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Picking Track

Trakpak3 track sets can have a staggering number of models. This guide will go through how to find the piece you need by name.

Picking a Track Pack

Before you can select a track piece, you need to know what track pack you'll be looking in. Trakpak3 track packs are usually grouped by gauge, but there can be other groups as well. For example, RSG tracks can be found in models\trakpak3_rsg, but RSG bridge tracks can be found in models\trakpak3_rsg_bridge, and RSG guard rails in models\trakpak3_rsg_guard. Remember that Hammer's model browser uses backslashes ( \ ) to delineate folders, but hammer entity keyvalues (the actual value used for the model) uses forward slashes ( / ).

Deciphering Codes

Direction

The direction codes from 0 to 4 correspond to horizontal "slopes" of the line; 2lt stands for "2 units left for every 4 units forward."

Grade

Grade is usually given by a number followed by "pg". Since railroad grades are usually low by necessity (< 5%), the first digit is the whole number and the rest are decimals. For example 132pg means "1.32% Grade" (upwards). Negative values mean a downward grade (for example -265pg for "2.65% Grade" (downwards)).

Endpoint Dimensions

Endpoint dimensions are broken up into two or three values, separated by x characters.

Example: _+1056x-0256x+016up

• _+1056: The first is the "Forward" dimension. Negative values mean the piece goes backwards.
• x-0256: The second is the "Right" dimension. Negative values mean the piece goes left.
• x+016up: The third (if present) is the "Up" dimension. Negative values mean the piece goes down. An "up" or "dn" tag is also applied for easier reading.

The Main Track Groups

• straights: Straight track.
• arcs: Arc curves.
• banked: Banked arc curves.
• bends: Bezier curves which start and end in the same direction (parallel).
• dynamics: Bezier curves which start and end in different directions.
• diamonds: Intersections between two tracks.
• switches: Switches. Has subcategories for Turnouts, Wyes, Sidings, Crossovers, and Double Slips.
• spl: Short for "Special", this can contain bridges, bumpers, turntables, etc.

Straights

straights\s1024_0fw_0pg_+1024x00000x0000.mdl

• s for "straight",
• 1024 for the "length" (may be physically longer for diagonal track),
• _0fw for the direction,
• _0pg for the percent grade,
• _+1024x00000x0000 for the endpoint dimensions.

Arcs

arcs\r2048\a0fw_2lt_left_146pg_+1056x-0256x+016up.mdl

• r2048\ for the radius (subfolder),
• a for "arc",
• 0fw for the starting direction,
• _2lt for the ending direction,
• _left for the relative direction of the curve (as seen by the train),
• _146pg for the percent grade,
• _+1056x-0256x+016up for the endpoint dimensions.

Banked Arcs

banked\r2048\ab0fw_8lt_left_0pg_4h_24s_0f4_0b0_+2048x-2048x0000_drp.mdl

• r2048\ for the radius (subfolder),
• ab for "Arc, Banked",
• 0fw for the starting direction,
• _8lt for the ending direction,
• _left for the relative direction of the curve (as seen by the train),
• _0pg for the percent grade,
• _4h for the bank height,
• _24s for the number of segments,
• _0f4 for the starting blend (0 to 4, f for "flat"),
• _0b0 for the ending blend (0 to 0, b for "banked",
• _+2048x-2048x0000 for the endpoint dimensions,
• _drp for double rail precision (JH version 1.6+ only).

Bends

bends\b1lt_left_minr4096_226pg_+2000x-0704x+048up.mdl

• b for "Bend",
• 1lt for the starting and ending directions,
• _left for the relative direction of the curve (as seen by the train),
• _minr4096 for the estimated minimum curve radius,
• _226pg for the percent grade,
• _+2000x-0704x+048up for the endpoint dimensions.

Dynamics

(To do once I actually have an example)

• d for "Dynamic Bezier" (shared by Diamonds),
• for the starting direction,
• for the ending direction,
• for the relative direction of the curve (as seen by the train),
• for the estimated minimum curve radius,
• for the percent grade,
• _ x x for the endpoint dimensions.

Diamonds

diamonds\d0fw_4rt.mdl

d for "Diamond" (shared by Dynamics), 0fw for the starting direction, _4rt for the ending direction.

Switches

As switches are the effective combination of two track pieces, there's a lot of variety with how the models are laid out.

Turnouts (Straight MN, Arc DV)

switches\turnouts\r2048\t0fw_1lt_left_+0768x00000_+0704x-0096_mn.mdl

• turnouts\ for the switch type (subfolder),
• r2048\ for the arc curve radius (subfolder),
• t for "turnout",
• 0fw for the starting direction (and end direction of straight part),
• _1lt for the arc ending direction,
• _left for the relative direction of the curve (as seen by the train),
• _+0768x00000 for the straight endpoint dimensions,
• _+0704x-0096 for the arc endpoint dimensions,
• _mn for the switched state.

Wyes (Arc MN, Arc DV in equal but opposing directions)

wyes\w0fw_1lt_1rt_r2048_+0704x-0096_+0704x+0096_dv.mdl

• wyes\ for the switch type (subfolder),
• w for "wye",
• 0fw for the starting direction,
• _1lt for the main ending direction,
• _1rt for the diverging ending direction,
• _r2048 for the arc radius of both paths,
• _+0704x-0096 for the main endpoint dimensions,
• _+0704x+0096 for the diverging endpoint dimensions,
• _dv for the switched state.

Sidings (Straight MN, Bend DV, both tracks parallel)

sidings\p0fw_left_minr4096_+1024x00000_+2048x-0192_mn.mdl

• sidings\ for the switch type (subfolder),
• p for "Parallel",
• 0fw for the starting and ending directions,
• _left for the relative direction of the curve (as seen by the train),
• _minr4096 for the estimated minimum curve radius,
• _+1024x00000 for the main endpoint dimensions,
• _+2048x-0192 for the diverging endpoint dimensions,
• _mn for the switched state.

Crossovers (Straight MN, Bend DV, both tracks parallel)

Crossovers are similar in specification to sidings, except that the bend path is cut in half to allow another, identical switch model to be rotated into place.

xovers\x0fw_left_minr2048_+0768x00000_+1536x-0192_mn.mdl

• xovers\ for the switch type (subfolder),
• x for "Crossover",
• 0fw for the starting and ending directions,
• _left for the relative direction of the curve (as seen by the train),
• _minr2048 for the estimated minimum curve radius,
• _+0768x00000 for the main endpoint dimensions,
• _+1536x-0192 for the diverging endpoint dimensions,
• _mn for the switched state.

Double Slips (Special)

slips\ds0fw_1lt_left_mn.mdl

• slips\ for the switch type (subfolder),
• ds for "Double Slip",
• 0fw for the starting direction,
• _1lt for the ending direction,
• _left for the relative direction of the curve (as seen by the train),
• _mn for the switched state.