Hand laying track.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gpflepsen

Everyone should build track from scratch. Nothing matches the graceful flowing custom lines and curves which can be done with handlaid track.

Right on! On an HO RR i sadly had to leave behind b4 realizing the moving benefits of modular, i spiked rails to creosote-soaked wooden matchsticks (even SMELLED like a prototype RR - the ex never forgave me for the stink in the recroom). The freedom to make any size turnout required was wonderful! The staggered, crooked ties lent a very realistic apearance to the trackwork.

Unfortunately, it took a LOT more time than i had anticipated (don't it always? 20 minute rule...). Now i take the easy road and buy prefab track and turnouts.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by gpflepsen

Everyone should build track from scratch. Nothing matches the graceful flowing custom lines and curves which can be done with handlaid track.

Right on! On an HO RR i sadly had to leave behind b4 realizing the moving benefits of modular, i spiked rails to creosote-soaked wooden matchsticks (even SMELLED like a prototype RR - the ex never forgave me for the stink in the recroom). The freedom to make any size turnout required was wonderful! The staggered, crooked ties lent a very realistic apearance to the trackwork.

Unfortunately, it took a LOT more time than i had anticipated (don't it always? 20 minute rule...). Now i take the easy road and buy prefab track and turnouts.

[Anonymous]

Hey I'm so glad that I started this subject. I was beginning to think I was the only crazy person around. You know this hobby is called Model Railroading. Modeling is a big part of the hobby. I am looking forward to the exchange of more info on this subject.

[Anonymous]

Hey I'm so glad that I started this subject. I was beginning to think I was the only crazy person around. You know this hobby is called Model Railroading. Modeling is a big part of the hobby. I am looking forward to the exchange of more info on this subject.

[Anonymous]

Track feeders can go between ties, soldered to ties, or soldered to the rail joiners and fed thru the underside of the rail where it is invisible. Make sure to gap the PC board ties to prevent short circuits. I do this with a motor tool/cut-off disk combo.

[Anonymous]

Track feeders can go between ties, soldered to ties, or soldered to the rail joiners and fed thru the underside of the rail where it is invisible. Make sure to gap the PC board ties to prevent short circuits. I do this with a motor tool/cut-off disk combo.

[der5997]

and your track power feeders go somewhere between those PC board ties, right frank?

[der5997]

and your track power feeders go somewhere between those PC board ties, right frank?

[Anonymous]

I handlay N scale track, where spikes interfere w/ flanges. Rather than use contact cement, which I found didn't work very well, I use PC board ties from cloverhouse (http://cloverhouse.com/) every fourth tie or so. Works like a charm.

[Anonymous]

I handlay N scale track, where spikes interfere w/ flanges. Rather than use contact cement, which I found didn't work very well, I use PC board ties from cloverhouse (http://cloverhouse.com/) every fourth tie or so. Works like a charm.

[Anonymous]

The guys I model with (a "club" in the most loose sense of the word) got me into handlaying track. I have to agree with previous post: Do it for therepy (and to freak out non-modelers) and most of all it really looks great - he is right on with the comment about the flowing lines. I would have not bought in on this comment untill I saw my own work - and as a beginner, it is really not the best.

Our bible is Paul Mallory's Trackwork Handbook which is now back in print (was out of print for a while). Ol' Paul is pretty anal about his tracklaying, but he is very thourough. We use a home-made jig to hold the ties, place tape on them, then set into glue. Then the rails are spiked in about every 5-8 ties.

Sadly, we have found that there is no financial reward to all the labor in hand laying your own track. Cheap flex blows away the cost of hand laid, good low profile flex is about equal in cost per foot, and hand laying supplies are hard to find in hobby stores around here. The hobby seems to be moving in the direction of the American "I want it now" mentality. HAVE FUN!

[Anonymous]

The guys I model with (a "club" in the most loose sense of the word) got me into handlaying track. I have to agree with previous post: Do it for therepy (and to freak out non-modelers) and most of all it really looks great - he is right on with the comment about the flowing lines. I would have not bought in on this comment untill I saw my own work - and as a beginner, it is really not the best.

Our bible is Paul Mallory's Trackwork Handbook which is now back in print (was out of print for a while). Ol' Paul is pretty anal about his tracklaying, but he is very thourough. We use a home-made jig to hold the ties, place tape on them, then set into glue. Then the rails are spiked in about every 5-8 ties.

Sadly, we have found that there is no financial reward to all the labor in hand laying your own track. Cheap flex blows away the cost of hand laid, good low profile flex is about equal in cost per foot, and hand laying supplies are hard to find in hobby stores around here. The hobby seems to be moving in the direction of the American "I want it now" mentality. HAVE FUN!

