handlaying track

[Anonymous]

What are the steps for handlaying track?
What materials would you use for the roadbed, ties and rails. Thank you

[Anonymous]

I dont know but consider asking your q on www.railroad-line.com They have a much more knowlageable user base

[Anonymous]

The NMRA published a three or four part article about this back a few months. I would contact the NMRA and ask them for a copy of these articles.

I believe a soft roadbed like homosote is recommended. The ties can be purchased precut (at least for HO scale) and are made from a soft wood as I recall. I think Microscale or Micro Engineering makes a special spike driving tool. Micro Engineering makes a good spike for HO scale I hear. Others are available as well.

First you lay your ties on a piece of masking tape. Then you coat the roadbed with some tacky glue. Turn the masking tape over and stick the ties on the roadbed. Stain and weather the ties. Spike the rail. Weather the rail. Ballast the track and weather the ballast.

This is just a summary off the top of my head as I remember the NMRA article. Someone who has actually done it may be more help. Good Luck - Ed

[snowey]

all I know is, be sure to use an N.M.R.A. guage to keep the rails properly in guage at all times, and if you're modeling in N scale, don't use spikes as the heads will interfere with the wheel flanges. Like the other post said, maybe you should go to the N.M.R.A. and ask. Their web address is WWW.NMRA.ORG

[dknelson]

You might want to "ease into" handlaid track. One way to do so is to investigate the Tru Scale milled roadbed with ties cut into the wood. You spike the rails to the ties. If you like the results then use separate ties, using a tie jig that several articles in MR have discussed (ties are placed in spaced slots then masking tape pulls them up w/correct spacing.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Given the quality of commercially produced model track in the U.S. I'm not surprised that north Americans have forgotten such simple pleasures? as hand laying track. If you can get hold of one from your local newsagent try buying a U.K. model railway (thats European English for railroad.)magazine such as Railway Modeller. Even if there is no article on tracklaying there will be masses of adverts for components such as sleepers, rail sections, jigs, gauges Etc. there are also companies in the U.K. who supply points (turnouts) in kit form. One thing to be mindful of though is that U.K. model trains are manufactured to OO scale not HO ie 4mm/ft not 3.5mm/ft.

[Anonymous]

There are several articles in the model railroad press on this, use the Mag index on this site and search (track). I've always hand laid my track. Depending on the era you want to model, (Pre 1900's didn't use rail plates, just laid the rail on the ties)plain wood ties from a couple of manufacturers will work. If you plan a post 1900's railroad I always use Central Valley tie strips. They come with the rail plates moulded in and the rails are pre gauged. I use Micro Eng rails and spikes, they make an almost scale spike.For switches I've used Shinoharas but only because they were the only ones to make them in code 70. I've just noticed that Central Valley has just come out with curvable switch kits and I'm looking to try them. Good luck and start small, practice on a srape of Homosote first.