questions about track charts....Help!!

[amtrak115]

I'll start by saying I'm not a railroad guy. I was a Computer Guy for over 45 years...90% Defense Work....so please bear with me......

I've attached two images The first shows two curves at appropriate mp reference...what does the numbers under the curve reference no mean??
tc-1.png
second question....since there is no gradiant line...does that mean the track has "no measurable gradiant"??

on the second image the marks above and below the gradient line...what do they mean?? tc-2.png Thanks for any help...

Barry

[CSRX]

Chances are for grades, they just never recorded it into their track charts. I typically try avoiding those all together.

1-0 is your curve degree.
If you take 1748.51 divide by 1.0, it should equal to the radii needed. So for that, 1750 would be the radius, depending on tracks you are using, whether scale rail or x tracks, there should be a radius close enough to work with, and may need some extension with various shorter or longer radius pieces.

I see another being .30. that would be close to 6000 for your radius.

[eric]

I recognize that... it's the TRE...

The bottom markings are for bridges (Trinity River, Mockingbird and Irving Heights Blvd. The text underneath lines up and has the lengths/clearances.

The over markings are for overpasses e.g. Loop 12.

I used to take photos at Beach Street.

[amtrak115]

Thanks Shawn for the info and you are correct Eric! I've tried to use TSRE5 in the past to create a route, but it always came out wonky, or cartoonish.... After reading through other's post who are doing routes....I understand now that I had not done enough research. I have a route project in mind that I've been collecting information on for a while now. While the TRE is not that route, I thought I would try to recreate the track layout for the TRE as a learning exercise. During my investigations into the TRE, it said that Dallas and Fort Worth transit authorities bought the "old Rock Island lines" but I couldn't (or haven't found the correct track charts from the Rock Island for that area....I found one that said Joint Rock Island trackage but that one goes from Dallas East and South and not toward Ft. Worth. Last night i was reading through the back story of the creation of the TRE, and found a single reference that said..."track maintenance was contracted out to BNSF"....With that information I found in the BNSF Gulf Division track Charts from 1998, the DFW Subdivision had the entire TRE route except for the two end pieces which are UP trackages.... The two images are from the BNSF track Charts....

Anyway...on to my track building exercise. I guess i'll eyeball the track grades based on video footage or something like that...

[landnrailroader]

If you need a track chart for some route you are wanting to create, then look up what you want on Ebay. Railfandepot used to sell such things through a website but now those are sold through Ebay. Price is reasonable, typically around $15. I have bought several from them. In some cases the railroad historical group will have such. For example the L&N Historical group has many L&N charts availble. For non-members the price is a little higher than for members but not much. As a member I have bought several of those. The comments on the charts above is correct. I would point out that different railroads used different nomenclatures etc. but usually if you have the whole chart, there is a page of symbols at the front or end. I know of only one railroad that had really complete charts and that is the Milwaukee Road. At many places there is a number like 3250 vertical near the track line and this is the elevation above sea level at that point. Divide by 3.28 and you have this in meters to be compatible with TSRE. Also in looking at the chart images above, the notation C-#### is the curve number. Usually this will be the low milepost and fraction without a decimal point, but sometimes it is just sequential inventory number. Also if you are scanning the track line by eye in the direction of increasing mileposts, a curve symbol above the track line is a right hand curve, and vice-versa.

Jerry Sullivan

[amtrak115]

Thanks Jerry, I been using the ebay search for track charts and that's where I found most of the ones I'm looking for...

Barry

[eric]

In addition to the MILW, there's a complete CNW profile available from 1959 that I've used numerous times.