Trackwork
[How to] curve flex track with rail bender (Fast Tracks)
Hello. In this thread I will show, how to curve flex track with rail bender from Fast Tracks. Usage of rail bender gives you two advantages:
1. You will get curves without kinks.
2. You can lay flex track on your layout very easily, because it will be already pre bended to needed radius.
The process of curving flex track with rail bender can be broken in three steps:
1) Remove rails from ties.
2) Use rail bender to curve rails to desired radius
3) Install curved rails back on ties.
Idealized Turnout Design
I was just looking thru some images I had saved on my computer and ran across this one,..
Its termed an 'EXPRESS' by Fleischman.
1) It appears to not have any discontinuous point-rails to closure-rails,..they are all one.
Pan Pastels on Trackwork
Two questions;
#1 - I was wondering if anyone uses any type of clearcoat over any pan pastels used to weather trackwork? I am asking as I caught a online discussion about using graphite sticks on the rails and the most voiced concern was motor/electronics contamination by the graphite. I have used the pan pastels to weather track but afterwards I used a vacuum two or three times to remove anything left behind. Just wondering if an addition step in the process was needed.
What's on Your Workbench - September 2020
Here's the place to share your latest workbench progress as we roll through September 2020. Let's see your latest projects!
Eric
Reattaching Peco (N Scale) closure rail?
When testing out some trackwork today, I discovered one of my PECO turnouts is broken. Specifically, one of the closure rails has detached from the throw bar.
Please excuse the fuzziness of the pictures, but you can see the floppy rail.
West Side Lumber modular layout
I have been slowly working on my modular layout. It is made up of 4 modules. Two 2 foot by 5 foot modules, 1 corner 4 x 4 foot module and one 2 foot by 6 foot module. They are arranged in an L shape. The switches and track are going to be all hand laid with the use of Fast Tracks jigs in Sn3 (S scale 3 foot narrow gauge). The theme is going to be a West Side Lumber switching layout so I can run my PBL Shays. I am going to have a lumber mill on the 6 foot module that will cut the logs into boards.
Filling in the gaps
A fine good Day/ evening to all reading this little post.
after Gaping the cross track I made I found that there are some Modelers that fill these electrical gaps with something to prevent possible contact when rail might expand.
what is your experience like? Suggestions welcomed. I have heard a drop of regular cyanoacrylate, Gel cyanoacrylate, Gooo: that rubberized stuff, Index card material...
the rail is code 100 rail and the gap? An index and a half card thin
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