Hi!
As mentioned in another posting, I found a "weak spot" while testing the lower level trackage on my under construction HO layout. The 2-10-2 had trouble keeping all drivers on the track as it rounded a 25 inch curve on the 2% incline (all other locos did fine there).
After checking it out and fretting over it a bit, I realized that the incline at that spot was not as it should be, effectively giving the outside rail a bit of a rise over the inside rail. Normally this is not a problem as it is similar to super elevated trackage. However, given the rather tight turn (for a 10 drivered loco) it is a challenge.
Sooooo, I bit the bullet and tore up 4 ft of track, and removed the benchwork screws in that area to allow realignment. I'll probably do that this afternoon or tomorrow.
My point to all this is to pass along some advice......... If you are building a layout (or whatever), and you have an area that when "finished" is at the lower end of your "good enough" spectrum, I urge you to redo and/or adjust it to get it better - before you proceed on to other things in the process. Speaking from experience, if you don't get it truly right the first time, it will bite you later on.
Ha, do what I say, not what I did............
For what its worth!
Mobilman44
ENJOY !
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
good advice. personally, i don't even think about painting or ballasting track before it has been in operation for at least 6 months. i have been working with flex track in HO scale for over 45 years and even though i think i know what i am doing, there are still weak spots that crop up now and then.
i usually test operation with a 12 car (full length cars) passenger train powered by 2 E units followed up by a P2K 2-10-2. that 10 drivered steam engine will find glitches like no other. final approval comes only after repeatedly shoving a 25 car cut backwards over every inch of track.
electrical continuity problems are easily discovered with a short wheel base 0-6-0 switcher.
i made a "see though" flat car about 60 scale feet long with plexi-glass and 6 wheel buckeye trucks to help pinpoint the exact location of trouble spots. that way i can see exactly what the wheel flanges are doing.
things have progressed to the point that i can almost expect and prevent potential problems. for instance, peco switches are weak in one respect. the frog guard rail almost always requires a .010" shim to keep wheels from picking the frog point on the diverging route while shinohara switches are weak in the electrical department and require a small fastener through the pivot point rivet and down through the roadbed.
grizlump
Last evening I realigned the problem area, which is an L shaped section of the benchwork that carries 4 tracks down a 2 percent incline to the lower level staging tracks. I was "out of whack" by about 1/4 inch where that section of benchwork joined the next. This created a "dip", which was not evident unless you looked at the plywood's edge.
Thank goodness for sheetrock screws and DeWalt portable variable speed drills, for they help make benchwork adjustments so much easier.
Anyway, the benchwork is aligned, the roadbed is in place, and track lines have been set. This weekend, I'll lay the track, and hook up the feeders that I had to cut. Oh, in this process I was able to increase the radius of the two tracks in question. The tightest is now 26 inch, and the next one is 27 inch - both with easements of course.
Once complete and tested, then maybe I can start on the main level joists and other supports.
ENJOY,
instead of taking 2 steps forward, then 1 backwards, i try to get the 1st step 100% first. ha ha ha
either way, you have learned quickly what others take forever to learn; others never learn and end up frustrated over a poorly operating pike. you will thank yourself amny times over for diagnosing a problem area quickly.
Wazzy,
I always try to "get it right the first time". In this case, it was "right", allowing SW, RSD, and 4-8-4 locos to navigate at various speeds in both directions. I continued to test, finally getting to to 10 drivered locos, both having a problem navigating the curved incline on the inside track. My "mistake" was not running the 10 drivered locos earlier on in the testing process.
Ah Grass Hopper a little model railroadig secerete always run the worst running eninge or most finiky engine you have first. If it can navigate your track work and turnouts then the rest is a home run. Also I found a couple of friendly tricks when I fisrt started building the new layout. The torpeedo level is your best friend as well as spring clamps.
I put that thing in my back pocket and check every single length of flex track I lay down. When I get it jsut where I want it I then screw the riser to the bench work. Also I found this neat little tool in Lowes one day. It's a small spirit level that has two levels perpendiculat to each other don't ask me what it's inteneded suse is but it will give you you horizontal and side to side level. I stuck mine to an old flat car with some silicone. When I'm done laying the track I roll the car over the area just to give it a check. Unfortunetly I have had to do exactly what you did until I figured out an easier way to do it. and my 2-10-2 is my most finiky enigne also, imagine that.
Test, test, test - that's what I've been doing. A couple folks said I'm into overkill, and should get to work on that main level benchwork. But I just have to make sure that the incline & lower level are "fullproof", cause once the main level is in place..........
The best I can tell is that the piece of 22 inch wide piece of ply going around one of the corners (on a 2 % incline) got accidently moved on one end as I was setting the sheet rock screws. I'd like to blame it on the clamps, but "operator error" is more likely.
Not to worry, all is well............