putty tape and track questions

[Anonymous]

hello , some of you know of me that im sight impaired and trying to get back to having a RR after 20 years gone from hobby.

im running N scale and do find i can rerail a car on test track and such so im going to try to build small simple layout . i am worried that the wires for switches
are going to plague me being so small . i can feel there are 3 of them in a triplex arrangement . can someone tell me about their placement ? i assume they are
pos neg and common ? is that right? even if i just end up with a loop with minimum wiring thats fine . i may have to sell all my auto switches and buy a few manuals?? dont know yet for sure.

second thing is i do have quite a bit of track thats been stored long long time.its nickle silver atlas . any thats in bad shape i wont use but how should i clean the good track before any kind of install? what do we clean our track with nowadays? i have some rail zap but not sur what its for yet

and lastly i was happy to find the topper tape method of track install but there
is something i have that im thinking of using and would like input for from you all.

the product is putty tape for window and door installs on campers m/h's
its 1/8 thick and 7/8 approx wide and sticky on both sides and adheres well
but can be removed. and easy to trim with razor.. im thinking the little track nails are way to small for me to install with this vision prob. and this putty tape might make things easier on me.

much thanks as always

[GGOOLER]

john
i can help you with the terminals the middle is the common the outside terminals are for left and right throw.
as for the rest of your questions i'll let the others help you out.
since im laying down new track myself i have no need to clean yet.

glenn

[dgwinup]

Initially, clean your track with a Bright Boy abrasive block. You can clean it before you lay it, but you will probably have to clean it again after it's in place. Don't use sandpaper or emory cloth. They are too abrasive and will leave scratches in the rails that will accelerate dirt accumulation and make future track cleaning more difficult.

Many modelers use Rail Zap. Just wipe it on and let it dry before running trains. Works best when applied first to clean rail, then whenever you notice a loss of performance. Other modelers use a special oil on their tracks, Wahl's Clipper Oil. It's used by barbers to oil their hair clippers. It's supposed to clean your track and help keep it clean.

Another method that I have read about is using a metal poli***o clean the rails. I have heard great things about this method but I haven't tried it myself. Mag wheel polish is most often recommended and it supposedly eliminates future rail cleaning. I will definitely try this product on my current layout and if it works as well as everyone says, I will use it on my future "Dream Layout" which will have a fair amount of hidden track.

I don't have any experience with the putty tape you mentioned. From your description, it sounds similar to Woodland Scenics foam roadbed. If so, it should work well. I prefer cork roadbed, but the foam products are easier to install. I don't use track nails. I let the ballast hold my tracks in position. My tracks are pinned down until I get them ballasted, then the pins are removed. Haven't had any trouble with loose sections of track with my method.

Hope these comments are helpful. Good luck with your modeling. I admire you for overcoming your limitations. I don't know if I could do the same under similar circumstances.

Darrell, quiet...for now

[Anonymous]

yes yes all questions answered. and also thank you darrell. i gotta do this as now its the only escape i get.. just out in shed going thru what i do have and what i need made my
day. :) and thats a good thing.

about the turnouts. im thinking ill try to use some sort of toggle switch to actuate them.
i know they will have to have a 3 wire hookup . what im not understanding yet is if a on/off
or a left /center/ right or even a momnetary type toggle is what im needing. i know atlas maks the proper switch for the turnout but i have quite a few small lighted pushbutton
type switches now i might can use. also it sure would be nice for me if i can find some solid color coded wire to run of proper guage.

i practiced stripping some small wire i had in shop last night and solid is only i hadf success with not cutting into to deeply and ruining wire.. its been said when we lose stuff we get stuff back and its a wonder to me how my hearing and touch has got. ill just have to practice on wiring before i actually do the final and surely keep things simple.
as i can.


i thank you guys a lot for the help advice and good words of motivation. it helps more than i can ever tell you. John

[nbrodar]

I use a Bright Boy for heavy cleaning. And some alcohol on a shop towel for everyday cleaning.

Atlas machines need momentary contact switches. I run a common buss to all the center terminal. Then, I use Normally Open push buttons, to control the left and right throw.

Nick

[Anonymous]

thank you nick . yes this will work nicely and i can mount the switches right on the track plan diagram on my panel im planning out. best regards and thanks as always.John

[GMTRacing]

John,
Instead of putty tape you could try the AMI road bed which is an asphaltic strip that is sticky on both sides. I just let the track (HO) lay on the bed and put some weights on when I had it positioned. The weight lets the ties sink into the bed and they seem to stay just fine yet can be prised up to move the track later if need be.
The toggles needed depend on the switch machines used. The Tortoise type use a DPDT switch since the power is applied full time. the coil type switch machines Peco,Atlas, use DPDTmomentary contact switches since the coils burn out if left on.
Good luck. J.R.

[Anonymous]

thanks JR , i was going to try the putty tape as i have about 200feet of it and zero funds
at this point. kinda like have to run what i brung thing i guess.

i doubt ill have to buy much as ive got way too much strcuture and track .maybe manual
switches depemding on if i can install the auto's

at this point im trying to figure what config my layout should be. maybe tabletop type or
even ntrak modules? hopefully more than a diorama or all trains in wall cases.it was a setback to not get the extra shed and for RR to have to share the already crammed woodworking shop.

its not my nature to pitch stuff or even sell it after i get it but i have and now have room for my layout. barely but i do have the room . at least the shop has great lighting and a woodstove fridge tunes alarm system and above all is weather tight

from what ive seen expressed in forum and articles . im at the hard part right now. that being "which way do i go?"

truly difficult at this point but ill get there. thanks guys, John