Flex track ends

[Mike Nowakowski]

What do you do at the end of flex track for ties. I have been cutting the ties that are in the way out and cutting the spikes off and squeezing them under the rails after its soldered down and super gluing them in place.

 

[ianacole]

You didn't specify a scale, but atlas makes these:

http://www.caboosehobbies.com/catalog/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=8370

 

[Mike Nowakowski]

O yeah its HO scale and i looked at atlas but i am not goint to buy that i figured i would find a way and i did, but how do you do it?

 

[CBCNSfan]

O yeah its HO scale and i looked at atlas but i am not goint to buy that i figured i would find a way and i did, but how do you do it?

Same as you

Cheers
Willis

 

[NH Mike]

I use the pre stained wood ties that come about 1000 in a bag. If they end up being too thick to slip under the rails or rail joiners they can be easily thinned by running them along a flat file or some 100 grit sandpaper until they slide in place. A drop or two of thinned white glue holds them in place until the ballast is put down. No way I'll ever need 1000 wood ties on trackwork so I also use them for scenery as piles of ties scattered here and there, landscape ties near buildings and anything else that seems appropriate.

 

[Selector]

A pile of the grit you collect from your gutters if you have asphalt shingles laid over the track end is quite sufficient. Or, stack crossties. Or, build a backstop that can double as a loading ramp:

 

[wheeler1963]

I use the pre stained wood ties that come about 1000 in a bag. If they end up being too thick to slip under the rails or rail joiners they can be easily thinned by running them along a flat file or some 100 grit sandpaper until they slide in place. A drop or two of thinned white glue holds them in place until the ballast is put down. No way I'll ever need 1000 wood ties on trackwork so I also use them for scenery as piles of ties scattered here and there, landscape ties near buildings and anything else that seems appropriate.

Mike, where did you find the pre-stained ties? I haven't seen those in quite a while.

 

[NH Mike]

Mike, where did you find the pre-stained ties? I haven't seen those in quite a while.

I got them at one of the LHS near me. Off the top of my head I think they are by Micro Engineering Works. When I opened the package I dumped them into a zip lock freezer bag and tossed the original one away. Pretty sure they are from MEW and I do know they came in std length and wider lengths for switch ties and bridge ties. The funny part is I knew I had a big bag of them from a long time ago before I put the RR on hold for 20 odd years but when I got back into it again I couldn't find them anyplace. Two days after I bought another big bag gues what I found??? As of right now I probably have enough ties to hand lay track from my house to Cape Horn.

If you're having trouble locating them shoot me a PM and I'll see if I can fix you up.

 

[BN8002]

I got them at one of the LHS near me. Off the top of my head I think they are by Micro Engineering Works. When I opened the package I dumped them into a zip lock freezer bag and tossed the original one away. Pretty sure they are from MEW and I do know they came in std length and wider lengths for switch ties and bridge ties. The funny part is I knew I had a big bag of them from a long time ago before I put the RR on hold for 20 odd years but when I got back into it again I couldn't find them anyplace. Two days after I bought another big bag gues what I found??? As of right now I probably have enough ties to hand lay track from my house to Cape Horn.

If you're having trouble locating them shoot me a PM and I'll see if I can fix you up.

yes, it is micro engineering that makes them..atleast thats who my LHS stocks..

 

[Larry]

I use the cardboard ties to fill in blank spots on my layout. They are the ones that the MRR's use to hand lay track on before wood ties. They are flat black & about 1/16th thick & come in a big roll. I just bought 3 big rolls of them at a garage sale about 3 weeks ago for a buck. I've been using them for about 25 or so years. Rivet counters don't even notice them on the layout.

 

[NWCanuck]

What do you do at the end of flex track for ties. I have been cutting the ties that are in the way out and cutting the spikes off and squeezing them under the rails after its soldered down and super gluing them in place.

That is exactly what I do, cut the ties off so that the joiner fits and put the two ends together. Then I take a knife an cut the tie plates off of the spare ties and slide them under the joint. Easy peasy.