Next layout I will be using 32, 28, 26 and 24 radius turns (under 24 I will use sectional track) who make a tool for this? I prefer not do it this time around by hand, I want it as perfect as I can get it.
All so looking for the needed tools to keep the straight sections straight and parallel to each other.
I all so run big engines, Big Boy, Y6b, Class J, GE AC 6000 and others. How much room do I need to leave in the turns so there is no NASCAR action?
I was not looking forward to selling the home stead till I found a house that is $400.00 less a month and has a basement that is 25 X 40!
Happy again Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
cudaken
While nosing around the LHS, I stumbled on a track guage tool made by Rivarossi! Its a three part thingy (haven't figured out just how everything works yet as the destructions are in Italian) that not only measures guage, but is adjustable to lay track at a constant radius on concentric curves. On the box label it says Jnem120. don't know if this tool is still available ornot, but its pretty cool.
GS (a Camaro guy)
I cut a set of masonite radius gauges with built in easements using a router. Be sure to use a carbide bit as masonite will dull a steel bit very quickly.
The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open. www.stremy.net
Hey Ken,
Here is a link to some tools that should help a bit.
MLR track tools
Hi cudaken,
ever heard about KRAUSE clamps.
http://81.169.175.242/fohrmann/de/artikeldetail.php?type=4&kid=16&uid=8670
Select the british flag
Greetings
Check these out: http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?quick=ribbonrail&quicksrch_butt.x=0&quicksrch_butt.y=0
They slide in the gauge (between the rails) to keep the radius you want. Picture shows the straight one, but the curved ones work similarly.
Atlas makes 24" radius code 83 snap-track. Might be worth looking into.
I think 3" centers between tracks should keep the big engines from doing the bump and grind.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
Before you fasten anything down - check! Sometimes what you think is the engine that should have the most overhang isn't. And when you test one pair next to each other on a curve, also try the other way - what wason the outer track, put on the inner track. It's not always what sticks out on the outside, but how far it hangs over inside.
As for the curves, if you lay them out with the yardstick method, or just a stick with holes drilled for the center pivot and a pencil at the desired radius, if you use smoothly curving track like Atlas it won't be hard at all to maintain a smooth curve. The big trick is to solder pieces together before curving them unless it's just a small segment of a curve and no joint will fall within the curved portion,. Trying to join two pieced of track in the middle of a curve AND keep the curve smooth is tough.. If the track is already soldered together it will act like a 6 foot long piece of rail instead of two 3 foot pieces with a joint in the middle.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Ditto.
We drilled holes in a yardstick; used a screw for the center pivot; and a pencil for the radius. We used different colors for different levels.
Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.
To add to what Randy has provided, I can tell you for a fact that a steamer that will apparently negotiate a curve without problems will scrape some paint reversing through the very same curve. This is probably due to a shift in the drivers and/or drivetrain in the reverse direction that causes the engine frame to move outward relative to the rails. I have no other explanation.
Diesels...I don't know.
Me 3 on drilling a yard stick. Worked great. It's nice to have a camera tripod for your pivot points that are off the table.
loatharMe 3 on drilling a yard stick. Worked great. It's nice to have a camera tripod for your pivot points that are off the table.
GOOD IDEA!
I like the masonite board idea. Use a router with a trammel mount and cut curves that you could just lay down where needed. (The trammel is basically a compas for your router. It will allow you to easily cut arcs with a router with any desired radius.)
I would start with the larger radius, say 32" and cut that arc with the inside of the router bit being at 30". Then I would adjust the trammel so the outside of the bit was now at 28 " and cut the 2nd arc. A couple 90 degree cuts to separate that curve from the rest of the material and you now have a curved "ruler" with one side that has a 32" radius and the inside of 28". Use a marker to identify that template and make a similar one with 26" and 24". 2 separate templates to cover 4 different sizes of curves.
You could so something similar where the width of the template would match your desired clearance between parallel tracks. That way you could lay the 2 tracks with the appropriate radius while keeping a constant clearance between the 2 sets of tracks.
For straight track, I have been using some metal rulers I have. One is 12" , 24" and the other is 48" long. I tack one end of the track in location and then lay the straight edge against the track, ensure it is tight, and then tack down the rest of the flex.
Cuda Ken,
What I used is an old camera tripod and two wooden yardsticks. One yardstick will work for curves of 35" or less but I have some that are over 48" so I taped two together and just drilled holes every half inch wide enough for a pencil to go through.
I removed the camera mount from the tripod and inserted a 3/8" piece of allthread rod, (you could also use a bolt with the end cut off), then drilled a 3/8" hole at the 1" mark on the yardstick. After that all you have to remember is if you want a 40" radius you need to use the 41" hole to compensate for the inch you used to mount the stick on the tripod.
