Track laying

I have noticed while running my trains, while going around the curves the cars/ and engine(s) seem to move outward. I know how to fix this by rasing the outside track. I was just wondering how you guys go about doing this. I saw post about this a while ago but I cant seem to find it. I was planing on just cutting a strip of thin poster board and putting it under the track.

Also I was wondering if anyone has writen a sticky on all of this information. I would be more than happy to write one if there isnt, I just need some input from other members since I am new to the hobby.

Thanks,
Mike

 

Hi mjdx88,
There is a book published by Model railroader called "Basic Trackwork for Model Railroaders" by Jeff Wilson. He gives a step by step pictorial of how to solve this problem. What he basically does is put down thin stripes of styrene just at the outer edge of the track to raise it up inorder to pull the train and it's cars inward. (centrifical force) This might be the answer to your problem. The book also helped me in other areas of laying down track.

 

Thanks Bernard. That should work and I will take a look in to that book. I'm heading to my local train shop today. =)

 

Thin poster board might be wayyyyyyy too much. Start with the thinnest styrene strips .05 or .005 (forget where the decimal point goes) and work your way up the thickness ladder.

 

It's called "superelevation" and you see it on highways, especially curved ramps, as well.

As an alternative to shims under the outside of the roadbed curves, you could sand down the roadbed on the inside of the curves before you lay the track. Shims are probably faster and more uniform than sanding though.

 

I'm using strips of masking tape placed on the outside half of the roadbed. I saw this technique somewhere on the internet and it looked the easiest. You can ease into and out of the superelevation this way by adding more layers of tape in the middle of the turn.

Brian

 

Here is a nice article on Superelevation

 

Thats the article I was refering to. Thanks Jeff for posting that. I meant to save in for my archives but couldn't find it again. The only variation I used was due to poor planing on my part. I didn't decide to superelevate my curves until after I laid my roadbed down. So I applied the tape to the top of the roadbed. Haven't fastened the track down yet so don't know if I'll run into problems with it.

Brian

 

Thanks for the article jeff.

 

One question I haven't seen asked here........

When you laid your track did you make sure to include cubic spiral/ transition curves into your turns?

Martin

 

What do you mean...?

 

With one of my former layout I used a string of wool under the track. When you start at the edge of the track and go more to the rail you will get a smooth transition.
This is only useful with broad curves. At least three feet and more. Smaller curves (H0) doesn't look good.

Wolfgang

 

I think Martin was referring to using spiral easements or transition curves. These help engines and rail cars get into your curves in a gentle way so that they are not jutting out away from the centerline at the beginning of the curve. Most track planning software has a provision for creating these curves.

 

Exactly!

Very important for good tracking performance as well as realistic appearance.

 

Here you go, a little more information:

Easements
An easement is a transition, or spiral curve between a tangent(straight track) and a curve. The Easement starts out as a straight line of track that gradually becomes a tighter and tighter curve leading into a designated curved track. It reduces an abrupt outward swing of rolling stock and engines caused by centrifugal force when entering a relatively sharp curve. The use of easements can easily prevent derailments and improve operational appearance into and out of curves. Their use is suggested on curves with a radius less than 30" in HO, 15" in N scale, and 60" in O scale. Easements are not needed with the curved leg of a turnout since the turnout itself serves as the easement.

Here's a link to the LDSIG track planning primer:

http://ldsig.org/wiki/index.php/Category:Primer

Here's the LDSIG Wiki:

http://ldsig.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

 

Thanks for the links I will attempt to put in some easements when I get home and see if that helps at all.

 

Hello again,

This is the MUST have book when it comes to track planning. It includes specific directions for laying out easments properly. I strongly recommend having this in you model railroading library it's a big help:

http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/12148.html