I had an epiphany today. I finally opened my peck flex track after only having had atlas, once back when I was 10-13 years old, and then again recently. “Pre-curve your flex track” was something that made NO sense at all, but my Peco Code 55 really holds a flex so much better than the atlas stuff. What I’d like is a video about how to figure out plain old DC wiring and how to use electro frogs and being able to turn parts of the track on and off. Like a beginners course.
Ron, Superb Tips and Techniques. To enhance some of your points here are some ideas I've used since the 1960's. Back then cork strips were few and expensive to buy. So I save my rolls of GAF Strips for longer straight runs. But when it came to switching areas discount and home repair store sold 12 in. sq. blocks of cork which I would test fit and cut to meet my track needs. A precaution, back in the 60's you had to use wood glue to secure the prepared cork to the roadbed. In the 1970's manufactures starting placing peel-n-stick backing to the blocks. Just because the peel-n-stick may seem easier and cheaper it's not. In time the glue separates from either the cork or the roadbed, or both. ALWAYS HARD TACK any cork material down and ripple free. Now test fitting joints. I agree with you on 99% of your technique. The sole exception can bring husbands & wives back together, while practicing our artistry. Back in the day, when the kids had to go to bed early, Eileen and I would sit in the kitchen. She would experiment with her recipes, while I would dry fit my rail joints. I'd have my sections of straight track, switches (still manual throws) and two box cars. I would dry fit the sub-assembly into 3 or 4 foot lengths, with rail joiners. The length of the kitchen peninsula. Hand push the box cars over the lose track. Then take my home made track gauge to verify correctness. (I don't think we at MNRA even had an HO Track Gauge yet????) After each short run, the subassembly would be placed in a long box, returned to the then basement, & in a night or two my son Bobby and I would solder, glue and screw the way in place. Yeah! OK Guys. It gets the job done. BUT the important is IT GETS THE JOB DONE WHILE I KEEP COMMUNICATIONS WITH MY BEAUTIFUL BRIDE. We don't have to work in a dungeon and separate ourselves from our marriages. ~Jim
I wish I had this video available a year ago when I started laying track! Great job covering the bases. One additional thing I do is solder wires to the frogs, drill a small hole in the roadbed, and drop the wires to a frog juicer or the #5 pin on the tortoise. Thanks Ron!
One neat trick is to cover the end of your vacuum with a nylon stocking to collect the sanded cork. This can then be mixed with PVA to fill in gaps in the cork. This is really helpful when laying sheet cork in large areas such as staging yards or parking lots.
Great tip about sanding the rough edge that forms at the top of the roadbed when separating the cork Ron. I see so many layouts where this is not done and it becomes quite a bear to ballast, either the ballast doesn't cover this area very well or it requires a huge volume of ballast to fill in and the ballast line becomes too wide and irregular. It's one of the "finer" points I try to teach about track laying but people often ignore it anyway!
On my first layout as a kid, I simply had my father nail the track directly to the plywood. But when I finally do get around to building a new layout, I'll go with a cork roadbed glued to the plywood. And either nail the track to the cork, or glue it down with caulk.
I love your videos Ron! You inspire me to keep on “track’N”......except in HO. Your channel has sparked an interest in me to start a channel, and see what happens. Have fun on your vacation!
This video I just watched encourages me that I too can be running trains after having rebuilt my layout from scratch. Multiple issues have delayed but I hope to start sub roadbed soon. Thanks!
Thank you for the tutorial. I’m sure you are excited to be able to use the extension which will feel even bigger because you get the rest of your track back too. I can’t wait to see it all connected, the run time will almost double. Nice job.
Really appreciate your channel. Thank you. Great tip about using the rail cutters. I knew about the vertical/horizontal thing (I model in OO) but I didn’t know about keeping the flat edge to the section you want to retain. Very timely as I have my turnouts marked out and ready and am about to lay the track.
Hi Ron, interesting as always, was a bit surprised though that you’re using insulfrogs, would think electrofrogs to be much much more reliable especially at low speeds and smaller locs. On attaching the switch motors I also remove the spring but then drill a 1 mm hole in the centre of the switch for the throwbar, this allows me to remove the ends of the elongated sleeper with the holes, giving the overall a smoother look because the whole switching mechanism has become invisible.
Ron - question (which may be worth discussing in a future video): you mentioned first time running trains in a long time. How well did the locomotives perform? Was there a significant effort required to clean up track that had not been used in a long time, or was the Inox (or equivalent) good enough to keep dormant rail ready for service?
Good Evening Ron, Always enjoy and find your videos most informative. Is it absolutely necessary to remove the springs from the Peco Switches when installing with a Tortoise switch machine.? What are the advantages of removing the springs, new to the hobby and just building my first layout, track laying is next on the agenda.
Your videos are like a free course at college and I really appreciate it. Question, do you pre prep the joiners before soldering. I give everything an IPA bath with a toothbrush scrub before seeing the flux.
