10 TIPS for laying model railroad flex track like a PRO!

[@AndyDorsch]

If you want to see the next video in this series, follow the link to my tips on ballasting video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6KvhpiofMt6Z7c

[@danshelledy]

A very experienced modeler said to stagger the joints of the left rail verses the right rail when using flex track on curves. This worked very well to eliminate gauge problems. He also recommended sodering all joiner connections.

[@jasonboche]

I've built two significant railroads in the past two decades and can vouch that these are all great tips. Thank you for sharing with the hobby.

[@boomerdiorama]

Love the track-laying tips. Good sound advice. Thank you for the shout - out Andy! Cheers ~ Boomer.

[@AndyDorsch]

Thanks Boomer!!! And no worries about the Shout Out!

[@boomerdiorama]

@@AndyDorsch Have fun working on the "Hawaii" tan Andy. 😁

[@tombarnes7196]

These are good tips. I would highly recommend PVA (Elmers) glue instead of LocTite. In the event of a need to move/adjust the track, a little water and about 10 minutes softens the glue and allows you to readjust switches and track. (Ask me how I know about this!) Thanks for sharing!

[@nickrails]

Indeed - I found a new Olfa 18mm snap off blade carefully run under the ties will lift track and turnouts from PVA pretty easily without needing to soften or dampen the glue (although I havent used the damping technique you describe for small adjustment). Scrape and sand the surface down (you can sand into a cork surface without problems) and you can re-lay the same (or new) track. I've lifted multiple turnouts like this and re-layed without damaging the turnout or the cork bed

[@ilvchevs1]

There's a great looking workbench at the end!

[@OtterCreek]

Great video Andy!

[@AndyDorsch]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@terryreidstahly]

The best and most succinct video I have seen on laying flex track quick to the point and well explained. I took screen shots along the way and am putting together a pdf so when I lay my first four track layout in a week I do not forget anything. I picked up many pointers after watching several other youtube videos on the subject. Sanding the cork, track gauges, soldering the drops under the rails, putting the entire curve together before installing wonderful video.

[@HumancityJunction]

A dehumidifier is a good tip, I have one and in the summer it is very helpful.

[@AndyDorsch]

It really is!

[@lucgagnon5241]

Pretty interesting ! Especially the ruined ties and the side rail plates.

[@robertallen5531]

Awesome tips. Thanks

[@farmerdave7965]

I'm glad I live in a desert. It saves a lot of problems.

[@AndyDorsch]

No need for a dehumidifier!!!

[@SpaceDad42]

Except our monsoon season!

[@sirblack1619]

Ditto! I live in Colorado with very low humidity.

[@farmerdave7965]

@@sirblack1619 I also live in Colorado.

[@sparky107107]

thanks for the tips

[@AndyDorsch]

No problem!

[@tunglam5113]

thanks for sharing

[@larrydee8859]

Thanks again Andy for another great video! Great modeling tips.

[@AndyDorsch]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@larrydee8859]

Thanks again Andy, for another great track video. Back in the 70s there were tips in the model railroad magazines, about Laying flex track, but your lecture here is better than any that I've ever seen, regarding lane flex track. Years ago I did this but no one had mentioned about the need for a really fine mist spray for adhesive. You have a lot of good extra tips as well. Thanks again!

[@AndyDorsch]

Thanks for the info!

[@wrfreemo2006]

Great set of tips for trackwork, Andy! I'd add one more - chamfer the inside rail ends so that a wheel cannot find a square edge to ride up on. This is especially useful with joints made on curves.

[@AndyDorsch]

I have never thought of that. What do you use to add the chamfer??

[@wrfreemo2006]

@@AndyDorsch I use a mill file. If you chamfer the foot of the rail on the sides as well, then rail joiners tend to slide on a little easier. A friend recommends a "track use only" mill file so that it remains sharp.

