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Model Forum / General / Railroads / November 2005Laying Parrallel Tracks
Good Afternoon All. I wonder if someone can help me; and I know this is a particularly simple question, but to lay parallel tracks, and to keep the spacing between them fixed through a bend, should I use a larger radius (say 3rd) on the outermost track, and a smaller (2nd for arguments sake) on the inner. Or should both be the same radius but have less straights in the approach and exit of the inner track?? Many Thanks Graham Kendall > Good Afternoon All. > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > should both be the same radius but have less straights in the approach and > exit of the inner track?? The radius should be larger on the outermost track. If you use set-track, laid correctly, the ends of straights leading into the "corner" should be level with oneanother. For more realistic curves though, it's always better to use flexi-track so that you can smooth the transitions into and out of a bend. In that case, you need either a "good eye" ore a track-setting guage (Peco make them I believe). Also, be aware that some stock (particularly the newer, more accurate locomotives) may struggle on tighter radii, so always make the curves as gentle as you can acommodate. Adrian >> Good Afternoon All. >> [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >locomotives) may struggle on tighter radii, so always make the curves as >gentle as you can acommodate. First of all, both Hornby and Bachmann say that all of their stock will go round second-radius curves. Secondly, transition curves are not laid to a constant radius, but are on a constantly changing radius from infinity (straight) to the radius of the main curve, so one of them tracksetting gauges won't work for the transition, although it will do for the main curve. If you are using flexible track, Peco do a double-track spacing gauge that makes paralleling tracks easy. >Adrian  SignatureJane OO in the garden http://www.yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk/railway/railway.html > If you are using flexible track, Peco do a double-track spacing gauge that > makes paralleling tracks easy. Except on curves together . I used it to lay my track and coaches hit each other if they meet in the curves (which are 3rd and 4th) Rob >> If you are using flexible track, Peco do a double-track spacing gauge that >> makes paralleling tracks easy. > >Except on curves together . I used it to lay my track and coaches hit each >other if they meet in the curves (which are 3rd and 4th) Doesn't happen on my layout. Minimum radius is 3 ft. 6 in. >Rob SignatureJane OO in the garden http://www.yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk/railway/railway.html >>> If you are using flexible track, Peco do a double-track spacing gauge >>> that [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Doesn't happen on my layout. Minimum radius is 3 ft. 6 in. Could this be becasue one of you is using the less broad Streamline spacing, and the other using the wider setrack spacing? Graham >>Rob >>>> If you are using flexible track, Peco do a double-track spacing gauge >>>> that [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >Could this be becasue one of you is using the less broad Streamline spacing, >and the other using the wider setrack spacing? Not me, guv. I'm using the less broad Streamline spacing, and making absolutely no allowances for curves. >Graham > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >> Jane >> OO in the garden http://www.yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk/railway/railway.html SignatureJane OO in the garden http://www.yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk/railway/railway.html > Good Afternoon All. > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > should both be the same radius but have less straights in the approach and > exit of the inner track?? The former. >I wonder if someone can help me; and I know this is a particularly >simple question, but to lay parallel tracks, and to keep the spacing >between them fixed through a bend, should I use a larger radius (say Just a follow-up question here - when using flexible track for curves, I've never found a way to avoid getting 'kinks' at the joins. This is where the fishplates are not strong enough to keep a straight join between one section of track and the next, when the rest of the track is bent round into a curve. Any tips? (ab) > Just a follow-up question here - when using flexible track for curves, > I've never found a way to avoid getting 'kinks' at the joins. Dead easy, join two pieces of flexi-track on the straight using conventional joiners and finally solder the joints solid. Then use as a single piece of track easing slowly and gently into the required curve. John. >> Just a follow-up question here - when using flexible track for curves, >> I've never found a way to avoid getting 'kinks' at the joins. