Make plenty of backups!

[ATSF]

Connecting Dynamic Track to a switch was probably not the cause of your problem. I have done it hundreds of times with no ill effect.
Most likely it was the siding and signal markers you mentioned ( interactives ) that hosed the route. The problem would be the same whether you placed dynamic track or a buffer of regular track next to a switch with interactive links. You should remove all interactivies
several sections away from the area where you a making modifications. Not that this makes you feel any better on losing all that
work, I mention only to point out interactives will quickly hose a route, sometimes by only clicking on a section that has an interactive placed or connected to it.

You are right, one can never be to rich, to thin, or have to many backups. Been there - Done that.

[NW 2156]

ATSF, I think you are most likely correct. I still stand by what I said about using static bridge rails placed in between the running rails instead of messing with the active track.

Robert

[hiball 3985]

OOOP's I misunderstood, I thought you were talking about the running rails not the guard rails. Then a static piece would be a good idea.

[Coonskin]

Dynamic track is over-hated and underrated. I have used miles and miles of dynamic track in umpteen routes with no bad consequences. DT is very handy in geometrically challenged situations. (Such as needing a curve that's in-between available track pieces/etc.)

[Vince]

And in TSRE5 you can bend it both left and right. Also might mention it is a precision measuring tape.( +-0.1mm )

regards,

[ebnertra000]

From Vince -

Also might mention it is a precision measuring tape.( +-0.1mm )

That's about all I use dynamic track for these days. I don't think it's dangerous stuff, I just prefer to have all normal track, in case I want to convert my route to a better track profile (i.e. DBTracks), even if several sections I used aren't in those sets

[eolesen]

Well, I will admit that my train wreck at diablo canyon might be my own fault. I agree about the evils of dynamic track but find the short comings of the Xtracks bridge rail sections to be partly to blame. If it was not for a shortage of correct sections of bridge rail track then no dynamic track would have been needed at all.

I am thinking those dang bridge rails would be better off being done as static scenery items like any other scenic piece in a route.

Anyone seen any set of static bridge rail sections?

Robert

I've been doing my own static shapes for years, and including guard rails (which are the same as what I think you are calling bridge rails) in the underlying bridge pieces is a lot easier than trying to always find the right track sections.

My preference has been to just use the Scalerail pieces as-is and supplement where things like a guard or third rail are needed. It's just eye candy, and building a companion piece to match specific track axis is pretty easy with Sketchup.

Also include me in the no-DT crowd, partly to make merging of routes more pain-free. I don't mind the challenge of trying to find the right combination of curves/straights to fit the geometry... The only exception I've made is on the IRM I needed some 30d curves for trolley tracks, and those were converted to Dynatrax for appearances purposes with the adjoining Scalerail....