My supplier says I can save separate shipping charges if I go for 18" rails instead of 36" rails.
What’s the downside? Is it a big downside?
Just more joints; if on curves, make sure you slightly prebend the ends to approximate curvature first to reduce chances of kinky trackwork (you can read that in more than one way).[:-^] Gary
I think there is a shipping surcharge for items over a certain length.
My understanding is that in the pre-welded rail era, rails were made in 39’ lengths (so they would fit in a 40’ gondola or flat car), with the joints staggered on each side.
On both the prototype and the model, shorter rails mean more joints, which mean more potential points of failure. If you’re going to have to cut the rail into scale 39’ lengths, I suppose the question is how much waste are you going to have cutting an 18" rail versus a 36" rail, and is saving any waste going to offset the shipping surcharge?
Despite the extra postage I’d go for the longer rails. The less joints you have, the less potential problems you’ll have for derailments or conductivity - especially on curves.
SOMETHING is missing. There are no 18" or 36" rails per se on the market. There ARE 36" and 18" radiii curves, and RAIL comes in 36" or 1 meter (Shinohara) LENGTHS, so as long as the SIZE (code) is the same, and total length is the same, you decide - as shipping is by weight - and in this era of $4 gallon fuel. I’d be wary of any ‘free’ delivery.
Is somone ‘Jobbing’ rail in 18’ LEGNTHS? Fast Tracks claims to prefer Micro-Engineering. I’d check out the OEM manufacturer, and I would avoid the possibility of using two different brands in my Fast Tracks Turnouts.
Don,
The plan is to handlay my town of Rock Ridge in code 55. The rail itself is what we are talking about. It comes in 36" pieces, but I could save extra shipping with would amount to 20% pf the order if I say I’ll take 18" pieces instead.
I’m beginning to think that the 36"ers are the way to go.
Depending on your era and prototype’s history, Chip, it may all be moot anyway. Unless you are modeling prototypical lengths of rails, I would strongly (did I say strongly…how about strenuously) urge you to go with the longer rails. Less work over all if you can use most of those lengths in full, and the curves will be that much better where 18" joints have to be made.
-Crandell
They would clip the rails to 18" to save? who sells 18" lengths?
If your willing to go the 18" route, if they are willing to do that, why not, you can reconnect them to 3 foot or however long you want the rails to be, by rail joinering them and soldering them in. That solves alignment issues on curves.
I’m trying to figure how many spikes to buy. How often do I spike? One per tie, two, 4?
The general rule that Lorrel Joiner laid out in his video 20+ years ago was to spike every 4th tie, at least. I’ve found that to work quite well for holding things in place. Of couse, there’s nothing to keep you from spiking Every tie.
Don’t know if you’ve considered it yet, but go after the Micro-engineering spikes. Come in all sizes from micro (very small) to large (better suited for O scale and up)… A tremendous help as well is the rail spiking pliers that Micromark sells. Nothing more frustrating than driving the nose of the pliers through the tie because it slipped (trust me, it’ll happen)…
Good luck…
Code 70 I’ve spiked as far apart as every six ties; code 55, I wouldn’t spread out more than every four ties: ergo, figure 1 spike per tie. Don’t forget to figure for those you will bend, and extras to spike in your FastTracks. Gary[2c]
No Fast Tracks in this project. I’, looking at MicroMark 1/4 inch spikes.
Those (1/4") might actually be a touch too big for code 55 rails as the heads may stick up a little too far. IMO, they Are the easiest to work with but for that size rail you may actually want to drop down to the 3/16" size. It will depend greatly of course on the wheels you intend to run over the rails…
edit: Sorry, I saw Micro and thought micro-engineering. Can’t speak on the micromark spikes, never used them. Although, bet is pretty fair that they are (like many of their other products) they are repackaged micro-engineering. Can never have too many, try both sizes (don’t forget your optivisor)…
My bad it is Micro Engineering. The smallest nail I’ve found is 1/4. I’ve found bigger.
So far, I’ve got in my cart:
Rail
Joiners
Ties
3-point tools
Spikes
$100—Unfortunately, I’m doing 45 ft and all the bundles are set up for 35-40 ft–so I have to buy 2 of everything.
What else do I need?
Figure a spike tool from MicroMark…
This costs way more than flex. Hopefully I’ll make it up on the turnouts.
Personally, I’d go for eevry 4th tie. And depending on the spacing of the ties…based on the spacing on the Micro Engineering flextrack that’s sitting in front of me, you’ll need 224 spikes per 3’ section (assuming 4 spikes per spiked tie, one on each side of each rail), so a bag of 1000 spikes will do just a hair over 12’ of track. If you space the ties out more (secondary/industrial spacing), then you’ll obviously get more track done.
I’d love to see photos of that as you go! [:)]
PS- check out Cherry Creek Hobbies for tracklaying supplies… http://www.cchobbies.com/
Have you considered using Central Valley tie strips instead of spiking ?
I haven’t done much handlaying, mostly solder/pc tie for C55 rails in N scale and same for turnouts in both N and HO, then I did a small testbed with 3 length of straight (one length Atlas C83, one C70 on pc ties, one C70 spiked and one C70 using Central Valley tie strips). I started a module more than a year ago which unfortunately I never got around to finish, but it was build with pc ties for turnout and cv tie strips, and when I finally get started on my layout then I’m pretty sure that is the way I will do it.
I have a few images here http://family.webshots.com/album/557140579QbfTTE?vhost=family
Jesper
Jesper,
Believe it or not, I’m not looking for easy. The truth is, I’m looking to learn hand-laying at it’s most basic so that when I design my basement layout, I won’t hesitate to design track-work that might allow something spectacular to occur.
I actually don’t think spiking is more complicated than using solder/pc ties or cv ties and glue, all of them takes a bit of practice (yes spiking probably take more than the other) but once you get the hang of it either one will work.
Personally I will go for the CV ties and CV/pc tie combination for turnouts (or pc tie / wood tie for special turnouts) because of the appereance of the cv ties, to me they just look better.
Good luck with the project and please post pictures, I like to see pictures of nice flowing trackwork.
Jesper
They do make the 3/16" spikes (or use to -or- it is in fact 1/4" I’m thinking of). I use them on code 70 in the frog areas because they are just thick enough to properly space the guard rails without cutting any notches in anything. With code 55, 1/4" spikes may do the trick.
You probably already have the rest… A good file or two, the soldering iron for turnout frogs, an NMRA gauge, and some sort of holding device for filing rails to points (if you don’t want to mess with jigs or power tools), and a black sharpie marker. If you’re building turnouts, one thing I’ve found VERY useful for cleaning the frogs is a hacksaw blade. Mine are 18tpi and it’s just about perfect for the flangeway width on the frogs (HO scale). If you can, find one that isn’t thick with paint. A fine tooth Sawzall blade (milwaukee) may also work for this task. Cleans the solder right out, nice and flat, and doesn’t load up like a file will.
The picture is huge so I’m just posting a link to it…
http://www.rolleiman.com/trains/xover1.jpg
One trick I’ve found useful building turnouts in place is to lay a thin piece of copper wire (26guage or similar) in the flangeways before soldering. It helps to conduct heat to both pieces. No flux is needed if everything is clean. I Also, before soldering the frogs, drop a feeder for power routing. That is why you’
But suppose I want to build a double slip on a curve?
Here’s some I did with a Fast Tracks Jig.
