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Thanks, smudge! All the track in this scene is done and has been glued down for several weeks if not months. I've never had a problem. Since applying the Smooth-It across the tracks I've made a space for the wheels of cars and I've run several cars and engines across without any issues.
I certainly don't want to cause myself any headaches by rushing but I'm curious to see how a nearly completed area (however small) will look. Does this info change your mind at all or are you thinking of something I'm just missing?
I model N scale. Little bit harder to paint the inside and outside of the rails compared to the HO scale. I use Rustoleum camo brown. I spray the ties and rails at the same time. I then wipe the top of the rails clean (ish) with a paper towel. Once mostly dry I use a small piece of cork roadbed soaked in alcohol to clean them the rest of the way. If any stubborn spots remain I hit them with some 600 grit sand paper then burnish with the smooth side of a steel washer. This lays down the minor scratches by the sandpaper. I tape off the hinges and points of any turnouts. Paint in those area's will be a problem in conducting electrical current. Once the paint is dry, if one wants they can add some grey washes or thin washes to a few random ties to help make a more convincing scene.
My thought is it should be safe to ballast the tracks IF your certain all track work is working perfectly. No derailments or electrical problems. Once it's ballasted, These are much harder to correct.
Thanks, smudge! All the track in this scene is done and has been glued down for several weeks if not months. I've never had a problem. Since applying the Smooth-It across the tracks I've made a space for the wheels of cars and I've run several cars and engines across without any issues.
I certainly don't want to cause myself any headaches by rushing but I'm curious to see how a nearly completed area (however small) will look. Does this info change your mind at all or are you thinking of something I'm just missing?
If your happy with it, then go for it. I haven't ballasted mine yet simply because I've never really been happy with it yet, I always find I'm altering or adding something, and it's easier to move track if it's not ballasted.
Thanks, guys. The track seems bullet proof in this area and the structures fit exactly as planned so I think I'll go for it.
Just nervous about painting the inside of the rails. Don't want any conductivity problems but if others do it getting electrical pick-up from the tops of the rails only is enough. I'll paint a small section of track, let it dry and test before ballasting. Hopefully get to all that today or tomorrow.
Thanks, guys. The track seems bullet proof in this area and the structures fit exactly as planned so I think I'll go for it.
Just nervous about painting the inside of the rails. Don't want any conductivity problems but if others do it getting electrical pick-up from the tops of the rails only is enough. I'll paint a small section of track, let it dry and test before ballasting. Hopefully get to all that today or tomorrow.
Thanks. Like I said earlier, no substitute for experience so I'm off to the store to get some paint and ballast!
It stands to reason that if most people paint the inside conductivity from the tops must be good enough or I think people would stop painting the inside. Off I go!
I paint inside of rails, immediately wiping off any that touches top of rail with dry finger.
Turnouts are tough, I use a small brush and some rusty weathering powder mixed with watery latex paint to get a rust color. Avoiding areas that transmit current to wheels.
I paint inside of rails, immediately wiping off any that touches top of rail with dry finger.
Turnouts are tough, I use a small brush and some rusty weathering powder mixed with watery latex paint to get a rust color. Avoiding areas that transmit current to wheels.
I've painted the rails with a Testors enamel. I found online it takes 48 hrs to cure completely. After only an hour it seems to me I could run a loco to test it as paint doesn't transfer by dry finger.
I want to test it but I certainly don't want paint on my loco's wheels! Does anyone have any thoughts? Thanks
Yup, I agree. Just hoping someone was going to tell me it's safe later today
Patience is usually not a problem for me but I've been home from work recovering from a surgery and can't do too much so my patience has kind of gone out the window
That is why I use staggered joins. I also assemble multiple section curves prior to installation so I'm actually working on straight tracks when I put it together.
ditto on the staggered joints. Not ditto on assembling prior to curving. I have a hard time where stand in ties have to be added. I feed my "long" rail into the ties of the prior section. and trim out only the ties under the actual joint.
ditto on the staggered joints. Not ditto on assembling prior to curving. I can't have a hard time where stand in ties have to be added. I feed my "long" rail into the ties of the prior section. and trim out only the ties under the actual joint.
I like this idea. If I live long enough to do this again I will likely do better track work. It's tough as a beginner to get everything "right".
This layout is in many ways a learning experience and I'm honestly just happy it operates well and I have a lot of fun with it. And as the time goes by it seems fewer frustrations! Electrical has given me the most headaches but seems I've licked most of those problems.
Thanks to everyone for contributing to this thread and keep the suggestions coming! I appreciate them
Well, this little bit took longer than I thought. I made a parking lot and walkways, painted the ties and rails, and added a little ground cover and ballast. Not perfect but I'm pretty happy with it. Maybe I can do a little touch up but I'm moving on to something else for now. I still have track which is not glued down and feeders not connected!