Hi Ron. I’ve built my 5 x 2,6 foot base ply board and I’m going to cork the whole board with for the N gauge layout using 2mm. Is it right you are soldering the fish plates because of expansion and contraction with temperature? I’ve been told not to solder, could you clarify please. Great information on layout build though.👍
What is the thickness of the cork you are using. Mid West site doesn't give the spec.Thanks great video. I'm thinking of using 3mm sheet cork and cut my own. or is 5mm better ?
Hi Ron love your channel, I am just now getting ready to build my layout I was wondering what number turnouts do you use for north yard ie number 5 or number 6 and what company have you found work the best with dcc peco, walthers? Could you do a video on how to build a yard ladder? Thanks
Looks great Ron, however I have a question. You go to all the effort of soldering the track etc to maintain good conductivity and mention adding feeder wires, then use Insulfrog turnouts meaning the frogs can't be powered. Is there a deliberate reason for that? Wouldn't Peco Electrofrog/Unifrog be better?
When I started building waaaay back Ondidn't want to mess with powering frogs. If I was starting over today I might donit differently, but I have little trouble with modern diesel locomotives and insulated frogs.
Thanks Ron. One thing I may have missed? What do you do to fight track expansion? Is cutting gaps some thing you do when you are cutting the isolation gaps in your track?
See more track laying techniques here: th-cam.com/video/Nu9qlIckU7Q/w-d-xo.html
I had an epiphany today. I finally opened my peck flex track after only having had atlas, once back when I was 10-13 years old, and then again recently. “Pre-curve your flex track” was something that made NO sense at all, but my Peco Code 55 really holds a flex so much better than the atlas stuff.
What I’d like is a video about how to figure out plain old DC wiring and how to use electro frogs and being able to turn parts of the track on and off. Like a beginners course.
Thanks for taking the time to make this informative video
Ron,
Superb Tips and Techniques. To enhance some of your points here are some ideas I've used since the 1960's.
Back then cork strips were few and expensive to buy. So I save my rolls of GAF Strips for longer straight runs. But when it came to switching areas discount and home repair store sold 12 in. sq. blocks of cork which I would test fit and cut to meet my track needs.
A precaution, back in the 60's you had to use wood glue to secure the prepared cork to the roadbed. In the 1970's manufactures starting placing peel-n-stick backing to the blocks. Just because the peel-n-stick may seem easier and cheaper it's not. In time the glue separates from either the cork or the roadbed, or both. ALWAYS HARD TACK any cork material down and ripple free.
Now test fitting joints. I agree with you on 99% of your technique.
The sole exception can bring husbands & wives back together, while practicing our artistry.
Back in the day, when the kids had to go to bed early, Eileen and I would sit in the kitchen. She would experiment with her recipes, while I would dry fit my rail joints.
I'd have my sections of straight track, switches (still manual throws) and two box cars. I would dry fit the sub-assembly into 3 or 4 foot lengths, with rail joiners. The length of the kitchen peninsula. Hand push the box cars over the lose track. Then take my home made track gauge to verify correctness. (I don't think we at MNRA even had an HO Track Gauge yet????)
After each short run, the subassembly would be placed in a long box, returned to the then basement, & in a night or two my son Bobby and I would solder, glue and screw the way in place.
Yeah! OK Guys. It gets the job done. BUT the important is IT GETS THE JOB DONE WHILE I KEEP COMMUNICATIONS WITH MY BEAUTIFUL BRIDE. We don't have to work in a dungeon and separate ourselves from our marriages.
~Jim
Old School Track Laying....Cool...Looks good. Bob
Ron, that is coming along nicely. I am looking forward to the rest of the build. Thanks for sharing. Ken
I wish I had this video available a year ago when I started laying track! Great job covering the bases. One additional thing I do is solder wires to the frogs, drill a small hole in the roadbed, and drop the wires to a frog juicer or the #5 pin on the tortoise. Thanks Ron!
Nice work Ron
Looking good Ron !!!
Thanks again for a great video Ron, love your tutorials. I’m doing better work having watched your channel - Cheers, Bruce
Looking good Ron, just a hint, use a 'nickel' to burnish the rails after filing the retail this will fill the scratches with nickel...👍👍👍
One neat trick is to cover the end of your vacuum with a nylon stocking to collect the sanded cork. This can then be mixed with PVA to fill in gaps in the cork. This is really helpful when laying sheet cork in large areas such as staging yards or parking lots.
Great tip about sanding the rough edge that forms at the top of the roadbed when separating the cork Ron. I see so many layouts where this is not done and it becomes quite a bear to ballast, either the ballast doesn't cover this area very well or it requires a huge volume of ballast to fill in and the ballast line becomes too wide and irregular. It's one of the "finer" points I try to teach about track laying but people often ignore it anyway!
Great video! I made the mistake of not soldering all my joints on my current layout. I will be sure to solder all joints on my next one for sure!
