009 News article request

[invercloy]

Hi all,

I've been contacted by a new member with a request for an article with tips on how best to lay flexi track to achieve good running qualities.

If any of you feel like taking up the challenge of responding to this please get in touch - contents@009society.com

Thanks,
Tom

[invercloy]

38 views and no takers? Ok, anyone got any recommendations for an online or paper article I can pass on to the member the request came from please?

[Hugh Norwood]

At a guess, we all wing it and hope for the best!

[petersmith1942]

truly the model press, especially the US titles are full of articles on track laying.I am sure one of the mainstream UK titles did it in the last 3 months.  There really are myriads of places to look but people dont want to do research or experiment or learn as they go. I read this early on and thought I will leave this to someone else. If the questioner is as basic as the qustion just buy some set track, read the instructions and lay it on something flat and level, run a loco and some stock and see if it works.
Maybe my frustration is shared by others. If the question was Ive DONE this this and this and had this success and this or these problems then ok but question as posed ........
Peter Smith

[tedp]

I will be in touch. I can write down some ideas but I don't have photos as my recent tracklaying was mainly in sectional track, and I didn't make usable photos of the early stages of the big layout.

[Hugh Norwood]

Perhaps it's something that could (should?) be better addressed at a "workshop" - perhaps the new member could be encouraged to attend a group meeting? There's usually folk who are willing to share their expertise. It would also be more instructive than a how-to article...

[B.Meldon]

I think the problem here Tom is that there are several different approaches to laying track.

Take for example the track bed and how the track is fixed to it. We use a

[Hobby]

I tend to agree with both Peter and Brian, it's like baseboards, there are several different ways. The main thing is to ensure that the base the track is laid to is flat.

[tedp]

Inevitably there will be different approaches. Unlike Brian I use pre-bending only in a few instances. I use the spring action of the track to get it to curve naturally - pre-bending I use only in some cases where it is needed to align the track at rail joins. But I will make clear that it is my own approach.

I have a sample text ready by now and some photos, addressing a number of angles on this. I will submit that to Tom and ask him what he thinks should be added. Otherwise we may end up as a committee writing the ultimate track building manual for 009, which I suppose isn't wanted!   ;D

PS the workshop idea isn't a bad one. I only wonder where to do it, and who will. Sparsholt is only a few weeks away.

[invercloy]

I appreciate there may be several different ways but, for someone who doesn't know any of them, hearing of one way, at least, is better than nothing.

Ted, thanks for taking the time to help. I'll read your email later/tomorrow, I'm allocating this evening to modelling of my own for a change ;)

[tedp]

Good on you, Tom. Enjoy your modelling!