Tack laying tools for a cookie cutter roadbed

Laying easements haven't been so easy using a cookie cutter roadbed for me. Until recently i had only known how to do it but no tools or idea how to go about it.The biggest roadblock was not being able to layout a large radius accurately. I've no idea ware you would get a 24" compos. I tyred measuring out string and wire. String proved to be to stretchy and while the wire worked ok it was very inaccurate. I don't know why, but I never thought of using a narrow strip of metal or wood, but once I had seen it done.. DUH!
The very simple method works great for laying out accurate radius and easements. I started with a 24' radius and marked down and up from their at 1 3/4" this is my mainline track centers. After I marked the various track centers that i will use on my mainline I went 1/4 each side of those marks. This will be the easements that I'm using. you can use whatever track centers and easements you want, i used 1/4 as it was recommended for broad curves in the Track planning for realistic operation book i have.

To draw out the radius and easement (in this case 18 3/4) measure back 19" from the straight leg leading into the corner. You have to add the easement your using to the radius otherwise your not going to have one.



I also marked out cut lines

Here's the radius layed out ready to cut. 18 3/4 C/L and E is the easement

Once the roadbed has been cut and installed onto the layout i draw in the easements. To make it a little more simple to follow i have used some colored pencils.  The offset and radius have been drawn in, now we can draw the easement.
In order to draw the easement mark off a point on each side of ware the offset and straight leg cross, I used 10" but was suppose to use 5".

once each side of the cross is marked layout some pins, nails etc along each side of the C/L's to hold a yard stick or something similar to make a natural curve. Trace the straight edge and you have a easement for your curve.

Heading in a new direction

My lack of updates have stemd from a complated track plan, thoughts into turnouts and turnout control and a want to switch from code 80 to code 55. The freelanced BNSF route I planed just wasent what I want. My passion is unit trains and to be more exact, coal unit trains. Also i want to allow for multipul loop runing of trains. Most of the time i will be the only one useing the layout so this will alow me to have some traffic in the way. Trees for the kirtland route where another issue, i would need far to many. so to cut the cost of trees an open plains area would be idea. with all this i decided apon the famous Power river. 4 track main, open fields, rolling hills, lots of trains running and coal.