[@michaelwhitham4501]

Hi mate I like the tip about soldering the curve joints of flex track but what about allowing for expanding due to weather conditions etc I like the idea of soldering the curves but I’ve also seen you should leave a gap between each joint to allow for movement

[@shelleycogswell2162]

Thanks. I can use these tips.

[@AndyDorsch]

Great!

[@PatrickFranklin-h9b]

Thank you, Andy!... great content..

[@everettthepetractionguy4222]

I was trying to figure out how you lay straight tracks as straight as possible on a layout. I'm glad I found this video. Tip #9 will certainly come in handy when I start building a layout. 👉 05:43 Those 3 foot flex tracks were very difficult to keep straight while laying them on a layout. 🥴 I'm really glad I found this video. 👏

[@AndyDorsch]

Thanks for watching! And I'm glad I could help! If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!

[@andrewl9191]

I think it's funny that a tip is how to make track straight when you think....well, you just straighten it out, right? That's how it comes, isn't it? But it indeed has some kind of flexes to it that would show or have some other effect you don't want. My N scale layout I currently have only has limited straight (tangent?) sections as it's a couple small ovals, but I'm sure this will be helpful for my HO shelf layout in progress.

[@mikejameshupfer]

Thanks, those are good ideas.

[@Route9Signs]

Great tips. Been listening to the podcast lately and I love it.

[@toddarmstrong.trackside.action]

great tips Andy

[@williambryant5946]

Good video. Great tips! 👍

[@AndyDorsch]

Thanks for watching!

[@Tmstrains]

Fantastic tips! These will undoubtedly come in handy as I start to build my layout over the next few months. Thank you so much for sharing! 😊

[@kenshores9900]

Great tips good video.

[@tonyslight826]

Great tips mate thank you i never thought about a dehumidifier before and my layout is in the loft no heating I'm gonna get me one of those. Thanks Andy.

[@krisnelson1807]

Great tips!! Will be a great help as I build my layout in the coming months. Thank you!

[@AndyDorsch]

Good Luck with the layout build!

[@TwoRailfans]

Great tips. We are about to lay a lot of flex track and this was very helpful.

[@dougs6460]

Tip #1 - my track had more waves in it than the ocean. I went at the cork with a block and 40 grit paper, 1000% better! Not perfect, but good enough for the girls I go with!!! Thank You!

[@MRR_Shadowolf]

Great tips and video! Subbed.

[@RichardBough-yk2ei]

Thanks for the Bonus tip on humidifier i never thught about that and i live in Western Sydney Australia where it can get up to 40 Celsius in Summer

[@larryjanson4011]

i have a yard stick made out of alum, fits perfectly between the rails. another one fits perfectly for track spacing. rail to rail for yards. tie to tie for mainlines.

[@akenedy]

Hi Andy, beginning at time point 5:24 in your video, you are showing two different styles of track. The track on the left side has incredibly detailed wood grain on the track ties, while the track on the right has barely any wood grain detail at all. I really like the look of the more highly detailed track on the left. Could you please reveal the brand and rail code of that track on the left. I am currently planning my first HO scale railroad and want to make the right choice for the bulk purchase of flex track that I'll need. Thanks, and great video deserving of many thumbs up!

[@AndyDorsch]

I use Code 70 microengineering.

[@andrewl9191]

I think what you're saying is the weathered track on the left and un-weathered on the right. You can especially tell as there's no ballast on the right, it's just track on cork. I'm guessing there's some slight dry brush that happened on the left to accentuate the wood grain.

[@ericgraham8824]

Great video. Awesome. New Sub

[@AndyDorsch]

Thanks for the sub!

[@johntabor8395]

Do I run the dehumidifier in the winter with furnace on?

[@AndyDorsch]

Most dehumidifiers have a % humidity setting to start and stop too. Mine is set at 50 and it shuts off in mid November and won't come back on till late April.

[@dundasjunctionmodelr.r-jam8267]

Some great tips , going to subscribe your channel

[@thecnwmondovilinepaulscota7304]

The only tip I didn't follow was soldering the wire on the bottom. Might do that as I expand. Thanks!

