MTracks vs. Xtracks

[praynes]

Are MTracks and Xtracks interchangeable?

[landnrailroader]

The answer to your question is yes and No. MTracks looks pretty much the same as default or X-tracks but there is big difference and a couple of helpful things. In multiple tracks the spacing of Mtracks is slightly closer than default or Xtracks because the original author was trying to produce what was prototypically correct and the spacing of default and Xtracks is too much. But in Mtracks there are also transition pieces that allow transitioning in spacing from one to the other, so while there is not direct compatibility, we might say there is forced compatiblity. What I mainly use Mtracks for is the prototypical turnouts. In the US standard power turnouts would be either #15 or #20 frogs with a few instances of #24. What this means for any turnout is that if you measure toward the diverging tracks from the point of the frog for 20 feet, the spread will be one foot, or for 20 meters it will be one meter. There is an error in the documention about #20 turnouts & crossovers and Eric posted about this but I cannot find his answer but it had to do with adding pieces of short tangents between the points and the frog. Normally I use Mtrack spacing on controlled sidings or double track. Another thing is that Mtracks specifies curves by degree, rather than radius. There is a constant in surveying of 1746 for meters and 5726 for feet and if for example I need to know the radius of a 5 degree curve, then 1746/5 = 349.2 meters. This degree of curve thing is especially useful if you are creating a simulation of a real railroad and have a track chart. For example at mile 43 on the Chattanooga sub., from Nashville, there is a 2 degree curve, so when I reached that point laying the track, I know what curve is required, so I use Mtrack 2 degree pieces. Otherwise to get the exact curve I would have to use dynamic track which I try to avoid.

Jerry Sullivan

[eric]

They're visually compatible. As Jerry said, the difference is in the multi-track widths and the switch/curve geometry.

[praynes]

Thank you Jerry and Eric!