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Save yourself some trouble and make a tie spacing jig. I built mine from styrene. Make sure the tie spacers are lower than the ties that you are using. After you place all of the ties in the jig, use narrow (1/4") masking tape to lift the ties out. The narrow masking tape allows the tie strips to be bent around corners. Spread a thin layer of white glue on you roadbed, I use homasote and a friend is going to use cork. Pu***he ties into the THIN layer of glue. Use a short ruler of something like it and push down on the ties and pull up the masking tape. I pull the masking tape off right after I am happy with the location of the ties so the masking tape won't pull them out of place. When the glue dries sand the tie tops level with some fine sand paper. Then stain them and weather them. I ballast my ties before I spike the rail down, it's easier. I use Micro engineering weathered rail. Make yourself a rail gauge that will locate where the first rail is in relation to the edge of the tie. Use this gauge to spike down the first rail, then use a NMRA gauge to spike down the other rail. Turnouts are another story. I use Tony Koester's article from MR to make my turnouts. Check out the mag. index.
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