MR Express - Biggest challenges in tracklaying

[Anonymous]

My biggest challenge is the cost of Turnouts - I'll grant you atlas T/O's are reasonably cheap - but you cant always use em - especially if you want to use curved T/O's
My second challenge is the cost of QUIET switch machines and I do have to use em in certain areas of my current layout.
My third challenge is Ian RIce - after having redrawn one of his track plans on two seperate track design programs I have come to the conclusion that the only way to recreate his flowing tracks is to handbuild all the turnouts - which effectively takes care of the first challenge - now as to the second............

[FJ and G]

I secure my rails to my hand-cut ties not with spikes but with Marine Goop, a water-proof type of goop found at Home Depot. Several advantages. It holds security as spikes (ensure you weigh it down), you can use harder wood than basswood (like lauan), it is waterproof when you spray on ballast, and it makes laying rail very quick and easy.

Just wondering if anyone else has used this technique?

[FJ and G]

I secure my rails to my hand-cut ties not with spikes but with Marine Goop, a water-proof type of goop found at Home Depot. Several advantages. It holds security as spikes (ensure you weigh it down), you can use harder wood than basswood (like lauan), it is waterproof when you spray on ballast, and it makes laying rail very quick and easy.

Just wondering if anyone else has used this technique?

[Anonymous]

I model in N scale. My biggest challenge is saving track and turnouts, when I change my mind about the track alinement. I now glue my roadbed and my track down with "Aleene's orininal Tacky Glue". It holds well, some track has been in place seven years. Now the cool part. When I see a better alinement I place wet towels on the track and after a while the track can be shifted or removed with no damage.
Michael

[Anonymous]

I model in N scale. My biggest challenge is saving track and turnouts, when I change my mind about the track alinement. I now glue my roadbed and my track down with "Aleene's orininal Tacky Glue". It holds well, some track has been in place seven years. Now the cool part. When I see a better alinement I place wet towels on the track and after a while the track can be shifted or removed with no damage.
Michael

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: hand laying turnouts is not difficult anymore. some years ago a guy named tony koester had an article in MR about creating your own turnouts.

The February 2004 issue has an article on how to do this too.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: hand laying turnouts is not difficult anymore. some years ago a guy named tony koester had an article in MR about creating your own turnouts.

The February 2004 issue has an article on how to do this too.

[mls1621]

My biggest challenge to date has been keeping moisture out of the control linkage for my turnouts.

I'm modelling in N scale and using Micro Engineering code 70 turnouts. .025 piano wire running through brass tubing, with Caboose Ind. ground throws. The ground throws incorporate a slide switch for the polarity change of the frog. The ground throw also contains a spring to hold the points against the stock rail.

All of this works fine, till water enters the equation. I made the mistake of spraying the area after applying glue to anchor the track. The water was intended to help spread the glue evenly. Some got into the mechanism of two of my turnouts, requiring removal and replacement of the piano wire and brass tubing.

The next challenge will be ballasting the turnouts, using a small bru***o apply glue between the ties to prevent re-occurance of the same problem.

Ballasting the track is my least favorite part of this hobby.

Mike
St Louis

[mls1621]

My biggest challenge to date has been keeping moisture out of the control linkage for my turnouts.

I'm modelling in N scale and using Micro Engineering code 70 turnouts. .025 piano wire running through brass tubing, with Caboose Ind. ground throws. The ground throws incorporate a slide switch for the polarity change of the frog. The ground throw also contains a spring to hold the points against the stock rail.

All of this works fine, till water enters the equation. I made the mistake of spraying the area after applying glue to anchor the track. The water was intended to help spread the glue evenly. Some got into the mechanism of two of my turnouts, requiring removal and replacement of the piano wire and brass tubing.

The next challenge will be ballasting the turnouts, using a small bru***o apply glue between the ties to prevent re-occurance of the same problem.

Ballasting the track is my least favorite part of this hobby.

Mike
St Louis

[randybc2003]

I have laid Atlas Snap-Track, Flex Track, and Hand Laid track. (but not turnouts)
I have use Snap-Turnouts, Custom Line Turnouts, Peco Turnouts, and Lambert Turnouts.
I have used underneath "banger" switch machines, below "switch moters", surface "bangers", and manual ground throws.
I use plywood or particle board subbase. (never could find Homosote where I live). I usually top w/ Atlas cork roadbed.
Weather "Atlas Flat-Top", "Cookie Cutter" or L-Girder w/ risers, I use procedures outlined in Atlas books.
Toughtest job is getting nails into the plywood - even if I use glue. Use thin nails, pre-drill if necessary.
Work Slowly and carefully. If roadbed or track gets out of alignment, back up and re-do it. Proceed carefuly. Peel your eyeball and sharpen your sight. DON'T TOLERATE KINKS!

