Small collection of wooden train track compatible pieces.

thingiverse

Inspired by other wooden train track designs, I set out to create my own unique design. To avoid being left with sharp edges after printing, I made sure to include chamfers on all the pieces. However, when trying to import others' designs into FreeCAD and apply chamfers to the STL files, I encountered some difficulties. Luckily, I was able to draw upon the expertise of http://www.woodenrailway.info/track/trackguide.html to get the exact dimensions for my tracks. Most train tracks come with grooves on top and bottom, which allows for curves to be automatically designated as either left or right turns. In addition to standard track pieces, I also designed a few special pieces, such as the outer curve track of a double track (Brio EE) piece. This required some careful planning and attention to detail. **Print Settings** * Printer Brand: Ultimaker * Printer: Ultimaker 2 * Rafts: No * Supports: Yes * Resolution: 0.25mm * Infill: 24% * Notes: Print supports in a grid pattern with 25% fill, distance x/y 1mm, distance z 0.15mm, shell 0.8mm, top/bottom 0.75mm. To achieve the best results, I used PLA plastic and printed at high speed (top/bottom 50mm/s, outer shell 60mm/s, inner shell 70mm/s, infill 80mm/s) on a temperature of 230 degrees Celsius. **Post-Printing** 1. Remove supports: Yep, this is a straightforward step. 2. Flame polish ugly white spots: I used a small gas torch to flame polish the plastic where the supports were. A quick pass with the torch polishes the plastic, but be careful not to overdo it, or you'll end up with a warped or molten piece. **How I Designed This** I built my track pieces using FreeCAD. First, I defined all the design parameters in a spreadsheet and then used those dimensions to create the sketches. This allowed me to quickly generate new track variants without having to redesign everything from scratch. To validate dimensional fitness, I used a H1 cross with 4 three-way pieces to create a large four-way switch.