ATLANTIC CENTRAL First I lay the homasote roadbed straight, using a combination of metal yard stick, or 4' and 6' levels as a straight edge depending on the length of the straight section. Once the roadbed is straight, it is easy to use the metal yardstick along the rail as you postion the track in the adhesive caulk to make sure the track is straight.
First I lay the homasote roadbed straight, using a combination of metal yard stick, or 4' and 6' levels as a straight edge depending on the length of the straight section.
Once the roadbed is straight, it is easy to use the metal yardstick along the rail as you postion the track in the adhesive caulk to make sure the track is straight.
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain ATLANTIC CENTRAL This track was layed perfectly the first time, the lazer says so: What technique do you use to get it laser straight? Rich
ATLANTIC CENTRAL This track was layed perfectly the first time, the lazer says so:
This track was layed perfectly the first time, the lazer says so:
What technique do you use to get it laser straight?
Curve locations at both ends have already been set using an easement templete.
Roadbed is generally nailed down with a brad nailer. Obviously I don't use foam or other "soft" base products for my benchwork or roadbed. Yards and industial areas are built directly on sheets of homasote.
Homabed/Cascade roadbed came with or without kerf cuts for bending, so straight sections are easier to lay straight.
Just one more reason not to like cork.
The adhesive caulk I use is thick, not thin like the cheap painters caulk so many talk about using. What I use is PolySeamSeal or Phenoseal brand adhesive caulk, used for installing cultured marble or solid surface tub and shower panels, counter tops, etc. It is strong glue and caulk in one.
A very thin layer of caulk holds the track firmly almost right away, but allows you to make adjustments.
On curves I do use a nail or two and some weights until the caulk dries.
I do not glue down turnouts, in fact I often nail them in place first as starting points.
Unfortunately Cascade is out of business, so when I run out, I guess I will have to mill my own roadbed? We will see.
If I was not already so busy, I would go into the roadbed business.
Sheldon
LastspikemikeSorry, that long URL is not very convenient. Hinders editing the text also.
This is done by going directly before the text to be highlighted (no space) and typing [url= and then pasting in your URL, then ] to close the tag. At the end of the text you want highlighted, again with no space, type
Problem is, I can't demonstrate it from a criPhone. I'll try to stick an example in using your long URL later tonight.
Lastspikemike I second this idea. Laying track perfectly exactiy where you want it first time is very difficult. There are several ways to affix track to roadbed. Track nails through the holes in or drilled by you in the ties are generally easy to remove and re set after changing track alignment. These do not hold in foam so many use latex sealant (sometimes called acrylic as is the paint it is related to) to stick down the underlay and then the track on top. I use now clear (labelled translucent) but I have used grey (aiming at ballast colour) left over from a kitchen job. The advantage of using latex sealant is the relatively low grip. There's not much loading on track so it doesn't need to be very firmly secured. Latex sealant allows you to lift the track and underlayment fairly easily AND reuse it. Pay particular attention to laying any turnouts as that's where most locomotives and rolling stock get finicky about things like kinks or jinks or gaps in the track.
I second this idea. Laying track perfectly exactiy where you want it first time is very difficult.
There are several ways to affix track to roadbed. Track nails through the holes in or drilled by you in the ties are generally easy to remove and re set after changing track alignment. These do not hold in foam so many use latex sealant (sometimes called acrylic as is the paint it is related to) to stick down the underlay and then the track on top. I use now clear (labelled translucent) but I have used grey (aiming at ballast colour) left over from a kitchen job.
The advantage of using latex sealant is the relatively low grip. There's not much loading on track so it doesn't need to be very firmly secured. Latex sealant allows you to lift the track and underlayment fairly easily AND reuse it.
Pay particular attention to laying any turnouts as that's where most locomotives and rolling stock get finicky about things like kinks or jinks or gaps in the track.
I have never installed a piece of flex track with any expectation of taking it up and reusing it. The track in these pictures is attached with PolySeamSeal adheasive caulk, it is not coming up in one piece.
That said, I do not glue down turnouts, they are held in place by the surrounding track and a few track nails.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR HELP.
LastspikemikeThe advantage of using latex sealant is the relatively low grip. There's not much loading on track so it doesn't need to be very firmly secured. Latex sealant allows you to lift the track and underlayment fairly easily AND reuse it.
What is the brand name of this miracle low-grip removable latex sealant?
All the latex sealants I have used grip like a locking plier and don't give up easily.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Another peice of advice from the LION:
Do not be afraid to rip stuff out and build it again.
They do this on the realroad, and we do it on our own tables.
Remember that vertical curves (grades) have to be accounted for too.
