I’ve laid the mainline cork roadbed, nice and pinned in place while the Liquid Nails for Projects dries, I was wondering if you guys would be so kind as to explain exactly how to go about laying the code 100 flex track. I want to use the clear latex caulk to glue the track in place and I think I need to place the turnouts where they should go and lay track from one to the next. So, how is this done. Do I attach the track to the turnout and then shape it around the curves etc, cut it off square on the end and temporarily pin it in place to see if it fits like it’s supposed to, then take it up… put the caulk down… somehow secure the track back on the roadbed… and then connect the next section to the first and continue on that way?
If you’d tell me how you lay track I’d appreciate it.
Jarrell
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/004/379dcjrm.asp
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/000/110kfhum.asp
Hi Jarrell,
Here are 2 links from the MRR site that have more detail.
I start at a comples switch area, perhaps a place that there are 2 or more turnouts connected together, or via small sections. These need to be got into place and held (I use push pins) so that you can then get the flex track into place. My preference is to remove 3 ties from each piece of flex and solder join 2 pieces together. Then I work from a switch following the mid line of the cork to the next switch. Pin as you go. Once I am happy with a section take it up and caulk it into place, re-pining, or securing with weights. You do not need much caulk at all, a very thin layer is all that is needed. make sure to keep it away from the points mechanism!
Basically you have described a workable method. Don’t cut off until you are certain about the place to cut. Also, if you have a v.long curve and 2 sections of flex dont get you round it, solder the next piece in place before trying to curve that section. It is impossble to solder on the curve and get it right.
Tracklaying is where you make or break your layout,so high care has to be invested in how you do it.It is somewhat painstaking but highly rewarding when done right.It may seem controversial,but taking your time is the fastest way to do it.
See that your roadbed is as smooth as can be,no bumps nor voids,as these will reproduce in your trackwork.If you’re installing your tracks on a flat surface then this part is easy but if your plan incorporates climbs,bridges,etc,all your joints must be levelled and sanded smooth where needed.
You have pretty much thought it out when you temporarily pin the turnouts where they should go and then have the flextracks measured and adjusted to them.However,be prepared to occasionally move (or rotate) a turnout so that your connection with the adjoining track doesn’t create a kink,which in turn may force you to cheat a little on the next piece of track.I’ve had to occasionally create small curves where none was planned to avoid kinks at the other end of turnouts.I start by cutting tracks slightly too long and then play with them,recutting as needed,until I get a satisfactory fit.Only then,when my kink gauge (good ol’ eyeball) says it’s right,I glue the track down.
By the way,I never glue or solder the turnouts.If the trackwork is held firm at both ends,the TO won’t move and sliding the joiners is all I have to do if I need to replace a TO.
Jarrell, Jacktal’s additional points are crucial and should not be over looked. I found that one of those surform planes (SP?) that have the sort of serated surface made by Stanley was excellent for planing and smoothing flat the cork. This is particularly important at the turnouts. I did not use ready made cork turnout pads, rather created my turnout pads from scrap cork, so these did need some smoothing.
Also, be prepared to remove and shift your cork. If things do not line up well, far better to take this action now than to try and solve a running problem later. If you have any doubt that the track is laid right it will be a problem. You need to be sure that you have smooth transitions out of the turnouts, with not a hint of a kink.
Fellas, I appreciate the tips and directions. This is my first time laying cork, well… my first layout really… so I know I didn’t do it perfect. While laying ‘trial’ track I found that kinks can be a real pain to deal with, especially on curves, so thanks for the tip on sliding one rail. I’m kinda dreading the track laying since my soldering skills are right below my flying lunar rockets.
Maybe I can get through most of it though! 
Thanks,
Jarrell
Tracklaying is probably the most important part of a model railroad, and should not be rushed. When a section of track is complete, you must run trains over it to make sure everything is in line and complete. Its easier to pull up nails and adjust the track and cork roadbed than it is when you use glue. I hold down the cork and track with the Atlas tracknails and have never had a problem. If your cork and track are laid down on foam, then you will have to use glue. But remember, always test the track. I would recommend running several trains in in each direction, pushing and pulling, to catch any problems you may have early on so you dont have any when the scenery is down.
Michael Stephens
McCalla, Alabama
Rocky Midland RR
Jarrell
Don’t worry you will do just fine.!! I lay from the switch out to the next switch…Myself;Iwould not use caluk to hold my track,I use CA yupe CA,I get every thing layed out then use push pins to hold in place,this leaves room to move the track and switches around some to line eveything up,then Use the CA where the little holes are in the track,and maybe a DROP! every 5 or 6 ties,I’ve found this works best for me.
