Author Topic: Track Laying Quandary  (Read 2474 times)

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Cajonpassfan

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Re: Track Laying Quandary
« Reply #15 on: March 07, 2014, 09:10:53 PM »
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In 1974, I built a test diorama using Railcraft Code 55 and 40 rail and used Walthers Goo rubber cement to fasten the base of the rail down. I still have a piece of it in the garage, and the track is still tacked down. I recall using a hot soldering iron to press the rail down. You may want to give that a shot?
Otto K.

mmagliaro

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Re: Track Laying Quandary
« Reply #16 on: March 08, 2014, 02:13:41 AM »
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Epoxy dries hardens fast!?  Besides the 5-minute variety, there are lots of other epoxies available in hobby shops. There is a 10, 15 and 30 minute epoxy. Then there are even slower ones.  JB Weld is an epoxy and it, IIRC, takes 12 hours to harden.

How about 1 rail at a time?

+1 here.
The 5-minute varieties are not the strongest bonding epoxies anyway.   Go with the long-setting stuff so you can work it.
JB Weld takes "overnight" to fully harden, but within about 2 hours, it starts to stiffen to where I wouldn't want to be
messing around with the joint any longer.  Still, you've easily got a solid hour with that stuff when it is fully liquid and you can
work with it.  It dries gray, so don't make a mess with it or you'll see it, if that matters to you.

nkalanaga

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Re: Track Laying Quandary
« Reply #17 on: March 08, 2014, 02:34:38 AM »
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If you like the idea of PC ties, they can easily be blended with bridge ties.  Most of the PC ties I've found are 1/16 inch wide, which matches 10 inch bridge ties.  The extra height can be added with wood or styrene strips.  I've done it several tmes.

For a track gauge, if you're sure you'll never need it for more than a few bridges, a block of wood works fine.  I made several from 1/4 by 1/2 basswood.  Find a piece of properly gauged track and rub the narrow side of the wood on the rails to mark it.  Then carefully file slots where the marks are.  You'll end up with a track gauge good for at least several feet of track, and with care, it will last a lot longer.  It also has the advantage that one can solder rails, while holding them down with your fingers, without either melting the gauge or burning the fingers.  If the gauge does overheat and scorch, just make a new one.

I agree that the ME gauges are better, but for a one-use gauge, wood is fine.  I made quite a few when laying my narrow gauge simply because commercial ones were hard to find.  RLW had them, in resin, but that doesn't always work well with soldering, and with enough wooden gauges I could lay a length of rail without having to stop and reposition everything.
N Kalanaga
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R.Groff

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Re: Track Laying Quandary
« Reply #18 on: March 08, 2014, 09:47:06 AM »
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When I did my bridge I used a length of flex broke out ties in the centre and worked both way gluing from there worked very well and left the track in guage.
Rick

nkalanaga

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Re: Track Laying Quandary
« Reply #19 on: March 08, 2014, 02:14:52 PM »
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I've done that on most of my short bridges regardless of how the rails are fastened to the ties.  Most of mine are on curves and it's easier to get a smooth curve without the extra joints.
N Kalanaga
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BCR751

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Re: Track Laying Quandary
« Reply #20 on: March 08, 2014, 07:10:35 PM »
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When I did my bridge I used a length of flex broke out ties in the centre and worked both way gluing from there worked very well and left the track in guage.
Rick

I'm not quite seeing what you're explaining.  Do you use the open hole in the flex track to attach separate ties then go back and attach the rail?  Or, do you break out the ties in the flex track as you go along and use the flex track rails? :?  I need more info.

Doug

R.Groff

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Re: Track Laying Quandary
« Reply #21 on: March 09, 2014, 10:06:37 AM »
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I remove the ties going in each direction glue in new ties waiting for each new set to dry remove more ties and proceed until I have the length needed for the bridge.
Rick