The best source for a beginner is Mallory's "Trackwork Handbook" available at
Amazon.

--- In handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com, "sailcma" <railgrandson@...> wrote:
> I seem to have more questions than answers.  So, can someone direct me to a
good tutorial or article on this?

I did a tutorial at O Scale West the last couple years.  You can find it on my
website:


www.americantieandtimber.com


go to the "How-To Presentations" tab on the LHS

the third presentation is "How To Handlay Turnouts"

hope that this helps.

regards,

Wayne Perrier




--- In handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com, "sailcma" <railgrandson@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> I am new to this and would like to try hand laying a switch.  I have seen the
FastTracks site and it is interesting, but they don't make jigs for O gauge.  I
have three rail O gauge trains and want to try hand laying switches using nickel
silver track.  I am pretty handy and think I could do it without a jig either by
spiking or using PC ties.  The problem is I don't have a good idea how to get
started.
>
> I seem to have more questions than answers.  So, can someone direct me to a
good tutorial or article on this?  Any suggestions on finding the right size
spikes, spiking pliers, and what type of wood to use for ties would also help.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Phil
>

On 02/19/2012 06:32 PM, sailcma wrote:
> I seem to have more questions than answers.  So, can someone direct me to a
good tutorial or article on this?  Any suggestions on finding the right size
spikes, spiking pliers, and what type of wood to use for ties would also help.
>

The gold standard for hand laying turnouts has long been the article by
Jack Work in the April 1963 issue of Model Railroader.  Your local
library or the NMRA library should be able to find a copy.  IIRC, it's
for HO, but the techniques are independent of scale.

--
It's turtles, all the way down!

Theres a good tutorial on the railwayeng.com site under handlaying track for
turnout construction,This is for an HOn3 switch but it is the same procedure for
all scales,with larger rail you may want to use diferent method for machining
rail as it will take some time with a file,I've never used anything larger than
code 100 and used file(sharp).You can get printable templates from fast tracks
website.
  Alan



--- In handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com, "sailcma" <railgrandson@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> I am new to this and would like to try hand laying a switch.  I have seen the
FastTracks site and it is interesting, but they don't make jigs for O gauge.  I
have three rail O gauge trains and want to try hand laying switches using nickel
silver track.  I am pretty handy and think I could do it without a jig either by
spiking or using PC ties.  The problem is I don't have a good idea how to get
started.
>
> I seem to have more questions than answers.  So, can someone direct me to a
good tutorial or article on this?  Any suggestions on finding the right size
spikes, spiking pliers, and what type of wood to use for ties would also help.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Phil
>

This Mallery?

Trackwork handbook for model railroads,: By Paul Mallery
http://www.amazon.com/Trackwork-handbook-model-railroads-Mallery/dp/B0007DXWP0

Thanks,
Charles

--- In handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com, "hacketet" <hacketet@...> wrote:
>
> The best source for a beginner is Mallory's "Trackwork Handbook" available at
Amazon.
>
> --- In handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com, "sailcma" <railgrandson@> wrote:
> > I seem to have more questions than answers.  So, can someone direct me to a
good tutorial or article on this?
>

Yep, That's the one, but look at the price.  That's the edition I have.
There's no way it can be 'new.'  There have been later editions at higher
prices, but the content is the same.

Earl Hackett
Modeling the C&O in 1952



   _____

From: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com [mailto:handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of CharlesS
Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 10:30 PM
To: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [handlaidtrack] Re: Can someone direct me to switch laying
tutorial?




This Mallery?

Trackwork handbook for model railroads,: By Paul Mallery
http://www.amazon.com/Trackwork-handbook-model-railroads-Mallery/dp/B0007DXW
P0

Thanks,
Charles

--- In handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com
<mailto:handlaidtrack%40yahoogroups.com> , "hacketet" <hacketet@...> wrote:
>
> The best source for a beginner is Mallory's "Trackwork Handbook" available
at Amazon.
>
> --- In handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com
<mailto:handlaidtrack%40yahoogroups.com> , "sailcma" <railgrandson@> wrote:
> > I seem to have more questions than answers. So, can someone direct me to
a good tutorial or article on this?
>







[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Mallory's Handbook (and his traction one ) are very good, but cut off
around the seventies, before the later developments of Fast Tracks
fixtures and the Proto:87 Stores Prototypically realistic hand-laid
track and street track.