Jarrell, I am close to redoing my track. I have decided that, instead of fiddling with foam surfaces, a seemingly endless job, I am going to use either strips of drywall or use drywall mud to get the sub-roadbed surface planar. Due to my own inexpertise and haste, my changes of elevation were less than satisfactory, or only just in most cases. So, I intend to use flextrack and cork, but on a baby’s butt smooth surface free from dips.
Key curves and busy turnouted areas must be laid first. Tack them in place, with their roadbed under them. Then, cut, shape, and twist your flex to fit. When you are likely to need two pieces of flextrack together to cover ANY gap, align them carefully on a work surface, fix them to keep them from moving, and solder both rail joins together BEFORE you place them where they’re needed. If you have to curve the two of them, you won’t get them “right” unless you solder them first, as Simon pointed out.
So, if you can, end curves before they join tournouts. The reason is that turnouts are the items that will require the most maintenance over time, so you may have to remove them. Accordingly, use only rail joiners to keep them in place, but flextrack brought to those joiners still curved will cause alignment problems.
-Crandell
I can’t think of any turnouts I have that would be right on, or rather, right after a curve. In the planning I tried to have a little straight track before and after every turnout. In my inexperience, it would seem as though when you glue/caulk the track in place it wouldn’t kink but I know in reality the pressure from the flex track wanting to straighten out from being curved will make it kink if you’re not careful.
Thanks for the help!
Jarrell
You can avoid the kinks at turnouts on curves by using non-springy flex track. Some makes, such as Atlas, are quite “springy”, which makes for smooth curves and easements using larger radii. The “springy” flex is easier to straighten and reuse.
Other makes of flex track such as Micro Engineering, take much more effort to bend, and then hold the curve you bend it to. This tends to be easier to use with small radius curves because you can avoid kinks at joints by pre-curving. The drawback is fixing a bending error is much more difficult. Smooth curve transistions are more difficult to achieve.
my opinions, your choices
Fred W
? might also want to use radius guages when doing curves. Using a homemade compass to mapout your curves on your base as a template is a good start, but once the roadbed is down, it seems like you’ll get smoother/more consistent curves and less likelihood of kinks if you use a radius guage–“eyeballing” it might be risky there.
When useing flex track on curves, it has a fixed rail, and a flex rail, whitch rail goes on the inside of the curve, fixed or flex.
It does make a diffrence especially on hills with curved track, it causes binding if done wrong (from experience) but I cant remember which goes where?
Fixed rail goes on the outside of the curve.
JIM
A few lessons I’ve learned:
Use track nails to hold your turnouts in place because that is where the adjustments will be needed.
If your layout is a “roundy-round”, oval with spurs or figure 8, then using flex track correctly will required more accuracy than with a point to point. A slight misalignment with one of your turnouts in this type of layout will prevent one side from connecting with the other.
If you have 18 inch curves consider using sectional track, at least at each end of the curve. Atlas flex is more likely to develop kinks on a tight radius. I ended up tearing out all of my 18 inch radius curves and used sectional track instead. Flex track, like passenger cars, likes wider curves better.
Do not use your Xuron Rail Nippers for anything other than track. You will mess them up if you allow your wife to cut wire fence or anything else with them. Hide them so no one in your house will use them for something other than what they are intended for.
Hold off on ballasting until you are absolutely sure everything running smoothly. I’d recommend running the layout for at least six months before ballasting. Also, just use enough glue to hold the track in place. If you find that you need to relay the track it is a real pain to try and remove it if you’ve used a whole lot of liquid nails. The ties will stay stuck to the roadbed while the rail gets torn up.
RevMattCNJ is dead on right when he says to hold off ballasting until you are satified with the track work. TRACK IS EVERYTHING!!! Rotten track makes a rotten railroad, period. You can complete your scenery, structures and all that nice stuff before you ballast the track anyway, but it is 1,000 times easier to fix track BEFORE you glue down the ballast. Good advice, RevMattCNJ, we should all be wise enough to listen![bow]
Maybe I read this wrong somplace but I thought the best practice for laying track was to…
-Lay track out before laying cork. Once it’s layed and to your liking to trace around it. The remove the track.
-Lay the roadbed down…then lay the track back down.
Wrong way???
That is a great way to do it if you are using sectional track and one I’ve done many times myself. It doesn’t work very well at all with flex track due to the number of special cuts and odd geometries involved. I hesitate to use the term “wrong way” as nothing can really be said to be right or wrong when it comes to building your model railroad, perhaps “unadvisable technique” may be more accurate. Bottom line is that you need to do whatever it takes to get the trackwork as flawless as possible, EVERYTHING depends on smooth track.