[randybc2003]

I have laid Atlas Snap-Track, Flex Track, and Hand Laid track. (but not turnouts)
I have use Snap-Turnouts, Custom Line Turnouts, Peco Turnouts, and Lambert Turnouts.
I have used underneath "banger" switch machines, below "switch moters", surface "bangers", and manual ground throws.
I use plywood or particle board subbase. (never could find Homosote where I live). I usually top w/ Atlas cork roadbed.
Weather "Atlas Flat-Top", "Cookie Cutter" or L-Girder w/ risers, I use procedures outlined in Atlas books.
Toughtest job is getting nails into the plywood - even if I use glue. Use thin nails, pre-drill if necessary.
Work Slowly and carefully. If roadbed or track gets out of alignment, back up and re-do it. Proceed carefuly. Peel your eyeball and sharpen your sight. DON'T TOLERATE KINKS!

[Anonymous]

My biggest challenge to tracklaying is trying to figure out where I want to place various industries in a town on the layout. The location of the industries will determine where I will have to lay track to serve those industries. So my biggest challenge is trying to figure out how to lay out the town so I can operate with it when I get the layout more completed.

Dale B.

[Anonymous]

My biggest challenge to tracklaying is trying to figure out where I want to place various industries in a town on the layout. The location of the industries will determine where I will have to lay track to serve those industries. So my biggest challenge is trying to figure out how to lay out the town so I can operate with it when I get the layout more completed.

Dale B.

[Anonymous]

Iain Rice of " Roque Bluffs " has published a book titled " PCB Track Construction " ( Hawshill Press ) which is available from Dave Cleal Mainly Trains ( www.mainlytrains.com ) in the UK who has Credit card facilities and provides a good service. ( My only connection is as a happy customer ! ) where Iain explains how he builds soldered PCB based track of various prototypes and gauges, including multi-gauge track. Anyone contemplating soldered track should read this book.

The other avenue for prototype track is the USRA / AREA ( American Railroad Engineering Association ) which should be able to direct you to original scources for US prototype track standards. These standards varied between companies and over the years, Additionally some US roads favoured particular layouts and track formations which like signalling can indicate the railway you are viewing without a train or rolling stock being present.

Regards, sunstream2

[Anonymous]

Iain Rice of " Roque Bluffs " has published a book titled " PCB Track Construction " ( Hawshill Press ) which is available from Dave Cleal Mainly Trains ( www.mainlytrains.com ) in the UK who has Credit card facilities and provides a good service. ( My only connection is as a happy customer ! ) where Iain explains how he builds soldered PCB based track of various prototypes and gauges, including multi-gauge track. Anyone contemplating soldered track should read this book.

The other avenue for prototype track is the USRA / AREA ( American Railroad Engineering Association ) which should be able to direct you to original scources for US prototype track standards. These standards varied between companies and over the years, Additionally some US roads favoured particular layouts and track formations which like signalling can indicate the railway you are viewing without a train or rolling stock being present.

Regards, sunstream2

[timthechef]

Deciding how to position things on the layout. I'm modeling the 1920's and I'm not old enough to have seen this time so finding out how things worked and where positioned (power houses and coal feeds for small industry) not to mention what equiptment was being used at the time is a real challenge for me. I have to say that it has been a rewarding experience. I have learned alot and still have more to learn.

[timthechef]

Deciding how to position things on the layout. I'm modeling the 1920's and I'm not old enough to have seen this time so finding out how things worked and where positioned (power houses and coal feeds for small industry) not to mention what equiptment was being used at the time is a real challenge for me. I have to say that it has been a rewarding experience. I have learned alot and still have more to learn.

[johncolley]

Hey, Happy New Year to all you gandy dancers out there...Be Not Afraid! Take it one step at a time and be thorough! My first attempt is a curved trestle, one side of the Keddie Wye done in wood instead of steel. Sure it takes time to do things right, but the result is a thing of beauty! I used code 83 on a 24" radius with easements! Spiking most of the rail every 4th tie except at the ends every tie for three then skip one then skip 2 then skip 3 and you are on your way. I did use code 70 for the guardrails and glued them down.. Good luck and don't be afraid to try it! johncolley tholcapn

[johncolley]

Hey, Happy New Year to all you gandy dancers out there...Be Not Afraid! Take it one step at a time and be thorough! My first attempt is a curved trestle, one side of the Keddie Wye done in wood instead of steel. Sure it takes time to do things right, but the result is a thing of beauty! I used code 83 on a 24" radius with easements! Spiking most of the rail every 4th tie except at the ends every tie for three then skip one then skip 2 then skip 3 and you are on your way. I did use code 70 for the guardrails and glued them down.. Good luck and don't be afraid to try it! johncolley tholcapn

[Anonymous]

Well, after reading the posts and replies... I feel better.