Andy

On 2/19/2012 6:32 PM, sailcma wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I am new to this and would like to try hand laying a switch.  I have seen the
FastTracks site and it is interesting, but they don't make jigs for O gauge.  I
have three rail O gauge trains and want to try hand laying switches using nickel
silver track.  I am pretty handy and think I could do it without a jig either by
spiking or using PC ties.  The problem is I don't have a good idea how to get
started.
>
> I seem to have more questions than answers.  So, can someone direct me to a
good tutorial or article on this?  Any suggestions on finding the right size
spikes, spiking pliers, and what type of wood to use for ties would also help.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Phil
>
>

Search Google for "Track Laying Turnouts"

http://www.railwayeng.com/handlay6/hndly-h3.htm

http://www.pmrr.org/Articles/SScaleTrack/Handlaying10.htm

& more.

--Paul E Musselman
PaulMmn@...





At 2:32 AM +0000 2/20/12, sailcma wrote:
>Hi All,
>
>I am new to this and would like to try hand laying a switch.  I have
>seen the FastTracks site and it is interesting, but they don't make
>jigs for O gauge.  I have three rail O gauge trains and want to try
>hand laying switches using nickel silver track.  I am pretty handy
>and think I could do it without a jig either by spiking or using PC
>ties.  The problem is I don't have a good idea how to get started.
>
>I seem to have more questions than answers.  So, can someone direct
>me to a good tutorial or article on this?  Any suggestions on
>finding the right size spikes, spiking pliers, and what type of wood
>to use for ties would also help.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Phil

Preface:  I bought some CVT branchline tie strip and turnout kits four or five
years ago for a test installation.  Tie strip went down well, I did OK with
gluing the rail down, I built a few turnouts using the point rails and the
gizmos provided to connect everything, never liked either the frog method or the
point attachment method, in fact I never could get the points to move freely
enough.  Then I let the 20' or so of track sit while I had a hole cut in the
wall to expand the train room.  Some of the rail is down so tight I can't move
it, at the one place where it's out of gauge, and another piece of it I hit
straight on with a hacksaw and sent it flying. So, gluing flunked my test.

Current status:  So now I'm laying a yard on two more or less modular 8'
sections.  I'm using a mix of ME flextrack and CVT tiestrips, and spiking the
rail.  All my old skills at spiking into wooden ties have come back, except I
still have a hard time remembering to drill the ties.

The tie strip gauges beautifully, as it's supposed to do, except that I've had
some trouble right 'downstream' of turnouts where the normal-length ties really
do not interlace very well.  I've had to do a lot of cutting or beveling of tie
edges, which is a pain and still doesn't work too well, which means sometimes
the ties are out of alignment sideways.  That beautiful gauging now works
against me, since I can't use brute force to move the rail to where it's
supposed to be.  Prying up the ties is a solution, so the matte varnish I use to
hold it down turns out to be a good idea since it doesn't hold very well --
unless I've used too much of it.  I'd welcome ideas on this.

Also, sometimes the rail is 'wobbly' in that it's not that precisely held onto
the tie strip laterally, and it's hard to force the spikes down enough to
eliminate this.  I'm using code 70, and I know this tie strip is intended for 70
and 83, so not unexpected.  I thought of shooting ACC in there while holding the
rail in place, but I don't think that's a great idea for several reasons. Again,
it's not the gauging but the smoother alignment I'm after.

My saving grace on this is I'm modeling a lightly-traveled secondary line where
the track wasn't all that good, so a few poorly aligned curves should be OK.

Next dismaying item: The straight track in the yard is ME flextrack, and the
ends are hand-laid on tie strip.  The first time my wife saw the trackwork, the
first thing she said is 'why's the one part brown and the other part black?'  I
hate painting ties, so maybe I'll dump lots of dirt and ballast on it.

Another dismaying item:  I put this flextrack down first, and the branchline tie
spacing is probably more appropriate for my purpose than the ME flextrack which
is mainline quality.  But I didn't want to handlay forty-ish feet of yard track.
So I bought some CVT mainline tie strip of the right tie length, whose spacing
matches the ME.  Serious overkill, for track that saw one train a day usually. 
Then after I started laying rail, I realized the little nubby things sticking up
from the tie strip were rail anchors.  That line probably had never seen a rail
anchor at the time I'm modeling.   Maybe I'll carve some of them off before I
apply the ballast.

