Links don't work

Links to either version do not work for this one!

Moderator note: The links are now fixed, Ken.

Always enjoy your articles

Always enjoy your articles Charlie. I particularly like the idea of the gazette and the entertainment value it provides.

track alignment tool

Where can I find the track alignment tool?  I checked several web sites including Walthers but the tool shown is a long, straight tool used to keep track straight.

Herman

Great article and great video Charlie

Thanks Charlie, I have bookmarked this page for future reference, the video was especially good.

Thanks

Rob McLear.

Track tool

I think he is talking about this:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/479-5001

Randy

Yup

I think he is talking about this:

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/479-5001

Randy

That looks like it.

Charlie

Trackwork

Charlie

Like your methods but I have one question. When you solder to the underside of the track how do you then fill in the space left by the tie removal.

Jerry Hampton

Thanks Randy, I'll order

Thanks Randy, I'll order one.

Herman

Soldered Rail Joiners

I had been thinking about soldering feeders to the rail joiners. It seemed the best way to get power to the rails even where I don't solder the track to the joiner, to allow for expansion/contraction. I had wondered how I could solder the feeder to track that has already been laid, and you showed exactly how. Now I'm no longer worried about it, since the video shows that there is plenty of room to work.

You slide individual ties under the rails where the gaps are. Where there are no feeders, they will slip right in, and you position them evenly between the other ties. I suspect you would use slightly thinner profile ties if you need to get them between the wire and the roadbed, or I can also see cutting a small notch across the ties that will go under the wire, putting the tie in to the side of where the wire is, and then sliding it sideways so the wire fits into the notch. As long as the width of the notches is less than the width of the rail, the rail will hide them. I'm still in the planning stages, so I haven't tried this technique yet.

weights

i used the veggie express when i put my track down on my little coffee table layout. it worked great. glad to know that great minds think alike.

Ties under feeder wires?

Boogers at Micro Engineering

Speaking of ME ties, has anyone found a good and reasonably priced (haha) substitute for ME ties? I still need to build a lot of turnouts and I have enough ME switch ties left for about 8 turnouts. Maybe...

And those boogers discontinued the wonderfully slinky code 55 flex track that looked so great in yards and on spur tracks, too.

Charlie

Central Valley tie strips to the rescue

That's where the Central Valley side track tie strips come in handy. Just ask Les Halmos - that's what his FreeMo guys do for their code 55 track.

ME Track Laying

Charlie,  that was the best article I have seen on working with ME track.   A very thorough presentation.   I have used ME flex on most of my layouts but several of your tips and procedures will make my future track laying so much better and easier.  In my estimation, there is nothing prettier than well laid ME flex.   I've got a good bit of code 70 to lay so your article is perfect timing.  Thanks.

Charles Etheredge

Track tool

Herman : the track tool that Charlie  is using is for cutting track straight / tie alignment . Micro- Mark sells a track laying set that includes the track tool/soldering tool/flex track alignment tool parallel track tool/ radius tools and a ballast spreader { never liked the ballast spreader } .The set is # 84114 in there catalog and works well , for me any ways and is not that expensive , only 27.50  . There web site is http://www.micromark.com , hope this helps you out 

            Jim

Boogers

I use 6X8 scale stripwood.  It takes a bit longer to stain myself and cut on the Chopper but works the same, and seems to have the same dimensions.  The ME wood ties were slightly undersized.  Have you considered changing to CV kits or tie strips instead?

The molds were damaged and were reportedly too costly to fix or replace.  The last batches of code 55 flex had misaligned rails that were out of gauge.  Some of these ended up on the market and you might find them for sale, so beware.  As Joe said, substitute CV tie strip.

MLR Track Tools

MLR Track Tools are available from several vendors including  http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Track-Tools-s/2350.htm aka MB Klein (less $s than Walthers) and for those on the other lide of the pond  http://www.euromodeltrains.com/cgi-bin/search_item.pl?ss=TUxSIE1mZ3w1MDE5.

feeders

I use ME flextrack and solder the feeders to the under side of the rails. There are 3 spots on the ME flextrack where the web between the ties is cut on both sides. I just slide the ties back, tin the rail and the feeder and solder the feeder on. When it cools just slide the ties back in line.

Replacement ties

Really enjoyed the video Charlie!

I usually save all the ties that I remove from the ends where the joiners go, plus any  that end up on little pieces of track.  I  trim the joiner pieces off the sides, nip the spike detail off and sand the bottoms of the ties to let them slip  under the rails.  If you don't sand too much off, the tie will fit snugly.  If you do sand too much, you can use a shim of thin cardboard.   Glue things in place with a bit of thinned white glue.  Once the ballast and weathering is in place,  they will be hard to spot, as they match the look of the rest of the ties with the same tie plate detail.

Of course, I am working in N scale, so it might be a bit more noticeable in larger scales ...

Toni

Great details

Charlie,

Thanks for the detailed explanations about what you did and how you did it. Those are the sorts of things that make my modeling efforts a little easier. The pictures helped me understand the text a lot and a few more would have been even better.

-- Ed