What would be the best way to lay curved HO track? Purchsae the required radius pieces, or solder three sections of flex track together.
Doug
Buying sectional track with a fixed radius may work, if that particular radius meets your needs.Flex track allows you to make the curves in whatever radii you need, and, of course, it also allows you to create transitions between straight and curved track and also between curves of varying radii.
I've always used flex track or Central Valley's tie strips, with 3' lengths of nickel-silver rail. For the tie strips, I usually cement them together in 15' (or longer) sections, then affix the ties in place using gelled contact cement.I then solder the rails together, into lengths suitable for the tie strips that are in place, then secure the rail, again using contact cement.The first (and last) time I used sectional track was with a O-27 set from Marx, when I was a small kid.
Wayne
I strung three 3-foot flex track lengths together. It's tricky, though, because when you curve three 3-foot lengths of soldered track the loose (inside of the curve) rail becomes longer and so the left and right sides of the joint become grossly misaligned. When I soldered three lengths at one time, while straight, then it was impossible to curve the whole 9 feet without removing half the ties to accommodate this offset in the sliding joint (because with the rail joiner the joint cannot slide past the ties).
So to get around this: I soldered two lengths on the bench, while straight, and then laid them in place, tacking them down so the track roughly followed the intended curve. Then I cut the ends of the second length in its curved state before untacking it and letting it straighten. Now straight, the end rails of the second length are misaligned, but they will realign when I lay them in the curve again. Before relaying it, though, I soldered the THIRD length to the second (i.e., while straight). Then I could recurve the second and tack both the second and third in place. None of my joints are kinked.
The difficulty is having the long 3-footers waving around and trying to solder them while in place on the layout. But it can be done. I was a spanking tyro at soldering, and I did it. Key is to find a way to straighten the pieces while you're soldering them, but remember to anticipate and account for the sliding of the inside rail.
Hope this helps, and good luck.
-Matt
EDIT: There may be smarter ways to do this, and I'm sure you'll hear of them. I'm a person who cannot think very far down the track, as it were, so I manage each disaster as it befalls me (thereby setting the stage for the next one). There's always a way.
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
Sectional track is easiest, probably, but also the most limiting.
Flextrack is much more "flexible" (sorry), but it takes a bit more work to get a smooth curve. What radius are you building? A larger radius curve is easier to build out of flextrack than a tighter one.
Which brand of flextrack will also impact how easy it is to build a smooth curve.
Assuming HO, Atlas track is probably the easiest to use, since one rail slides easily through the ties. It's pretty easy to build a curve thanks to that feature, as you don't have to be quite as precise with inner rail length cuts as you do with other brands where a rail doesn't slide easily.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
PruittWhich brand of flextrack will also impact how easy it is to build a smooth curve. Assuming HO, Atlas track is probably the easiest to use, since one rail slides easily through the ties.
Right now it can be hard to find, but Ribbonrail - the people who make the curved and straight track laying gauges - make pre-cut curved and straight roadbed made of Upson board. You would lay that down instead of cork roadbed, and then you just need to keep the flextrack in the center as you lay it down.
If you do use it, you need to either paint the upson board pieces completely, or spray them with something like Testor's Dullcote. Otherwise, they can 'flex' a bit with weather / humidity changes.
Rather than soldering a bunch of flex track together, I found it easier to put down one piece at a time, then trim the rails as required, before adding the next piece. It never occurred to me to keep the sliding rail on any particular side.
I have used Central Valley tie strips on some of the track on the partial upper level of my layout, and except for turnouts (all drop-ins from various manufacturers), there's about 40' of mostly double track (in other words 80'). I found that it was fairly easy to solder 4 or 5 pieces of rail together, then install it on the tie strips using contact cement. Lengths longer than that were difficult to handle.
All of my layout's track is soldered together, with insulated gaps where necessary, for isolating certain areas on my DC-only layout. Two wires provide power to all of the track. One of these days, I should make up a train of a suitable length (10' or 20'?), and measure exactly how much track is there. I know that it's several hundred feet, but the actual measurement would take some time to complete. Since I run only one train at a time (usually with multiple locomotives), there's no particular strain on the power supply. It's easily handled a dozen locos at a time, in a game I sometimes play with my grandkids.
All I can say is that the trains run just fine.
doctorwayneRather than soldering a bunch of flex track together, I found it easier to put down one piece at a time, then trim the rails as required, before adding the next piece.
crossthedogI imagine this would work fine with very large radius curves. My space is tight and my minimum curves are 24"
Mike
crossthedogThere may be smarter ways to do this, and I'm sure you'll hear of them.
Water Level RouteStill easily done with 24" (even 22", probably tighter). Lay most of the piece, leaving the last few inches to lay straight. Solder your next piece to the little bit left straight (as a straight connection, but trimming rail as necessary for the curve) and continue laying your curve. I've done it plenty of times building down to 22" radius turns using this technique. Never tried tighter but I don't see why it wouldn't work.
Q.E.D.
I should have mentioned it, but Mike's reply has it covered: the last few inches of the track that's in place should be trimmed as needed, then the next piece soldered-on, and the tracklaying can continue.