I now use pre-made frogs instead of bending rail like I used to do.  I like this
way better, so far.  I know what I want to do for the points, and since I've
laid six so far without the points I hope it works.

Comments on the above are welcome.  Era is 1960-ish, location of this yard is
Conway Springs, Kansas, on the MoPac (who liked self-guarding frogs, but never
mind that.)

Ron Merrick

Has anyone dealt with this company before? I have purchased much from this
company, usually without a problem. I received an e-mail from them offering me
five dollars off if I spend between one hundred to two hundred dollars. I shot
an e-mail back stating five dollars off of that amount surely would not get me
to spend my money. The responce I received was, "get a life"!
Is this something a hobby supplier should be telling a dedicated customer? What
gives? Are suppliers now some how elevated to being God's that they can
belittle their customers?
I know where I won't be shopping anymore!!!!
jgviolante

Down at the Saurian Skin Care factory ("Industrial Products for Beauty") a
mysterious short circuit appeared whenever the spur turnout was reversed. It
turned out that the all-metal Tomar bumper was shorting the track, even though
there was supposed to be a gap in one rail. This kind of thing happens in
winter, as the benchwork dries out and shrinks while the rails stay the same
size. I pried the gap open enough to slip a piece of styrene in.
http://files.myopera.com/John98wbr/albums/661338/IMG_1587.JPG

On 02/24/2012 07:55 AM, seameadow17 wrote:
> The responce I received was, "get a life"!
>

Sounds like a company to stay away from.  Thanks for the heads up.

--
It's turtles, all the way down!

$5.00 off what?

If you don't first research what the regular or lowest price (plus
shipping) elsewhere for something you actually want, then even a 90% off
offer may be not worth taking. Or $5.00 off may be the best possible
bargain of the year.

I know of at least one vendor who marks their goods up 35%, and then
tells their agents they can offer "10% discount" to make everyone think
they are getting a "good deal".

The parable of "the sparrow and the cow patty" is always worth
remembering when deciding who is actually helping you and who is really
just taking advantage.

Andy


On 2/24/2012 7:55 AM, seameadow17 wrote:
> Has anyone dealt with this company before? I have purchased much from this
> company, usually without a problem. I received an e-mail from them offering me
> five dollars off if I spend between one hundred to two hundred dollars. I shot
> an e-mail back stating five dollars off of that amount surely would not get me
> to spend my money. The responce I received was, "get a life"!
> Is this something a hobby supplier should be telling a dedicated customer?
What
> gives? Are suppliers now some how elevated to being God's that they can
> belittle their customers?
> I know where I won't be shopping anymore!!!!
> jgviolante
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> You are enjoying the ramblings of the handlaidtrack group.
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2114/4828 - Release Date: 02/23/12
>
>

Ron,

For painting the ties, grab a few Floquil or other paint pens. Colors
of your choice. Paint those ties at the ends and then a few randomly,
a few grouped, to fool the viewer.

For the branch line track, Central Valley also makes branch line tie strips.

Turnouts were typically (your railroad may vary) laid well even if the
surrounding track was not, so the heavier turnout and lighter branch
line tie spacing should work fine together.

As for the need for longer ties were the lines diverge at the turnout,
that could be done with two methods: a few much longer ties or, as you
appear to be doing, interlacing the standard length ties.

Sounds like good things are happening.

Ben McDonnell

Ron,

Your ties at the diverging end of a turnout should not interlace.  The
switch timbers remain one piece until they are the length of two regular
ties, and at that point you start the separate ties for each track.  At
that point the ties under the diverging track are positioned at right
angles to the rails.

I cannot visualize the tie strips you are using, but wouldn't the
"little nubby things" be simulated spike heads, with the rail base slid
beneath them?

Rail braces are generally used at turnouts where extra lateral stability
is required, not on plain track.

