Looking for feedback on an industrial/marine/rail minimum track radius.  I need to get track into the warehouses and out onto my docks in a short span if possible. 

Obviously I will be using small switch engines, and nothing longer than 50' cars. 

What have you used or seen used successfully?

Thanks in advance,

Rob

I have some HO Unitrack  which I bought to evaluate whether or not to use that system for a new layout. Test results have been great. I would appreciate feedback on the current HO Unitrack range of products from people currently using the system, especially the new super-elevated curves. Do they pose any problems? Are there any other gremlins that I have not discovered yet? Thanks, Barry.

Some time ago, I remember reading about a guy who created his own spikes using thin metal rodding (think desktop staple size).  The process was bending it ninety degrees, then laying side cuts right up against the long side and snipping it.  That would leave the (now very) short side just long enough to hold down the base of the rail.  The metal was hard enough that it could easily be driven into the roadbed (so not brass) and soft enough to bend easily (so not piano wire).

I've started working on the main smelter yard again after a long break.  I was soldering wires in preparation for adding power leads to the various yard tracks when my daughter walked in, looked at what I was doing and asked if she could try soldering.  After a quick tutorial ("Don't touch the hot end!") she was off.  She said she was going to be doing some soldering in a class at school so perhaps I can draft her as a helper when she needs to do her homework.