OK, so I have the track for my layout laid out on my blue foam. Stupid question: what is next? Do I solder the track and layout the leads and turnout wires or do I mark the track on the foam and then glue the cork roadbed down and then glue the track down before I solder the track and layout the leads and turnout wires? John
I'd trace you track on the foam, then lay the cork down. (most of us by the N-scale stuff and cut it in half [its already split diagonally] ). I lay my starter tracks (especially if a Z bend module or turnout location). Where you want a track power feeder, you can either lay the track and then try and solder on the sides of the track (shows tho) or mark the track and roadbed where the wire goes. Take the track off, turn it over and cut out a tie gap. Clean the rail well (most have an oily film) and then solder your wires on (red outside, black inside). I bend the shortest "L" I can on the end of the wire, tin it, then place on the bottom of the rail and heat + add more solder. Put in position after drilling out feeder holes (drill 1/8" so there is some slop)
I buy cork at Staples by the roll. I think it is about $12. ...cut it to width on a paper cutter. Real ballasting covers the square edges and it looks real when finished. The ONLY roll I purchased will probably handle my lifetime needs. Feeder wires. I do almost 99% of feeder wiring soldering before laying the track down. Set the track in place and mark the feeder wire location. Take a brass "pipe" about 3/16" in diameter and twist it down through the cork and foam. This "drills" the hole. Take a second "pipe" the same size diameter as the INSIDE of the first and push it through the first to push out the foam. [save the foam - it makes for some neat pipe loads] With the first "pipe" still in place, feed the feeder wires down through the pipe, and pull the pipe out the bottom of the table. Voila - feeder wires are in place EASILY. I usually lay 3 MTL flex pieces at a time with the connectors soldered so I only need 1 feeder pair for that section of track. ALL track sections have 1 feeder wire pair whether a section is only a few inches long or a couple of feet. You can buy the brass pipe at any large train or plane or boat model shop. ...don
Thanks to everyone who replied to my question! I greatly appreciate it. I'll send photos once track and roadbed is laid and leads soldered. Thank, John
Just added one last siding for my downtown Rochester, NY factory section. Track is all laid out and being gentle and temporarily pinned down so that I can draw the track outline on the foam in order to cut and lay the cork. More photos to follow in the next few weeks. John
Nice variations, lots of sidings. Will make for soem interesting scenes. One suggestion though: loose the two curved turnouts in left left of the photo, they'll be your worst nightmare, especially if you run smaller wheels and lighter Micro-Trains cars. Instead, move the turnouts slightly to the right in the photo and try and run to standard turnouts using a curve on the inside and the straight feeding the curve of a reverse oriented turnout, like this:
I agree with Jeff on the curved turnouts. The doubleslip switches can be problematic as well. i think I see one of those in there too. Randy
I agree with Jeff about the curved turnouts. Also, I'd make sure that as you glue and lay the track down to be sure each track section is joinned secure and not overridding any rail joinners. Then before you ballast the track run all your loco's with all your rollingstock forward and backwards to see if there is any imperfections in the trackwork. On my first layout I had to throw away so much because I did not check before...such a waste Now I am happy to say that my trackwork is very good. Lessons learned like that add up quick. The best advice I was given and I still think is true, nothing matters in Model RR if your trains do not run well. After all, after that everything else really is secondary. I hope this helps.
Joe, Randy and Jeff, Thanks for all the advice. I see if I can replace the two curved turnouts on the left. Yes Randy that is a doubleslip switch. Any suggestions? John
Hi John, You may want to put in a Marklin 8559 which is the fixed crossover (not double slip switch) and don't get the modern one; try to find the original Marklin one from the 70's in the faux wood box. It is the most reliable. Otherwise you can take 2 turnouts back to back and create a similar effect to a double slip switch. In the worst case, you will have to grind down different parts of the 8560: http://www.zscale.org/articles/turnout.html Michael
Michael beat me to it. I was going to recommend both the same things he did for the double-slip switch. randy
Michael, Thanks! Do you have any photo examples or explainations on how to use 2 turnouts back to back and create a similar effect to a double slip switch? John