Steve Bartlett

ron.merrick wrote:
> ...
>
> The tie strip gauges beautifully, as it's supposed to do, except that I've had
some trouble right

'downstream' of turnouts where the normal-length ties really do not
interlace very well.  I've had to

do a lot of cutting or beveling of tie edges, which is a pain and still
doesn't work too well, which

means sometimes the ties are out of alignment sideways.  That beautiful
gauging now works against me,

since I can't use brute force to move the rail to where it's supposed to
be.  Prying up the ties is a

solution, so the matte varnish I use to hold it down turns out to be a
good idea since it doesn't hold very

well -- unless I've used too much of it.  I'd welcome ideas on this.
>
> Also, sometimes the rail is 'wobbly' in that it's not that precisely held onto
the tie strip laterally,

and it's hard to force the spikes down enough to eliminate this.  I'm
using code 70, and I know this tie

strip is intended for 70 and 83, so not unexpected.  I thought of
shooting ACC in there while holding the

rail in place, but I don't think that's a great idea for several
reasons. Again, it's not the gauging but

the smoother alignment I'm after.
>
> My saving grace on this is I'm modeling a lightly-traveled secondary line
where the track wasn't all that

good, so a few poorly aligned curves should be OK.
>
> Next dismaying item: The straight track in the yard is ME flextrack, and the
ends are hand-laid on tie strip.

The first time my wife saw the trackwork, the first thing she said is
'why's the one part brown and the other

part black?'  I hate painting ties, so maybe I'll dump lots of dirt and
ballast on it.
>
> Another dismaying item:  I put this flextrack down first, and the branchline
tie spacing is probably more

appropriate for my purpose than the ME flextrack which is mainline
quality.  But I didn't want to handlay

forty-ish feet of yard track.  So I bought some CVT mainline tie strip
of the right tie length, whose

spacing matches the ME.  Serious overkill, for track that saw one train
a day usually.  Then after I

started laying rail, I realized the little nubby things sticking up from
the tie strip were rail anchors.

That line probably had never seen a rail anchor at the time I'm
modeling.   Maybe I'll carve some of them off

before I apply the ballast.
>
...
> Ron Merrick
>

I've used a bulk painting technique for our CV bases (4 scale miles in a
coupla hours).

Tape them down many side by side on large sheets of packing box
cardboard. Buy two Hardware spray cans of matte camouflage paint
(greyish and brownish).

Spray the brown over all, then misty zebra stripe crosswise across the
rows of ties with the grey making sure you have plenty of mixed misty
overlap. Now you end up with basically brownish ties with random patches
of slightly more gray-brown ones. If you lay more than one tie base side
by side, of course the stripes are no longer "sync'd" and the coloring
appears naturally random.

http://www.proto87.com/media/tie-spray-color-1-800.jpg

Andy

On 2/24/2012 1:18 PM, Ben M wrote:
> Ron,
>
> For painting the ties, grab a few Floquil or other paint pens. Colors
> of your choice. Paint those ties at the ends and then a few randomly,
> a few grouped, to fool the viewer.
>
> For the branch line track, Central Valley also makes branch line tie strips.
>
> Turnouts were typically (your railroad may vary) laid well even if the
> surrounding track was not, so the heavier turnout and lighter branch
> line tie spacing should work fine together.
>
> As for the need for longer ties were the lines diverge at the turnout,
> that could be done with two methods: a few much longer ties or, as you
> appear to be doing, interlacing the standard length ties.
>
> Sounds like good things are happening.
>
> Ben McDonnell
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> You are enjoying the ramblings of the handlaidtrack group.
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2114/4829 - Release Date: 02/24/12
>
>

That would make me mad.  I hope they get news of your post and maybe change
the way the deal with a customer letting them know their sale sucks and they
aren't effectively drawing sales with a discount like that.



Ken the guy from AR



   _____

From: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com [mailto:handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com]
On Behalf Of seameadow17
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 9:55 AM
To: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [handlaidtrack] Trainworld





Has anyone dealt with this company before? I have purchased much from this
company, usually without a problem. I received an e-mail from them offering
me
five dollars off if I spend between one hundred to two hundred dollars. I
shot
an e-mail back stating five dollars off of that amount surely would not get
me
to spend my money. The responce I received was, "get a life"!
Is this something a hobby supplier should be telling a dedicated customer?
What
gives? Are suppliers now some how elevated to being God's that they can
belittle their customers?
I know where I won't be shopping anymore!!!!
jgviolante





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

At the turn of the (old) century, some turnouts had interlaced end ties,
but using longer ties up to 16-6 long became standard pretty rapidly
after that.

e.g.
http://www.proto87.com/media/interlace-turnout-ties.jpg

The CV bases are actually "shorter" than the full prototype pattern,
probably, like most rtr model turnouts designs, to allow for making
crossovers without having to cut the turnout ends off.