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > John. Yup, agree with John. That's the best way for smooth track on a curve. Just make sure the track is dead straight when joined - either use a steel rule straight edge, or sight along it at track level and pin it temporarily when you can see no kink. As far as the track spacing issue goes, not sure of the clearances in 4mm scale, but in 3.5mm scale I have made two parallel track spacers, one with a track centre to track centre spacing of 2" for straights and another with 2 3/16" for curves. They were made out of scrap syrene, but you can use just about anything. Trick here is to lay the inner curve first, but don't start the larger track spacing until you're into the curve about 9" - 12". Let the flex track find its own curve back to the 2" spacing on the straights. Now I might add that these suit a minimum radius of 30", not sure how they'd work in lesser radii. Anybody have any experience here? Steve Newcastle NSW Aust > > Just a follow-up question here - when using flexible track for curves, > I've never found a way to avoid getting 'kinks' at the joins. I use a curved tracksetta between the joints on curves, glue down, add weight, have a few beers, return next evening.......... > I use a curved tracksetta between the joints on curves, glue down, add > weight, have a few beers, return next evening.......... A couple of beers and even the couple of dykes in my local look straight, well not straight enough mind! ;-) John. Hi, I saw an tip on "MODEL TOWN" (Saturdays and Sundays 0900 and 1900 on Discovery Real Time Extra (SKY 135)) that I have tried and found it very good. Slide one rail of your flexitrack through the sleepers until it is about halfway along the length and cut off the chairs of the nearest sleeper and add a fishplate, do the same to the next piece of felxitrack. Now slide one of the rails that are left sticking out of the flexitrack through the chairs in the sleepers left by the moving of the previous piece and fit both rails into the fishplates If this is now of sufficient length cut of the excess rail that is still sticking out and slide it through the chairs of the first piece of track. If not sufficient, keep on with the process until you have the legnth you require. You now have a length of track with no joints opposite each other and no requirement for soldering. You will find that the track forms nice smooth curves with no weak points. Hope this helps. Eddie. >>I wonder if someone can help me; and I know this is a particularly >>simple question, but to lay parallel tracks, and to keep the spacing [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > (ab) > Hi, [...] > You now have a length of track with no joints opposite each other and no > requirement for soldering. You will find that the track forms nice smooth > curves with no weak points. [...] Well, Eddie, I agree your method does produce a mechanically adequate joint, but electrically it's dubious. Fishplates are not reliable elctrical conductors in the long run. So, either solder all the joints in an electrical blcok, or solder a feeder wire to each rail section. HTH Hi Wolf, Just as an aside, on the track that I have laid to date, I have soldered the fishplates to the track after using this offset method with 2 small blobs of solder at each end of the fishplate. I have also soldered a 10" flying lead to each rail on every section on rail and this will be wired to the two single 2.5mm sq section wires that run underneath my baseboard. Every individual piece of track will be wired individually, If the models fail to run well, it will not be down to dodgy electrics, more likely user error :) Eddie. >> Hi, > [...] [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > HTH > Hi Wolf, > > Just as an aside, on the track that I have laid to date, I have > soldered the fishplates to the track after using this offset method > with 2 small blobs of solder at each end of the fishplate. ... I hear a lot about all this soldering track business, surely expansion/contraction due to changes in temperature are going to play merry hell with any track so laid? SignatureAll the best, Chris Wilson That's cwilson at britwar with a dot uk and dot co on the end. (Reply address is blackholed) http://www.the-dormouse.org - The Dormouse Line Model Railway > I hear a lot about all this soldering track business, surely > expansion/contraction due to changes in temperature are going to play > merry > hell with any track so laid? Hi Chris - In my case it's never proved to be an issue, but Summer tends to be my quiet time, and is the time I do most of my track-laying - so expansion is already built in, so to speak, and my railway room is centrally heated so there is little risk of contraction in the Summer. John. >> I hear a lot about all this soldering track business, surely >> expansion/contraction due to changes in temperature are going to play [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >John. However, my layout is in the garden, where temperatures can range from -5 to +40, with consequent expansion. So I do not solder my fishplates to the rail, and definitely do not rely on them for electrical conductivity. SignatureJane OO in the garden http://www.yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk/railway/railway.html ... > In my case it's never proved to be an issue, but Summer tends to be my > quiet time, and is the time I do most of my track-laying - so > expansion is already built in, so to speak, ... and pre-tensioned track in the winter. :-) > and my railway room is > centrally heated so there is little risk of contraction in the Summer. All right for some ;-) I'm in an uninsulated garage with leaves blowing in under the