When I was buildin I went through three 100 pc boxes of meter long Model Power flex-rail. I bought it from Trainworld in Brooklyn. (That is to say *my* local hobby shop.) [LION used to live in Brooklyn, ewe know]. I haven seen it there in years, but then I havent looked.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
IRONROOSTER The National Model Railroad Association has a page of standards and recommendations RP 12 covers minimum curves and turnouts for various pieces of equipment. Paul
The National Model Railroad Association has a page of standards and recommendations
RP 12 covers minimum curves and turnouts for various pieces of equipment.
Paul
That's RP 11
Yes, Paul, and we know how limiting a snap-track #4 is. I suspect that Walthers still rates their heavyweight passenger cars for 24" curves, but I wonder if their QA guy ever backed three or four of them coupled through a series of #5 turnouts. Their draft gear compresses, the diaphragms ride up tight against one another, and you have to get the sky hook out.
I learned about the Walthers/Shinohara curved series of Code 83 DCC-Friendly turnouts, and I learned that I also couldn't believe their claims for the heavyweights. Those cars didn't back nicely, at least the way I lay HO rails, until my curves were a lot closer to 28".
selectorDon't use a turnout whose curvature between the throwbar and the frog are so tight that your rolling stock won't go through them. In almost all HO, including a lot of brass, a true #5 turnout is about as tight as you'd be able to use safely. Larger steam locomotives would need a #5.5 or a #6 and up.
I can never recall the curved closure rail radii so I looked at the spreadsheet for RP-12.1 and found that the radii for the curved rail in the turnouts are recommended to be (rounded) 23.2", 35.4" and 60.5" for #5, #6 and #8 turnouts, respectively. Of course, manufacturers vary from these recommended numbers to a varying extent.
I looked for a spec on the Athearn site for the DDA40X 8-wheel truck diesel and did not find a specific radius recommended. I found a MR 2012 review where the writer noted that version was ok on 28" curves (other threads note that was recommended for that era model) and #6 turnouts. That is a reason it is missing from my UP fleet (because of my 26" curves). Plus how silly it would look.
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
The location on the layout is a huge factor in determining the type of turnout. For instance, I have #8 on the mainline and #4 or #6 on the yard. I know it's confusing but I aim for large turnouts on the mainline b/c of space.
energizer when doing a layout how do you know what kind of turnout to use?
when doing a layout how do you know what kind of turnout to use?
I can tell you what you DON'T use. Don't use a turnout whose curvature between the throwbar and the frog are so tight that your rolling stock won't go through them. In almost all HO, including a lot of brass, a true #5 turnout is about as tight as you'd be able to use safely. Larger steam locomotives would need a #5.5 or a #6 and up.
The first consideration for you is how to get a useful track plan that fits your space. From there, which turnouts will fit and not force you to have S-curves or kinks. It may be that, for your track plan that fits your space, all you'll be able to use and to enjoy will be #4 turnouts, very sharp. But that will limit the types of rolling stock you can use on your layout.
What type of locomotives and longest freight and/or passenger cars are you planning to operate? That makes a difference for turnout selection.
I use all types, #4, #5, #6, #8, Wyes, 3-Way, Double Crossover, and Curved.
I have a #6 Double Slip, but I do not think I will use it.
All my locomotives will get through a #5 going slow, so I use those in the yard and engine facility. Out on the mainline, #6 is my minimum for the inside loop, and #8 on the outer loop.
#4 and #2 Wyes are for the industrial area and trackage where my bigger locomotives dare not tread.
Since I model 1954, I do not have big freight cars to contend with. Long passenger cars will be confined to the outside loop.
As for turnout brand/style, what type of control system are you using? Some brands and styles are not so friendly with DCC.
Please let us know.
Well then, that is a broad wide open question.
LIOONS usually go for the cheapest that they can find. Lots of Atlas product on the road of him.
I have some nice Shinoharra tracks that I had bought in Japan back during the Vietnam war.
We have no local shop in North Dakota, so I must buy on-lion.
Go to the websites of several manufacturers and look at what they are offering, and see what fits in with your needs.
But you sort-of have to have a trackplan .... No... First you must have a place--a space-- to build your layout, that will tell you what will fit. Then you make a plan... LION has ever only made plans of him in the head of him, but him knowed watt him wanted and so laid down tracks in that general direction.
BIGGER frogs make for better layouts, but you need mucho space, smalle frogs work well, but you must forgo the biuggest of locomotives.
Atlas snap tracks are gross, but... then so are subway layouts, making sharp curves here and there to switch from track to track. On any other layout they would look toy-like, but then NYCTA switches are build under the streets of Noo Yoork, and so gotta fit in between the pillars.
So if you are going to model the Union Pacific across the dseserts that is one thing. If you are going to build an Eastern Railroad twisting along the appelatians, that is an udder.