Santa Fe in California 54 X 26 layout build

[robwill84]

Flex track disaster! Had a Fedex package left on my front porch this afternoon. A long box. With a giant crease in the middle. Every piece of my 10 piece flex track order was bent, and I mean so out of shape that each piece had the flexible side separated from the ties. I was extremely disappointed! I was deciding who to contact first, Fedex or the store that sold them to me. I really wanted to get some work done, so I though well maybe a few are salvageable for straight track. So I picked out the least damaged piece, removed the flexible rail side entirely, found exactly where the bend was, straightened out both sides and threaded the rail back in the tie strip. None of the spike details were damaged, and to my surprise it turned out none the worse for its rough ride. So I did it on another, and another, and eventually was able to straighten out even the worst pieces. I'm really picky too, so I have them all either dead flat or so mildly bent that the weight of a penny will hold them down. Not a single spike detail damaged. I was amazed!

[Chris333]

Must have been Atlas flex, you can breath on the loose rail and it will fall over and right out of the spikes.

[johnb]

Yeah I forgot to add the inch notations and inadvertently created click bait! oops!

you're evil...

[robwill84]

Flextrack, turnouts and cork, and the table is almost ready!

[dem34]

Careful handling those, the Frog rails like to fall out at the slightest provocation.

[chuck geiger]

Rob - Where did you find #5's? Also here's a link to my last 2x4 layouts: https://www.facebook.com/ponderosasub

[robwill84]

Rob - Where did you find #5's? Also here's a link to my last 2x4 layouts: https://www.facebook.com/ponderosasub

Chuck, I found them at Charles Ro Supply, a company that is very well known to O scale modelers, but probably not so much in N scale. Maybe that's why they had them in stock. Unfortunately your link doesn't work for me.

[chuck geiger]

Whoops try it again: https://www.facebook.com/ponderosasub

[robwill84]

Careful handling those, the Frog rails like to fall out at the slightest provocation.

Yes, I have worked with these for years and know the ins and outs of fine tuning them. A set of small files is essential for working the (literal) kinks out of them, but they can be made to work satisfactorily. They don't bother me though, there is a certain amount of pride in getting them to work smoothly. Many years ago, I was working in a local hobby shop, working on an in-store N scale layout. The Atlas code 55 line was pretty new at the time, as was the Kato GS4 that kept derailing on one particular turnout. I must have spent an hour checking wheel guage, filing trouble spots on the turnout, checking it for low spots, I finally solved the problem and got the GS4 and its passenger set running around the layout smooth as silk. I proudly ran the GS4 around the layout for a member of the local HO only club, he looked it over and declared

"N scale is just too toy-like for me."

[robwill84]

Whoops try it again: https://www.facebook.com/ponderosasub

That worked, thanks. I like it, looks like a lot of fun. You can pack a lot into a little layout. I'm actually building this layout on the legs and framework of my very first N scale layout, a 2x4 that I learned a lot from. I took it to a local Great American Train Show that came to town many years ago. I made all these stand offs and roped it all off, didn't want any grubby little hands touching my precious trains haha

[Chris333]

Small layouts rule! 

[robwill84]

Small layouts rule! 

this guy knows

[robwill84]

Got the framework built, and the foam on top. It's a miracle it turned out relatively straight, I used some old knotty 1x4s but it worked out ok. Now the glue is on the foam and its all drying. The weighting is the hardest part 

[Vince P]

Really beginning to look good

[robwill84]

Just a quick update- I'm working steadily on getting everything ready for laying track. I have done a lot of subtle work with grades to add some interest. They're in the 2% to 2.5% range currently. I was hoping to get a little more clearance for the underpass, but I can always drop the road down a quarter inch or so. On my revised plan I've swapped out the warehouse building for an ice house and platform. This makes traffic very reefer heavy but, well, I like reefers, so we'll see. Lots more work to be done!