Hope this is a stupid question, but I have read several ‘tips’ on track laying and want to make sure I get it right the first time.
I have the bed where I plan to begin laying track in place and just wanted to know should I start at the ‘end of the line’ or, as some have written, set the turnouts first and work out from there?
Also, I found it interesting that the C&NW had the main lines running east and west on the left and right where as all other roads were the opposite. Because I model that road, I want to do the same and it makes a little bit of difference where I start (outside or furthest reach to the edge of the bench makes sense to me)
I tend to start at a turnout, then proceed to the next one - although using flex track I do not usually go right up to the next turnout, but when I’m getting ‘close’ skip ahead nad place that turnout, then cut the flex track to length to fit in the remaining space. I also usually carry on with the main line and then go back and add siding and yard tracks - the turnout gets placed when the main goes in but I may or may not put the siding track in at that time.
I started with the turnout that would be the hardest to reach, and the hardest to access once other construction started to get in the way.
If I had started at one end of the line my initial construction would have been four tangent tracks parallel to, and immediately adjacent to, the fascia line. The other end of the line will end up on benchwork that hasn’t been erected yet.
I have been known to ask a stupid question or two on here, too. But no question is a stupid question, it’s just one you don’t know the answer to.
I hope I can answer to what you are looking for.
I used extruded blue foam {Lowes brand} as my base, and Woodland Scenics {WS} foam for a track bed, and craft foam sheets for the bigger trackbed areas, like the yard and under switches. I laid out my track and pinned it all down with ball-headed and “T” pins. I could run trains over them and be sure that all trackage was straight and lined up and actually worked with trains running over it. Then I marked with both centerlines AND traced the outside of the track ties and roadbed so I would know exactly where every piece of track would go on the extruded foam. Then working from the backside farthest from me, I glued down the WS foam subroadbed and the craft foam sheets where they were to go with caulk. I then glued with caulking starting from the far side of my layout at a swtich and glued with caulk the track down EXCEPT the switches-I left them NOT GLUED down in case I need to pull one out for some reason{they can be fickle}. I pinned my track again as well as used little baggies of sand to weight down as I went along adhering with caulk to be sure it would all wind up in it’s proper place when I got around to the other side where the track oval meets itself again. I haven’t yet gotten to the ballast part, but will ballast the same way. {actually that’s ok cause I’m gonna modify this track plan and expand the layout anyway THEN I will ballast.}
I put all the track and WS foam roadbed in place, and held it there with track nails and / or long track pins. I pulled it out and put it back down a couple of times where I had unacceptable kinks at track joints or turnouts that weren’t quite level. I ran some trains to make sure everything worked.
Then I traced around the WS roadbed with a Sharpie, marked the turnout locations on the big pieces, and pulled everything up. I used DAP Adhesive caulk to put the roadbed back down, making sure it stayed between the lines. I used nails, scrap lumber, and pavers (yeah, those big heavy pressed concrete bricks) to hold everything in place while the caulk cured. In one or two spots, I had to slip a putty knife under it and reposition it. When it was cured, I put the track back on using the same adhesive caulk, spreading it thin with one of those fake credit cards you get in the mail, and again weighting it with scrap lumber and pavers while the caulk cured.
My layout is basically a big C with bulbous ends. I started at the end with the most track and worked my way around, doing about 10’ at a time.
Brian, there are no stupid questions. The only time I’ve felt stupid was AFTER I’ve messed something up, then thought to ask a question. I was able to purchase some templates a few years ago made from heavy styrene (I can’t find that company anymore, though). I made some copies of the turnouts that I used the most with construction paper. I used these to cut the roadbed to shape, then set the turnouts in place. I connected the turnouts with sections of flextrack.
I just put in the trackage on my 11x15 2 level HO layout, I have some thoughts to pass along to you.
In my case, the lower level had to be put in first. This included a long winding incline track and 6 dead end sidings (staging/storage). Once this was put in and wired and thoroughly tested, I built the main level benchwork and began that tracklaying
As the layout is a room filling operation with a duckunder and operator space in the middle, I wanted to put in the outside (furthest from the center) trackage first. The double main included two crossovers, and two additional turnouts on the inner main.
I placed the turnouts first, and then began laying track - doing the the more difficult to lay corner curves first, then connecting the crossovers, and finally putting in tangent track. It is obviously so much easier to fit tangent tracks than curves and turnouts.
From there, I put in the sub-main, yard, sidings, and am now putting in the loco facilities.
May I add, that the urge to just “get the track down” is HUGE, but please take your time, do it right, and don’t wait until it is done to test. And when you are testing, if there is a problem area, do not leave until you fix it. Trust me, those “good enough” places will come back to bite you again and again until you get them done properly.
You can make make multible copies of turnouts in most of the cheap 3in1 home printers (useing the scanner bed) ,then just pin em on your subroad bed and connect the lines to your likeing plus you dont end up with a mass of scribles on the sub roadbed.seen that in one of the first dream ,plan,build dvds. great way to fit it altogther with out a lot a of work ,you can even glue your copies down and lay track right over them …J.W.
Turnout copies.
Turnout copies white glued in place.