicates one of the previous steps wasn't completed correctly.




While your tracks are still selected, pick the "Join" Tool by using the Change/Join function from the Menu Bar, the "Join two tracks" button from the Tool Bar or the <Ctrl+J> shortcut keys. Move the cursor over top of the left most end of the straight track located along the upper edge of the Main window. While holding the cursor in this position, press and hold the shift key then click the left mouse button. Completing this action causes a red circle to appear at the left end of the straight track and the phrase "Click on an unselected End-Point" to appear in the status bar.




Complete the second step of the Join function by moving the cursor over the end-point of the right hand turnout and while holding the cursor in that position, clicking the left mouse button. This action causes the straight section of track to move from it's previous location and become joined with the turnout.

Note : This is not the same of extending the tracks to the new turnout. If you get a longer track in place of your original track, you probably didn't correctly SHIFT-click on the tracks to ask the program to move them in place of extend them. Extending tracks is also possible and is explained further.




Using the Edit/Deselect All function from the Menu Bar or the <All+Shift+A> shortcut keys, de-select all previously selected components.

Let's Add a Little Length

The room size of this layout is set at 48" x 96" (4' x 8'). The layout as it exists presently has an overall dimension of 45" x 85.5". If a 2" border is maintained between the left edge of the room and the left edge of the layout, then there's sufficient room to add at least another 6" of running length without compromising a similar border on the right side of the layout.

Select an "Atlas #822, 6” Straight" track on the Hotbar. Drag the track from the Hotbar to the layout, placing it next to the "Atlas #821, 9” Straight" track that's positioned along the upper edge of the Main Window. Once the track is in position, press the space bar to fix the track in position.




Select an "Atlas #822, 6” Straight" track on the Hotbar. Drag the track from the Hotbar to the layout, placing it next to the "Atlas #836 22" 22.5D Curved" track located in the bottom left quadrant of the Main Window. Once the track is in position, press the space bar to fix the track in position.

Reconnect The Right Hand Loop

Pick the "Select" Tool by using the Change/Select function from the Menu Bar, the "Select objects" button from the Tool Bar or the <Ctrl+E> shortcut keys. Move the cursor over top of one of the curved track sections located along the right edge of the Main window. While holding the cursor over this track section, press and hold the shift key then click the left mouse button. Completing this action causes the left hand Loop of track to become highlighted in red. If something other then this section of track highlights when the "Select objects" command is issued, review your actions as this indicates one of the previous steps wasn't completed correctly.




Pick the "Join" Tool by using the Change/Join function from the Menu Bar, the "Join two tracks" button from the Tool Bar or the <Ctrl+J> shortcut keys. Move the cursor over top of the left most end of the "Atlas #835, 18”, 10D Curve" track located along the lower edge of the Main window. While holding the cursor in this position, press and hold the shift key then click the left mouse button. Completing this action causes a red circle to appear at the end of the curved track and the phrase "Click on an unselected End-Point" to appear in the status bar.




Complete the second step of the Join function by moving the cursor over the end-point of the "Atlas #822, 6” Straight" track and while holding the cursor in that position, clicking the left mouse button. This action causes the straight section of track to move from it's previous location and become joined with the Loop of track on the left side of the layout.




Maintain good practice by "Deselect All" layout components once editing of such is complete. Doing so removes any chance of making unintentional changes. Using the Edit/Deselect All function from the Menu Bar or the <All+Shift+A> shortcut keys, de-select all previously selected components.

Install Left Hand Turnout

Select the "Atlas #850, Left Snap Switch" on the Hotbar. Drag the turnout from the Hotbar to the layout, placing it in the opening between the "Atlas #822, 6” Straight" track and the curved track located in the upper right hand corner of the Main Window.




Ensure the diverging route curves inward toward the centre of the layout. If the diverging route curves away from the centre of the layout, hold the shift key and click on the turnout with the left mouse key. This action cause the next End-Point to become active and makes placing the turnout easier.




Once the turnout is position properly, press the space bar to fix it in position.

The Alignment Process

In order to bring the siding into parallel alignment with the mainline, it will be necessary to place two short pieces of 18” 10D curved track next to the diverging leg of the "Atlas #850, Left Snap Switch".

Select the "Atlas #835, 18” 10D Curved" track from the Hotbar, drag it to the layout and place it next to the diverging leg of the "Atlas #850, Left Snap Switch". The section of track should snap into place as it's dragged closer to the end of the turnout. If the track section curves the wrong way, simply hold the shift key then click on the track section with the left mouse key. Once the track is oriented correctly, press the space bar to fix the track in position. Add a second piece of track to complete this step of the exercise.

Complete the Siding

The open end-points within the siding will be joined using flex track rather than sectional track.

Because of the limited space for the curve, easements must be turned off. Look at the 'Easement' button on the Tool Bar. It should display 'Easement None'. If this is not the case open the Easement Menu dialog by either, clicking the Easement button in the Tool Bar, Selecting Options/Easements in the Menu Bar or typing Ctrl+Alt+E, and select 'None'.

Flex track is added by using the "Change/Join" function from the Menu Bar, the "Join two tracks" button from the Tool Bar or the <Ctrl+J> command. Click on the end-point of the "Atlas #835, 18” 10D Curved" track located on the right side of the layout. A red dot will appear once this point is selected.





Move the cursor over the diverging end of the "Atlas #851, Right Snap Switch" then click the left mouse button. While holding the left mouse button, slowly move the mouse left and/or right to adjust the radius of the curve that develops until a desired radius is obtained. The radius is displayed in the status line, which is on the lower edge of Main Window. In this example, a radius of 16.912 inches will be set once the left mouse button is released. Release the mouse button once the desired radius is obtained.




In this example the curve section of flex track has a radius of less than the default value of 18”. As a result the curve is shown in red to warn you of the smaller radius.




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