Oh no! I'm Having THOSE Kinds of Thoughts Again!

[davefoxx]

Dave, why throw the babies out with the bathwater? If the problems are just with the curved switches, then why not hand-lay only them, instead of everything? Anyway, Code 55 rail will be a bit more forgiving than Code 40 for a first-timer.

I considered that.  But, if I can figure out the curved turnouts, then regular trackwork will be a breeze.  This will also allow me to show off the light rail of the A&R, especially when compared to the code 55 on the SBD main.  As I check out pictures of the prototype A&R online and compare it to my code 55 track, the rails really appear large for what I want to be obvious as a backwoods short line.  Besides, I think I just might enjoy handlaying track, and I'm not worried about the delicacy of code 40 rail.  If you think about it, most of the cost of handlaying the Raeford side of the layout will be the curved turnouts.  Why not spend a little bit more and do it right?  Honestly, I'm afraid that if I did it in code 55 successfully, then I would kick myself for not doing it in code 40.  I can see myself then eating those costs (after eating some code 55) and doing it again in code 40.  OCD.  Gotta love it.

You don't need a huge pile of tools to hand lay track. The most important tool is a thermostatted soldering iron with a pencil tip. You'll also need a couple of track gauge tools. The rest is run-of-the-mill stuff--needle nose pliers, flush cutters, jeweler's files, and so on. A small smooth-jaw vice makes it easier to file the points and frog parts--a Pana-Vice with steel jaws would do, although there are alternatives.

I'm looking at the Fast Tracks website, they offer a jig for a #8 curved turnout (22" and 16" radii), which is really close to the geometry of Atlas' turnouts.  While this would be expensive, I do need at least seven curved turnouts.  Dividing the cost of the fixtures over seven turnouts would ease the pain to the wallet, and the time savings and the reduction of steepness to the learning curve that the jigs offer make this appealing to me.  After a few of these, perhaps I could then begin to build turnouts without jigs, like Chris333 does, and build the regular #5s that I would need.

DFF

[davefoxx]

Unfreakinbelievable.  Code 40 rail is on backorder through Fast Tracks until at least mid-February 2011.  Who said that N scale is dying?  Somebody is buying all of the track parts up.  Recently, it was flextrack and #5 turnouts.  Now it's plain ol' rail!  Sheesh.  I'll have to find another supplier.

DFF

[Bob Bufkin]

Ran across this awhile back.  May be of some interest or use to you.

[conrail98]

Unfreakinbelievable.  Code 40 rail is on backorder through Fast Tracks until at least mid-February 2011.  Who said that N scale is dying?  Somebody is buying all of the track parts up.  Recently, it was flextrack and #5 turnouts.  Now it's plain ol' rail!  Sheesh.  I'll have to find another supplier.

DFF

Try proto87.com, they have it listed. http://www.proto87.com/n-scale-track.html,

Phil

[davefoxx]

Thanks, Phil!

[Chris333]

Dave,
I've heard Atlas will replace any turnouts if you send yours in. Although they might have none in stock. I'd try that first.

Handlaying the whole layout with C40.... yikes   I wouldn't want to do that myself.

If you buy the FT jig for the curved TO's you should be fine, they are pretty fool proof. The only jig I own is a C55 #5 so you could borrow it if you want to see how it goes.

As for layout turnouts without a jig. Well I do use a detailed drawing like the templates they offer. This way I don't have to guess on anything, I know right where to cut and bend the rail and know it will fit. I draw the base and head of the rail so each rail is 4 lines. This tells me exactly how the pieces around the frog and guard rails come together. If I just freehanded the whole thing I be cutting pieces over and over, getting pissed till the thing worked right.

I'm no pro. About all I can say about your sharp curved turnout is that the NMRA gauge went through it. Luckily it worked ;D 

[davefoxx]

Dave,
I've heard Atlas will replace any turnouts if you send yours in. Although they might have none in stock. I'd try that first.

Handlaying the whole layout with C40.... yikes   I wouldn't want to do that myself.

If you buy the FT jig for the curved TO's you should be fine, they are pretty fool proof. The only jig I own is a C55 #5 so you could borrow it if you want to see how it goes.

