Message for BobMcD (Handlaid Track)

D

Drew1125

Active Member
Jan 28, 2001
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Hey Bob,
Just letting you know how the trackwork was going.
Last night I laid about 20" of track on a scrap piece of styrofoam (the blue insulation stuff). I really like using foam for my scenery & track base, & that was one of the concerns I had about laying my own track.
Everything I've read says you need Pliobond to glue rail to ties, but I have been unable to locate any of this stuff, so I did a little innovating, & used some slow-curing CA.
First, I drew a center line by hand in a gradual curve. Then I cut some ties out of strip wood, & attached them with white glue, centering, & spacing them by eye (this is primarily a logging road - precise tie location is not really a concern).
I gave the glue a couple of hours to dry, then roughed out with pencil marks where the first rail would go. I then bent the rail to match the curve, put a drop of CA on top of each tie, & stuck the rail down. Then I used the track gauge & the pecil to rough in the position of the other rail, bent the rail, applied the glue, & stuck it down. Before the CA had set, (you have to work very fast here) I used the gauge to allign the second rail to the first down the entire length of track.
This procedure worked great, & I have what seems to be a rock solid piece of track. I rolled a couple of boxcars up & down - smooth as silk!
Now I'm really looking forward to building the turnout kits!



[This message has been edited by Charlie (edited 02-14-2001).]
 
Charlie,

That's very cool! I'm glad it worked so well!

I've been experimenting with styrofoam (I could only find the pink stuff at Home Depot), and I think you're on to something. I also tried out several of the products Woodland Scenics puts out. The WS stuff and methods DO work well, it's just that it's very expensive. I have discovered that I like their flexible roadbed very well. I put it on top of the styrofoam and below the track, and it certainly does make a nice silent support for the track. Lets one appreciate sound effects.

I have always taken a very deliberate (slow) approach to constructing turnouts (switches), and I don't know how that will mesh with using CA. On the other hand, CA is a great adhesive, and as you say rock solid. Maybe you can carefully align the track and then swoop in with the adhesive fast enough. Glad to hear the track-laying is working. It's impressive to folks in and out of the hobby, but to me it's easier than most think.

Bob McD

PS: Charlie, if you just post a message like you started this topic with, as an add-on to the original topic, it brings that topic to the top, and lets others follow the discussion more easily.

[This message has been edited by BobMcD (edited 02-15-2001).]
 
You're right Bob, I don't know what I was thinking. I'll follow you up on the original thread, & maybe this one will die quietly
 
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