[@AndyDorsch]

Glad it helped

[@eottoe2001]

TY.

[@mschultheis1]

Great tips Andy. Tip #5 on track alignment references using PC Board ties to attach the rail to and then glue down. It appears you are soldering the rail to the PC Board. If this can be soldered, it must be conductive, so how do you keep from shorting across the rails? I have an alignment problem I am trying to fix and this seems like a great solution- except I can't figure out the shorting issue.

[@bensevier1561]

The PCB ties have a thin layer of copper on top the resin base. Use a needle file to wear away a strip of the copper, usually in the center of the tie. Verify there's no short across with an ammeter (or other test tool). Easy to do.

[@joshuatoro8977]

on the branch line by my they have some ties in a very stuck together and I looks like they don't really mean 10 the track well enough

[@denniswilson2690]

Great Video! Question I saw a recommendation that you paint the cork roadbed same colour as your ballast before ballasting. Will paint affect the cork roadbed later on? Your thoughts.

[@joshuatoro8977]

how do you do with dead spots on the train tracks?

[@franzbrunner499]

happy new year -basic question -if i don't want to make a professional layout (landscape, cities, bridges etc), just track to run trains, what option would you recommend as trackbed except cork? thank you

[@JimmyLandPL]

When is it appropriate to nail or spike flextrack as opposed to using glue or caulk? I've had good luck with caulk but if I spike then ballast I'm thinking that might hold it down nicely, too.

[@AndyDorsch]

You can use spikes as an alternative to glue if you are unsure if the track placement it permanent. It's much easier to pull up a nail then chisel glue or caulk. Also if curves are being stubborn, you can throw a spike in there too!!

[@Danthehorse]

Why go to rhe trouble of cork, why not use ez track or Kato untrack? I'm a newb so, sorry if it's a daft question. Very nicely explained btw, I like your calm and to the point style. You make this all sound accessible and not overly intimidating.

[@andrewl9191]

ez track or Kato unitrack just don't look authentic and they won't always do what you want. With those, you're working with the lengths and curves they make (generally), instead of being able to purchase flex track and curving it like you want it, or keeping it straight. The whole point about a MODEL railroad and not a train set is that you want to look as real as possible in the small scale. Cork in itself is an option though too. You can use something similar, like foam roadbed, or no roadbed at all. Track in real life is generally elevated, so some kind of roadbed is good, unless it's a really worn down area that isn't maintained nearly as well. One thing about cork as well is that you can sand it, as he mentioned, to even out bumps in the benchwork, like between sections of benchwork.

[@Danthehorse]

@andrewl9191 thanks for the explanation, appreciated 👍

[@timduggan1461]

I want to say? HO modeler here. Looking at N-Scale, just curious. I have started, but because of moves, torn down model railroads. One thing i will NEVER do again? Travk nails. I did this on my latest layout. Waste of time . Use latex caulk. Much easier Suoer elevation? Its uo to you

[@Tom-xe9iq]

I might suggest that for Tip#6, instead of a tube adhesive to use PVA glue instead. It has saved me heartache: simply add a little water and within about 10 minutes with a putty knife and some patience the track can easily be moved. Let it dry and it is hard as nails and clear again!

[@zdrummer72]

What brand and code of flextrack is this ?

[@AndyDorsch]

Microengineering code 70

[@frankedgar6694]

Regarding cutting and filing rails, why wouldn’t it be better to use a modeling saw designed to cut them? It’s been 45 years and I’m getting back into the hobby - if I can afford it now - lol. I still have that saw and have used it over the years for a variety of small jobs.

[@michaelwhitham4501]

Ah my bad I’d commented before I’d got to the end of your vid

[@iamcarrot1]

Number 4. All the wires are welded to the web on the railroad. Always thought most people tried to make it realistic as possible.

[@andacami]

Great, but what the hell is sarder?

[@Paul--88]

Nu