lol, no they dont have to be straight, that is unless they are more than one brake, otherwise it must be straight, or else the brake blade would bend, break or cause bumpiness.
glad you know, remember dont use trim as a block though, because if a train stops at the first brake section (due to an e-brake) the trim probally wont stop the train enough to keep it from crashing into the other train. n e way if it stops to much the train may not make it back to the station. as a question to the rest of you, can trim have transport wheels on it?
no, what would be the point of the trim if it needs transport wheels? trim brakes are just for slightly slowing the speed, thus they wouldnt and shouldnt need something else to push the train along
I prefer keeping it straight. Even if it's only one brake unit, It looks like the fin can still crack or bend or whatever. If there is more that one brake, it definatly should be straight.
Oh, yeah, I believe trims shouldn't be block brakes. Just use an MCBR. No friction wheels either. IT's called a trim for a reason. To trim the speed of the cars.
And correct me if I'm wrong, but trims shouldn't exceed 4 brake units per trim section.
I think the trims should be straight, but they dont have to be perfectly flat if you understand what I mean. A trim that isnt straight would result in the brake fins bending, and alot of damage to both the train and the brake.
it also depends on the track style what shape the brakes can be in. Because most trains have vertical fins underneath the train, but there are also trains with fins on the side, like the schwarzkopf looper and the intamin hyper. Besides the track style it also depends on the number of brake units in a row. Trim brakes usually only have one brake unit, while MCBR's or normal brakeruns have way more.
If the train has brakefins vertically under the cars, the brake should not curve left/right. No matter how many brakes there are or if it is a trim or a complete blockbrake. However, if used as trim, it could bend up/down.
If brakefins are horizontal on the side, the brake shouldn't bend up/down, but it could bend left right slightly. (Basically the exact opposite as the above).
Usually however, you want all your blockbrakes to be perfectly straight with a slight slope down. There are however coasters with blockbrakes that actually slope up, but that is a rare exception. The same goes for banked brakes, they exist but are seldom.
And last but not least: Never use that "trick" that is mentioned in the article. Small brakes used as blockbrakes are a NONO. If you use them , don't be surprised if people knock down some points for crashes.
Oh... You have a really good point there. About the block brake, I really agree. Escpecially if you test estop. I saw a demo coaster on HR that had that and it stalled a train. Another train went in and for some reason, HR doesn't count lifts as blocks so basically, the trains crashed. But HR doesn't have a crash detection feature so the trains go directly through each other, lol