Recently I was at a train show and looked at several Ho layouts and those built from modules.
I noticed in the straightaways that the tracks were not real straight on some modules.
So as I am laying flex track on my new layout ( I have some long straightways) I am using a large builders square, lining the track up on both side of the rails ,placing it on the outside of the rails, lightly rresting on the ties, and slowlly working the rails up against it as I glue them down with latex caulk.
Gives me arrow straight rails!
Anyone ever tried this before?
I have several shorter pieces of aluminum straight stiock I can use for shorter straightaway sections of track.
TheK4Kid
Working on the Pennsy
Bill
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig"
Sounds like a good method that I could have used. But, like Jason-Train, and in a backwater sub yard like mine, a little wiggly and wobbly adds something to the setting to my eye.
I would agree that for modern roads with heavy steel and fast heavy trains, the rails should be straight and superelevation would look good if not overdone.
That would certainly work fine--when I start laying my flextrack (? knows when that's ever going to be) I've actually planned on using the Ribbonrail guages--they make two straight ones, one long and the other shorter (don't remember the exact dimensions) and they have curved guages from 15 to 48 inches as I recall. Your carpenters square will work well too--the idea of having the straight or curved guage between the rails just has made sense to me. Of course the guages are going to add cost if you already have the carpenter's square. "eyeballing" the straight sections seems to work fine also--our tracklayers at my club usually do it that way and any derailment problems we have certainly aren't related to this issue. I guess I still prefer to have the tracks as straight as possible, though, just my preference.
Jim
selector wrote:Sounds like a good method that I could have used. But, like Jason-Train, and in a backwater sub yard like mine, a little wiggly and wobbly adds something to the setting to my eye.I would agree that for modern roads with heavy steel and fast heavy trains, the rails should be straight and superelevation would look good if not overdone.
You mentioned super elevation.
So far I have done the outside line on my layout ( 34 inch radius -HO), and used 1/8 inch wide by 1/16 inch thick shim cut from a sheet of 1/16 by 4inch by 48 inch balsa with a balsa stripper.
I then placed the balsa strip under the outer edge of my ties lifting them 1/16 inch, and thebalsa strip bends easily around the radius. I then used Elmers white glue to hold the balsa shim strip in place, pinning it into place until the glue set.
Then layed down grey latex caulk and placed my track into it.
I used the method shown by Joe Fugate in one of his downloadable videos in pdf form from MRR magazine.
Joe recommended grey latex caulk since it mtaches my ballast like his does.
I then ran my BLI J1 around both curves slowly and checked for any problems.
The J1 test run went fine on both curves, no derailments.
I am planning one additional main line all the way around tables.
My tables are 6 ft by 8 ft with two inch thick pink foam supported by 1x3 inch framework on 16 inch centers, and a 1x4 outer frame.
Table height is 45 inches from the floor.
I can easily reach to the center, as I am 6 foot tall.
The 6 foot width gave me the opportunity to have decent radius curves at both ends, and plenty of space for other things I'd like to have.
Next big project will be instaalling my Walthers 130 foot turntable, and it's roundhouse and engine service facility for steamers.
Right now, laying track is priority number one!
My entire layout will be of PRR theme, freelanced, with the possibility of an NKP line somewheree in the mix, since NKP crossed the PRR at Ft Wayne Indiana , near where I live.
I'm waiting until someone comes out with an HO NKP "765" steamer with DCC and sound.
Not far from where I live is the engine house the real NKP "765" is kept in.
Their website is www.765.org
My tables are supported by 2x4 legs which are bolted on, with adjustable screw pads on the bottoms to keep entire layout level, and all 3 tables matched up.
If I ever want to move it, off come the legs, take all the loose items off the tables, tilt them up on edge, and two guys can easily lift and move the tables.
Sturdy, yet lightweight, and easily transportable.
My layout is 6 feet wide by 24 feet long with matching curves on both ends. It is totally a walk-around layout, and I will use a center backdrop divider at least two feet high some hills built into it, so in one scene, the track will traverse a reversing loop, coming back around into another scene.
I plan on using two short tunnels to help accomplish this.
I have a lot of FUN WORK ahead of me!
Walthers is taking order for your loco, the former Life Like Heritage Series Proto 2000. See the link below. I would look around though. You are sure to find it more cheaply at internethobbies, for sure at trainworld, maybe caboose hobbies, modeltrainstuff, the list goes on.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?quick=2-8-4+Berhsire
Edit- http://www.internethobbies.com/920-31675.html to see an example of a substantially better offer. No. 765 is coming, according to Walthers, but you can likely advance reserve at most of these places for a price closer to that at internethobbies.
One of the best ways to get flex track straight is to use a laser level. This photo shows how my friend Dale Schultz uses a laser to align flex tracks.
http://layout.fotopic.net/p2972086.html
These gadgets are pretty cheap at Home Depot.
Slowly building a layout since 2007!
rxanand wrote:One of the best ways to get flex track straight is to use a laser level. This photo shows how my friend Dale Schultz uses a laser to align flex tracks. http://layout.fotopic.net/p2972086.html These gadgets are pretty cheap at Home Depot.
