Even though this module is only 18" x 7' and I really haven't gotten that far with it yet, I've learned quite a few things from it.
After putting the 1:1 track plan down on the door and looking at it in real life size, I decided I didn't like the way the turnouts were arranged. The two curves leading into the crossover are 36" radius on the inside and 38" radius on the outside. I flipped the crossover around to make it a right-hand crossover to ensure that a train going through the crossover will come off of or go into the larger of the two radii in the same curve direction as the turnout adjacent to the curves, thus relieving the s-curve effect of the crossover as much as possible. With the turnouts arranged as such, now the only s-curve is inside the crossover itself rather than the two s-curves there would have been going from the curve to the crossover or vice-versa. With the crossover being a #9, the effect should be minimal anyway and hopefully the 85' passenger cars look fairly realistic going through the crossover.
The next lesson learned is that I really like the Topper Tape for roadbed. I originally thought it was adhesive on both sides but as I started unrolling it I discovered it is only adhesive on one side and that the paper backing is attached to the non-adhesive side. The Topper Tape is a soft foam similar to the Woodland Scenics foam roadbed. The adhesive side of the Topper Tape is sticky enough that it stays in place when you put it down, but it can easily be pulled up multiple times and put back down again. It is also very easy to cut with regular scissors or a utility or hobby knife.
Central Valley Ties and Turnouts.
I haven't started attaching rail to any of the Central Valley products so I have no AAR comments on that yet. I am going to try using Pliobond to attach the rail to the ties although I may also try using the bend-over spikes that come about every 4-6 ties on the straight tie strips. I will probably use both methods on this module to test them both.
I have discovered one thing though that irritates me about both the turnouts and the tie strips. They are all made of injection molded styrene so you get the mold remnants sometimes along with the parts.
In the first photo you can see at the top end of each tie is what I call a "hanging chad". I am somewhat OCD and feel the need to remove these even though they will probably end up under ballast and not be visible. They come off easy enough with a hobby knife but it is just an annoying step that I'd rather not do. This photo also shows the centerline guide, tieplate detail, and the bend-over spikes (on the larger tieplates) used to attach the rail to the ties. Allegedly all you have to do is bend those over the rail foot with a small nail set tool.
In the photo below are more mold remnants that need to be removed. You can also see the difference between the spacing on the branch line ties (lower piece) and the mainline ties (upper piece). These branch line ties are the CV 2002 variety that do not have the bend-over spikes, so all the rail needs to be glued to them.
I have also discovered that transitions between crossover turnouts and also on diverging tracks from turnouts require some special tie placement. For this I plan on using Clover House PC board ties which I have in 12" lengths for cutting to length as needed. The PC ties are almost the same thickness as the Central Valley ties which is a plus. I first looked at using wood ties but they are quite a bit thicker than the CV ties. I could probably get away with wood ties though because once the rail is attached to everything it would probably just push the thicker wood ties down into the Topper Tape and still be nice and level.
I also have a supply of Proto:87 Stores scale tieplates that I plan on using on the PC ties. These things are very tiny and a pain to work with. I would not attempt to use them on an entire layout but in certain high-visibility and high-detail trackwork areas they should look very nice. The plan is to insert them under the rail and then solder the rail and tieplate to the PC ties. This should add some strength to the track in the crossover as well because the turnout strips don't have the bend-over spikes so all rail has to be glued to them. They aren't quite the same as the tieplates on the CV ties, but I still think they will look good once everything is painted and ballasted.
I think I am at the point where I will start gluing the ties down to the Topper Tape and start attaching rail and building the turnouts.
Stay tuned!
After putting the 1:1 track plan down on the door and looking at it in real life size, I decided I didn't like the way the turnouts were arranged. The two curves leading into the crossover are 36" radius on the inside and 38" radius on the outside. I flipped the crossover around to make it a right-hand crossover to ensure that a train going through the crossover will come off of or go into the larger of the two radii in the same curve direction as the turnout adjacent to the curves, thus relieving the s-curve effect of the crossover as much as possible. With the turnouts arranged as such, now the only s-curve is inside the crossover itself rather than the two s-curves there would have been going from the curve to the crossover or vice-versa. With the crossover being a #9, the effect should be minimal anyway and hopefully the 85' passenger cars look fairly realistic going through the crossover.
The next lesson learned is that I really like the Topper Tape for roadbed. I originally thought it was adhesive on both sides but as I started unrolling it I discovered it is only adhesive on one side and that the paper backing is attached to the non-adhesive side. The Topper Tape is a soft foam similar to the Woodland Scenics foam roadbed. The adhesive side of the Topper Tape is sticky enough that it stays in place when you put it down, but it can easily be pulled up multiple times and put back down again. It is also very easy to cut with regular scissors or a utility or hobby knife.
Central Valley Ties and Turnouts.
I haven't started attaching rail to any of the Central Valley products so I have no AAR comments on that yet. I am going to try using Pliobond to attach the rail to the ties although I may also try using the bend-over spikes that come about every 4-6 ties on the straight tie strips. I will probably use both methods on this module to test them both.
I have discovered one thing though that irritates me about both the turnouts and the tie strips. They are all made of injection molded styrene so you get the mold remnants sometimes along with the parts.
In the first photo you can see at the top end of each tie is what I call a "hanging chad". I am somewhat OCD and feel the need to remove these even though they will probably end up under ballast and not be visible. They come off easy enough with a hobby knife but it is just an annoying step that I'd rather not do. This photo also shows the centerline guide, tieplate detail, and the bend-over spikes (on the larger tieplates) used to attach the rail to the ties. Allegedly all you have to do is bend those over the rail foot with a small nail set tool.
In the photo below are more mold remnants that need to be removed. You can also see the difference between the spacing on the branch line ties (lower piece) and the mainline ties (upper piece). These branch line ties are the CV 2002 variety that do not have the bend-over spikes, so all the rail needs to be glued to them.
I have also discovered that transitions between crossover turnouts and also on diverging tracks from turnouts require some special tie placement. For this I plan on using Clover House PC board ties which I have in 12" lengths for cutting to length as needed. The PC ties are almost the same thickness as the Central Valley ties which is a plus. I first looked at using wood ties but they are quite a bit thicker than the CV ties. I could probably get away with wood ties though because once the rail is attached to everything it would probably just push the thicker wood ties down into the Topper Tape and still be nice and level.
I also have a supply of Proto:87 Stores scale tieplates that I plan on using on the PC ties. These things are very tiny and a pain to work with. I would not attempt to use them on an entire layout but in certain high-visibility and high-detail trackwork areas they should look very nice. The plan is to insert them under the rail and then solder the rail and tieplate to the PC ties. This should add some strength to the track in the crossover as well because the turnout strips don't have the bend-over spikes so all rail has to be glued to them. They aren't quite the same as the tieplates on the CV ties, but I still think they will look good once everything is painted and ballasted.
I think I am at the point where I will start gluing the ties down to the Topper Tape and start attaching rail and building the turnouts.
Stay tuned!
I too would cut off all those little plastic bits even if nobody would see it.
ReplyDeleteScale tie plates?! Good thing you're not hand laying all of your track. I'm curious to see if you feel it's worth the trouble, similar to my mixed experience with joint bars.
Even on just those 9 ties in the photo I will need to place 54 tie plates. I'm sure that will be quite tedious but I also think the end result will be worth it. I think in less-visible areas of a layout I would just solder or spike the rail directly to the PC ties.
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