Central Valley Code 70 track

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Hi all,

For my diorama, I’m planning on using a few switches and Code 70 flex track. Much as I like the idea of using Code55 for spurs, to like my paper company, team track and other places, I’m thinking, I’ll stick with one size of track as it will not need a lot and I’ll just use weathering on the spur tracks. I’m thinking Central Valley turnouts as it seems to offer a bit more flexibility and I can put the tie strips down and put rail in place. I’d enjoy hearing people’s favorite pointers and tips for Central Valley Code70 track. I haven’t drawn a plan yet, or bought track, but it’ll be like 3-4 spurs and I’d like a crossover. I’ll draw a basic plan and share it at some point.

Alvie

2

If you look at the Central Valley website, their tie strips are designed to use various Code height rails from Micro Engineering. You have to glue the rails to the Central Valley ties. I tried this on one of their turnout kits but found it much easier to build my turnouts FastTracks style. Since Micro Engineering does sell completed track and turnouts, you might look into using their products.

3

I’ve used several Central Valley turnouts.

DSC03134 by wp8thsub, on Flickr

The #8 crossover above uses CVT turnout kits. The adjacent #6 turnout is from Micro Engineering.

DSC03135 by wp8thsub, on Flickr

This #6 turnout is another CVT kit.

These can be assembled into turnouts that look good and operate reliably, but I don’t recommend building them entirely per the instructions.

  1. The foil strips intended for powering the closure rails don’t work very well. I use jumper wires instead.
  2. I gap the closure rails at the edge of the “frog block” to prevent wheels shorting against the opposite closure rail.
  3. I use the template provided to build a soldered frog point (the instructions just have you wedge the frog rails into the frog block).
  4. The kit throwbar is troublesome. I eliminate in in favor of a new one fabricated from black styrene strip. I drill holes into that for the points, and secure a separate piece of thin styrene over the tabs on the point castings to hold them down.
  5. Since the headblock ties in the kit are part of the stock throwbar assembly, I add new headblocks using stripwood or commercial wood ties.
  6. Instead of the Barge cement suggested, I install the rails using flexible CA like Microbond or Poly Zap.

Central Valley plain tie strips are easy to use. They make nice track regardless o

4

I like the Central Valley tie strips, and put them down on the cork roadbed using gelled contact cement for both the ties and the rails. I did use one of their switch kits, but most of the others were from Micro Engineering, Peco, and Shinohara. I used code 83 rail from Micro Engineering for the mainline (it was the only brand of rail that the local hobby shop had on-hand at the time, and also picked up some code 70 for a planned industrial track.

The only rail joiners they had in any quantity were for code 55 rail, so I used a cut-off disc in a motor tool to alter the rail ends so that the joiners would fit. This involved narrowing the width of the rail’s base, but also removing material from the underside of the rail ends, too.

I’ve not had much success getting decent photos of those rail joiners, even under magnification, but were I building more track or a new layout, I’d definitely use the CV tie strips and the code 55 joiners.

Wayne

5

Thank you for the responses everyone!

I’m thinking I’ll go with Micro-Engineering Code 70 with the companies #6 turnouts, I only have a few places to switch and plan a couple crossovers.

Alvie