We have made special wood ties which, with tieplates, match the CV tie
height exactly. So it's very straightforward to create more prototypical
crossovers and full length turnouts from CV bases if desired. If you
look carefully you can see which are plastic and which are wood.

e.g
http://www.proto87.com/media/xover-fe-hybrid-paint-center.jpg
http://www.proto87.com/media/xover-fe-hybrid-unpaint-center.jpg
http://www.proto87.com/media/xover-fe-hybrid-unpaint-full.jpg

True prototypical printable tie base templates can be found on our
website at:

http://www.proto87.com/handlaid_track_templates.html

Andy



On 2/24/2012 2:15 PM, Stephen Bartlett wrote:
> Ron,
>
> Your ties at the diverging end of a turnout should not interlace.  The
> switch timbers remain one piece until they are the length of two regular
> ties, and at that point you start the separate ties for each track.  At
> that point the ties under the diverging track are positioned at right
> angles to the rails.
>
> I cannot visualize the tie strips you are using, but wouldn't the
> "little nubby things" be simulated spike heads, with the rail base slid
> beneath them?
>
> Rail braces are generally used at turnouts where extra lateral stability
> is required, not on plain track.
>
> Steve Bartlett
>
> ron.merrick wrote:
>> ...
>>
>> The tie strip gauges beautifully, as it's supposed to do, except that I've
had some trouble right
>
> 'downstream' of turnouts where the normal-length ties really do not
> interlace very well.  I've had to
>
> do a lot of cutting or beveling of tie edges, which is a pain and still
> doesn't work too well, which
>
> means sometimes the ties are out of alignment sideways.  That beautiful
> gauging now works against me,
>
> since I can't use brute force to move the rail to where it's supposed to
> be.  Prying up the ties is a
>
> solution, so the matte varnish I use to hold it down turns out to be a
> good idea since it doesn't hold very
>
> well -- unless I've used too much of it.  I'd welcome ideas on this.
>>
>> Also, sometimes the rail is 'wobbly' in that it's not that precisely held
onto the tie strip laterally,
>
> and it's hard to force the spikes down enough to eliminate this.  I'm
> using code 70, and I know this tie
>
> strip is intended for 70 and 83, so not unexpected.  I thought of
> shooting ACC in there while holding the
>
> rail in place, but I don't think that's a great idea for several
> reasons. Again, it's not the gauging but
>
> the smoother alignment I'm after.
>>
>> My saving grace on this is I'm modeling a lightly-traveled secondary line
where the track wasn't all that
>
> good, so a few poorly aligned curves should be OK.
>>
>> Next dismaying item: The straight track in the yard is ME flextrack, and the
ends are hand-laid on tie strip.
>
> The first time my wife saw the trackwork, the first thing she said is
> 'why's the one part brown and the other
>
> part black?'  I hate painting ties, so maybe I'll dump lots of dirt and
> ballast on it.
>>
>> Another dismaying item:  I put this flextrack down first, and the branchline
tie spacing is probably more
>
> appropriate for my purpose than the ME flextrack which is mainline
> quality.  But I didn't want to handlay
>
> forty-ish feet of yard track.  So I bought some CVT mainline tie strip
> of the right tie length, whose
>
> spacing matches the ME.  Serious overkill, for track that saw one train
> a day usually.  Then after I
>
> started laying rail, I realized the little nubby things sticking up from
> the tie strip were rail anchors.
>
> That line probably had never seen a rail anchor at the time I'm
> modeling.   Maybe I'll carve some of them off
>
> before I apply the ballast.
>>
> ...
>> Ron Merrick
>>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> You are enjoying the ramblings of the handlaidtrack group.
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2114/4829 - Release Date: 02/24/12
>
>

Thanks for all the helpful links.  I had not seen any of those even after
looking for a while.  This will definitely help me to get started.

