Flex Track

[selector]

Except for very high-speed mains, where the rails had to be well-aligned, most real track is wavy horizontally. It doesn't have to make the crew sick (!), but it will rock the conveyances somewhat. Sight down some real tracks and you'll notice variation of about 1" from here-to-there, although it would not be within a rail's length.

The big thing is to keep the vertical kinks out, if at all possible. It is these kinks, even as slight as 1/2 deg, that can lead to derailments, especially in curves. Also, on short, light locos (like my LL Heritage 0-6-0), those deviations spell real trouble on grades.

So, I agree with the get-down-and-have-a-look- method. Perfect alignment is not normally achievable, nor desirable from a prototypical standpoint.

Caveat: if you want to notch your locos way up, then you will have to make the tracks as straight and even as you can...and keep them away from the edge of your layout!!!

[Anonymous]

Is the wavy straight section in the roadbed or the track? Your statement implied it might be the roadbed. Use a straight edge as long or a little longer than the length of the roadbed piece you are laying and clamp the edge in place so you have a straight edge to work from. If you get the roadbed straight, the track should follow. If you are using the roadbed in rolls, you just have to keep moving the straight edge as you go along.

[ARTHILL]

The prototypes had a guy that would sight down the rail. I use that and have rail straighter than the real ones. I don't run high speed and some waves look nice, I think. Get your eye right down and sight along the side and the top. You can do the same with curves and see where they kink a little.

Art

[Anonymous]

I have had to remove several sections of flex track that were glued down with Elmers glue. It basically just popped right off of the trackbed by prying up on it with a little pressure. I then used a razor blade to scrape off the high points of the excess glue.

You may find it to be a little bit "cleaner" to cut the section of track that you need to re-work out down all the way to the subroadbed, and lay new WS foam roadbed and track in that section.

[Medina1128]

I used a 4' length of 1x4. Using a track gauge, I mark two marks at one end of the board.I then set the height of my table saw blade and using the rip fence cut two 1/4" deep grooves the length of the board. While the adhesive is setting up I place the board on the track, making sure the rail is int the grooves and clamp it into place. Or you could cut a length of 1/4 board just wide enough to fit between the rails.

[BRVRR]

jim,
For long straights with flex track, I push one of the rails against a metal yardstick and then pin the track in place while the adhesive drys. I use a thin bead of latex caulk or clear silicone for adhesives.
If you look at a prototype main-line straight-a-way, they usually have some 'waviness' in them. Ballast is constantly shifting so keeping everything arrow straight is generally a no- win situation anywhere the ground freezes.
Good luck!

[Leon Silverman]

Go back to the Model Railroader Home page, under "Modeling" , click on "layout construction" and then chose "Laying Flex Track". There is a discussion in this article on soldering flextrack.

[Anonymous]

What is the secret method for laying absolutely straight flex track? I am using foam road bed and have succeded in getting a wavy straight section. Also, any good tips on how to redo track glued on foam with elmer's?