Hello Guys n' Gals I'm building a engine facility for my layout, and I want to add styrene to my service tracks, what size styrene should I use to bury my tracks,?? I"m working in Nscale, Thanks All for your help, and if any of you have pictures I would like to see them!!! Thank You, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!
I have build crossings on my HO scale layout using wood ties but the prinicipal is the same just with different materials.
As for thickness, it depends on what code of rail you're using. (Most likely code 80 for N scale but I could be wrong.) Using the code of your rail will determine how thick to make it but you also need to account for the spike detail and remove that from the bottom of the left and right hand sides of the styrene strips. If it's Code 80 that thickness would be .080".
As to the width, that would be the inside distance between the rails minus whatever the thickness needed for the car wheels to clear. (A good opportunity to make sure your wheels are all in gauge.)
One way is to do it in two pieces: One that is the thickness of the spike detail and the width between the spikes and the other to fill in the rest of the distance with room for the flangeways.
Another option to consider would be a completely different tack on filling the rails: Use joint compound or something similar. A bit more mess but you don't have to worry about dealing with thickness or width. Just have a sacrifical car truck to get clear the flangeways so cars will roll through and make sure to do it before the compound dries.
On my friend Randy's N scale layout we "buried" a pretty large rail section using 0.060" styrene.
Note... this was back in the early 1990s using Atlas code 80 N scale track. If you are using different track, this will not work.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I am currently laying N scale Code 80 track in "styrene" concrete for a harbor scene. For this part of the layout, I first laid the track directly on the layout surface. I then "filled" the areas between the tracks using a layer of Creatology Fun Foam (an approximately 2mm thick sheet of craft foam). I next cut pieces of cardstock to fit tightly along the rails and, taped together, act as tracing templates for transferring the "concrete" shape to .040" sheet styrene. After cutting out the styrene shapes, filing the edges smooth and double checking the fit along the rail heads, I bevel the underside of the edges of the styrene pieces that fit along the rails. This bevel allows the styrene to "clear" the spike details and sit snuggly against the Fun Foam. The resulting height of the concrete is approximately .015" below the top of the rails. This allows the rails to be cleaned without accidently rubbing paint off of the styrene concrete. I also used a single layer of .040" styrene cut into strips 1/4" wide to fit between the rails. This resulted in a concrete surface a little lower between the rails than outside the rails but it isn't that noticable and I didn't have to go buy some .060" styrene. Note that you'd need to adjust these material thicknesses if you are using Code 55 track.
There is a gap along the inside of each rail revealing the spike detail and ties beneath. If such a gap bothers you, you could always fill in the gap up to just above the ties using a concrete colored tile grout.
In the areas of the current layout where the track is to be buried in the dirt, I again lay the track directly on the layout surface and fill the areas between the track using Fun Foam. To simulate the dirt, I sift light brown colored fine tile grout onto the tracks and Fun Foam, then fix it in place using only wet water as the grout already has a binder mixed in. The Fun Foam allows me to use less grout.
Hornblower
Thanks guys, I have a good idea what I need to do to "Bury" my tracks, I'm using code 80 track, so I will be using 080 styrene sheets. But, I still would like to see pictures!!! LOL
I model the 1950s in HO scale, I used Basswood as I’m not fond of using Styrene but the material shouldn’t make any difference.After laying the basswood I cut the ties with my Dremel using a cut-off disk to form the pit between the rails then painted the pit flat back. I painted the basswood using Crafters Acrylic Concrete then used light coat of India Ink mix for grime.I used strip basswood for my turntable to simulate wood planking.I just played around with 1/32” and 1/16” thick basswood to make the floor level with the top of the rails. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California Turned 84 in July, aging is definitely not for wimps.
Although it would look more prototypical, from a practical standpoint, you don't want the styrene thickness to match the rail height. If they do match, how do you clean the track without scraping off all the paint and weathering you so carefully applied? I like to use a styrene thickness that leaves the tops of the rails a good .015" higher than the styrene surface. This way you can use your favorite type of rail cleaning block/pad without touching the paint and weathering on your styrene floor.