Concrete Tie strip for N Scale and Code 40 Rail

[ednadolski]

Mark, sorry to hear about your pain... I had something similar with a compressed nerve root a few years back, and I can appreciate how that is no fun!  Hang in there bro, hopefully it subsides as the healing progresses.

(Aside: that's the one thing I find remarkable about modern medicine -- the docs can get in there and fix things that would have been a much bigger lift compared to procedures from years ago.   The thing is, it tends to make these things *seem* so simple and routine that we start to under-appreciate them, and begin expecting recovery to be a snap.  But the body still needs time to heal.)

[John]

I had parathyroid surgery on 1 october .. the parathyroid that was bad had grown to the size of a lima bean, and wrapped around the nerve that controlled my vocal chords .. for 2 months, I could barely speak .. in late November, practically overnight, things healed itself and I was able to speak again normally .. I wish you the best ..

[narrowminded]

Thanks for the sympathetic thoughts, all.    I had a visit with a good doctor today and already have hopes that I will be on the mend and the immediate debilitating level of pain will be relieved as soon as tomorrow.  It seems that, after in office inspection by an expert, the issue is related to the hernia surgery but only indirectly and the nerve disturbance is actually in the lower back with an inflammation aggravated by the pressures applied from strange pressure and  favored muscle use instigated by the surgery but not a direct cause.  Especially because I have had no history of back issues, this issue should respond well to medication over the next week and through the next 2 months.  Here's hoping!  Sooo, maybe tomorrow can bring some progress on the revised wooden tie plate adjustments.

[narrowminded]

Program edited and next run is in the printer!  Looking for a little thinner tie plate edge and little higher spike details.  The rest seemed pretty good.   A few hours and we'll see how we're doing.

Feeling much better by noon today.  Not 100% nor should it be but also not so debilitating that I can't sit at the computer and work on drawings.  It's better than I could hope for.

[narrowminded]

Edited batch, printed, and first eight cured.  I think we have a winner!  

I'll put some rail and a quick paint job on a piece and try to get a decent pic.  I'll get siding track in next and should have the first of that ready tonight, too.

I'm really happy with the way this is coming out.

[trainzluvr]

If you are up to doing this printing means you are healing. And keeping the spirit up this way will speed the recovery for sure. 

[narrowminded]

@robert3985 ... and code 40 siding ties are in the printer.   

Because they are largely edits to proven parts they should be good to go, first try.  The two changes are 24" spacing for siding ties vs: 22" for branch ties and only two gage spikes per rail, one inside and one outside, staggered positions per UP spiking pattern spec 1B.  If these print properly I'll have samples of both ready to send this weekend.     Pics later or by tomorrow. 

I'm all smiles over here.

[narrowminded]

If you are up to doing this printing means you are healing. And keeping the spirit up this way will speed the recovery for sure. 

Thanks.  Doing pretty good, all considered.   And from where I started just late yesterday, it's amazing!

[narrowminded]

OK!  Now available, highly detailed Code 40 flex Branch Line Ties and Siding Ties.  

Pics maybe tomorrow.  Shop's closed for the night.

[amato1969]

OK!  Now available, highly detailed Code 40 flex Branch Line Ties and Siding Ties.  

[ednadolski]

Here are some pics of a ballasted-up strip of the printed concrete ties.  I have to say I am really impressed with how these look and work!   Thanks and again, @narrowminded !

A few thoughts on the samples:

- The pics include a section of ME C55 (nonweathered) flextrack, for comparison of appearance with equal treatment.
- All rail and clips were painted with Model Master Railroad Tie Brown.
- The tie strips were painted with MM Camoflage Gray from the rattle can. The ME ties are their native molded color, which differs significantly (but not too bad).  (I'm not settled on either one as a color that I like for a project, but that's subjective anyway.)
- Ballast is N-Scale AZRM #138-1 CSX/SP, fine-screened to get rid of the fine powdery portions.  I'm not really sold on this color either, as it looks too light to my eye and doesn't have enough contrast (at least for the proto I have in mind).  I only used this (and the spray paint) because that's what I had on hand.
- I just glued the rail in place with CA, again as that's what I had on hand and it's sufficient for a sample.  Pliobond (or any glue) will get trickier to handle on longer lengths of rail.
- I installed the rail and painted it before doing the ballast.  This took more effort to get the ballast shaped/groomed properly than without the rail already in place.  OTOH, ballasting without the rail in place would still have to be done carefully to keep grains of ballast out from between the clips where the rail will be installed.
- I did not weather the sample, to avoid obscuring the details.
- I did not need any track gauges to set the distance between rails, tho some would probably be handy for working with longer lengths of rail.
- These are just cell phone pics, so they are not the greatest.


