I am ready to start replacing all of my old 9" ho track with Atlas code 100 flex track with plastic ties. Could someone explain how to cut it, and the best tool to use. I would also like to know the best way to fasten it directly to plywood.
all help appreciated
CCG
There is lot’s of information on working with Flex Track elsewhere in the Forum. Do a search and you’ll find great hints. Most people cut the track with a Xuron type cutter. These are available from your local hobby shop (LHS) or a place like Walthers or Micro Mart. You can also use a Dremel motorized tool - wearing googles to protect your eyes from flying chards. Latex caulk is a good way to fasten the track down. Use the holes in the ties for pins to hold the track in place before it dries, but is sets up quickly. You don’t need nails. Consider using something like cork or Woodland Scenics roadbed between the track and the plywood. Model Railroader recently had an article on flex track that among other things talks about soldering two pieces together to make smooth curves. That’s very important. You can look for that elsewhere on this website. Good luck.
Abbie
Abbie is right. The tool that many of us use to cut rail is the Xuron Track Rail Cutter.
Before cutting the flex track rails precisely to fit, use the Xuron tool to remove the two end sides on each piece of flex track, by cutting away the ties on the underside of the flex track. Then cut the rails as square as possible so that the top of the rail and the bottom of the rail are even, not angled. Once the piece of flex track is in place, you can use the Xuron tool on that two tie end piece that you cut off in order to clip off the plastic rail spikes that hold the rail in place and then slip the two end tie piece back in place under the exposed rails.
As far as securing the flex track to the plywood surface, again as Abbie said, use cork or foam road bed under the flex track. The two most common ways to secure the road bed to the plywood surface and to secure the flex track to the road bed are nails or caulk.
A word of warning about caulk. There is no second chance so be sure that your track is perfectly aligned before caulking it. At least with nails, if you get it wrong, you get a second chance by removing the nails and starting over.
One last thing. If you use nails, then use cork for the road bed, not foam. I have used Woodland Scenics Foam Track Bed extensively on my layout with nails to secure the track through the foam and into the plywood. The foam is too pliant and if you nail too far, the foam road bed gives, leaving humps and dips in your track work. Worse, if you nail too far in foam, the rails begin to draw together pulling the track out of gauge. So, if you nail, use cork for the road bed.
Rich
I have used latex caulk to secure my track to cork. As Rich says it sets up and holds the track well, but you do have some time to make sure it is in the right place. It is not like contact cement where you place it and it stays. Only need a thin layer of caulk to hold the track down, none of mine ever came up the edges of the ties, they just sat on it. You have at least 10 min if not longer to make sure it’s in the right place. If you do decide to move it later, a putty knife can be slid between the track and cork and will lift it with no damage as long as you are careful.
The other suggestion is that on curves use some T pins through the little holes in the ties to help hold the track to the right curve. A few books, cans, bricks or whatever on the rails (curved or straight) hold them down until the caulk is dry. I left mine overnight, but don’t think more than a couple hours is necessary. Your layout room “weather” will determine drying time.
Good luck,
Richard
Why?
I use a dremel to cut all my tracks! perfect finish and very fast!
Another option you have is to solder your rail joiners.
As to cutting the track you can use rail nippers, track saw, or dremel cutting disk.
I use a dremel to cut my track with, I think the dremel is almost surgically attached to me as I use it alot on the layout construction as well as work on cars and engines on the layout. I have a jig I made up to hold my pieces of flex track in a vise to I can get a better cut and more flush this way too. I also used Woodland’s foam roadbed only on my layout, but I had a secondary reason to choose it. I wanted some dips and humps in a couple of my tracks, not monster ones but a few gentle one on the shortline I have on my layout… You can see the less than prefect track care that a shortline gives and you can see the slight rocking of the engine and cars as they head off into the hills. I use nails to hold my track down and after a few frustrating times I got the knack of nailing the track in place without going to hard and screwing up the piece. I have soldered jumper wires between my pieces of flex track to provide steady current, especially with the use of DCC you don’t want breaks or poor connections between tracks. There is a jig I bought that holds flex track in place when you are doing curves and it works great. I would recommend it to anyone who has a lot of flex track and need to hold the track in place at a certain radii for the curves. I run 40" radii on my mainlines and 36’ on the secondary tracks where passenger cars and large steam engines travel I have several 2-8-8-0 and 2-8-8-2 plus a 2-8-2 and 4-6-2’s so I need wide curves. Go to Walther’s and you will see that flex track jig they have, it’s worth the money.
Ray