Transferring Shapes to Styrene

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I am building a curved passenger platform and am looking for the best way to transfer the curvature of the track to sheet styrene. Any suggestions?

2

AS you know there are many. Here is just one, making a template.

  1. Place a piece of paper in the area where you want the platform. Depress the paper/push down in the area you want the platform edges and where they meet the track roadbed. Then mark the area where the roadbed meets the proposed platform–an outline line is all you need.

  2. I would make a copy of that piece of paper, then trim the paper away which would represent the track area from one of them. I would trim it a little large by triming such that you leave the line plus a little.

  3. Test fit this piece of paper which is the beginnings of a template for your platform. This will show you where you may choose to trim some more. I like to use graph paper for this so that I know where lines are straight and maybe off a little.

  4. Once you’re satisfied with your template, simply place it on a piece of plastic and draw around the template on the plastic or tape it to the plastic and cut the plastic around the template. Again, I would cut the plastic a little large so that you can file/cut for a good custom fit.

Richard

3

One tip I was taught to do and this may not be suitable for your situation, is to overlap the shape and hit it with spray paint. This makes a clean line where otherwise you might end up with squiggles if trying to do it by hand. Cover the track with tape and slide the styrene under if possible.

Brent[C):-)]

4

Lay a piece of paper over the rail which will be closest to the platform then, with a pencil almost parallel to the paper, rub it along the top edge of the rail closest to the platform. This will give you an outline of the rail’s edge. Before you remove the paper, make several register marks on the paper and extending onto the layout’s surface. These will allow you to position the paper template or the cut-out styrene platform in the exact same location as the original template, an important consideration if your curve is not a constant one. If your platform will extend right to the rail, simply cut along the line with scissors or a knife, then use the resultant pattern to trace the curve on the styrene. If your platform will extend only to the tie ends or some other distance from the near rail, use a compass to draw a line parallel to the original traced line, spacing in an appropriate distance away, then cut it out and transfer that line to the styrene.
I used this method to construct this crossing in styrene:

…and the road around this street trackage:

Wayne

5

Wayne, nice job, especially w/ frogs right in the middle of the street.

Ray, great tips already. One note if you are using a raised platform, Do check the side clearance due to overhangs of longer equipment. stirrups, steps etc will need added clearance on the outside of the turm.