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There have been many recent posts asking for beginner's advice - can't tell you what all to do, but can point out some pitfalls and what NOT to do. (tips from from the SOHK) 1. Don't place turnouts under mountains unless they are lift-off scenery sections. 2. All track should be accessible for manual cleaning - again use lift-off scenery, and access holes. 3. Make sure your turnouts are perfecly flat and straight - have seen several Peco N scale out of the box whose stock rails were bent upwards at the points. Slight rises like this cause derailments, the loco is lifted slightly on approaching the points and the front pilot may not hang low enough to track the points properly. 4. Make sure there is a loco length clearance between a turnout and start of upgrade so tilted body mount coupler trip pin doesn't catch on frogs or point rails. For same reason if placing a curve on a grade (itself not advisable) use a long vertical easement section so body mount coupler trip pin cannot drag on the outer rail. 5. If using uninsulated frog turnouts (recommended for block power routing) be sure to use the auxiliary switch contacts in the switch motor, or if manually operated add a linkage to a undertable microswitch to duplicate the point's power routing. Otherwise you will be constantly cleaning the points. Bad enought to have to clean rails. 6. Add wire connections to the frogs and point rails. Solder to the rail undersides so the wires are not visible under the ballast. Be quick so as to not melt the plastic, use an alligator clip or needle nose pliers with a rubber band around the handles as a heat sink. On the point rails the connection should be close to the hinge just ahead of the frog for the least wire movement. This eliminates any future electrical problems due to dirt and corrosion in these hinges, and allows separate power feed to the point rails from the auxiliary switch contacts. 7. If mixing different manufacturers track and turnouts, railtop heights may be slightly different. Alway shim as necessary so rail heights match, small bumps in turnout approaches are a good way for derailments (see #3 above). 8. Make sure all curves are at least the minimum radius for your stock. Do not be tempted to 'kink' the track at that last joint (and thus drastically reduce the curve radius at that one point) to make it fit - the locomotives won't like it. 9. Leave some unsoldered thermal expansion gaps in rail joints, but make sure a separate wire feed to each unsoldered section of track is installed - do not depend on an unsoldered rail joiner for long term electrical power conduction. 10. Paint the track before ballasting. This adds so much to the appearance! use an air brush if you got; around turnouts use a bru***o prevent jamming the throwbar mechanism with excess paint. If you are using the auxiliary contacts as above paint in the points won't hurt at all. 11. Make sure your benchwork/support frame is sturdy and rigid. 12. Keep wheels and tracks clean. Good luck! Hope this helps.
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