I am glad to be working in O gauge rather than some of the smaller gauges.  It
will definitely make it easier to handle the materials.

Phil

--- In handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com, PaulMmn <PaulMmn@...> wrote:
>
> Search Google for "Track Laying Turnouts"
>
> http://www.railwayeng.com/handlay6/hndly-h3.htm
>
> http://www.pmrr.org/Articles/SScaleTrack/Handlaying10.htm
>
> & more.
>
> --Paul E Musselman
> PaulMmn@...
>
>
>
>
>
> At 2:32 AM +0000 2/20/12, sailcma wrote:
> >Hi All,
> >
> >I am new to this and would like to try hand laying a switch.  I have
> >seen the FastTracks site and it is interesting, but they don't make
> >jigs for O gauge.  I have three rail O gauge trains and want to try
> >hand laying switches using nickel silver track.  I am pretty handy
> >and think I could do it without a jig either by spiking or using PC
> >ties.  The problem is I don't have a good idea how to get started.
> >
> >I seem to have more questions than answers.  So, can someone direct
> >me to a good tutorial or article on this?  Any suggestions on
> >finding the right size spikes, spiking pliers, and what type of wood
> >to use for ties would also help.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >
> >Phil
>

I have a photo in my book 'Utah Ghost Rails' of a prototype turnout built
entirely of standard length ties, but Steve is generally correct.

Roy


> To: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com
> From: tower.op@...
> Date: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 17:15:19 -0500
> Subject: [handlaidtrack] Re: Early comments on plastic tie strip with spiked
rail
>
> Ron,
>
> Your ties at the diverging end of a turnout should not interlace. The
> switch timbers remain one piece until they are the length of two regular
> ties, and at that point you start the separate ties for each track. At
> that point the ties under the diverging track are positioned at right
> angles to the rails.
>
> I cannot visualize the tie strips you are using, but wouldn't the
> "little nubby things" be simulated spike heads, with the rail base slid
> beneath them?
>
> Rail braces are generally used at turnouts where extra lateral stability
> is required, not on plain track.
>
> Steve Bartlett
>
> ron.merrick wrote:
> > ...
> >
> > The tie strip gauges beautifully, as it's supposed to do, except that I've
had some trouble right
>
> 'downstream' of turnouts where the normal-length ties really do not
> interlace very well. I've had to
>
> do a lot of cutting or beveling of tie edges, which is a pain and still
> doesn't work too well, which
>
> means sometimes the ties are out of alignment sideways. That beautiful
> gauging now works against me,
>
> since I can't use brute force to move the rail to where it's supposed to
> be. Prying up the ties is a
>
> solution, so the matte varnish I use to hold it down turns out to be a
> good idea since it doesn't hold very
>
> well -- unless I've used too much of it. I'd welcome ideas on this.
> >
> > Also, sometimes the rail is 'wobbly' in that it's not that precisely held
onto the tie strip laterally,
>
> and it's hard to force the spikes down enough to eliminate this. I'm
> using code 70, and I know this tie
>
> strip is intended for 70 and 83, so not unexpected. I thought of
> shooting ACC in there while holding the
>
> rail in place, but I don't think that's a great idea for several
> reasons. Again, it's not the gauging but
>
> the smoother alignment I'm after.
> >
> > My saving grace on this is I'm modeling a lightly-traveled secondary line
where the track wasn't all that
>
> good, so a few poorly aligned curves should be OK.
> >
> > Next dismaying item: The straight track in the yard is ME flextrack, and the
ends are hand-laid on tie strip.
>
> The first time my wife saw the trackwork, the first thing she said is
> 'why's the one part brown and the other
>
> part black?' I hate painting ties, so maybe I'll dump lots of dirt and
> ballast on it.
> >
> > Another dismaying item: I put this flextrack down first, and the branchline
tie spacing is probably more
>
> appropriate for my purpose than the ME flextrack which is mainline
> quality. But I didn't want to handlay
>
> forty-ish feet of yard track. So I bought some CVT mainline tie strip
> of the right tie length, whose
>
> spacing matches the ME. Serious overkill, for track that saw one train
> a day usually. Then after I
>
> started laying rail, I realized the little nubby things sticking up from
> the tie strip were rail anchors.
>
> That line probably had never seen a rail anchor at the time I'm
> modeling. Maybe I'll carve some of them off
>
> before I apply the ballast.
> >
> ...
> > Ron Merrick
> >
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> You are enjoying the ramblings of the handlaidtrack group.
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Well, you guys have given me some things to think about, and now I know why the
ties do physically interlace if you continue on with normal (same as the tie
strip) spacing right after the turnout ties end.  I measured the ties at the end
of the CVT strip at 15'6 or so on number 5, 6 and 7, so with 8'6 ties there
would of course be some interlacing.  Next time I'll cut the tie strip and
spread the last three or four ties next to the turnout.

