The electronic track on a TrainPlayer layout is like sectional track from the hobby shop. It consists of an interconnected set of line segments, mostly straight but some curved. The point where two segments join together is a "junction," and the train rolls right across it. The point where three or more segments meet is a "switch," which you can "throw" to choose between alternate routes.
Unlike sectional track, TrainPlayer track segments can be
any length, and joined at any angle. Switches can have any number of
branches. Track segments can have special properties, like the ability to
hide the train, or cause it to jump instantly from one end to the other.
And, of course, TrainPlayer track never needs cleaning.
Straight track is easy to work with -- you just draw a series of line segments, and you're ready to drive trains. Draw three or more tracks to the same point and you automatically get a working switch. Since you can draw any curve as a series of short straight segments, it is possible to build the entire layout using nothing but straight track, but you'll get better results if you take the trouble to learn about curves too.
Before you work on a real layout, we suggest you start with a blank screen and learn some of the basic drawing operations. The tool you use most in TrackLayer is the Straight Track tool, used for creating straight track segments and switches. Since curves can be represented by a series of short segments, you can build the entire layout with the Straight Track tool, although you'll get better results if you learn to make curves as described in the next chapter. In this chapter we describe how to create straight track.
Drawing Straight Track
Editing Track
Special Track