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Time to lay the track on our HO scale Thin Branch. In this video David Popp shows how he starts with the complex stuff first, making the entire tracklaying project a breeze!
Making a difficult job look easy! Many thanks………..
Hello David,
Should have watched this video a long time ago as it would have saved me some grief in laying switches and track… now I'm going back and correcting problem areas. Never would have thought to trim track from the main or diverging routes of the switches to make the transition into curves much easier. Thanks for a great series as I'm using several tips from the 'Thin Branch'.
David.. This was a super, useful video.. Many Thanks..
Good video for track laying, lot of good ideas.
I had installed my track almost identical as to your layout up to a point. I didn't glue down my track. Figured the track nails will hold it until the ballast is glued down and the ballast glue seems to fix things in place equally as well. I don't solder the rail jointers either to all allow for any expansion. But do have to add additional track wires to make up for not soldering the jointers.
David, thank you for an informative, well-organized video and looking forward to your wiring video. Larry W.
Thanks for the great tips David. By nailing the track thru the cork roadbed into the plywood are you compromising some of the noise deadening effects of the cork roadbed by transferring some of the track noise into the plywood?
Rather than drilling the dimpled pre-started nail holes, I like to put a pair of nails on both sides and/or both ends of a tie to locate the track. Later, after ballasting has located the track permanently, the nails may be removed without leaving a huge visible hole smack-center of the tie.
Thanks David, but by cutting the ties of the switches aren't you afraid to weaken it particularly the short tracks between the frog and the end of the switch?
Jean-Claude Couture
Sorel-Tracy,
Québec
Chemin de Fer Sorel, Richelieu et St-Laurent, … http://facebook.com/gynetlanglois.videotron.ca
Hey David; Thanks for the tips. What do you use to 'fill' the nail holes after you remove the nails when the caulk is dry? I have tried using a "wood filler' but the holes are so small it not only doesn't look good but it actually makes the holes more noticeable.
David great video with fantastic tips I'll be sure to use
Thanks, David. It was good to see I am doing a few things correctly and how to improve all the mistakes. Keep those videos coming
David: have used clear caulk thinly applied with success. Also being able to recover track work intact , that was previously placed is of great advantage. I would like to salvage expensive turnouts. And, should we ever have a track shortage again, recycled track will help us. I was forced to do the a few years ago. Good video.
I learned that just by carefully removing the tie plates work very well when using rail joiners. This teachneic saves all that work of replacing ties. Well done video. Like the method used in track layning. Great job.
Picked up a few good ideas for laying "manufactured" rail. Hand laying is a different can of worms altogether. Fortunately in this hobby, there is no "one" method of doing it.
It's refreshing seeing another's view of laying turnouts and the like. I have leaned so much from you guys. thanks so much.
Nice video. I would love to see a video on how to properly put down curved flex track to make a nice smooth curve. I haven't found anything really decent on this aspect. Thx'
I have watched several track laying segments from several project R videos. I can locate turnouts, cut and fit rail and place them on the layout. My question is how do you attach longer pieces of flex-track.. How far ahead should I cut and fit before placing adhesive?
David, it seemed like your paint to cover the thinly ballasted areas and the plaster might obscure the Sharpie marks you used to identify switch and track placement. Does the marker line show through, did you obscure the marks but have experience to reposition the switches, or did I miss something? I could envision myself blissfully painting over my marks and having to re-lay and re-pin my track work…
Cody, I tried your suggestion of using alcohol for wetting ballast and it does make the cement flow nicely. However, after a few minutes doing it I was on a cheap high and it was not a nice buzz. I was working in a well ventilated 500 sq ft room immediately over the AC vent, but the track is on a shelf at 60" which placed my face right over it as I worked. I almost fell off my step stool and had to go outside for fresh air for a few minutes to clear my head. I suggest folks use a fan to blow the fumes away if they are working close to their track for any length of time. Or better yet, unless they are on a deadline, just use wet water and place a small fan next to the ballasted area to make it dry faster. As always I'm enjoying your videos–Larry
Enjoyed the video, but I do have a question. I am familiar with using a piece of "bridge" track when joining modules, but it appears that the track on the Thin Branch is flush with the end of the module. How do you align the track at the ends of the modules for derailment-free operation with adjacent modules?
This was super like the tip about painting the subroadbed
David,
Great video on track laying, learned several ideas from that one……..Now, just a suggestion from a modeler who has launched many pieces of rail across the room when cutting with track cutters……position a small cardboard box to catch those lethal projectiles…..it's also easier to pick them up later 🙂
Hello all,
The 404 error has been corrected, and those videos in question should all play normally now. Thank you again for alerting us to the problem, and enjoy the videos!
David
Hello Stephen, and others who have called attention to the 404 error. Thank you! We are working on the problem and hope to have those pages back up and running in short order. Unfortunately, the site doesn't tell us when there is a problem, and with more than 600 videos between MR and MRVP, we can't look at each page every day. I'll post a note here again when the issue has been resolved.
Thank you for your patience, and best wishes on your endeavors.
David
Hi David,
The following Thin Branch Videos have beeb showing a 404 – File or directory not found for the last 2-3 days. This is getting frustrating. 25 percent of this series is now MIA. This occurs in any browser I use, Can you please acknowledge and give us an ETA of when these will be back.
Wire a power reversing switch
How to Soldering Rail joints
Build a layout Mock up
Working with Cork Roadbed
Thanks,
Steve