Tried the web link, came up empty handed, Google says it doesn't exist
Tried Yahoo, same thing
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
I've been using Medina1128's method which works pretty good but I'm sure going to try TheK4Kid's laser level idea next time. The last time I used my laser level was to mount the brackets for the around the wall portion of the layout.
..... Bob
Beam me up, Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here. (Captain Kirk)
I reject your reality and substitute my own. (Adam Savage)
Resistance is not futile--it is voltage divided by current.
TheK4Kid wrote: rxanand wrote:One of the best ways to get flex track straight is to use a laser level. This photo shows how my friend Dale Schultz uses a laser to align flex tracks. http://layout.fotopic.net/p2972086.html These gadgets are pretty cheap at Home Depot. Tried the web link, came up empty handed, Google says it doesn't existTried Yahoo, same thing
I just click and drag along the web link to high-light it. Then go to the Edit drop down menu at the top of the page and click on COPY. Then click on the web address line so that your cursor is at the end of the address that is currently shown. Go back to the Edit drop down menu again and click on PASTE. Then hit enter. It works every time for me, even on this address. Great idea, by the way.
It probably took you much longer to read how to do it than it takes to do it.
Blue Flamer.
I used a 4ft carpenter's level ( one without end caps! ) to butt the ties up against. Whether you glue or nail the track doesn't matter, but have some solvent on hand if gluing to clean the level. Then before you call it a day, use your lady-friend's vanity mirror to sight along the rails and do final tweaking. The mirror effectively gives you twice the rail-length to see the wows. Don't use the magnifying-side as it introduces distortion..
You can see vertical pitches if you have a small light in the far distance to watch its reflection off the railheads.
Have fun.... George
The link works....and now it's a working link.
Don Z.
Research; it's not just for geeks.
Lasers? Kewl!
I got one sitting on my tool pile.. only problem is that it is destructive to human eyes and it is exceedingly hazardous in my opinion so it hardly ever gets used.
Now I have a reason to use it but worry alot about reflected laser energy etc off those shiney rails.
Some really good ideas and creative thinking in this thread.
Thanks!
Joe
I tried a section tonight with the laser and it seems to mark where the rail diverges from the straight. When the rail itself is straight under the beam, the beam sorta disappears.. if that makes sense.
I may build a set of adjustable "Feet" made up of inverted wing nuts for the base of my laser device so I can get it centered Yaw and Pitch before laying rail at the height it needs to be.
I'm not to the track laying segment of my layout yet (still building the benchwork) but I have a six foot and four foot straight edge that I was intending to use to get the flextrack straight.
I never thought about using my lazer level on the track but I may to see how it works out.
Thanks for the idea.
Seems I have a perfectly good laser level I hardly ever use. Laid it on some track and was pretty amazed at how easy it was to spot problems. I think it would be alot easier to get Atlas flex track straight if I painted it first then laid it down, as painting really stiffens the track. Adding feeders and soldering jointers to painted track is not a trivia exercise so I've not jumped into that . However, thinking about it one could pre-attach feeders and keep the ends of the track clear of paint. I may give that approach a try.
thinking, thinking, thinking
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
Here in the UK we have a product called tracksetta it sits between the rails to give you either dead straight or fixed radius curves and is superb, so if we have it here in the UK you must have something similar in North America.
Shaun
There is a item that is basically a plate that sits on a rail between two tracks. However it has a spacing of about 2.5 inches and not always useful.
In all my vain attempts to lay straight track was for naught until I learned to use the simple laser a few days ago. Now I feel much more confident about laying track that is reasonably straight.
In the past I would simply hammer 2 inch nails deep into the ties of crappy brass track and watch my trainset engines flex 6-10 scale feet in all three planes of motion as they traveled to thier eventual derailment.
The wobblers in the train gets taken to the workbench and issued 3 point truck treatment until the wobble goes away. Believe it or not, some wobbles seems to match a harmony at a speed and derails if you so much as look at the thing.
Also with large steam such as the Duplex T1 4-4-4-4... you gotta have first class trackwork. When that thing hammers through, it will find flaws and with it's weight you dont want it derailing at speed.
I advise not looking at the walls too much. The hung over carpenter who just shoved a bent square and called it good enough on that corner will be revealed with these laser things.
These tracksetta's are a tight but easy fit and is 12" in length take a look here they're both N & HO scales available
http://www.ontracks.co.uk/index.php?page=product&prodID=61328&catID=662
whywaites wrote:These tracksetta's are a tight but easy fit and is 12" in length take a look here they're both N & HO scales availablehttp://www.ontracks.co.uk/index.php?page=product&prodID=61328&catID=662
Great conversation and sharing fellows!
I have two of them but they don't provide the solution for me. I'd like to see one of them that is a couple or three feet in length, but from what I have seen in the past 48 hours, the Laser level might just do the trick for me. I am still thinking about painting the track to make it stiff, which, IMHO is the root of my problems.
Alex V. wrote:I've never used flex very much, but I'd probably just eye it up - after all, real track isn't perfectly straight anyway, right?
Alex,
Real track, especially the mainlines is typically very straight, been looking at prototype pictures last couple of days and the 1:1 is certainly straighter than mine is. If the track is wandering through a forest or ravine, it is not so much an issue, but if you are working on a 20' yard that you can see from one end or the other, straight gets to be real important quickly.
Just my