Hi All-
I've started to lay track on my new layout and have run into a few problems that I was hoping I could get some help on.
Thanks again for all of your help.
~rb
#1 ) Correct. Don't cut off the frog either! But I'd hope you knew that
#2) A Dremel cut off wheel works great. Gives you a straight cut, few jagged edges, and all it takes is a quick touch of a file (maybe one or two hits each direction) to get rid of any stray burrs.
#3) You'll probably find that the track nails et al will pull out no matter what you try to keep them in over a long period of time. For a long term solution, products like "Liquid Nails" or any of the craft / hobby versions available at Home Depot or your local hardware store will be a better solution. You can "pull up" the track and cork by gentily scraping underneath to seperate that adhesive from the cork.
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Get a Xuron rail nipper. This looks like a pair of wire cutters, but it's designed for cutting track. One edge of the cutter is beveled like a wire cutter, but the other is flat. When you make the cut, you get a flat edge on the rail on the flat side of the cutter. This is one of those tools you want to save for cutting rails. You could use it for wires, etc, but that will cause uneven wear on the cutting blades. It's worth the cost, and will last a long time if you treat it well.
I use paper clips to hold my track in place temporarily. Get a box of ordinary clips, and straighten the ends out until you have a U-shaped clip. That will hold track through roadbed going into foam. I've got "temporary" track that's been down like that for 3 years now. (I know I'll have to remove it to work on nearby scenery, so I've never glued it down.)
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
GR gave you good advice. I use flush cutters for most all my cuts other than making yard ladders where you need to cut without moving the track off the ties. I've done just what you describe with the Atlas #4's but did solder the turnouts together tomake it all more stable. Do test each turnout for continuity as occasionally you get out of spec stuff or bad rivet joints which are a pain when in the middle of the ladder you just built up. For temporary fixing you could try double stick tape or a light application of latex caulk. It might be as easy as using a shorter tack until you're sure it'll all work (it never all works the first ime anyway). Goodluck, J.R.
Hi!
For track cutting, I use a Xuron track cutters, and then fine cut with a Dremel tool with cut off wheel. Really the Dremel tool is all you need if $$$ is tight. The cut off wheels can and will shatter if side pressure is put on them, so wear safety glasses - Trust me on this !!!!!
ENJOY,
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Many thanks for so many valuable quick replies! One further question: I'm using some Shinohara Wye's around the layout as well which are slightly higher than the atlas flex track. Could I use that same dremel to sand those rails down, or am I wed to shimming the track up. If sanding down the track will cause more problems than it's worth, I'll go the shim route but wondered what people's experiences had been.
Thanks again!
~Rich
You will be far happier with the results by sanding down the ties on the turnout just a bit to get a very slight grade down to the joining rails, and....and...also do very slight shimming up of the joining rails over the last 5" if you can do it. If you elect to not fool with the turnout, then you will have to shim the joining track, but in this case it should be started about 10" back....give or take.
One thing to beware when trimming turnouts after the frog: make very sure your path deviates very little from the path the frog is designed to take the engine and cars. If you trim the turnout and then start into a curve right away, you will find some (longer) things doing very poorly back at the frog...like long steamers, for example.
rfbranch Many thanks for so many valuable quick replies! One further question: I'm using some Shinohara Wye's around the layout as well which are slightly higher than the atlas flex track. Could I use that same dremel to sand those rails down, or am I wed to shimming the track up. If sanding down the track will cause more problems than it's worth, I'll go the shim route but wondered what people's experiences had been.Thanks again!~Rich
Short answer - don't.
Long answer: How much higher are they? I have mixed the brands in codes 100 and 83 and never noticed that. Are you mating code 100 to 83 perhaps? In any case, shimming is best because you do not want to remove the rail head. If it's just a thousandth or so then filing would be OK. Use a small file and go GENTLY. Take one swipe off of the top corner and inside top corner with the file too.
The ties may also be different thicknesses. It that's the case, then definitely shim. Two layers of wood vernier worked for me. You can try styrene or even paper.
Good luck.
Karl
The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open. www.stremy.net
I realize you are using cork but with WS foam road bed and flex track I have gone from HO to N to the layout to with no problems or shiming. The combination of the foam and the flex makes for a nice transition.
Mr Beasley is right on with the Xuron rail nippers. When used correctly you don't even have to file but when you do it's quickly done with a small flat file.
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up
mobilman44The cut off wheels can and will shatter if side pressure is put on them, so wear safety glasses - Trust me on this !!!!!
This advice is worth repeating. Dremels really get going, and the thin cutoff wheels are light with razor-sharp edges. Even if the wheel doesn't break, just normal cutting will occasionally throw off small filings which will do your eyes no good whatsoever.
Radio Shack sells flush cutting pliers that are cheaper than Xuron and Radio Shacks are more common than hobby shops.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Thanks for the help! I was toying with buying the flush cut pliers (my Radio Shack stinks FWIW, I can't even buy bus strips there any more, "inventory cutbacks" were the explination so wiring will be a challenge!) so I'm heading over to the big box at lunch, maybe I can find something useful
i remember seeing somewhere (i think it was here) that you can use layers of masking tape to shim different height track . figure out how many layers of tape it will take to get the track the right height , let's use 5 as an example . multiply the number of layers by 2 (=10) , lay down a piece of tape 10" long , then a piece 8" long , then 6" and so on . this gives the height you need and a nice gradual transition . also it's pretty cheap and easy to adjust
ernie
rfbranch Thanks for the help! I was toying with buying the flush cut pliers (my Radio Shack stinks FWIW, I can't even buy bus strips there any more, "inventory cutbacks" were the explination so wiring will be a challenge!) so I'm heading over to the big box at lunch, maybe I can find something useful
Awhile back I was in need of an RF Modulator; I knew that these were carried by Wally but I had already been to the two closest and they didn't have them in stock. More in line of hope over experience I went into my closest Radio Shack and got a 'I don't know what you're talking about' stare. I went to my closest electronic supply store and they didn't have any in stock either but he did get on the phone and located a store nearby that did have them.
So frustrating has my experience with these people been that I don't even try getting anything anymore. I have located a number of electronic supply stores in the Phoenix Metro area; they may be just a little less conveniently located than Radio Shack but between them I am usually able to get what I need.
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
I'll still got to R$ if I need a single resistor or capacitor. There's one right close to work, and another close to home, so they're easy to get to, and I don't have to pay for shipping. The nearest electronics supply place is a half-hour away, in a direction I never go for anything else.
So, the $hack still gets my business on convenience, and convenience alone. Once they get rid of that rack of resistors, which I'm sure will happen as they get rid of everything that's not phones or RC toys, then I'll have no reason to go there anymore.
You are lucky, our RS just keeps getting less 'parts' all the time. They do not even stock hook up wire. It seems that all they want to sell is cell phones.....
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Hi all-
Back from lunch and bought myself a Dremel with a set of about 40 attachments. I wanted to confirm the one to use on the track, I assume it's just one of the metal cutting attachments, correct? I was thinking #240 was the best fit btu wanted to be sure before I sent a whirling blade bouncing around my basement like those things from Tron