Thought I had my trackwork totaly dailed in but was running a steam engine at super low speed and found a few issues that I had not seen before. One was an easy as ballast was glued to the side of a rail and at anything faster that super slow never showed up. Same speed proublem at another spot but this one needed more attention and noticed a slight dip in the rail on one side. Did I do it or was it like that from the get go, who knows but a little filing an other things like compressing (foam inclines from WS under all the scenery and those have space between them so slight adjustments are possible) and all is good.
Just like the real railroads, there is no free ride as far as things not needing attention. The trackwork on my current layout is 14 years old and I have had very few issues with trackwork needing a tune-up. I can put two of those down to changing humidity levels due to getting a new high-efficiency furnace and a couple of others after small earthquakes. Correcting trackwork is easier than squaring up a door or fixing cracked plaster.[(-D]
Perfect trackwork isn’t a real thing. However, it is a real goal.
So far I have been shut out.
Nope, not in my reality. In fact, I can run trains of all descriptions forwards and backwards at breakneck speeds. I’ll come back after two weeks and find that nothing works the same. I keep a dehumidifier working in there, but I can’t control when the driest summer months reduce humidity into the 30% range, not without running a hot plate and a pan of water in there.
I lifted my large swing-up gate two months ago and didn’t notice a wire tree armature snag the layout-end of a rail. It may be repaired, but it ain’t ‘perfect’. Not no more.
Now these problems were because I ran a steam as slow as it would go, bat out of hell, no problem, slow, no proublrm, barely moving, that where the problems showed up on the main.
I’ve heard or read of guys having perfect bulletproof trackwork. I dont have much trouble with mine, but try as I might, to say perfect would be a gross overstatement. At least I’m not alone! Dan
Also what you run is sometimes the issue. Have a BLI NW2 that derails at one area, nothing else dose. Did resurch and found out its the engine, fixable but a pain. Put it in my get ride of pile as I got some Katos that to convert to DCC and now I have one from the bay already converted. Some details on the BLI are grosely oversized like the handrails.
Yeah, each new brass engine tends to show a new flaw in my bullet-proof trackwork [:(]. The fix usually involves work on both the loco and the track!
Simon
I always test any newly laid or adjusted or realigned track with several locomotives and then trains, forwards and backwards. It’s worth doing your best to get the track laid just right.
I realigned some track yesterday, changing a Peco wye and #7 curved and out and putting two #6 in their place. Both of those Peco turnouts are handy in just the right spot but the straight turnouts still work best if you’ve got the room.
I was able to realign and lengthen a passing siding and create a straighter join into the main loop. I also relaid the other leg of our reversing wye, taking it out of the yard and running it parallel to the yard ladder instead. Now we have all three legs of the wye as high speed mainline.
One new #6 turnout was derailing our Atlas FP7 pair, which are quite heavy. I was able to determine that the newly laid turnout was not properly supported by the foam roadbed due to a tiny difference in thickness of the foam pieces. The turnout rocked outwards and downwards by less than a mm which was enough to derail the trailing truck of the rear of the two FP7s. A piece of card cut from a Rapido container package slipped under the thinner foam fixed the issue nicely. One handy aspect of foam glued down with latex acrylic painters caulk is such adjustments are very simple to do. The bond detaches with a putty knife slipped under the foam and the card just slips in as you lift the foam.
Want to find track problems:
Take at least two Tangent 86’ high cube boxcars and couple them together and run them around your layout–especially the ones with the end of car cushioning (they are road specific correct, so some have end of car cushion and some have center of car cushion underframes). The end of car cushion cars can be the most unforgiving. I have a small reverse curve, or rather, a tangent of about 4" length between (reverse) long radius Kato curves that was never a problem for any other rolling stock or locos except these boxcars. One car by itself coupled to other cars is not a problem; it is when you couple multiple 86’ boxcars together that you may see issues.
Then, even better yet, take at least two Intermountain Autoracks and couple them to the Tangent 86’ boxcars. Run them all together. Together they will find the flaws that locos missed.
I cannot back up two HO Intermountain Autoracks without breaking loose the corner ladders at the ends, because they will most definitely hit each other, even on 31" radius track. I only run Intermountain autoracks in the forward direction when coupled together (I insert Atlas or other modern autoracks or anything else between the Intermountains). Atlas autoracks have more lateral coupler sway and can better take most curves. Or consider longer shank Kadee couplers on Intermountains.
I routinely have to loosen at least one truck of the long freight cars to provide enough lateral and vertical motion so that they don’t derail. That solves most problems. The manufacturers tighten trucks so that cars don’t rock, but they need to have some play in order to run well on anything less than 30" radius track, so loosen a few screws.
My minimum track radius is 26" anywhere.
John
I’ve got a reverse curve that runs from a 36" radius to a 33" radius passing siding via a #8 turnout with about 12 inches of tangent between (if there were no easement off of the 36" curve), but there is. So I’m hoping that two Tangent 86’ Greenville boxcars will pass though with no issues. If there is an issue, trains with the 86’ boxcars can stay on the main which should be fine with plenty of tangent between the reverse curve, basically 36" radius with easements in between about about 2 feet of tangent.
You might be ok.
I think the curves on either end of my 4" tangent are nominally 31" radius (Kato) track, which is tighter than the 36"/33" you are talking about.
The best thing is to do a test if you have that capability–of temporarily fastening down the track long enough to do some tests.
I ended up custom-cutting one section of Kato track to eliminate another reverse curve.
John
Thanks. Yeah, this is all custom design to fit the space so not relying on any prefab. I’m hoping with a bit broader curves and a gentle #8 along with the tangent section which includes the easement, it will allow these to operate. Worst case is I run them though the straight side of the #8 turnout. I’m hoping to have some track down to properly test it this fall.
Following up on the S-curve question, I got some track down now and ran a couple of Tangent 86’ Greenville autoparts cars throught it and they went through fine, no derailments or issues.
I hot glued some cardboard guard rails up until I get scenery in just to prevent trains from going over the edge.
Looking really really good. You’ve taken a lot of time and care getting the alignment you want and the effort shows.
When completed, if you find you still have exposure to rolling stock derailing and taking a dive to the floor consider making clear acrylic strips to serve the same function as your cardboard walls. It’s surprising how low barrier can be and still provide adequate protection.
Yup. A while back I got a Hobbytown PA 1. Recently I got a CMX track cleaner. Figured I could use that big ol’ PA to tractor it around. The long rigid 3 axle trucks cant get through the switches. [xx(] Maybe I’ll remove the center axles? Dan
I’ve heard stories of folks that when they put two cars next to the other a derailment occurs. Strange things will happen. I hve had plenty of such weird issues, to include a derailment that I solved by losening a coupler screw by a 1/4 rotation. Gotta love the hobby’s odd happenings sometimes.
I claimed at one point my trackwork was perfect.
That Mr. Murphy guy was listening in on me…
I plan to have a minimial barrier at least using the fascia to stick up a bit, at least a half inch or maybe and inch. Clear barrier is something that sounds good too. I’ve heard plexiglass can be pricey but maybe there are other materials that would do the job for less cost.
Picked up some sheets of hardboard to get working on view blocks and fascia’s.