Are there any replacement ties (end ties) I can get for HO scale flextrack? When laying flex track, you need to cut off some ties to slip the rail joiners onto the rail. Is there any other way I can get around this problem without the akward missing tie appearance?
Save the ones you cut off. Snip off the 'clip' part that attaches to the rail and file them down slightly so they fit under the rails once the track is in place, and slip them under. Nothing extra needed to buy.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I use real wood.
rrinker Save the ones you cut off. Snip off the 'clip' part that attaches to the rail and file them down slightly so they fit under the rails once the track is in place, and slip them under. Nothing extra needed to buy. --Randy
I don't cut my ties off. I simply slip an Exacto knife betwen the rail and the tie and cut off the tie plate plastic holding the rail to the ties. I then slip the rail joiners on and they now slide between the tie and the rail. You just need to be careful with this approach not to cut your thumb with the knife but I've done it 100s of times and so far no blood.
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
I do what Randy does. I found a nice narrow flat file that lets me shave off just the right amount of the tie so that it will slip under the joiners. Without that bit of filing I find I get a slight hump at the join. I also try and leave the tie plate and spike detail on the tie on the side facing the aisle. When I slide the tie in this butts up against the rail and looks just like all the other ties.
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
On my layout, I reuse the ties as mentioned above. However, rather than just slipping them under the rails, I also drill holes in them even with the bottoms of the rails and spike them in place. Not only does it keep them in place, but it adds more stability to the rail joints, especially on curves.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
I use real wood ties from Micro Engineering. They are pre-stained, and after painting the rails and ties, the wood ties give the appearance that a track crew had been replacing ties along the line. Here is the Walthers part # for them:
Don Z.
Research; it's not just for geeks.
Hi!
Having used flextrack for a good 35 years or so, I've got quite a box of ties and oddball pieces from all the trimmings made over the years. So after the track is laid and soldered and tested, I'll use an Xacto chisel blade and trim off the tie track connectors, and slide the tie under the rails. It works and looks just fine, especially when you slop on some brown/black wash and add ballast.
ENJOY!
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I'm pretty sure that for any scale, you can just file down the ties you cut and slip them back into place, or maybe just slip them back into place, no filing needed.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Jeff,
You are braver than I am with that Exacto knife! I aways remove 1 or 2 ties from the end as I 'prep' the track. I have an old file that I file off the spike heads and mill a slot so the tie slips under the rail joiner. Without the slot, you can get an upward 'kink' in the rail joint. With over 200 sections of flex on my layout, I have done over 500 ties so far! I still have a container of ties all ready to go....
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
simon1966 I do what Randy does. I found a nice narrow flat file that lets me shave off just the right amount of the tie so that it will slip under the joiners. Without that bit of filing I find I get a slight hump at the join. I also try and leave the tie plate and spike detail on the tie on the side facing the aisle. When I slide the tie in this butts up against the rail and looks just like all the other ties.
Yup, I have a small file that happens to be the same width as a rail joiner, so i file a little depression in the middle of the tie plate area so the extra ties fit under the joiner without lifting the track. With the Woodland Scenics roadbed, the repalcement ties sort of 'snap' in place as you line up the depressions with the joiners, and while they are not tightly held in place, they're not going to fall out, either. After ballasting they'll be help in place just fine.
jrbernier Jeff, You are braver than I am with that Exacto knife! I aways remove 1 or 2 ties from the end as I 'prep' the track. I have an old file that I file off the spike heads and mill a slot so the tie slips under the rail joiner. Without the slot, you can get an upward 'kink' in the rail joint. With over 200 sections of flex on my layout, I have done over 500 ties so far! I still have a container of ties all ready to go.... Jim
It took a little bit of practice but after my second or third piece of flex track I got pretty good at it. They key is a sharp blade that will easily go through the plastic and not require a lot of force. Overall it goes pretty quick now and once I glue the track down I am done. No need to slide in removed ties.
I've used a single edged razor blade. Once you do it a few times, it's easy to remove the "spikes" and gouge a little out from under them so that it fits back together. It depends a little on which track you use too, Walthers joiners are pretty thin on the bottom so it's not as big an issue to make a depression for them to fit in compared to Atlas. BTW where I used plastic rail joiners I just cut up a couple of ties into a middle section and two ends and glued them in place. Once ballasted it's not obvious that the ties don't go all the way under the rails.
I have been using code 83 and 70 flextrack for many years. First i remove about every 4th tie. Ties on flextrack are much too close together for the era i am modeling. At the end of the section i use a couple of wood ties a bit thinner than standard ties to allow for the rail joiner. Once the track is painted and ballasted the wood ties allow me to find the rail joiners. Since i put feedwires and solder every other joint the wood ties help locate the ends of each length if/ when needed