Tram/Trolley Tracks, how do you make them?

Bernard Nov 9, 2009

  1. oldrk

    oldrk TrainBoard Supporter

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    Spackle between the rails and on the sides. Before it dried I took an old set of trucks and ran it around to get the flangeways started. also used a flat scraper to get it railheight. Then after it dried used a knife to get the flangeways a bit wider. Then a brightboy and sandpaper to get the final level. Vacuum up residue. Them used a watered down black paint for the color and finally clean the rails again with brightboy.



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  2. Grey One

    Grey One TrainBoard Supporter

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    Bernard, I really admire your ability to keep the plan ultra simple. I keep telling myself "just two ovals". Nope, argggg! Maybe this time.

    Looks great!

    I think I'll avoid the street level track and keep all of mine elevated.
     
  3. Bernard

    Bernard TrainBoard Member

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    Oldrk - Like the results you got from your photo and that is exactly what I did, I used an older train wheel set to etch the grooves and used Skipgear's idea of an Xacto blade jig to cut a little more out followed by a dental pick.

    Steve- This was my first attempt at Spackle for a Tram track so I wanted to keep it simple, very simple. That is why I don't have a cross-over or turnout. This is just an extension 2'x4' onto my Bullet train layout to add a city scene.

    I pre-ordered the Tomytech Portrams and because they were a pre-order from Japan, I got them at a great price. But for me there is a downside on the Tomytech version on the Portram, they run too fast on a normal 12v transformer. To solve this problem I took a fixed 12v transformer and added 2 old Aurora Model Motoring controllers (each one controls a tram) and now I can regulate the speed. It still a work in progress (need more buildings.... and money for them)
     

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  4. Grey One

    Grey One TrainBoard Supporter

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    Will you be running an extension of the bullet portion to an elevated station in the city?

    My own intention is to have a couple of concentric ovals to run freight and local passenger with a straight double track down the center for my bullets that would slow down, stop, and revers on their own. But wait, I could throw in a curve and a bridge and a ... :)

    Your sky scraper looks great!
     
  5. Charlie Vlk

    Charlie Vlk February 5, 2023 In Memoriam

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    I don't have the module anymore so I can't take a picture of it, but in the past I've used Durham's Wood Putty for paved streets with trackage in them.

    Durhams seems to be more durable than plaster; I never had any cracks develop in the streets that I used it on.

    I created a form to define the edge of the pavement using balsa wood strips pinned into place using Atlas track nails. Mix up a batch of Durhams to a stiff pancake batter consistency and pour it over the area of the street, including the track. If you make the form edges lower than the height of the rail you can make the street drain to the curb/sidewalks if desired.
    When the material is a little set up screed the area between the rails level using a straightedge... IIRC, I misused a steel scale rule as a tool. Then screed off the area from the rail to the edge of the street.
    Once the material is set a little more you can go in with an old freight car truck (a M-T with "pizza cutter" wheels is ideal... I used to use a Rapido truck but the M-T flanges are actually deeper!!!). Run it back and forth until the flangeway is grooved... you can skew the wheels slightly to give a little wider flangeway..... I never found this step to be particularly critical.

    Once the wood putty is completely set in a couple of days you can pull up the balsa wood forms and they will leave a nice straight edge you can build sidewalks against. If you like you can cast the sidewalks by rubber cementing a thin form on top of the street surface even with the edge with a form opposite the same height as the street thickness plus the form to pour the sidewalks into similar to the way the street was made. The curb edge, expansion joints, cracks, etc.. can be carved into the sidewalks after they are set (as can the street if you want it to be concrete).

    With the street completely set you should be able to clean up any irregularities in the flangeways with a knife, file, etc.. In use, the rail tops can be burnished with a Brite-Boy for cleaning.
    I even used fine window screen and pressed it into the still-wet surface to simulate cobblestone or brick pavers. Pre-coloring the wood putty with Rit dye or masonry coloring might be a good idea as any rubbing due to track cleaning won't wear off paint, but I never did that and it wasn't a big deal. I even colored the flangeways with silver paint to simulate girder rail which was common for street trackage; even some steam roads used it.

    Turnouts are a problem; you can pave outside of the moveable areas of the turnout taking care not to get any wood putty under the throwbar, etc.. Using modeling clay to prevent this works....oil up the moving parts area to prevent any material from sticking to them as a further measure. Styrene sheet can be cut to fit inside the moveable points and fill up to the closed position of the points for better appearance. Peco Settrack turnouts are pretty sharp radius if you're not into scratchbuilding single point streetcar switches. Their built-in point springs are an advantage not having to devise a way to throw them and hold the points.

    Charlie Vlk
     

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