As for layout turnouts without a jig. Well I do use a detailed drawing like the templates they offer. This way I don't have to guess on anything, I know right where to cut and bend the rail and know it will fit. I draw the base and head of the rail so each rail is 4 lines. This tells me exactly how the pieces around the frog and guard rails come together. If I just freehanded the whole thing I be cutting pieces over and over, getting pissed till the thing worked right.

I'm no pro. About all I can say about your sharp curved turnout is that the NMRA gauge went through it. Luckily it worked ;D 

...and still works beautifully many months later.    Thanks for the offer to borrow your #5 template.  I may take you up on that, if I take the plunge.  I'm kinda waiting to see Atlas' response on the A-board thread.  If I do go code 40, I'm not replacing the entire layout, probably only about one-third of the track.  Other than the sheer number of curved turnouts, it's not that bad.  The Seaboard System double track mainline, the Southern Ry. interchange, and the SBD-SOU-A&R yard would remain code 55.

DFF

[davefoxx]

All right, I pulled the trigger and ordered a bunch of supplies from Fast Tracks and proto87.com to begin handlaying the A&R portion of my HCD layout.  It will likely be a few weeks before I get the order (Fast Tracks ships from Canada), but I will post pictures of my progress.

Next step, start pulling up the code 55.  As a reminder, the track in the areas that represent the double-track SBD mainline, the Southern Ry. interchange, and the joint SBD-SOU-A&R yard will remain code 55, so I am only pulling up approximately one-third of the layout.  These areas use Atlas #5 and #7 turnouts only (conveniently, no curved turnouts).

DFF

[Philip H]

Way to go Dave!  When you get god at it, I'll host a tutorial session on the BRS.  There's a corner that needs a non-standard curved turnout . . . . .

[John]

So, I think I have it figured out .. at least for my curved turnout that derails stuff

My turnout - the closure rails seem to be rather wide near the ends , this then makes the gauge too tight, but part of the problem also seems to be the outside rails aren't far enough apart

So, I took the soldering iron, and heated the outside rails, and using a small flat head screwdriver I pushed the rail outward about the width of the NMRA gauge .. remove the iron, and let it cool .. then add a touch of superglue on the outside of the rail ..

I also used a small needle file to clean up the point of the closure rails a bit ..

A touch with the soldering iron could also be used to move the guard rails ever so slightly toward the outside rails .. not too much, but it should keep the wheel from hitting the frog point

Just speculation, but it's possible that in the molding process, the outside rails weren't set far enough apart .. it also appears that the closure rails should be thinned near the point end so that they fit tighter into the outside rails. The notch could also be a bit deeper ..

[davefoxx]

Thanks to Phil's (conrail98) suggestion, code 40 rail and fishplates from proto87.com was delivered this morning.  Now, I'm just waiting on the delivery from Fast Tracks and some more cork roadbed from MBK.  Hopefully, I'll begin handlaying track by this weekend.

DFF

[Iain]

This is going to be awesome.

[conrail98]

Thanks to Phil's (conrail98) suggestion, code 40 rail and fishplates from proto87.com was delivered this morning.  Now, I'm just waiting on the delivery from Fast Tracks and some more cork roadbed from MBK.  Hopefully, I'll begin handlaying track by this weekend.

DFF

No problem Dave. I'll be interested to hear your experience with them and their product. I've got Fast Track jigs and could order track through them but proto87's prices on code 55 rail are phenomenal,

Phil

[Chris333]

Dave,

In prep for your Fasttrack order I would get something like a 24" flexible straightedge and go over all your cork roadbed to make sure every inch is perfectly flat. Handlaid track will be less forgiving to little dips.

And did you get a jig for the flex track? If no I would rig something up like this:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/ZScaleLayoutTakeFour#5380381291583228914
To solder the PC's to one rail. After that is laid down you go and place the second rail with a gauge.

This shows pretty much how I do it:
http://raybob.boche.net/projects/page921.htm

[conrail98]

Chris, does that come in N? I had looked at the FT jigs but thought they were a little on pricey side for doing handlaid Flex,

Phil