Trackplans and planning software should be banned... Sure, they look great and help you understand that you have 10 times the space that you initially thought. Until you begin actually building the layout and realize you have JUST as much space as you originally thought, and that the design would have been more practical if you just laid a flat sheet of brass on the wood frame and added power.... HA!

I would love to actually "finish" a layout. I have changed from LGB to HO to N Scale (get the feeling that space is getting tighter?) I have struggled with the framework... VERY IMPORTANT... Get the benchwork built level and true. Make it heavy... Make it out of Bridge Steel if possible. I have ripped out whole layouts due to warping and mistakes in the initial skeleton.

Turnouts... Switching to DCC has wreaked havoc on simple factory turnouts.

Electrical... To solder or not to solder... that is the question. Rail joiners are great until you get to N Scale Flex Track. But the solder can crack or release.

Tunneling and hidden track.... DON'T DO IT... If you can't reach it, don't run it. And I don't mean 2" clearance for your tallest cars... I mean, if you can't get your head in a position to focus both eyes on the rails to make a repair that may take up to 15 minutes, then skip the design and work on a nice flat midwest plains layout. We have binocular vision folks... mess with it and you wind up with a dizzy, nauseated session of soldering or cleaning without depth perception.

Magnetic Automatic Couplers.... should be called Random Intermittent Uncouplers.

But how do you overcome these issues? Start with the best laid benchwork. (Hire a contractor, cabinet expert, and a few lumber consultants, and a psychiatrist. ) Take your time, use the best wood possilbe. LOOK IT OVER before loading it at the yard. If two screws will fit, use three. DON'T NAIL (it's old technology, nails don't help overcome your inability to measure. Screws PULL and lock parts together.)

Lay the mainline ENTIRELY... Sure, slips and turnouts can be in place for where you want them to be, but DON'T add the side yards, and industry until your mainline is in, and bulletproof. (worst case, you can run trains on the main while waiting for glue to dry, or your nerves to calm again.) I don't even want to think about the smaller industry models until I can physically verify the amount of room left on the board.

Turnouts, look ahead, buy the ones that do the least. If you can modify them later, perfect. If they seem to handle all of the switching operation seamlessly, worry.

Basically, we are all nuts. We throw perfectly good money into these little toy trains that we stuff into every available corner we can wrench away from our family. Typically we can be found locked in a small room worrying about the most minute details of our little models, while others are busy watching the ball game.

(I am rethinking that Psychiatrist thing....)

[Anonymous]

Well, after reading the posts and replies... I feel better.

Trackplans and planning software should be banned... Sure, they look great and help you understand that you have 10 times the space that you initially thought. Until you begin actually building the layout and realize you have JUST as much space as you originally thought, and that the design would have been more practical if you just laid a flat sheet of brass on the wood frame and added power.... HA!

I would love to actually "finish" a layout. I have changed from LGB to HO to N Scale (get the feeling that space is getting tighter?) I have struggled with the framework... VERY IMPORTANT... Get the benchwork built level and true. Make it heavy... Make it out of Bridge Steel if possible. I have ripped out whole layouts due to warping and mistakes in the initial skeleton.

Turnouts... Switching to DCC has wreaked havoc on simple factory turnouts.

Electrical... To solder or not to solder... that is the question. Rail joiners are great until you get to N Scale Flex Track. But the solder can crack or release.

Tunneling and hidden track.... DON'T DO IT... If you can't reach it, don't run it. And I don't mean 2" clearance for your tallest cars... I mean, if you can't get your head in a position to focus both eyes on the rails to make a repair that may take up to 15 minutes, then skip the design and work on a nice flat midwest plains layout. We have binocular vision folks... mess with it and you wind up with a dizzy, nauseated session of soldering or cleaning without depth perception.

Magnetic Automatic Couplers.... should be called Random Intermittent Uncouplers.

But how do you overcome these issues? Start with the best laid benchwork. (Hire a contractor, cabinet expert, and a few lumber consultants, and a psychiatrist. ) Take your time, use the best wood possilbe. LOOK IT OVER before loading it at the yard. If two screws will fit, use three. DON'T NAIL (it's old technology, nails don't help overcome your inability to measure. Screws PULL and lock parts together.)

Lay the mainline ENTIRELY... Sure, slips and turnouts can be in place for where you want them to be, but DON'T add the side yards, and industry until your mainline is in, and bulletproof. (worst case, you can run trains on the main while waiting for glue to dry, or your nerves to calm again.) I don't even want to think about the smaller industry models until I can physically verify the amount of room left on the board.

Turnouts, look ahead, buy the ones that do the least. If you can modify them later, perfect. If they seem to handle all of the switching operation seamlessly, worry.

