Kink at joint
Work in progress: This section is still a work in progress — content is being added and revised continuously.
What is checked? Whether two connected track ends meet in a straight line when seen from above — or at an angle of more than 1.5°.
Why does it matter? A joint with a slight kink looks finished in the plan, and Trackplanner still counts it as connected (up to 3°). On the workbench it causes trouble anyway: the rail joiners sit under strain, the track shifts into place as you fix it down and pulls the neighbouring pieces out of line, and the wheels bump at the joint — especially with fast trains and long coaches. Track laid in the editor normally has no such kink; it almost always comes from an import from another planning program whose track geometry differs from our catalogue by a degree or two (usually at turnouts).
How to fix it: In the Tracks tool, disconnect the joint and re-attach one of the two pieces — the magnet snaps it exactly into place. If that opens a gap, drag from one open end to the other: Trackplanner previews matching pieces in the gap, and letting go connects them. Which piece moves is your call.
Numbers & defaults: reported above a kink of 1.5°. Up to 3° a joint counts as connected; a joint kinked more than that is disconnected when the plan is opened and shows up as an open end.