Handlaid track topics?

[Hobby]

It is code 55 flat bottom rail I have used (from U.K. Suppliers C&L Finescale, but I can't find it on their website anymore!)

http://www.finescale.org.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=911_1089_881

But they don't seem to list code 55 any more. Peco do FB code 60 though and I've used that for my TTe plain track.

[WALLSHIRTS]

Jim, what part of the States are you in? In the past I have handlaid my own track using code 55 rail from Micro Engineering. You can build a point for the price of the rail, but the main reason I did it was I wanted larger radii than Peco was offering in their 009 track range. My track is hand spiked to pine and basswood sleepers. I laid it all out with a pair of three point track gauges from Micro Engineering. In my opinion it looks more realistic, but there's nothing wrong with any of the commercial stuff available, and I have used Micro Engineering HOn30 flex track in several places. (Sadly no longer available.)
Mal.

[Jim Flynn]

Hi Mal.

I'm in NC. I'm still undecided about track, the ease of Peco is appealing, but the look of hand laid is, as well. My ist attempts, years ago, at handlaying track (in HOn3) was a hit/miss deal. Laying track was not a issue, but filing the points, blades and stock rails. I never really did any good ones done. Using the templates ould work for me, so maybe I will buy the filing tools from FastTracks, and not the jigs.

One nice thing with FastTracks, it would be one stop shopping, as they stock all I would need, regarding rail and ties, both copper clad and wood.

Jim

[WALLSHIRTS]

Hi Jim,

I'm in Maryland, I have a niece in NC. It's been a while since I've done any point work, but mine were all built to suit the site with no real concistancy in the geometry. I have at least one with a much too long lead length. I got my methods from an old Jack Work article in Model Railroader. Looks like Fast Tracks have jigs for HOn30 that should be OK for 009, but I wonder how much they sell at those prices.
Mal.

[Frank]

If you just want templates, then Templot software is free and produces just that.   You can set it up easily enough for the scale and gauge you want to use.    It can be quite complicated to use for complex point work, but simple points are easy to do. 

You can adjust the geometry eg crossing angle and radius, so you can do curved points almost as easily as straight.   All you need then is a set of track gauges.

You can print off the templates and build the points on them.

Frank

[JulienW]

It is code 55 flat bottom rail I have used (from U.K. Suppliers C&L Finescale, but I can't find it on their website anymore!)

http://www.finescale.org.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=911_1089_881

But they don't seem to list code 55 any more. Peco do FB code 60 though and I've used that for my TTe plain track.

That's a shame as they used to also do Code 40...

[WALLSHIRTS]

In the past I've used a batten to lay out my track, in effect forming templates for the points. Using this method you can see if any geometry looks wrong. I've built a number of points this way. Careful filing of the rail always takes a while.
Mal.