Pulling My Hair Out

[Duce]

How's it going? I have a little problem... I am pulling what hair I have left out!!!

I started my layout a few months ago. I have started and pulled up the track twice!!! Everytime I get to a point of things going good. I hear, read, or see something I have forgot to do. I read mags, and books but they seem to skip the parts about the little things. Like you might not want to lay your track on the plywood. Mast the mags and books I come across are too basic. This is my first railroad but I dont want it to look basic.

Riight now I have my benchwork done and I just put down some foam down on the plywood. I want to put some small creeks that run under the tracks. I do have elevations in my layout and I dont know where to start.

Im having a problem with my yard. My yard runs off the main line. I have a #4 switch running off the main onto a small yard. The main line is on roadbed. I want the yard however to be flat. The tranition is where the problem. What wuold be the best way to do that. What should I do? Is there something I can do? I have trird to taper the bedding but i found because the laack of distance between the main an the yard. I basicly have a left turnout connected to three turnouts that lead to the yard tracks. any suggestions?

thanks

[selector]

Yes. Carve, the hard way, foam or cork roadbed ramps to ease the track down to your desired level. Use a 1% grade so that it looks reasonable, and so that your locos don't raise their eyebrows at you when you ask them to transition from either area. So, with your #4 switches, you can expect to take between 7-12" to achieve the desired elevation changes.

[dgwinup]

If I understand your description, the mainline turnout feeds directly to your yard turnouts. If that is the case, I would keep all the turnouts at the same level as the mainline. Taper your yard tracks down from their turnouts. This allows you to have a very long taper on the yard tracks and still accompli***he desired look. You can taper cork roadbed by sanding after the glue has completely set. Note: If you use nails to hold the cork down, you can't sand the roadbed.

As a starting point, in HO, the taper should be at least 9" long. In N, the taper should be 5" to 6" long. This will give you a grade over 1%, but it will be very short and shouldn't seriously affect your switching operations.

Try out a section and see how it looks to you before you glue everything down. Just sand a short piece of cork roadbed, stick it under some track and see if it looks okay to you. If so, go ahead and start glueing your roadbed.

Darrell, quiet...for now

[Duce]

Can I do it with foam? Because thats what Im using on the layout?

[rolleiman]

I've seen people use thier hair for things like cattails in creeks on a model RR, so save what you pull out, especially if you get the folicle [;)]...

For your transition, I would try something a little different.. Go to your home center (homely depot) and get some roof shakes, also known as Cedar shims.. Usually found in the Roofing department. A bundle is far more than you'll use but they can be used for other things around the layout or house when doing projects.. In case you don't know, they are thin wedge shaped pieces of cedar.. You can cut off the thick end at a point where it'll leave enough of a wedge to place under your transition track..

BTW, I don't know your exact track arrangement, but coming directly off of the main right into a yard, isn't always the best idea.. You might want to put in a passing siding and bring your yard off of that.. That way, switching ops don't foul the mainline.

Good luck,
Jeff

[MisterBeasley]

You can buy roadbed foam in sheets as well as in strips. That way, you can have the advantages of foam roadbed and also keep the track level with the roadbed on the mainline, while having a "flat" yard. I think you can buy cork sheets, too.

[Duce]

hey got another question. I bought a sheet of that red foam for my layout. Should I take off that thin plastic covering off? I thought I heard someone say they did.

Thanks

[egmurphy]

Yes, peel the plastic off. Check, it's often on both sides.

Ed

[colvinbackshop]

If you don't want to go with the sanding cork, sculpting foam, or what ever: Woodland Scenics make a "transition" of a flexible white expanded styrene. They are relatively cheap and can bring the B.M. (bench mark) from about 1/4" to zero, or anything in-between) at a 2% grade.
I use them all over the place going from one level to another (main line, spurs, industries....) and have found that for the money, it's a great way to go, with no major headache getting the transition right.

[Duce]

thanks colvin. I was wondering about those. I was kinda wondering because they say step 2 on them and the step one was like a lift. So i want sure if I could use them with out the step one.