Of course it's worse on higher-numbered turnouts, and I have a couple of 7s due
to inside curves.  And of course the branchline tie strips interlace with
minimal difficulty but not with the mainline ones.

Note I am not objecting to the foreshortening, since modelers almost always have
to do that, and I'm laying out a yard whose prototype is close to a mile long in
less than one-quarter of a scale mile, so of course something has to give.

Memory may play tricks on you, but I'm quite sure I remember interlacing on the
track that I walked when I was young, because it was different than what I saw
on the track sections I bought at the hobby shop in the sixties.  None of the
track I knew was high-speed main lines.

And I have another idea for future painting of tie strip.  I like the
suggestions I've read, but in addition I was thinking of masking the tie strip
longitudinally and painting a strip the width of the tie plates Rail Brown so
they visually differentiate from the ties proper.

Something I failed to mention before:  you can scooch a few ties to a slight
angle as you're spiking, if you're working from the non-strip side of the tie
strip.  That also helps in appearance.

Ron Merrick

Yeah, those things on the CVT mainline tie strip are supposed to be rail anchors
as would be used on welded rail.  They stick up higher than the simulated spike
heads.  There's one on each side of the tie on both rails every so often, and
one on one side of a tie with the other one on opposite side of the tie for the
other rail, in between the ones on both sides of the tie.

I have managed to successfully carve those off, on the tie strips I was laying
rail on yesterday.

Ron Merrick


--- In handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com, Stephen Bartlett <tower.op@...> wrote:
>
> Ron,
>
<snip>
>
> I cannot visualize the tie strips you are using, but wouldn't the
> "little nubby things" be simulated spike heads, with the rail base slid
> beneath them?
>
> Rail braces are generally used at turnouts where extra lateral stability
> is required, not on plain track.
>
> Steve Bartlett
>
> ron.merrick wrote:
> > ...

Although I know the difference between rail anchors and rail braces, I
seem to have brain-glitched and mixed up the two in my reply.  I went
back and looked at the original post, and "rail anchor" was the term used.

On welded rail, anchors are often if not generally used on each side of
and at each end of every tie, where they were much more widely spaced on
jointed rail.

Steve Bartlett

Ron,

Also, as another useful notion, I've seen railroads simply nip off a
few inches from a standard tie, creosoting the ends by hand, and
fitting them in place of the full length (as Andy noted) 16' 6" tie.
Cut the two standard ties back until they approximate 16' 6" while
keeping them roughly centered. The small area with a slightly lower
lack of support is generally accepted as the weight is carried through
the various parts of the turnout. Not a "best practice," but an
acceptable one.

It's probably good that you didn't ask how to lay out a crossing.

Personally, I'd avoid cutting the ties and spreading the turnouts. If
you do, be cautious not to introduce any sharp angles, though,
technically, the diverging rail may begin its curve at any time after
the frog.

Ben McDonnell

Group,

Yes, one last thought.

Rail anchors were most often recommended to keep your rails from
sliding down grade. I know that seems a bit odd, but rail, as it heats
and cools through the day and night, will actually begin to slide down
a grade. They have been used back into the 19th century, even before
some railroads fully accepted tie plates.

Ron,

You're likely correct in recalling interlaced ties. Many plans that
I've seen show them quite plainly, and I have recently noted several
extant examples. You don't need that Centrum just yet.

Ben McDonnell

I have the following Proto 87 Store items FOR SALE:

6 - Packs Hand Sawn Ultimate #6 Switch Tie Kits
3 - #6 Frogs
5 - Packs Code 70/83 MD 1 yard, 6 pack tie plates
6 - Packs Code 70/83 ML 1 yard, 6 pack tie plates
6 - Code 70/83 #6 or #6 MD Turnout complete sets
1 - Proto87 tie gauge

$200.00 + USPS-PM-SFRB w/DC shipping ( $6.00 )
Payment by Bank / USPS Money Order or personal check
( 5 business days to clear ) - NO PAYPAL.