[Anonymous]

Everyone should build track from scratch. Nothing matches the graceful flowing custom lines and curves which can be done with handlaid track. I built a turnout for mainline use which is about 20" from points to frog. Build a tight switching yard full of unconventional switch types and behold a man with an object filled with pride which nobody understands, except others who have done similar things in track.

Handlaying is therapy, really. :)

[Anonymous]

Everyone should build track from scratch. Nothing matches the graceful flowing custom lines and curves which can be done with handlaid track. I built a turnout for mainline use which is about 20" from points to frog. Build a tight switching yard full of unconventional switch types and behold a man with an object filled with pride which nobody understands, except others who have done similar things in track.

Handlaying is therapy, really. :)

[Anonymous]

Depending on big the layout is if it's asmall layout I would try handlaying track but for a large layout seem it would be asking a lot personally I would not do it.

[Anonymous]

Depending on big the layout is if it's asmall layout I would try handlaying track but for a large layout seem it would be asking a lot personally I would not do it.

[Anonymous]

The trackwork book covers both, but concentrates on turnouts (not surprisingly, considering that's the most difficult part).

[Anonymous]

The trackwork book covers both, but concentrates on turnouts (not surprisingly, considering that's the most difficult part).

[BentnoseWillie]

Well, rats. Here I thought I'd gotten yer goat. [;)]

Does the Trackwork book cover handlaying in general, or just turnouts?

[BentnoseWillie]

Well, rats. Here I thought I'd gotten yer goat. [;)]

Does the Trackwork book cover handlaying in general, or just turnouts?

[Sperandeo]

Nobody's upset about anything, "B-Dubya,"

But no, we don't have any 68-year-old hobby books still in print. There is one pretty old book still in our line, "101 Track Plans" from 1956, but none of the pre-WWII stuff.

so long,

Andy

[Sperandeo]

Nobody's upset about anything, "B-Dubya,"

But no, we don't have any 68-year-old hobby books still in print. There is one pretty old book still in our line, "101 Track Plans" from 1956, but none of the pre-WWII stuff.

so long,

Andy

[BentnoseWillie]

Anyone got any oats? I seem to have acquired Andy's goat. [:)][}:)]

I did a search in the index, and that was the Kalmbach book that popped up. While the materials have changed drastically over the last 68(!) years, the principles of good tracklaying probably haven't changed much. Perhaps this work or another could be drawn upon for coverage of the basics, using modern materials? I know I'd love to see it, since I'm about to embark on my first adventure in tracklaying. I have the Koester article on turnouts, but I'm winging it for tracklaying based on what I've picked up from MR over the years.

[BentnoseWillie]

Anyone got any oats? I seem to have acquired Andy's goat. [:)][}:)]

I did a search in the index, and that was the Kalmbach book that popped up. While the materials have changed drastically over the last 68(!) years, the principles of good tracklaying probably haven't changed much. Perhaps this work or another could be drawn upon for coverage of the basics, using modern materials? I know I'd love to see it, since I'm about to embark on my first adventure in tracklaying. I have the Koester article on turnouts, but I'm winging it for tracklaying based on what I've picked up from MR over the years.

[Sperandeo]

"B-Dubya" wrote:

"Is 'Simplified Trackwork for Model Railroaders' (Kalmbach, 1935) still in print?"

You're kidding, right?

Andy

[Sperandeo]

"B-Dubya" wrote:

"Is 'Simplified Trackwork for Model Railroaders' (Kalmbach, 1935) still in print?"

You're kidding, right?

Andy

[BentnoseWillie]

Is Simplified Trackwork for Model Railroaders (Kalmbach, 1935) still in print? If not, perhaps an excerpt covering the basics would make good fodder for an MR article. I doubt that there's enough market to warrant an update of the whole book.

The limited amount of handlaid track I've seen doesn't have the spike and tie plate detail that newer flextrack has. I'm going to handlay some track on my new modules, but it isn't for better detail, aside from crooked and pulverized ties [:)]. It's more for the sake of the doing, to know that I can, and as a warmup for handlaying some turnouts.

[BentnoseWillie]

Is Simplified Trackwork for Model Railroaders (Kalmbach, 1935) still in print? If not, perhaps an excerpt covering the basics would make good fodder for an MR article. I doubt that there's enough market to warrant an update of the whole book.

The limited amount of handlaid track I've seen doesn't have the spike and tie plate detail that newer flextrack has. I'm going to handlay some track on my new modules, but it isn't for better detail, aside from crooked and pulverized ties [:)]. It's more for the sake of the doing, to know that I can, and as a warmup for handlaying some turnouts.

[Anonymous]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the info, I will get one and check it out. Why does not KALMBACH publih a good book on handlaying track. I'm sure there is plenty of Modelers around to give you imput for such a project.

There is still Real Modelers out their that would like one. There is a place for flex track, but up front close, hand layed can't be beat.[:)]

Bob