Once it's all in place, you can go back with some modified ties to take care of the gaps between sections.
You can't do transitional curves-which are a necessity for smooth curves-with sectional track.
doug57 What would be the best way to lay curved track? Purchsae the required radius pieces, or solder three sections of flex track together. Doug
What would be the best way to lay curved track? Purchsae the required radius pieces, or solder three sections of flex track together.
Doug, 'easy' has different connotations in the hobby. Like the old saw saying you can have it cheaply, quickly, and good quality, but only two of those qualities at the same time.
If you don't mind the expense of the sectional track, and the look/code, I would call that easy. Means more joints, more joiners if you have to supply them, and you're limited to the radii closest to what you need.
Flex gets you closer to what you need, but allows so much more range over and above what your plan intends for the curve we're discussing.
Both require some kind of a centerline, at least in concept, but many of us actually draw one. If it's of a common sectional radius, yup, that's really easy.
If your radius is 26.3", flex is going to do the trick.
You can lay flex curves several ways. I find I like to lay one length at a time, and then fiddle with the sliding rail and tie removal where the sliding rail finally abuts up to the same rail in the piece already in place. It takes maybe five minutes of filing, trimming, sliding back and forth, getting the joint just right, driving in a few push pins or small black track nails to keep it all aligned until I solder the joints and ballast the tracks.
IF you enjoy the looks of eased curve ends, and superelevation, you'll have a much easier time of it with the flex. Sectional tracks don't superelevate quite as well, but it can be done. You can't ease sectional curves unless you add a wider radius piece at each end of the curve.
doug57What would be the best way to lay curved track? Purchsae the required radius pieces, or solder three sections of flex track together. Doug
Doug, reading all the replies, it might sound like laying flex track is very difficult.
I had never laid track before my present layout. I used only flex track. There were a few trial and error mistakes, but it was actually pretty easy.
I soldered the track joiners on curves after having a joint kink a little without soldering.
I would recommend using flex track.
York1 John
York1Doug, reading all the replies, it might sound like laying flex track is very difficult.
And it's not difficult. I have never had to "remove half the ties" Because it doesn' have that funny H piece at the end of sectional track, it looks better too.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I can vouch that ME is different from Atlas, but if you know the "tricks" it is very easy to get a smooth curve.
Requires a paint stir stick. You start to curve it by hand, then drag the paint stir stick back and forth on the tie ends on the inside of the curve with slight outward pressure.
Get to the approximate radii needed, then lay into place and make final adjustments as you tack it down. As it tends to hold a shape better than Atlas, I can get smoother curves with ME than I can with Atlas. Soldering is easier, as the rails are not as springy, so once curved properly, they will sit nicely to solder together.
Never tried Peco, nor the new Walthers.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Is OP trying to form an easement into a 24 inch radius curve? Its already too sharp to look like a prototypical curve, so why fuss with an easement?
Just use sectional track for curves 24 inch radius and less.
You can do it, but flex track really wasn't designed to replace curves that could be made with sectional track....especially 24 inch radius curves. It was designed to provide that realistic sweeping non-straight long curve that is impossible to build by combining sectional straights and curved tracks.
Compare the tie spacing appearance of curved sectional track and sharply curved flex track and you'll see that flex track really wasn't designed to do what OP proposes.
- Douglas
I've "stretched out" sectional curve track, by cutting the plastic, under the rails, between the ties, on one side, to help with easments and alignments.
Mike.
My You Tube
My curves are fixed radius (fairly generous, minimum radius is 38") with transition/easement curves on the ends where they meeting tangent. I use a trammel with a pencil to mark the fixed radius curves on the plywood or homasote subroadbed before I cut it from the sheet. Then I use templates I made out of sheet styrene that show the 2" spacing I use -- one template is 42" and 40" radius, the other is 40" and 38" readius - to verify the center lines that the pencil in the trammel made. I have a similar template for tangents
The reason for this is that by laying the cork roadbed following the penciled center lines, I avoid - or try to -- the little bit of cheating that is so easy to do when laying track, even using RibbonRail curved jigs between the rails. It is easy and tempting to squeeze a curve here or there even with sectional track. Assuming I do it all correctly the curves are smooth and even.
Dave Nelson
Hello All,
azrailYou can't do transitional curves-which are a necessity for smooth curves-with sectional track.
I respectfully disagree.
On my pike I use sectional track with 15-, 18- and 22-inch radii.
Some curves are asymmetrical- -half of the curve is composed of 15-inch and the other half is 18-inch radii with a 2-inch section of straight track easement between them.
Other curves are half 18-inch and half 22-inch radii with 3-inch easements between the curves.
A curved turnout also has a 2-inch easement entering it, with a 4-inch easement to a #6 turnout on the "outside" radius.
I have also made DIY flex track.
Several articles in MR magazine have been written about modifying turnouts to fit a particular situation.
Yes, sectional track can have transitional curves, even within the same piece of track by utilizing the methods outlined in my DIY flex track post.
All it takes is a few simple tools: track rail nippers (flush cut), a razor saw, and sharp blades in a utility knife or #11 hobby knife.
As far as which is "better"...
Well, I'll leave that decision up to the individual.
Hope this helps.
"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"