Loren Martell
Beaverton, OR 97006
503-810-9018

The 1 - Proto87 tie gauge is in fact a Proto87 Track Gauge.

I apologize for the foo-pah....... :-(

Loren Martell
Beaverton, OR 97006



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

No different than me buying a dryer at HomeDepot.com, then getting a 10%
coupon via email the following week. I guess they thought I might need a
washer?



From: Ken Burney [mailto:wkburney@...]
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 5:15 PM
To: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [handlaidtrack] Trainworld





That would make me mad. I hope they get news of your post and maybe change
the way the deal with a customer letting them know their sale sucks and they
aren't effectively drawing sales with a discount like that.

Ken the guy from AR

_____

From: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com <mailto:handlaidtrack%40yahoogroups.com>
[mailto:handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com
<mailto:handlaidtrack%40yahoogroups.com> ]
On Behalf Of seameadow17
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 9:55 AM
To: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com <mailto:handlaidtrack%40yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [handlaidtrack] Trainworld

Has anyone dealt with this company before? I have purchased much from this
company, usually without a problem. I received an e-mail from them offering
me
five dollars off if I spend between one hundred to two hundred dollars. I
shot
an e-mail back stating five dollars off of that amount surely would not get
me
to spend my money. The responce I received was, "get a life"!
Is this something a hobby supplier should be telling a dedicated customer?
What
gives? Are suppliers now some how elevated to being God's that they can
belittle their customers?
I know where I won't be shopping anymore!!!!
jgviolante

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Trainworld generally competitive with any mail order house on price so a wee bit
on top via "sale" partially covers shipping. Trainworld shipping by the way is
mind boggling re speed.


Occasionally T-World has sales that blow your socks off. Examples: recently
offering Proto NYC lightning stripe E7 sound units(#'s 4028, 4029) at $129.99
and Athearn UP turbine w tender at $129.99. Best price I've seen on eBay was
$124.99 for turbine without tender.

Get on their mailing list, some of the offerings are very, very interesting.

Oh, by the way, T-World is aware that some of its associates are too much into
the New York City "minute" and ask that you get operator's name for feedback
purposes.


Jon



________________________________
From: Jon Ruehle <coolruehle@...>
To: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thu, March 1, 2012 5:56:52 AM
Subject: RE: [handlaidtrack] Trainworld

 
No different than me buying a dryer at HomeDepot.com, then getting a 10%
coupon via email the following week. I guess they thought I might need a
washer?

From: Ken Burney [mailto:wkburney@...]
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 5:15 PM
To: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [handlaidtrack] Trainworld

That would make me mad. I hope they get news of your post and maybe change
the way the deal with a customer letting them know their sale sucks and they
aren't effectively drawing sales with a discount like that.

Ken the guy from AR

_____

From: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com <mailto:handlaidtrack%40yahoogroups.com>
[mailto:handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com
<mailto:handlaidtrack%40yahoogroups.com> ]
On Behalf Of seameadow17
Sent: Friday, February 24, 2012 9:55 AM
To: handlaidtrack@yahoogroups.com <mailto:handlaidtrack%40yahoogroups.com>
Subject: [handlaidtrack] Trainworld

Has anyone dealt with this company before? I have purchased much from this
company, usually without a problem. I received an e-mail from them offering
me
five dollars off if I spend between one hundred to two hundred dollars. I
shot
an e-mail back stating five dollars off of that amount surely would not get
me
to spend my money. The responce I received was, "get a life"!
Is this something a hobby supplier should be telling a dedicated customer?
What
gives? Are suppliers now some how elevated to being God's that they can
belittle their customers?
I know where I won't be shopping anymore!!!!
jgviolante

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I have a client who needs a series of curved turnouts for his yard entrance and
exit.  About 8 LH / 8 RH.  68"+ radii.

Also several curved single cross over assemblies.

I used a David Diehl from Indiana somewhere years ago not sure who is doing it
now??

Code 148 0w5.  tt