Laying track


F

firetacoma

Member
Now that all my roadbed is layed, it's time to start laying track. I am terrified! How do I start? I'm using all peco flextrack with peco turnouts. I bought some adhesive caulk today but just don't know where to start. Glue turnouts and start from there? Tips or clues?
 
I definitely want to do this right. Glue track and then solder connections? If I have a gap between rails can I fill the gap later with solder or should I try to make everything tight (I'm struggling with that)?
 
I test fit, worked with it till I had no gaps, glued, pined down, then sodered all the joints after the glue dried. A good pair of rail nippers and a file are a must.
 
Run an engine and some cars in both directions before soldering and gluing. That will locate any errors and kinks.
 
I can't really do that for a number of reasons:
  • The track is pinned in place and the pins would prevent running
  • I don't own an engine yet
  • I don't have the track wired
 
Fire,
You aren't going to have good track without testing it. Replace the pins with track nails so they will be below flange level. You can solder two wires to the track to provide power or buy wired rail joiners. I assume you already have a power pack. If not, you can get one for $5 of e-bay. Same thing with an engine. You don't need a great engine, just one that runs. Look for earlier Athearn engines on e-bay. They will often go for $10 or less.

I know this all sounds like a pain but testing how well the track plan works now, before you've done anything else, will be a lot less pain than ripping up scenery to fix a fault.
 
Ok, I'll try to figure out a way to test it all. How should I tack down the track with something low enough to clear the wheel flanges? I'm using Peco track so it doesn't have holes in the center of the ties. I can probably find an old transformer in my parents basement from an old HO layout. Am I just looking for areas where things derail?
 
If you are gentle, you can probably just use rail joiners to hold things together. (Kind of like a kid on the floor.) If you don't have an engine yet, get some rolling stock and push them around. I tested mine by shoving two or three cars about the layout including turnouts. Without power, you can still test for smoothness. Give them a really good shove, so they move faster than you will run them (don't get stupid, though) and you will have a quick picture of probelms or the warm fuzzy feeling of smooth running.

Now, when it is all perfectly smooth, is it laying properly on your roadbed? You may have some adjustmetns to do.

I tested the track before roadbed, marked the plywood (it's a 4x8) and then put down the roadbed.
 
With the flextrack the railjoiners definitely do not hold it in place.

I have everything laid out in place and pinned down now. All lines look smooth and gaps at joints are as minimized as I can get them.

I have sanded down the cork roadbed and everything is laying fairly smoothly.

I'm half tempted to go ahead with glue. At that point I could run some cars around (by hand) to get a feel for smoothness. It wouldn't be too late to make adjustments (using adhesive caulk, should be able to get a narrow blade underneath to get the track up again). Or even run a cheap engine with a dc powerpack.

Am I going to regret it? I'm not trying to go against what all of you more experienced folks suggest, but I'm just not sure how to accomplish what you suggest.
 
Go to a craft store and ask them for some florist's pins. You can cut the legs down and shove them into the roadbed and they will hold by the friction across the tie. I really do think you're asking for trouble by not running at least one engine over it. No matter how how well aligned and smooth it looks, it's not, and running a locomotive will help to find electrical faults which are lurking there unnoticed right now.
 
Try some track nails. Better to spend some effort now than to rip things up later. Not what you want to hear, but it is my recommendation. Once done and all is well, you may be able to go right to ballasting - that should hold the track and the nails can be pulled. I am somewhat of a newbie, so I will yield to the old-timers (so to speak.)

(I use sectional, so I didn't think about flex - sorry)
 
Like Jim said get a transformer and a old engine and test the track out . So not glue it down untill you are surethat everything is ok . Better to nail with track nails and then correct any mistakes you have made . nails are forgiving and can easily be pulled out .
 
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