I would like to hand lay the track for my new layout. But so far I can’t find any place that just sells the rails. Could anyone help with information on who sell just the rails?
Thanks
You might get a better response in the Layout and Layout building section…
As far as raw rail is concerned, two sources that come to mind are Tim Warris (maker of the FastTracks jigs) and Andy Reichert (owner? of the Proto:87 store).
Fasttracks - http://www.handlaidtrack.com
Proto:87 - http://www.proto87.com
You can get track, spikes, & ties from these sites (maybe tools too, not 100% sure). Tools can be had from Micromark. Micromark might also supply raw rail.
On top of raw rail/basic tools, you should probably invest in the NMRA gauge (if you don’t already have one), as well as a set of 3-point gauges.
Good luck in the handlaying business! I’m looking into handlaying and superdetailing some (if not all) of my next layout. Granted it’ll only be 2x16’ at the most… maybe a a little bigger/smaller depending on available space after I move out of my parents house (finishing up college at the moment).
I’m having trouble getting rail joiners, anyone out there know??
I’ve laid plenty of track without rail joiners. They are not critical, at least in HO and smaller. Laying track without rail joiners does require careful alignment at the joints, and requires feeders for every piece of rail.
That said, I’ve bought rail, rail joiners, and ties at my LHS, and mail order as well. You generally have to ask for these types of supplies - they won’t be on display in most places. The not-so-hot LHS that just sells Athearn and Atlas may not carry these kinds of items. It’s worth finding an LHS with a more complete stock. Similarly, many Internet stores focus on selling locomotives and little else - again a little more effort in searching will turn up hobby stores with complete stocks that sell over the Internet.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
Have you ever heard of a hobby shop?
Twenty-five years ago when I was getting started in N-Scale and going with handlaying Code 55 rail the only company making that code rail was a company called Rail Craft out of St Louis, Mo–this company is now Micro Engineering. My local ordered my rail from Walthers but because he couldn’t think of anyone who might need that sized rail he required that I commit to a whole bundle–99 feet–and pay for it in advance. In return he gave me a 5% discount–that was about a buck.
In perusing my 2008 Walthers catalog I see that Shinohara–sold through Walthers, Peco, and, of course, Micro Engineering market bulk rail; Atlas used to, I believe, but apparently no longer do so. Your dealer can order bulk rail from Walthers.
A word of caution: handlaying track is not nearly as fretful as might be imagined–I have been building my own switches for years; however if you insist on doing it then you need to understand that there are likely to be very slight differences between various manufacturers. These differences can cause trouble and it is therefore advised that you utilize track from the same manufacturer from start to finish. It is recommended, therefore, that if you compute that your eventual need will run to 150’ then have 150’ on hand before you ever start. This stuff goes out of production and sometimes stays out of production for years.
Lots of luck!!!
You don’t say what scale you operate in, Crazydawg, but I’ll assume it’s HO, but still my reply would depend upon what size rails you want to handlay. Have you checked Walthers’ HO catalog or their website? Most hobby shops have a Counter Copy of their catalog and would probably order whatever supplies you need, such as rails, ties and spikes. (I use Code 100 rail for O scale old-time track and don’t need much for making display tracks, so I buy HO flex-track and slip the rails out.) Micro-Mark doesn’t sell rails, but their track
Google is your friend. Try “rail code 100” and see what turns up. You also need spikes, three point rail gauges, and ties. Glue the ties down to the road bed and then level the tops of them with sand paper. Restain the ties and then spike the track down. I recommend handlaying some plain track before jumping into doing your own turnouts.
Dean,
You might want to peruse the Micromark catalog more closely next time. [;)] They do, in fact supply raw rail - but only HO Scale c83.
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=83697
Sorry. I’ve got complications from recent surgery that sometimes make me muzzy, particularly in the morning, when I go online after taking my pre-breakfast meds. I have a light burning above and to the right of my computer tower, angled so it doesn’t hit the monitor screen, so when I read something out of a magazine or some-such, I adjust the lamp to shine on it. I grabbed an old Micro-Mark catalog from the stack of stuff next to my copy easel and the muzziness prevented me from remembering that the MM index leaves TONS to be desired. And to tell the truth, being an O-scaler I never peruse the section of the catalog containing track stuff, so I was unaware of the Code 83 rails.