door - although I don't have the temp range of Jane it still swings about a fair bit. Seriously though, the longer the continuous rail the larger the displacement (per rail) so whilst a change of only a coulple of degrees wouldn't have much significant effect on yard lengths with tiny gaps would I'm sure serve to distort longer lengths ... still you haven't had any problems so I bow to your experiance. SignatureAll the best, Chris Wilson That's cwilson at britwar with a dot uk and dot co on the end. (Reply address is blackholed) http://www.the-dormouse.org - The Dormouse Line Model Railway > Seriously though, the longer the continuous rail the larger the > displacement (per rail) so whilst a change of only a coulple of degrees > wouldn't have much significant effect on yard lengths with tiny gaps would > I'm sure serve to distort longer lengths ... still you haven't had any > problems so I bow to your experiance. In theory I agree with you, and in the past I've had great fun with layouts in lofts and garden sheds, but I guess we're down to compromise here, and it's just one thing which has and does work for me. I used to detest laying flexi-track on curves, but this method has eased my fears. John. > ... > > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > although I don't have the temp range of Jane it still swings about a fair > bit. I screwed a strip of poly something (flexible plastic strip) to the bottom of my garage 'up and over' door to exclude the leaves etc. It went quite a way to raising the temperature and reducing winter humidity! > Seriously though, the longer the continuous rail the larger the > displacement (per rail) so whilst a change of only a coulple of degrees > wouldn't have much significant effect on yard lengths with tiny gaps would > I'm sure serve to distort longer lengths ... still you haven't had any > problems so I bow to your experiance. I had four foot modules in my garage - eight per side. The rail expansion was even over the length, but the following contraction always seemed to occur in one place, with all the rails pulling the next section, leaving a 1/4" gap at the end of the crossover. "Clunk"!!! Regards, Greg.P. .... > I screwed a strip of poly something (flexible plastic strip) to the > bottom of my garage 'up and over' door to exclude the leaves etc. It > went quite a way to raising the temperature and reducing winter > humidity! Having now got a strip of the same or similar I'm waiting for a dry day when I'm off work(*) to do exactly the same. (*)How can you tell I'm on a day off? Answer, "It's raining!" ... > I had four foot modules in my garage - eight per side. > The rail expansion was even over the length, but the following > contraction always seemed to occur in one place, with all the rails > pulling the next section, leaving a 1/4" gap at the end of the > crossover. "Clunk"!!! Nothing larger than a yard, when laid in high Summer everything was butt jointed (bar two small gaps - about 1:32" in two tunnel sections), after last weeks frost - It was cold I tell you - damned cold an inspection showed that nothing had shrunk enough to make any track unusable or even unsightly - so I'm reasonably optomistic. If it survives Feb I'll start ballasting. SignatureAll the best, Chris Wilson That's cwilson at britwar with a dot uk and dot co on the end. (Reply address is blackholed) http://www.the-dormouse.org - The Dormouse Line Model Railway > .... > > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > (*)How can you tell I'm on a day off? Answer, "It's raining!" It rains in Britain? > ... > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > If it survives Feb I'll start ballasting. Timber frames shrink on hot dry days, expand on cold wet days. Next long layout I build might be on brass frames! ;^) > -- > All the best, [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > http://www.the-dormouse.org - The Dormouse Line Model Railway > I screwed a strip of poly something (flexible plastic strip) to the bottom > of > my garage 'up and over' door to exclude the leaves etc. It went quite a > way to > raising the temperature and reducing winter humidity! That gives me a brilliant idea for an answer to the perennial problem of storage for model railway layouts. Purchase an 'up-and-over' door set from Jewsons and build your layout on that. When you need the space, swing the lot up out of the way. Just remember to glue everything down. Disguise the handle with a small building or something. I wonder if this idea has been patented? Wiring could present difficulties I suppose. :-) > > I screwed a strip of poly something (flexible plastic strip) to the bottom > > of [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > :-) Hmmm, most 'up and over' doors end up horizontal at about 6'6"-6'9" above floor level, which might be a bit high for layout viewing. Also, the layout would end up outside the garage in the weather when you weren't using it! I guess if you mounted the 'up and over' door upside down so that it became a 'down and under' movement, you would get the right effect for a layout??? It would be at ankle height, the garage would be draughty and there would be no way to get the car in without driving over the layout/door, but those problems could be sorted somwhow ;-) Regards, Greg.P. |
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