The great thing about using a tripod is that it adjusts up and down to meet the surface you are working on.
Bill
Thanks for all the answers folks, one thing that you need to know is at this point I have no real wood working tools! Only real wood cutting saw I have is a saw all? Cut a car in half tools I have. Far as drawing the radius to lay down the cork bed I am fine, I use a string and my tripod to get the ruff radius.
Main thing is keep the rails straight them self. Looks like MLR and Walthers may very well have what I am looking for.
Cuda Ken
http://www.micromark.com/
Item # 81508.
You may want at this item. I wasn't impressed with the Redius Tool since it only went to 23"
Try Ribbonrail Track Alignment Gauges. I did a review of Ribbonrail Track Alignment Gauges on Trainboard. I bought mine at The Engine Tender.
Good Luck, Greg
Greg Amer
The Industrial Lead
Thnaks Greg, I wonder if they are the same as what Walther's offers? What are your made off?
Ken,
Walthers sells Ribbonrail gauges also, I don't know if they have them in stock. The ones I bought are made of aluminum.
You might also try to look around for Tracksetta guages. They're made by Peco and sold in Europe. I've seen them on Ebay from time to time.
Greg
I have used the Ribbonrail track gauges with success -- I was able to buy a set with a variety of tangent lengths as well as a nice variety of curve radiuses (is that a word?). What the tool does is bend flex track to the curve (and the tangents do a nice job of straightening out the flex track). You run it thru the flex track repeatedly until the track "takes" the curve. It works best with hard to bend flex track, not so well with Atlas or other easy to flex flextrack, although there is is useful to run through as you actually fasten the rail to the roadbed or subroadbed. Also it is not precision science -- it isn't converting flex track to huge pieces of prefab track in other words. That is, you still need to pencil in an accurate curve and follow it with the track and apply a little strong arm pressure here and there.
Someone mentioned the Rivarossi tool. Frankly I own one and could never get it to work right.
As far as getting accurate radius curves for the roadbed and subroadbed - which obviously has to come before the track so the Ribbonrail tools are not helpful for that -- the idea of a stick with a pivot point and various radius marks on it, is usually called a trammel. I use a stick with holes drilled that can accept a #2 pencil, and a heavy pivot point that cannot move. The pivot point actually sits on a separate and movable piece of benchwork that is at the same height as my benchwork.
A string can also work.
I also created templates out of thick styrene of the track centers of my curves and tangents.
Keep in mind that these methods create tangents meeting exact radius curves -- a big version of Lionel or snap track. If you want easement curves you have to do some adjusting.
Dave Nelson
http://www.microtechscalemodels.com/HO_&_HOn3.htm
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
I will also add, for straight sections, forget the straight edge or whatever. The old Mark I eyeball does a great job. If you can sight down the track, it will be very obvious if it is straight or if it has kinks.
Or lay a yard stick along one side.
Dave Nelson and other's thanks again for the great answers. Dave on the trammel, you got me thinking and a great idea.
I will have a few more questions latter, need to think over a few things.
Randy, reason I want a guide for the straight sections, it seems when I drive in the spikes the ties shift a little.
Oh - forget the spikes, Latex caulk is the way to go. No shifting because you aren't hammering anything. And no hammering it in a touch too hard and changing the track gauge, inviting derailments.
Randy, I also use latex caulk - the OSI kind that comes out white and dries clear (although some guys like the gray kind) -- but I also do use pins or nails to hold selected portions of flex track to a curve until the caulk cures, and then remove the nails or pins. You don't need to drive them all the way in (in fact that would be counter productive) so there is no danger of accidentally shifting the track or tightening the gauge. The ends of flex track seem to need the most "encouragement" from nails or pins, particularly if not soldered to the next piece. The center of the flex track usually holds the curve caused by using the Ribbonrail track gauge alignment tools.
Because I hate to "waste" a good adhesive surface, I also sprinkle on some ballast while the caulk is still "wet" -- tamp it down with an old scrap piece of cork roadbed. Final ballasting follows later, if needed. A spritz or two with india ink/rubbing alchohol in a cheap spray bottle helps eliminate excessive uniformity in color of ballast. The track is weathered before I lay it.
Now there's a good idea, get a bit of ballast down early on. I used the same kind of caulk. I also don;t allow the end of a piece of flex to fall int he middle of a curve - there I solder peices togehter before starting the curve. I usually use plain old push pins, positioned sort of like spikes, to hold the track in place until the caulk sets up.