My pike has been up for a few years now and consists of brass track on various layers and sizes of gravel. I live in Western PA with cold winters and hot summers. I also live over old desserted coal mines so there is usually some ground settlement with every Spring. I’ve never used stainless track so I’m not sure if it “conforms” to the ever shifting terrain as soft brass does. These changes are not exclusively subsidance, as erosion, shifting gravel, and sun do some interesting things to the pike- I think I like it! I like to watch a consist through a long straight-a-way sway side-to-side, and dip up and down. Unless it gets bad enough to cause derailment, the heck with struggling to keep things straight and level! What’s your take?
Interesting question. I normaly don’t worry either about constant track adjustments seeking the “perfect” rails, I just let the trains run. But to each his own. I’m sure there are those that like the perfect rails, perfect trains etc and I think that is great if it is what motivates them to enjoy the hobby.
Perhaps somebody will come up with a working G model of a Dyna-CAT and we wouldn’t have to worry anymore about bad track[swg]
I live in the Sierra Nevada and have the same problems with winter frost heave and summer temps. My brass track is floating on cut and fill roadbed. I kind of like watching trains going over the undulations and rolling side to side. Reminds me of some second class SP trackage.
I have to agree with TJ. I repair track alignment only when it get bad enough to cause derailments. That translates to: 1) around the Koi Pond - about every 3~4 years, 2) through the wifes rose beds - every spring and fall and that is due to the track not being mounted on a proper roadbed, the track sits directly on top of the bark mulch covering the rosebed.
As long as it doesn’t cause derailments, uncouplings, or other operational problems, a little uneven track doesn’t matter. It’s also realistic, especially if you’re modeling a short line or narrow gauge railroad.
I have to agree with everyone if the trains run fine why fix the track. Plus I like that narrow guage backwwoods type setting. Im sure they did not worry about how level their track was.
Sorry ole mate! It is very dense clay when wet is sticky but when dry it cracks apart and can be very large cracks. Last crack that I could fit my whole boot in was a bad at the ranch I grew up at. Cows could have broken there legs so had to fill the crack with sand.
I agree basicly except I keep switches level crosswise but on the same plain through out. In other word if my track is on a 2.5% grade than I mantain the 2.5% grade through the switch. This has always worked well for me in HO and now in G.
Call me over for a Tejas BBQ and we will do some Rose Pruning [:-,]
Lets wait awhile cause I went to work on G scale projects yesterday and left hand ain’t up to par. Besides the old huge tree saw I need to clean up for this job!
If your planning to trim her roses, I hope you can out run double barrel double ought buck! The only thing I’m allowed to do with her roses is to clean up the petals that have fallen on the track.