The New Layout - Track Laying

Now we reach the stage where the layout starts to become a railway. I don't propose to describe actual track construction here, as it's a somewhat specialised subject and not everyone wishes to build their own track. The methods of tracklaying here will apply equally to readymade track, whether it's from JHM, Marklin, Peco and Microtrains. My personal preference is for handlaid track, but of the ready to lay track, the JHM range is the nicest, featuring wood sleepers (ties) and code 40 rail.

Click on the pictures to get a larger image in a new window

On the scenic section, the track is in four pieces with one turnout. Here we see the preassembled sections laid out. I build my track off the layout, because it can then be given a decent sluicing and wash under running water, to remove all the soldering residues. The track is 100% soldered, every sleeper (tie) is PCB. This method uses a lot of PCB, but is immensely robust. The track stays unpainted because later on, I will need to solder to it when wiring the layout.

This photo explains why the cassettes are installed first. It's far easier to install the track to match the cassettes rather than the other way round. A gauge block is used to align the two sections. At the joint, there was a tiny difference in height, so a piece of paper was used to adjust the height and bring the respective rail tops level, ensuring a smooth run oof the cassette onto the track proper. The paper was glued down and sealed with a coat of the ubiquitous Unibond adhesive.

The trestle bridge was glued to the track in advance using a slow setting polyeurethane adhesive (Bisonite - a very strong glue, overkill in this instance).

The bridge footings are precut into the soft Sundeala board trackbed. Note the glossy areas where the Sundeala has been sealed with a thin undercoat of Unibond. This stops the board soaking up the glue when the time comes to lay the track.

To hold the track in place while the glue sets, some normal domestic pins are treated as shown here, with a double L bend.

The trackbed is coated with a generous layer of Unibond, applied by brush. For this sort of work, I use the cheap Chinese made flattie brushes. These can have a tendency to drop hairs, so I select one that's been used for a while and has hopefully lost all of its loose strands.

The track is laid in place on the glue. This section has the trestle bridge and gauge block to aid location. The bent pins are pushed into the trackbed at suitable intervals. This is where the Sundeala board really scores, because the pins can be pushed in but being gripped quite securely by the texture of the board. Unibond has quite a good "grab" so the pins help to keep everything level.

Close-up of a bent pin. These are pushed in just hard enough to hold the track down. Pushing too hard runs the risk of splitting a sleeper (yes, I did!).
Once located and pinned, the track is left to dry. Once the glue is set, the bond is very strong as it tends to wick upwards around the edges of the sleepers. This shot was taken after the glue had dried. Note the previously white glue is now transparent.

Before laying track, the necessary holes and grooves are cut for point mechanisms, tie bars and uncoupling magnets. To the right of this photo, underneath the track can be seen the top of the armature for the electromagnet uncoupler.

Unibond glue is laid down as before.

The turnout is glued in place. There was a small difference in rail height between the turnout and surrounding track, so a paper shim was used to adjust and correct the height. Alignment is again by gauge block. A gap of about 0.005" to 0.010" is left between each track section to allow for expansion. No rail joiners are used nor are they required with code 40 rail.

As the turnout occupies a relatively wide and short area, a weight was used to hold it in place while the glue set. A featherweight PCB turnout isn't going to argue with a two pound weight...

After the turnout is down, the rest of the track can be laid. This time, alignment is obtained by using strips of Evergreen plastic, 1/4" wide and 1/8" thick, which are very useful in Nn3 and Z tracklaying. The strips will curve if required but in this case the line is straight so that's dead easy.

The remaining track is laid in place exactly as before, Unibond PVA glue, bent pins and the Evergreen strip doing alignment duty.

Finally the track is in place and we have ourselves a railway. Now is the time for a quick gloat. Running a fingertip over the rail joints will show if they are smooth. Any irregularities can be either tweaked with fine nose pliers and/or smoothed away with a fine file. If the trackbed is prepared to be nice and level, there should be very few areas which need to be adjusted in this way.

	Click on the pictures to get a larger image in a new window
	On the scenic section, the track is in four pieces with one turnout. Here we see the preassembled sections laid out. I build my track off the layout, because it can then be given a decent sluicing and wash under running water, to remove all the soldering residues. The track is 100% soldered, every sleeper (tie) is PCB. This method uses a lot of PCB, but is immensely robust. The track stays unpainted because later on, I will need to solder to it when wiring the layout.
	This photo explains why the cassettes are installed first. It's far easier to install the track to match the cassettes rather than the other way round. A gauge block is used to align the two sections. At the joint, there was a tiny difference in height, so a piece of paper was used to adjust the height and bring the respective rail tops level, ensuring a smooth run oof the cassette onto the track proper. The paper was glued down and sealed with a coat of the ubiquitous Unibond adhesive.
	The trestle bridge was glued to the track in advance using a slow setting polyeurethane adhesive (Bisonite - a very strong glue, overkill in this instance).
	The bridge footings are precut into the soft Sundeala board trackbed. Note the glossy areas where the Sundeala has been sealed with a thin undercoat of Unibond. This stops the board soaking up the glue when the time comes to lay the track.
	To hold the track in place while the glue sets, some normal domestic pins are treated as shown here, with a double L bend.
	The trackbed is coated with a generous layer of Unibond, applied by brush. For this sort of work, I use the cheap Chinese made flattie brushes. These can have a tendency to drop hairs, so I select one that's been used for a while and has hopefully lost all of its loose strands.
	The track is laid in place on the glue. This section has the trestle bridge and gauge block to aid location. The bent pins are pushed into the trackbed at suitable intervals. This is where the Sundeala board really scores, because the pins can be pushed in but being gripped quite securely by the texture of the board. Unibond has quite a good "grab" so the pins help to keep everything level.
	Close-up of a bent pin. These are pushed in just hard enough to hold the track down. Pushing too hard runs the risk of splitting a sleeper (yes, I did!). Once located and pinned, the track is left to dry. Once the glue is set, the bond is very strong as it tends to wick upwards around the edges of the sleepers. This shot was taken after the glue had dried. Note the previously white glue is now transparent.
	Before laying track, the necessary holes and grooves are cut for point mechanisms, tie bars and uncoupling magnets. To the right of this photo, underneath the track can be seen the top of the armature for the electromagnet uncoupler.
	Unibond glue is laid down as before.
	The turnout is glued in place. There was a small difference in rail height between the turnout and surrounding track, so a paper shim was used to adjust and correct the height. Alignment is again by gauge block. A gap of about 0.005" to 0.010" is left between each track section to allow for expansion. No rail joiners are used nor are they required with code 40 rail.
	As the turnout occupies a relatively wide and short area, a weight was used to hold it in place while the glue set. A featherweight PCB turnout isn't going to argue with a two pound weight...
	After the turnout is down, the rest of the track can be laid. This time, alignment is obtained by using strips of Evergreen plastic, 1/4" wide and 1/8" thick, which are very useful in Nn3 and Z tracklaying. The strips will curve if required but in this case the line is straight so that's dead easy.
	The remaining track is laid in place exactly as before, Unibond PVA glue, bent pins and the Evergreen strip doing alignment duty.
	Finally the track is in place and we have ourselves a railway. Now is the time for a quick gloat. Running a fingertip over the rail joints will show if they are smooth. Any irregularities can be either tweaked with fine nose pliers and/or smoothed away with a fine file. If the trackbed is prepared to be nice and level, there should be very few areas which need to be adjusted in this way.