Layouts and layout building

So I was just thinkin' (which is all I can afford these days) and it occured to me that in order to build a cross-over, or to put two turnouts in a configuration where the points point to toward one-another, you would need to get BOTH the narrow gauge on the right side and narrow gauge on the left side templates... an extra $175....poop.

WaxonWaxov:

So I was just thinkin' (which is all I can afford these days) and it occured to me that in order to build a cross-over, or to put two turnouts in a configuration where the points point to toward one-another, you would need to get BOTH the narrow gauge on the right side and narrow gauge on the left side templates... an extra $175....poop

Just get some gauges and PC ties and hand lay them.  Pocket the $150 you save.

 Download the templates and glue your ties to it.  The only tool you REALLY need from fastracks is the point form tool.

David B

davidmbedard:

Download the templates and glue your ties to it.  The only tool you REALLY need from fastracks is the point form tool.

Considering I have handlayed switches on PC board ties over 20 years ago, long before Fast Tracks was ever concieved, there isn't any tool from Fast Tracks you REALLY need.  Its just how much you are willing to pay for whatever convienience the tool provides.

 This is how I build a dual gauge separation turnout. Only the usual tools like NMRA gauge, soldering gun, ...

Wolfgang

dude...  Wolfgang...

.......is there anything that you DON'T do in this hobby?  haha  You're crazy, man. 

Thanks, guys.

 Thanks Wolfgang... I'll have to check that out when I am at home ( blocked here at work )

dehusman:

davidmbedard:

Download the templates and glue your ties to it.  The only tool you REALLY need from fastracks is the point form tool.

Considering I have handlayed switches on PC board ties over 20 years ago, long before Fast Tracks was ever concieved, there isn't any tool from Fast Tracks you REALLY need.  Its just how much you are willing to pay for whatever convienience the tool provides.

Precisely. And you can't build fast Tracks TOs in place on the layout, which negates one of the great advantages of handlaying them in the first place.

We need more talk about handlaying with PC ties and not using a jig. They are a tad expensive, although from what I can tell it's a CNC milled chunk of aluminum, possibly billet, which is expensive material in the first place.

I was told about one method from a worker at the LTS who hand laid track. As he said he laid out a section of ties, glued one rail to them, then glued down the tie/single rail assembly to the track centerline marked off on the layout, then glued down the other rail. Used some glue I forgot it's name but it start Plio..Pliobond that's it. Was just reading something I think in MR that a guy used Pliobond. He also hadlaid 150 turnouts for the local clubs old layout. He must feel bad, when the train museum curatore kicked them out they didn't save any of their old layout. If it takes a little more time and patience than say building one in a jig no biggie, I can find time. Patience may be a little short at times, but when it's something like with my trains that I'm really into patience has no limit. I think I've proved that a number of times sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours doing nothing but research for my as yet-to-be planned layout. I just know I really really really want to do some handlaying, normal track and turnouts. I think I will try to be more prototypical though and stay away from crossovers and turn backs. At least keep them to a minimum, although I don't see a need for any turn backs.

Hi from Belgium,

Yes Fastrack system are a little bit expensive but when You need to handlaid complicated pieces of track like crossover or double slip  or dual gauge turnout, I find them useful.

I am modeling in Nscale and have try to handlaid some track in code 55 without any jig, directly on the tabletop of my layout.

I must admit that the results were not as good as expected and a lot of adjustements were needed certainly because of the small scale.

Now I use fastrack jigs, a new one is on the road between Canada and Belgium, and I have made extremly good running turnouts with this system.

I am sure the jigs are useful for the small scales and for intricates piece of track. Some of the tools they offer are useful too.

For bigger scale like HO, HOn3 and the biggest I am not sure they are so useful because tolerances are greater.

The wood ties system offer by fastrack  is very expensive, so I made a jig using the printable form on the site to lay wood ties which I cut myself. I glue the skelton of the turnout on them with Pliobond.

In conclusion, expensive, of course but useful and precise; you can produce a very good turnout even in a small scale in less than an hour and they rarely need adjustements.

Marc

 If you go on YouTube, there is a fella called "thebige61" who has a series of short video's, (about 50+) that documents step by step how he makes handmade turnouts using the FREE Fastracks templates. If I recall correctly, the segments are about 10 minutes long. About all he uses for tools are a soldering pencil, a small hand held vise, a file, a pair of pliers and rail nippers. The video's take more time to view than it would take to actually make one. And he's doing it in N Scale.

Blue Flamer. 

WaxonWaxov:

So I was just thinkin' (which is all I can afford these days) and it occured to me that in order to build a cross-over, or to put two turnouts in a configuration where the points point to toward one-another, you would need to get BOTH the narrow gauge on the right side and narrow gauge on the left side templates... an extra $175....poop.

WaxonWaxov.. 

  Try it you'll like it.  If you do it yourself, I'll help you with the dual gauge turnouts step by step.  I forgot which yahoo group I up loaded a series of 16 photos as to "How I Built It".  I believe it was for a #4 curved dual gauge. 

Glen Thomas

davidmbedard:

   The only tool you REALLY need from fastracks is the point form tool.

David B

Or use a belt sander.

MILW-RODR:

We need more talk about handlaying with PC ties and not using a jig.

MILW-RODR,

Great idea.  Or, how about hand laid turnouts without PC boards.  No soldering except for the frog and throw bar (wood also).  All you have to do is make yourself drawing of the turnout (a switch that you need and not what is just available on the market), get some good cross ties, pins, AC glue, spikes and you're set.  You can either hand lay the turnout on the layout or take you cork board or whatever you use as the road bed and build it on your work bench.  I can show/tell you how to build a turnout and get it right the 1st time. 

Glen Thomas

Templates are handy (I use prototype #4, 5, 6 switch diagrams reduced down to HO scale).  But you don't need them even.

 Get a large piece of paper.  Thumbtack it to the area where the switch will go.  Lift the paper up and put down flex track on one route using thumbtacks to hold the track. put the paper back down over the flex track and using a pencil trace over the rails (and maybe ties).  Lift the paper back up.  Shift the flex track to the other route.  Put the paper back down over the flex track and trace over the other route rails.

Where the rails cross is the frog.  Where the rails start diverging are the points.