I’m considering building a layout from the “Atlas Beginner’s Guide to HO Model Railroading” (2003 edition). The layout (“The Yardmaster” on pages 40-41) utilizes 18" radius curves and fits on a 4’ x 8’ plywood sheet . I’m planning to use code 100 track, mostly from an old layout I’ve taken down. I’m also considering the use of Flex Track (36" sections) to minimize the number of rail joints. Is there a rule of thumb to use when converting from Snap Track (as described in the book) to Flex Track?
There’s no conversion rule of thumb. Sectional track is about 9" long per piece so 4 of them are about one piece of flex, but the turnouts usually don’t work out to 4 sections apart so they have to be cut. Flex track will bend to an 18" radius. You’ll want a way to cut the flex track. Most people use rail nippers or a cut off disk in a motor tool. You can also use a razor saw - just go slow and easy. I’ve used all of them, rail nippers are the easiest. You’ll need to clean up the ends with a file.
Some folks use flex on the straight and sectional track on the curves to avoid curving the flex. But curving the flex is relatively easy once you have done a couple. The ends come out uneven and the long one needs trimmed. Some people solder all the joints. Some just solder every other one on straight sections and all of them on curves. The idea is to leave a very small gap in the unsoldered joints for expansion. For curves, some solder two sections together before curving others start one piece in the curve leaving the last 3 or 4 inches straight and solder the next section in and then curve it. I prefer the latter myself. Turnouts are usually not soldered so they can be easily replaced if they develop a problem. And insulated joints aren’t soldered, so use them as some of your expansion joints.
Paul gives good advice, there isn’t much I can add to it. However, I will say from experience that it is easier to build the smaller railroads with sectional track than it is with flex. The reason is that it is easier to get the track geometry correct and align the switches etc with the sectional track as it is fixed in it’s dimensions and there is less fiddling to be done, plus you will not need anything to cut rail (which is a good thing for a beginer that may not have many tools). If sectional track is properly laid, and care is used on the joints then you shouldn’t have any problems. Paint and weather the track, add the appropriate ballast and your sectional track will look just as good as anything else.
One problem with sectional track, over the long run is the potential for “dead spots” as the rail joiners expand and contract. Even in a climate controlled room, rail joiners will expand over the long run as trains cruise over them. Common rule of thumb is to install feeders every 3 to 6 feet. To lessen the potential for headaches if you don’t want to use flex track on curves…use them on your straight portions. Still helps to install feeders.
I agree with the previous poster – if you’re going to build a layout from a pre-existing plan, you will probably have more success just using the materials list provided. Solder your rail joints together (not that hard, with some practice) and you needn’t fear rail joints.
As others have stated, sectional track will help keep you honest in your alignments and especially curve radii.
If you do decide to go with flex track instead, here are a couple of issues to consider:
Try very hard not to put a track joint at the beginning of a curve, because it’s too easy to kink your track.
Make sure you have something to keep the radii of your curves true, like a couple of pieces of sectional track joined together.
Cut your flex track about 1/16" longer then you think you need, because you don’t want huge gaps when you finish cleaning up the cut ends.
Another thing you can try, which I did on my first layout, is to use sectional curves and flextrack for straights. Again, use a straight edge to make sure it really is straight.
If you flip a length of Atlas code 100 flex tie-side up, you will find that the tie strip is identical to that of four nine inch lengths of snap track. Thus you can cut the flex to get the equivalent of two or three pieces of snap-track, and the leftover will also be an even length. Or, if the published plan calls for little ‘connector’ sections of three or six inch length, you can adjust the cut lines on the flex accordingly.
Plan book layouts don’t have spiral easements, the one thing for which flex track is indispensible. Accordingly, you are more likely to get smooth curves with sectional track. OTOH, if you redesign the published layout with curves of odd radius…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with spiral easements and odd radii)
That layout design was the very first one I built about 25 years ago, using an Atlas beginners booklet I had acquired 20 years before that. I used nothing but Atlas sectional track and switches (so-called turnouts.) Worked like a champ and was done quickly.
All the advice you’ve been given is pretty solid, but much of it will complicate the project. It’s your RR, but if you take your time to make sure all the alignments are tight and the track is securely mounted on the roadbed, you really don’t need to tackle cutting, soldering or even measureing.
As I stated in the past I’m not a flex track fan mainly because of trying to use on curves fighting the spring action. However, on my current layout under construction I used flex track for long straight sections to lessen the use of feeder wires and used the rails out of it for my CVM bridges and bridge guard rails.
Curves can be a pain with flex track but it is great for the slighly curving section that is super wide radi. Also save the bits of flex track if you have to cut off some. Those 3 or 4 inches pieces can come in handy.