On some of my turnouts for sidings I want to bring the track down from the roadbed to ground level. How did you shim yours to do this, if you did it? I’ve thought about using strips of card stock (like in sections of cereal boxes), but thats gonna take a lot of layers to get up 3/16ths of an inch (or down, depending on how you look at it!) All suggestions appreciated!
Jarrell
I ran my sidings on N scale roadbed, which is thinner, but not down to the ground level. I used strips of ceral-box cardboard to shim it. The greater the drop, the longer the transition needs to be to prevent a sharp vertical curve which will cause couplers to disengage and locos, especially steamers, the larger the worse, to derail.
–Randy
Or, for the hurried (and harried), mix up some Polyfilla and make a long smooth ramp, again with transitions. I’ll bet it takes you 4 minutes or less.
-Crandell
or you can buy a pack of door frame shims from the local homedepot in the door and window dept for about $2this will give you about 20 transitional pieces they go from about 1/4 inch to 0 in around 6", should be just about right.
Have fun & let us know
Karl.
I’m using old “promotional” mouse pads, the really thin kind with corporate logos on them. They are about half the thickness of roadbed, and provide a good transition down.
Finally, a use for old mouse pads. (No, an old mouse pad is not Chip’s former apartment.)
This yard is one of the places I’m going to have to ‘shim’ down…
http://www.pbase.com/jarrell/image/55680511/original.jpg
the mainline is, of course, the track on the far left. I guessing I have to shim from it, dropping down gradually along the length of the yards ladder and I’ll also have to drop each yard track leading off the ladder? Then do the same on the far end of the yard back up to mainline level.
Jarrell
Jarrell,
If you want the yard tracks lowered by the roadbed thickness, glue the track directly to the foam. Make your transition with a wood shingle as mentioned above. Use a good clear white cedar- not those shim pack ones. A carpenter can supply you w/ a few clears so your not buying a whole bundle. A clear #1 or P+R white cedar averages 16" long and is 5/16" taper to a feather edge. Red cedars (R&R) are 18" long and are a bit thicker 3/8" and taper to about 1/16", you could sand to a feathered edge though. Those shim packs seen at the Home center are short/ narrow basically crap. Take it from me, I hang doors and set cabinets every day. Have to watch some of the home center materials. Nice to see your moving along with the layout.
Bob K.