Back in the '80s and early '90s, when I ran Northrail Company, my HO model train shop as part of my used paperback store, I carried Atlas track products—nickel-silver only—along with individual rails of Codes 70 and 100, but when I wanted to handlay a display track in the late '90s in my apartment, I couldn’t find individual Code 100 rails anywhere. A $50 bundle of 33 36" lengths was out of the question, so I’ve been buying Atlas Code 100 flex-track and sliding the rails out. I’ll keep Micro-Mark in mind so if ever a Financial Mirac
I handlaid my track using rail and spikes from Micro Engineering. However, if I remember correctly, I purchased it through Walthers Catalog (online). I got the weathered rail and I believe the item code was 16-083 at that time for code 83 rail, nickel-silver, 3’ lengths. I have been very satisfied with it. I did use rail joiners, but I soldered power wires to each 3’ length. I also made all of my turnouts using this rail. I also purchased the spiking pliers and it was well worth it.
Have fun spiking. Hal
This is going to sound as if I’m being facetious, no doubt…but as I logged in, and was choosing which discussion to read, I noticed this one. And the thought that formed in my mind, was this:
If the OBJECT of handlaying track, is to come as close to “professionally” produced track as possible, why would anyone be tempted to even DO so?
Now, I know the answer to that, when it comes to something like making TREES…there are some terrific items being sold, that represent trees and such–but its MUCH more fun, to inspect the plants and shrubs you see on the side of the path, when you walk along, snatching off the ends of things that look like tiny versions of growth, usable on your layout. After I sent photos of those two “diorama” things I did up, to neighbours and friends, I’ve got an entire ARMY of people who are doing just that, now…and often come home to find little bits of scrubby crap sitting on the front porch. (Unsure if the WIND blew them there, or if one of those people have brought by their contribution, and are now telling everyone that they are into model railroading, like Roger.)
And, of course, the PRICE of a twig from off a weed in your garden, is WAY more attractive, even if you have to buy ground foam or something to “flesh it out,” than the professionally packaged trees.
Not to mention how I started noticing as far back as the late 50’s, when I spent my allowance on a Model Railroader Magazine, that it is MUCH cooler to show off something you made from “nothing,” than some KIT you bought and merely glued together. (Giving way to articles with names like: SCRATCHBUILDING A ROUNDHOUSE AND TURNTABLE FROM TABLE SCRAPS)
However, knowing all of THAT, I still have NO inclination to spend the time it would take to scratchbuild TRACK…so would ask you folks for the answer to what it i
I enjoy the process. It gives me as sense of satisfaction for me to be able to look at track I’ve handlaid. And it makes me feel as though I have a skill they valued in the “golden era” of model railroading.
It doesn’t take all that long, and, anyway, for me a good part of the hobby is in the doing, not the having.
Just FYI, “code” has no scale.
“Code” refers to the height of the rail, and code 83 in HO scale is still code 83 if I use it on my O scale narrow-gauge layout.
and right you are… I was looking through the “HO Scale” section right before posting the link…
Funny how one will add things like that when not thinking about it.
Oh…that makes sense. I didn’t mean to imply that doing your own track was in any way “not right,” just that it seemed to ME to be too great a length to go to. I have seen photos in here, of those who have put a few hundred hours into doing it, and if viewed from the “above” point of view, it is quite impressive. I suppose the fact that I figure I’m going to try to have the track be at standing, eyelevel height, if I ever get to the point of creating a real layout, is another reason for not paying as much attention to how track looks, other than from the side.
I sure was disappointed in how the tracks look on those two dioramas I created…especially how the BALLAST looks like crap…being something you DO see from the side. I’ll have to dig around in here and see how you guys who ARE into trackwork, have solved the ballasting problem…must be a real art.
Ballasting is one of my favorite activities, probably because I have found a way to make it look really good.
This one does take a lot of time to get it just right, but the results are well worth the effort and time.