Having almost decided to use Fast Tracks jigs for my N scale turnouts I had a couple of questions regarding the ties for those who have handlaying experience with or without FT.
I can’t find a thread that addresses alternatives to Fast Tracks Quickstick wooden ties. The $6.61 cost for the preformed turnout ties is not bad, but I’m willing to handlay the turnout ties individually. In my research I noticed that Proto87 has a “Simplicity N Turnout Base Maker” jig.
It seems that if I removed the ties where the Fast Tracks PCBoard ties go that this might make a viable alternative that would subsequently reduce the cost for a completed turnout. I am not sure if the ties would line up well etc with the FT turnout.
Does anyone have experience with this or have any alternatives to suggest to a first time layout builder? Web links I can research, etc. or comments would be nice.
You could take the fret from a QuickSticks (if you buy the complete turnout kit you get 5 as part of it) and fasten it to some base, and use that as a jig to cut plain wood ties to length. The gaps for the PC ties are already there, too.
Those suggestions make some good sense. I wonder if I would take the discarded “shell” and mount it to a plastic sheet? I don’t have the Quicksticks in hand so not sure if that approach would be doable. Definitely sounds like an option though.
Actually, that would might be good idea. You will have to add some styrene to get it to work, but it is a frame to start with.
However, thinking about it, What I would do is get a styrene FOR SALe sign from Walmart. l would then lay one of your completed turnouts on it and draw in the ties with a very fine pencil. Cut it out and lay it on another piece from the sign (maybe a third to stiffen it up.) For about $3 and an hour’s work, you have your jigs. You’ll need one right one left. But you can probably just flip the first one and trace it to make the second…
Just keep in mind that some of the folks advising you to “just go for it” may never have handlaid even a single turnout in N scale. The advice is well-intentioned, but not necessarily based on experience.
Handlaying is not impossible in N scale. Even I have built one operational (if ugly) N scale turnout from rail (no jig). But it’s not for everyone, and since there are so many different skills to learn and alternatives to explore when first starting the hobby, I’d suggest reserving handlaying (even with a jig) for a little further down the road.
Although this will be my first layout I have experience back when I was in my late teens and early twenties. I did assemble a portion of a large hobby shop layout, solder, basic electrical hookups etc along with friends and experienced model train people. It’s been twenty years, but I’ve not forgotten the basics and I’m willing to make mistakes new hobbyists make.
Although I value all opinions, the sheer volume of the turnouts I need to start with…and the realization that my future layout will require many more makes me more willing to spend the time and effort required to learn how to use the Fast Track jig system for my turnouts.
I read on the forums at least once a week about how well Proto87, CVT, and Fast Tracks turnouts perform when compared to the commercially available (unless Asia supplies are behind-as they seem to constantly be).
The layout will be a journey for me…not just a quick excursion, so I’m willing to invest time in learning the many aspects. I think a FT jig in this case will offer me the “training wheels” I need in tracklaying as I relearn old modeling skills and learn new ones.
Thanks for the input Cuyama and good luck with your clinic at the NMRA convention.
You can handlay turnouts in N scale as well as H0. I’ve just built a few H0n3 turnouts with code 40 rails.I’ve used the paper templates and the NMRA gauge.
While most of my hand-laid specialwork has been 16.5mm gauge (codes 100, 83 and 70,) I have laid 10.5mm and 9mm gauge turnouts with code 70 and code 55 rail. Some time in the future I will have to lay some 6.5mm gauge, code 40 rail, turnouts on the mine tram of my smaller colliery. I don’t consider any of that particularly difficult.
My method of making switch ties calls for cutting ‘blanks’ of appropriate length for each length of tie required across the grain of a sheet of medium balsa. Individual ties are cut, with the grain, in the number required as I need them. Each ‘blank’ is coded on one side with the length, so I know which is which. One 4 x 36 inch sheet of balsa provides enough tie blanks for a major terminal with classification yard in 16.5mm. The same sheet would probably be enough to provide ties for a fairly large N scale layout.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with hand-laid specialwork on balsa ties)
Sorry, I apparently misinterpreted your description of yourself in the first post of this thread and elsewhere as a “first time layout builder”.
If you decide to go ahead with the jig-built turnouts, it seems to me the easiest way would be to spraymount the paper template of the turnout (from the FastTracks site) to a piece of plywood, then build a tie-spacing jig right on top of the template, gluing down spacers cut from stripwood, balsa, styrene, etc.
Load that jig with ties cut to the appropriate lengths and then use a piece of masking tape to lift the ties off off the jig and glue the tie strip down all together. I think the masking tape should keep everything in alignment, even with the “gaps” for the PCB ies.
Peel off the masking tape and you are ready to go.
Some folks follow a similar procedure for fully handlaid turnouts, so it would probably work fine here, too.
I REALLY like that approach Cuyama. I think that is definitely the best way to go. It will take time, but with patience and practice it seems a very sound approach to the premade tie strips.
Btw, to call myself “skilled” would not be accurate but I have enough basics down to not be too intimidated to try this.
Ultimately, even if I mess up a couple of turnouts it turns out to be much cheaper, I gain great experience in an area that seems interesting to me, and I get turnouts that are reliable.