Basically, we are all nuts. We throw perfectly good money into these little toy trains that we stuff into every available corner we can wrench away from our family. Typically we can be found locked in a small room worrying about the most minute details of our little models, while others are busy watching the ball game.

(I am rethinking that Psychiatrist thing....)

[Anonymous]

hand laying turnouts is not difficult anymore. some years ago a guy named tony koester had an article in MR about creating your own turnouts. that article was complete in every detail. i started cookbooking turnouts from the article and they all work better than anything i have ever been able to purchase. the most important thing in handlaying any track/turnout is to go slow, do it right the first time. DO NOT GET IN A HURRY. if you do, you'll end up doing it over, or buying something less than you can create yourself with just a little patience. this hobby is supposed to be fun, not a mad haphazard da***o mediocrity that results in disappointment.

tom

[Anonymous]

hand laying turnouts is not difficult anymore. some years ago a guy named tony koester had an article in MR about creating your own turnouts. that article was complete in every detail. i started cookbooking turnouts from the article and they all work better than anything i have ever been able to purchase. the most important thing in handlaying any track/turnout is to go slow, do it right the first time. DO NOT GET IN A HURRY. if you do, you'll end up doing it over, or buying something less than you can create yourself with just a little patience. this hobby is supposed to be fun, not a mad haphazard da***o mediocrity that results in disappointment.

tom

[Anonymous]

The hardest for me has been designing a track plan and the CAD programs just frustrate me. Going through some old MRs I found a published plan I really liked that would fit in my space and it works well. I used Atlas flex and turnouts, mostly code 100 because I had quite a bit on hand. Some sidings, etc are code 83. If I'm not satisfied with an area of a yard, for example, I pull it up and redo it. For the yard and industrial areas I've been using the adhesive caulk method described recently in MR.
It works very well, and it allows you to redo an area without destroying your track. Since no turnout is more that two inches from benchwork edge I'm using Caboose Industries ground throws. No switch machine maintenence that way.

Ed

[Anonymous]

The hardest for me has been designing a track plan and the CAD programs just frustrate me. Going through some old MRs I found a published plan I really liked that would fit in my space and it works well. I used Atlas flex and turnouts, mostly code 100 because I had quite a bit on hand. Some sidings, etc are code 83. If I'm not satisfied with an area of a yard, for example, I pull it up and redo it. For the yard and industrial areas I've been using the adhesive caulk method described recently in MR.
It works very well, and it allows you to redo an area without destroying your track. Since no turnout is more that two inches from benchwork edge I'm using Caboose Industries ground throws. No switch machine maintenence that way.

Ed

[Anonymous]

the biggest problem most people have with track is being in a hurry to get it down. this leads to lots of problems and heartache. there are multiple sources of information for laying track, almost every article on layout construction in MR has some info on track laying. no matter what track you lay, what system you use for fastening track or what you use for roadbed, the best advice I can give is to not be in a hurry. take your time, be careful, do it right the first time. do not proceed with the next section of track until you are absolutely pleased with the section you are working on. take about 2 to 3 times longer than you think you need and get it right. no squeezing, kinking or hurrrying to force things to fit. it just won't work. i always run my lightest cars (hand pushed) back and forth over each section of track i lay until things are smoooooth. you hurry, you get what you deserve.

steam is king

[Anonymous]

the biggest problem most people have with track is being in a hurry to get it down. this leads to lots of problems and heartache. there are multiple sources of information for laying track, almost every article on layout construction in MR has some info on track laying. no matter what track you lay, what system you use for fastening track or what you use for roadbed, the best advice I can give is to not be in a hurry. take your time, be careful, do it right the first time. do not proceed with the next section of track until you are absolutely pleased with the section you are working on. take about 2 to 3 times longer than you think you need and get it right. no squeezing, kinking or hurrrying to force things to fit. it just won't work. i always run my lightest cars (hand pushed) back and forth over each section of track i lay until things are smoooooth. you hurry, you get what you deserve.

steam is king

[Paul W. Beverung]

In H.O. I'd say keeping it to a sane amont. I've always planned too much. In my Large Scale 7 1/2 inch gauge 1 5/8 in scale and 4in scale it's the same,only worse. I've had to move hundreds of yards of dirt to get my first 1/4 mile of track in. Model railroading in any scale is FUN.

[Paul W. Beverung]

In H.O. I'd say keeping it to a sane amont. I've always planned too much. In my Large Scale 7 1/2 inch gauge 1 5/8 in scale and 4in scale it's the same,only worse. I've had to move hundreds of yards of dirt to get my first 1/4 mile of track in. Model railroading in any scale is FUN.

[CP5415]

My biggest challenge is not being interrupted when I actually get to work on tracklaying.
I love my wife & daughter they are number one on my list, but sometimes....

Gordon