Modeling Mine Car Tracks

[Anonymous]

I'm modeling a mine face that displays a push/manual mine car, 18" guage, to bring ore out of the mine to a loading platform where it's dumped into an ore car on the track below. The cars will not be operational, but will be fixed on the loading platform in various positions. I would, however, like to model the tracks into and out of the mine face with some degree of realism. Typically, these tracks are layed between planks or embedded in hard surface like asphalt or cement. This model the track will be laid on the loading platform and will use planking between the tracks and down each side. Are there any suggestions for modeling an 18" gauge track in HO scale? So far, I've tried using 'Z' scale track and that's a bit to large. I'm toying with the idea of using some copper wire in a suitable wire guage, however, I have no clue how I'm going to get 2 pieces of copper wire layed parallel and shaped appropriately.

[Anonymous]

Hi Larry,

I did it on the same way. When the tracks are straigth it is quite easy. You can drill a hole on one end, hang in the end of the wire and under some tension you can stick it to the surface with contact glue or CA. When one rail is fixed prepare a small jig from a small scrap of brass sheet. File in two notches (according the gauge) and drill the second hole on the end of the line. Hang in the second wire and pull the jig using the first rail as a guide you can glue the second rail in exact distance to the first one. I managed it so far the the rolling stock could be moved on the tracks.
Sorry for my English

[Anonymous]

Hi Eugene
Thanks for the reply. Of course the problem wouldn't be as simple as laying straight track. I have two parallel tracks coming out of the mine, allowing for two way traffic in and out of the mine. Those tracks merge into one track (so I have a turnout) that curves to the right and runs down the face of the dumping station. I got it figured out finally, after a bit of experimenting. It's finished, looks great (almost photo quality). I ended up using a 22 guage copper wire. If you put the wire under tension it straightens out nicely. Where I needed curves I used an appropriate sized cylinder and bent the wire around it to the degreee of turn that I needed. I cut and fit the pieces together as needed for a turnout which is fine since its not a working model, it looks great and certainly is an effective visual. To get the tracks layed parallel I made a jig which worked great. I used CA to glue the track to the platform and "Goo" to glue the planking in place.

Thanks for your input.

[Anonymous]

Hi Larry,

I did my tracks in similar way, except the cylinders, I use plastic lineals to create curves. With fixed on one end is quite easy to create any curve, and bend the wire according the lineal.

[Anonymous]

Lineal in English is ruler or straightedge (sorry for that.

Eugen

[Anonymous]

Eugen
Thanks for the kind reply. Sorry for the delayed acknowledgement, but I've been away for a few weeks. It worked beautifully. I used a 20 gauge copper wire, stretched it straight between a vice and a pair of pliers and used a 1/2 inch circle (plastic cigar tube) to get the desired bend in the "track" I needed. Once I got the placement measured on the loading deck, it was easy to place the two wires in parallel to simulate 18" guage track. Laying the planking was fun. I used a piece of birch veneer (1/32" to simulate a 2" thick plank), cut it to scale 2x10" planking, 12' long. I've been mulling over a solution to this track problem for almost 2yrs. It's over finally and it looks great. Thanks again for your helpful reply.