I’m trying to develop a 4x8 layout that I can put up and take down for Xmas holidays that will provide continuous running and be a display. I’m new to hobby and don’t know how to break track and make reconnections mechanically and electrically. Anyone tell me how or where to look for instruction on how to?
rb
rb:
The best thing to do is where you’ll have a break in the benchwork, lay the track up to about 1 1/2" from the break at both ends. There you’ll be able to insert a 3" section of track. Where you lay the permanent track, cut off a couple of the rail ties so you’ll be able to slide the rail joiners onto the 3" piece of track to join it all together. Electrically speaking, you should have no problems with just one set of wire connections to the rails since all of the track will be joined with metal rail joiners, if you plan on running only one locomotive on the layout.
If you have any problems feel fre to ask for my e-mail address or contact me via Discount Model Trains located in the “Train Shops” section of this web site.
Jay
Depending on he gauge you are in (HO or N) atlas makes snap track and these will work for the rail between sections. The Ntrak web site has some detailed information on modules that could be useful in any gauge. If wieght is a problem N scale magazine had an article in the may-june issue 1999 on making styrofoam modules. How big you make the modular peices will depend on how far and how you need to transport them.
rb,
A trick I’m using on my n-scale modular layout is Kato uni-track expansion pieces. These are short pieces of track that can be expanded or contracted from about 3" to 4". Placing a expansion piece between modules and expanding it to fill is straight forward and can compensate for small mis-alignment. I mounted a short section of standard Kato track at each end of the gap so the mating the sections is secure and electrical integrity is maintained.
To my knowledge, Kato does not make a version of their expansion track in HO, but a German company (Fleischmann) make a similar item in both HO and N scales.
Cheers,
JZ