austfox So in your experience is it best to paint the rails before or after laying the ballast?
So in your experience is it best to paint the rails before or after laying the ballast?
Well, for me it was best to do it before ballasting, as I had several large bridges to install, which involved cutting the plywood sub-roadbed and some other constuction-type jobs. I found it to be a good task for those times when I didn't want to get too involved in a project - you can paint as much or as little as you like at one time. This also keeps the task from becoming tedious, although it does go surprisingly quickly. I was really amazed at what a difference it made in the appearance, even without ballast: it's great "bang for the buck", both dollar-wise and time-wise.
In the photo below, all of the track is laid directly on the plywood, with no roadbed. The two mainlines are part of a small interchange yard, and I wanted to keep "ground" in the area fairly level for the convenience and safety of the LPBs (little plastic brakemen). The cinder sub-ballast (hopefully) enhances the illusion that the track was properly graded for drainage, at least at one time.
Wayne
wedudler wrote: Yes, these are turnouts from Proto:87, code 70. Here you will find my experience:http://www.westportterminal.de/H0-USA/diamond_valley_e8.htmlWolfgang
Yes, these are turnouts from Proto:87, code 70. Here you will find my experience:
http://www.westportterminal.de/H0-USA/diamond_valley_e8.html
Wolfgang
Oh word, I forgot that they made frogs like that for Code 70. Are those railbars the ones that come with the Central Valley turnout kits? I'm still confused as to whether the railbars are ones that Andy makes or the ones that just come with the regular CV kits.
How did you attach the railbars? Did you just glue them? Also, I was wondering if you had any problems with building the turnout as a curved one. I actually poured over your site last night when I saw the first picture you had posted.
With the Ultimate turnout of yours, what did you do to stain the wooden ties?
This is the closest I've got to a 'close-up' of track and ballast, it's at Wagon Wheel Gap on my HO Yuba River Sub. The track is Sinohara code 100 and the, ballast is mixed from WS medium gray, light gray and cinder. I use a mixture of Floquil Boxcar Red, Roof Brown and Grimy Black to spray my rails before applying the ballast, then immeditely wipe the heads clean with a cloth soaked in alcohol. Any residue left on the railheads, I lightly rub with a Micro-Mark Track-Cleaner on a 'Stick', which I use to clean track in hard to reach areas (which seems to be most of my layout, LOL!).
Works for me.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
The railbars came with the kit, from Proto:87 as well as CV. I've used both. They're from plastic and I glued them with plastic cement. (from Faller or similiar)
I've had no problems with curved turnouts. These are #6 and #8. And the radii are over 2m (6') .
I've airbrushed the wooden ties like the plastic ties. There's only one turnout with wooden ties and this derail. I've build the derail from left over parts of this Proto:87 turnout kit.
Pueblo & Salt Lake RR
Come to us http://www.westportterminal.de my videos my blog
WS and Scenic Xpress mix on the mains
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
bogp40 wrote: WS and Scenic Xpress mix on the mains
Hey bob, is that your home layout or the club? Looks wonderful.
Wolfgang- is there anything special you need to keep in mind when building a curved turnout with the Proto87/CV kits?