Just bought a rail bender. A gauge on the railbender can determine what radii to bend to. I was just planning on bending to the layout that I have, b/c I don’t know what the radii of the curves are that I have. How does one determine the radii of the layout. I want to make sure that my USA PA/PB locos will run and look good on the track.
If I haven’t said it, “Welcome Aboard”. I’d say make the radius as wide as you can make it. The prototype stays away from tight turns.
Welcome Shelley! Cut yourself a minimum radius template from plywood, sample
(http:///P1/LadderTrack03_s.jpg)
Saved me a lot of work when placing the PVC tubes for the ladder roadbed and it’s hard to use the string/trammel method if the center of the curve is in the lake. 
Hans-Joerg Thanks for the advice. I was afraid you were going to say this about making a template. My layout is very similar to yours in that it circles a water feature. So I guess it’s off to make some cardboard templates. I was just hoping there was a less labor intensive way of determining the curves.
Shelley,
A minimum template is a lot easier than using the tried and true method of the prototype, with a cord and the included angle calculations.
I new I wanted a minimum of 15’ dia curves, so I cut a piece of string and tied it between to metal stakes 15’ apart.
One stake was driven in the ground and the other dragged around like a compass, scratching a visual mark in the dirt.
Then I would drive some more stakes along the curved scratch and get a real good visual. That way I new I wasn’t placing a boulder or something right where the track would be.
No templates here. 
My brother has used the John Bouck method to great success and plus the fact you don’t have to donate a good piece of wood for that purpose. My sister in law is a director for construction for commercial development and provided both of us with adult supervision and guidance relative to this. Just our path of approaching this need.
John Bouck said:Geese jb, why so involved? I just put my track down on the ground and said "I want to go that way." Cord, angle, radius... what, me worry? :P
I new I wanted a minimum of 15' dia curves, so I cut a piece of string and tied it between to metal stakes 15' apart. One stake was driven in the ground and the other dragged around like a compass, scratching a visual mark in the dirt. Then I would drive some more stakes along the curved scratch and get a real good visual. That way I new I wasn't placing a boulder or something right where the track would be. No templates here. :) :)
Well my excuse is too many years as an engineer/manager for major defense contractor where everything has to be within less than an angstrom of a RCH tolerance…Quite a few of us are always accused of over-engineering everything from GRs to where to mount the toilet paper holder…LOL
I know what a RCH is. :lol:
I thort this was a fambly site.
Hey Steve…Really Closely Held…(RCH)
mike miller said:You bet'cha!
Hey Steve...Really Closely Held......(RCH)
Steve, my original proposal was to toss the track on the ground and see how she fits. Damn engineers got in the way, drove to costs up, prompted an audit and a review, recession hit work ground to a halt, now we have a Obama ARRA project with a rail bridge to nowhere.
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/johnm/_forumfiles/stackin-rocks.jpg)
Yeah John, but it will still be standing when everything else is gone for sure…BTW, what are you doing on the computer and not out back working on the RR? Magnets? Dead tanker car parts in Jeep plastic bin…I saw that you got your coolie hat now. No excuses… And the shop assistant’s last act before departing yesterday was to destroy the hose in the backyard. I guess he was dowsing for water and got frustrated.
Mike, I wanted to do this method, but I have a water feature in the middle. If I could only figure out how to post pics, it would make more sense as to why I don’t think I can do this method.
As mentioned it’s tricky to layout a curve when the center of same is in a body of water. A minimum radius template serves other purposes, apart from the "body of water"situation. It has a tendency to keep you honest on that minimum, which in turn saves you some grieve down the ways. That is if you actually established a realistic minmum radius. Reading umpteen different fora (all kinds of different scales) that’s where the problems start: having a bit of a problem seeing down the line (pardon the pun) to what lurks in the future.
But that’s OK, I heard it said that rebuilding umpteen times provides a lot more experience than planning in the first place. 
Well I guess I have been told… Shelly, email me with a wild ass estimate of your water feature size and explanation of where you want track and I will provide you a simple LOW COST- NO WASTE approach to your requirements. Sometimes a hand grenade works just as well as a multi-million dollar fire control weapons system. Hopefully your water feature isn’t the Mississippi River or the something of the like…LOL
shelley sherbondy said:That's what bridges are for. Even curved ones. :)
Mike, I wanted to do this method, but I have a water feature in the middle. If I could only figure out how to post pics, it would make more sense as to why I don't think I can do this method.
shelley sherbondy said:If you're using Windows, this will help you with the pictures. Ralph
If I could only figure out how to post pics