Hello, I have recently made the decision to go with On30 scale for my layout. But, the only good On30 track I could find was flex track. My plans include a yard and a double track mainline. What I need to know, is how to make the flex track work with switches, passing sidings, crossovers, yards, etc. I have looked around and I could not find an answer any where. Can someone please help!?
I'm confused. The switches aren't flex just the track sections. With the right switches ( turnouts ) you can do all those things.
I know that the switches are not flex, but for a double track mainline and passing sidings, the standardized length for the flex track is 6'. I need to know how to cut the sections to make them shorter and still work normally or find a solid piece of track that does not flex but it realistic for On30...
I think you will find that flex pieces of track are usually 36", although I personally wish I could get them 6' or longer. If I could have bought a 100' coil of flex for my new layout that is what I would have done. Flex will stay straight, so you do not need "straight" pieces. Just cut it to the length you need and you are done. The most difficult part of dealing with flex is actually when you flex it for curves. It then makes one rail project longer then the other at the end, and you must cut them so they are the same to then join to a straight ended section- like a turnout. Cutting can be done a lot of ways. Many use a Dremel with a cutoff blade which works but wear some safety glasses and expect to change cutoff blades often, an Atlas hobby saw is an old staple for this, and others use special rail nipper pliers. I have been using a regular angle grinder with a diamond blade cut-off wheel, it makes it easy to hit both rails at the same length, and you don't have the angle problem that you get with using a dremel.
I was using Micro-Engineering flex, which were 36 inchers. When I cut rail, (N, HO, On30), usually it is with a Xuron rail cutter.
Flex is the way to go. I just question the idea of a double track mainline...real narrow gauge lines were single track affairs (maybe one had double track?). How about a passing siding so you can stage meets? There are views from both the "Peco flex" and "ME flex" camps about which is "the one". Peco flex is easier to flex but the larger rail and ties look sort of funky on a US based railroad. The ME flex is fairly hard to bend to a radius and sometimes the rail can pop out of the "spikes" but it looks better. So there you go. All in all, it's your railroad, do as you like. JUST MY OPINION...didn't you ask for it? Woodie
Yes actually, I did ask for it. Some railroads did have double track for some parts of there line. That is what I am aiming for. And I will look into the track. Thanks!
Using flex has TWO meanings, first is the obvious is that the track is flexible! The second is the fact that it allows you to also be FLEXIBLE with your design and make it fit your plan. Russ http://www.micromark.com/xuron-track-cutter,7465.html
I prefer a good set of rail nippers myself. Remember to keep the movable rail to the inside of the curve. The Oahu Railway had double track with semaphores in the 1940's out of the main terminal. Pretty cool stuff.
Not to drift way off topic here, but do you know of a good web site covering their operations back circa WWII-ish, perhaps...?
