Strategy for track laying

[dstarr]

I like undertable switch machines on my turnouts.  Which means a hole in the benchwork for the Tortoise operating rod to reach the turnout points.  It's easier to drill the hole down from the top than up from the bottom.  And it's easier to get the hole in just the right place drilling from the top.  Which means I drill the holes BEFORE the track goes down.  So I  install the turnouts first, each one over the necessary hole, and lay the flextrack to mate up with the turnouts.  -+

[kasskaboose]

Doughless

Also, I have never totally laid out track exactly to plan. I find that as I see certain angles in real world rather than on paper, my alignment changes some.  But usually, there is at least one place in every plan where precise alignment is critical, so start there.

 

 

Same here about not laying track exactly to plan.  Sometimes, I change it after seeing what others have on their layout or when there's a large amount of space that feels weird unfilled by track.  Of couse the trick is not having a confusing array of tracks running all over.

[Doughless]

I'm with Randy on this.  I start laying the layout where the most complex or difficult arrangement exists on the plan then work out from there.  Laying track to ensure the longest pieces get used the most efficiently is not a high priority.  Perhaps the most difficult place will be a curve, a clearence issue, or a nest of turnouts.   Inevitabley with turnout placement, there will be trimming of long straight pieces needed.

Also, I have never totally laid out track exactly to plan. I find that as I see certain angles in real world rather than on paper, my alignment changes some.  But usually, there is at least one place in every plan where precise alignment is critical, so start there.

[riogrande5761]

NVSRR

Dont forget to include certain scenic elements that affect clearences and track placement for those clearences

In most cases the geometry of a track plan comes first unless there is a must have design feature.

But speaking of clearances, my goal on my last layout was to minimize the grade for the nolix to travel from the bottom staging up to the stop yard.  I had to do a little tweaking and creative design to make sure the tallest cars would be able to clear the bridge over the top.  To do that I had to use a thin but stout metal piece to bridge the gap.  My tallest cars would clear it with just under a quarter of an inch to spare.  Construction photo's:

 

[NVSRR]

Dont forget to include certain scenic elements that affect clearences and track placement for those clearences

[riogrande5761]

kasskaboose

On my 1st layout, I simply started on one end and put down ME track until done.  THe problem is having many small pieces of extra track.  For the 2nd and larger layout, I started following what I saw someone did for installing hardwood--putting down the long pieces first, cutting it to fit, and then using extra pieces to fill in the gaps. 

Curious on reading a good strategy for maximizing putting down track without having a lot of small scrap pieces.

Thanks!

Just following common sense I used the longest pieces of flex wherever long pieces are needed and save all the pieces cut or trimmed for whereever they might fit in later.  Especially when laying a yard, you often can find spots for where smaller pieces can be trimmed to fit in.

When laying out the yard in my last layout, I drew in center-lines first for straight portions, and then positioned turnouts where they would go between the curves and straight portions - as far apart as I could fit them.

Here is the mostly finished yard.  Since filler ties had not yet been placed, you can see where smaller piece of flex track was cut and fitted in at the top part of the photo near the far end.

[kasskaboose]

Thanks everyone for your help.  Your guidance ensures that there's a minimal amount of scrap.  I think I've got a solid approach and like what eveyone has suggested.

Dr. Wayne: Your pictures give me more ideas on usng spare track.  I like creating additional scenery visuals.  There's no need for trashing useable track. 

[jjdamnit]

Hello all,

I agree with the start at the turnouts or crossovers method. This includes yard ladders too. 

Then I would go to the major curves. From there it's just a matter of connecting the elements.

Even though I had a track plan the difference between concept to reality required many "adjustments". 

I was able to make these "adjustments" for the most part on the straight sections. Avoiding a huge stockpile of track odds and ends.

Hope this helps.

[selector]

I like to watch my trains run, so I make a folded loop design with a bridge overpass or something like it.  All my track is exposed, typically, except for a tunnel or two.  I usually start at a bridge, or at a key turnout, and lay full lengths as and when I can.  When I reach another appliance or structure, I custom cut to suit and keep pieces larger than about 6" as fillers.  I keep the ties to slip under joiners as well.

The whole idea behind flex track is to have variable track geometry and, ideally, to minimize the number of joints and joiners.  It necessarily means trimming some lengths.  But in my case, with a large folded loop, I can run many full lengths consecutively before I have to cut one to get between a bridge rail or a turnout.  

It's like surgery...you get a little dirty and there might be parts you can't replace easily once they're cut out...but the result is worth it.

[doctorwayne]

As soon as you make a curve or insert a turnout into your plan, it's only natural that you'll need to cut flex track (or trim the turnout).  Save the pieces for use somewhere down the line, where one might be just the size that you need.  When all of your track is in place, set aside any larger pieces that are left (you never know when they might come in handy), then strip the rail out of the shorter pieces and either throw it in some blackener, or paint it a rust colour.  It can then be used as part of a scrap load in a gondola, piled neatly on blocking as replacement rail for track repair, or left somewhere appropriate as junk alongside the track or near a railroad-related structure.

Here are some photos showing examples, even though in some views, the rail isn't the main subject of the picture...

Wayne

[rrinker]

 SInce I make no attempt to draw my entire plan on the becnhwork - the fact that I drew it with accurate dimentions and no 'cheating' on turnout angles or curve radii ensures my plan will fit the available space with adequate clearances - I find the most critical area, which is usually one fo the more complex arrangements of turnouts, and start there. Measure from the edges of the benchwork to make sure the turnouts are properly positioned and then I start working to either side of that. My next layout will be larger and more complex than those I've built in the past so I may end up doing one such critical area, then moving up to the next one, and THEN connect the two.

               --Randy

[PED]

Current layout is not a flextrack but the last time I did a flex track layout, I placed all my turnouts in the approximate position they would be in the finished layout. Then I layed the long pieces of flextrack between them to see what fit best. If I needed a short piece, I dug up a short piece and inserted that into the mix until I could make everything work with minimal cutting. Since everything was laying loose, in some cases I discovered I could move a turnout a bit and avoid small track pieces.

[kasskaboose]

On my 1st layout, I simply started on one end and put down ME track until done.  THe problem is having many small pieces of extra track.  For the 2nd and larger layout, I started following what I saw someone did for installing hardwood--putting down the long pieces first, cutting it to fit, and then using extra pieces to fill in the gaps. 

Curious on reading a good strategy for maximizing putting down track without having a lot of small scrap pieces.

Thanks!