If one were to handlay HO scale track using PC Ties-- other ties will be there but essentially cosmetic only-- what would you recommend as the correct number of ties per foot needed to hold the rails in gauge? And I suppose there might be different answers for curves versus tangent sections…?
(If it matters, and I’m guessing it doesn’t, I’ll be using code 100 on the primary mainline, code 83 on all of the secondary mainline, code 70 in the yards and most secondary trackage, and code 50 or 55 in some small special areas.)
When I learned to handlay, about the time that computer circuit boards were being moved around with forklifts, the old-timers’ rule of thumb was, “Spike both rails, both sides, every fifth tie.” I imagine that every fifth tie should give satisfactory results with PC board ties.
Personally, I don’t use PC board for ties (I do use it for throwbars, but not soldered to the rails.) I still spike my hand-laid specialwork solid at every fifth tie, at least. Later, after soldering and test-running, I come back and spike every tie, both sides.
I seem to recall in articles from the '70s and '80s dealing with PC ties that the recommendation was three, four, maybe even five ties per foot of track. That represents (about) one PC tie for every ten, twelve, or fifteen ties.
This is a curiosity question only but why are you considering using PC ties? I’m not desirous of hijacking your post but I ask because I had an acquaintance who built an N-Scale railroad using PC ties but when he tore that railroad down and built another he did not use PC ties for this second one. I don’t remember exactly what his complaint was but I do remember that he was not particularly happy with PC ties.
I do it different. For my latest project I used every fifth tie as PC tie. But for the turnouts I use every tie. This way it’s for me more easy with the thickness of the ties.
For the last PC ties I’ve glued a lumber strip to get the same thickness like the Kappler ties.
I want to try out an idea I had for laying track using match sticks. I’m going to try spiking to them but my suspicion is that they are not likely to take spikes well. I’m presuming that glue however will work better. Even so I want to use some PC ties, perhaps three or four per foot, is what I was thinking, to set and maintain the gauge.
