(N-Scale Layout.) Team of Gurus, Question time again.. Down here working on the layout today, playing around with a piece of track, that I test glued to my cork, so see how it will work. Not too sure on this glue thats all! Anyway enough dribble. While I was at it, I tested my rail cutting plyers, and they cut Very neatly... I cut both rails twice at the same cut to widen it a micron, the first cut was just enough to see daylight clearly, the second cut was about a human hair more off the tip, and rolling stock rolls across the cut neat as a pin! No derailing. No probs at all.. Now my question is... Could I go and lay ALL my track around the whole layout, and then to make sections/blocks use the plyers to cut the track to create the block?? It also saves thinking so hard on blocks! make em as you go.. Anybody done this, anything good/bad in this idea? Thanks Bruce.
Yes this is doable. We do it with our HO scale club layout (link below). I have never personally tried it in N scale (just building Ntrak modules, so the plastic joiners is what I use at this point). Only thing I would be concerned about is contraction at these locations, since this is more of a problem with N scale (electricity still arcs through the same amoung of air, but N scale wheels are much smaller than HO). Contraction could cause some nasty derailments. It's up to you, but I'd give it a try if I was secure in my benchwork and track laying skills.
thanks for the reply, would it contract that much? At the moment, its hard to say, but the cut in the demo piece of track, is 1/2 a match stick, probably one of those old style Book Matchsticks gap in the rails.. Similar to the gap a insulator joiner puts in with the plastic 'dicky thing' that seperates them sticking up.. Will see what others if any in N have done! Thanks again
Each one of my flextrack and turnouts are their own blocks. I used Peco insulated rail joiners, then put styrene between the track gap, added gap filling CA to the styrene, then filed the styrene to track shape. It sounds like a lot of work, but I would do it assembly line kind of thing. So first lay track with insulated rail joiners. Then add styrene and gap filling glue, do this to all the joints, then file. I used styrene already in strips. I would use my desprucer to nip away excess styrene, then file. [ 02. February 2004, 04:21: Message edited by: rsn48 ]
On my main lines I use the plastic rail joiners. In the yard area I use my Dremel Tool with a # 409 cut off wheel...After making the cut I squirt a little dab of white glue in the cut to keep the tracks separate. If you are using flex track like I am, it is possible that one rail can creep and make a connection without something between them...Most of these cuts have been done several months ago and so far I have had no problems
I do HO scale myself, but I used to use the Atlas insulated joiners. They could be a pain though. What I end up doing now is to use my rail nippers, the cut a small piece of styrene and put it in the gap along with a little of the thick CA. I would let it dry and then file down the styrene to match the track profile. I have also heard of people just using rubber cement in the gap too.
Thanks people, figuring I'll do it correctly. I'm going with the insulator joiners, but they are so ***kin big/thick, they create a lump on the track where they fit.. Cure? Just hack the cork below??? Thanks again Bruce