A few more thoughts on the strips:

- I notice the ties have more of a prototypical and "finescale" look compared to the ME ties which have a more chunky/coarse look.
- Even more than the ties, the difference in the size of the rail clips is even more apparent (and the rail of course speaks for itself).
- As I mentioned previously, the step aliasing while noticeable in some pics it is very hard to see in-person without magnification and strong light.
- It would be great if these could be molded in a prototype concrete color, to save the separate painting step.
- The webbing between ties should be on alternating ties, as it is too much time & work to have to clip it off between each and every tie on all curves.  The double-webbing actually isn't much help either for tangent track: since the strips are only about 4" long it still is necessary to align the strips with a straightedge.
- The webbing should be a little lower, to make it easier to bury with ballast.   Regardless, the webbing is a *huge* improvement over the webbing on the ME track (which is impossible to hide with ballast without making the ballast higher than the rail base).

Anyways here are the pics:


























Looking forward to hearing thoughts and feedback from everyone

Ed

[peteski]

Ed, the code 40 track looks *REALLY* good!  You guys are done some fantastic work!
The the individually painted rail clips make big difference for realistic appearance, contrasting with the concrete tie, but I suspect that is a tedious task.

How about 3D printing a thin form-fitting mask to put over the tie strip with openings over the rail clips?  Then you could airbrush the rail clips on the entire tie strip with just couple of passes of an airbrush.  And of course the mask can be used over and over again.

[robert3985]

@ednadolski Ed, great review!  Too bad I have no use for concrete ties!   

Finally we're getting to the point that the difference between the level of car/engine detailing vs track detailing is pretty damned small!  Now we need some real N-scale NS rail...code 35 to start with???

Can't wait for the wooden tie strips to show up!!

@narrowminded Mark...continue getting better!

Cheerio!!
Bob Gilmore

[trainzluvr]

Maybe a laser cut stencil would be better than 3D printed one. Using some thinner (cheaper) polystyrene, so once it gets all gunked up with paint you can toss it out and cut another one.

Hmm, come to think of it if I had a laser cutter I'd make one for ME C55 rail.

How about 3D printing a thin form-fitting mask to put over the tie strip with openings over the rail clips?  Then you could airbrush the rail clips on the entire tie strip with just couple of passes of an airbrush.  And of course the mask can be used over and over again.

[narrowminded]

WOW, a lot happening!  All good.   @ednadolski I love what you did with that tie bed!   Looks like we might have some things to talk about.   Thanks so much for getting this stuff started.  It's been on my to do list (not concrete but this style of tie bed) for a while now, ever since I worked this method out for my Nn3 projects.  The plan has been to do a complete line of highly detailed ties for N, Nn3, Z, and HOn30.  Well, this got it started.

Here are some promised pics of the code 40 branch ties with the latest edits and the first of the Siding ties.  They have been given a quick coat of Krylon Camo Brown and on the branch ties, some quick, crudely executed, brushing of the tie plates with some MM Rust Acrylic on the still tacky Camo.   It's a total rush job and I'm sure can and will be better with experience.  (Actually, I'll wait to see what I can copy from the experienced when they get their hands on it. @robert3985 )    I also colored the rail with Neo-lube.  I think I like rail brown better but again, something I need to work on.  I'll be better off to wait and see what the experts do with it!

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This is the Siding Track.  It's basically just a change to the tie spacing and lighter spike application, one on each side of the rail per UP spec 1B.  That spec sheet was posted earlier in the thread by Robert.   The ties are painted with the same Krylon Camo brown but nothing done to the tie plates or the rail. 

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And here's a photo of the two side by side showing the difference.

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I'll try to digest and fill stuff in a bit tomorrow.  Thanks to all for your interest.   This is being fun!