On my first layout as a kid, I simply had my father nail the track directly to the plywood. But when I finally do get around to building a new layout, I'll go with a cork roadbed glued to the plywood. And either nail the track to the cork, or glue it down with caulk.
Very precise job good work
As always, greatly enjoy your thoughtful and very well explained videos Ron. Great insights and methods. Thanks.
I have always solder on the outside of the rails it took me a lot of practice to get.the seller just right
Very nice work Ron. Thanks for the tips
Great video thanks for sharing!
You make it look so easy as usual Ron!!! 👍
Hi Ron, I love your how to videos, very well thought out. Keep them coming.
I love your videos Ron! You inspire me to keep on “track’N”......except in HO. Your channel has sparked an interest in me to start a channel, and see what happens. Have fun on your vacation!
This video I just watched encourages me that I too can be running trains after having rebuilt my layout from scratch. Multiple issues have delayed but I hope to start sub roadbed soon. Thanks!
Very nice Ron!
Thank you for the tutorial. I’m sure you are excited to be able to use the extension which will feel even bigger because you get the rest of your track back too. I can’t wait to see it all connected, the run time will almost double. Nice job.
It is looking good. I bet you can't wait to run trains on the layout again.
Ron you make this look easy, I am getting ready to start laying track, so just use a standard grey latex caulk to secure your track , great video
Really appreciate your channel. Thank you. Great tip about using the rail cutters. I knew about the vertical/horizontal thing (I model in OO) but I didn’t know about keeping the flat edge to the section you want to retain. Very timely as I have my turnouts marked out and ready and am about to lay the track.
HELLO RON ITS IS RANDY AND I LIKE U VIDEO IS COOL THANKS FRIENDS RANDY
Hi Ron, interesting as always, was a bit surprised though that you’re using insulfrogs, would think electrofrogs to be much much more reliable especially at low speeds and smaller locs.
On attaching the switch motors I also remove the spring but then drill a 1 mm hole in the centre of the switch for the throwbar, this allows me to remove the ends of the elongated sleeper with the holes, giving the overall a smoother look because the whole switching mechanism has become invisible.
Not necessarily, Insulfrogs that are metal like Atlas turnouts have a metal tab on the side for powering the frog with a Frog Juicer. Easy peasy!
thank you other great detail video
Ron - question (which may be worth discussing in a future video): you mentioned first time running trains in a long time. How well did the locomotives perform? Was there a significant effort required to clean up track that had not been used in a long time, or was the Inox (or equivalent) good enough to keep dormant rail ready for service?
Good Evening Ron, Always enjoy and find your videos most informative. Is it absolutely necessary to remove the springs from the Peco Switches when installing with a Tortoise switch machine.? What are the advantages of removing the springs, new to the hobby and just building my first layout, track laying is next on the agenda.
Your videos are like a free course at college and I really appreciate it. Question, do you pre prep the joiners before soldering. I give everything an IPA bath with a toothbrush scrub before seeing the flux.
Hi Ron. I’ve built my 5 x 2,6 foot base ply board and I’m going to cork the whole board with for the N gauge layout using 2mm. Is it right you are soldering the fish plates because of expansion and contraction with temperature? I’ve been told not to solder, could you clarify please. Great information on layout build though.👍
What is the thickness of the cork you are using. Mid West site doesn't give the spec.Thanks great video.
I'm thinking of using 3mm sheet cork and cut my own. or is 5mm better ?
I am using standard N scale cork roadbed from Midwest Products which is 1/8" (3 mm) thick.
Hi Ron love your channel, I am just now getting ready to build my layout I was wondering what number turnouts do you use for north yard ie number 5 or number 6 and what company have you found work the best with dcc peco, walthers? Could you do a video on how to build a yard ladder? Thanks
Do I need to twist my DCC bus wires under the bench work, or can they be run side by side? Thanks!
Hope you show hooking up the tortosie machines for the crossover or point me to one you did before! And include a diagram.
Looks great Ron, however I have a question. You go to all the effort of soldering the track etc to maintain good conductivity and mention adding feeder wires, then use Insulfrog turnouts meaning the frogs can't be powered. Is there a deliberate reason for that? Wouldn't Peco Electrofrog/Unifrog be better?
When I started building waaaay back Ondidn't want to mess with powering frogs. If I was starting over today I might donit differently, but I have little trouble with modern diesel locomotives and insulated frogs.
I was wondering if you have seen my messages about the PA-1 and the CFA unit?
Hey ron I have a question do you use stirain or phome for building struters?
Will you be adding expansion joints?
What size solder do you use?
Diesel dave like's the new video today.
What track does he use?
Peco code 80.
Why do you use code 80 instead of code 70? I am designing a new n scale layout and wondered which size track I should use. Thanks
Did you mean code 55 instead of 70? Unless you have really good track laying skills, I would go with 80.
Thanks Ron. One thing I may have missed? What do you do to fight track expansion? Is cutting gaps some thing you do when you are cutting the isolation gaps in your track?
Malform...abnormally formed; misshapen
Your point? 🤣