cutting track

[westy1]

IM BUILDING A SUSPENDED SYSTEM IN BASEMENT, AND IM USING BACHMANN TRACK. HAS ANYONE OUT THERE TRIED TO CUT SHORTER PCS OF TRACK OR TRIM CURVES TO OPEN THEM UP OR FIT A SMALLER CURVE. aFTER IM IN THIS A WHILE ILL PROBABLY UPGRADE TO BETTER TRACK. BUT FOR NOW IM USING BACHMANN. wILL HAVE APPROX 130 FT SUSPENDED.

[ttrigg]

If I understand your question correctly, you are headed for BIG problems. Is your intent to take a standard manufactured curve, cutting a bit off one rail in an attemt to change the overall curve diameter? If so you will be installing a bunch of kinks in the joints, each one an opportunity for the train to jump track and take an express trip to the floor. Suggestion; get a few sections of "flex" track and make smooth curves to the diameter you need.

[two tone]

Hi I agree with Trigg, you are asking for a large cost if loco jumps the track any loco 2-6-0 or larger needs R3 curves any thing less then you are wasting your cash

[westy1]

Im not trying to cut curves, but shorten a 1ft piece to  6in. need to do this in a couple places, but am looking at flex track as a solution for my curves. have 4 sec for a 45 then 4 ft straight track then 4 1 ft section to make a 45 which gives me 8 ft my bachman 4 6 0s will turn this w/o problems. dont know about 4 4 0 or a fortney,

[sfcgadget]

Please do yourself a favor and stay away from Bachmann track unless it is around a Christmas tree for the kids. Even indoors, you will find it is not electrically reliable. You will get kinks in it at the joints if you try to manipulate the intended diameter and you don't want even an inexpensive engine crashing to the ground. It will happen given time. Also, keep a ladder handy, because you will be up and down tapping your train to make it start. A good solid track, be it brass, stainless steel or aluminum with clamps and a little electrical paste will make you a happy engineer. I would also recommend using an electrical buswith numerous feeders for good measure. Those little electrons just never want to work if you give them an excuse.