How To Make Tinplate Track More Realistic

[@richardstewart4135]

Another great video. I have always liked the look of painted and ballasted track and when building a Lionel railroad that was to be permanent. I am in the process of building yet another Lionel layout with my grandson and part of the plan will be to have stained wood ties, painted rail and ballast. Thanks again for the great video as it keeps me motivated to get mine up and running.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks for watching. I never ballasted my last layout because I was still making changes to the track plan when I had to dismantle and move it.

[@danwoodman5505]

I've always preferred hand laying ties and ballast over the plastic stuff. I get more of a feeling of building a railroad.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

The best thing about this hobby is there are so many different ways to do it!

[@VB-bk1lh]

The center rail is hidden better by painting it the same color as the ballast or sort of camouflaging it with gray and white to break up the straight line and making it blend with the ballast.

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

Thanks for sharing this video

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks for watching!

[@feathersfeathers2022]

Well done and held my interest for the entire video. Thanks

[@modelrailpreservation]

Ever notice with old Marx O-27 track, with the end ties set inboard a bit from the ends of the rails, if you put one intermediate tie between the center and end tie, total of five ties per section, when you join them, the tie spacing looks pretty even?

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Yes, but when mixed with Lionel I add even more - and with the inset ends there's enough room to add one more tie on each end. Thanks for watching!

[@markslioneltrains]

Looks great.! Always been curious how to do the balast and the glue water mixture.! Cool Video. 😎 Thanks.!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

You're welcome!

[@Johns0gaugeAndH0trains]

Another good video. I have FastTrack, which is ok, but a little too plastic-looking. I finally took a chance and painted the outer rails, lightly weathered the plastic roadbed and ties, and added a little gravel ballast in spots. It's probably the single thing that most improved the look of the railroad.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Sounds great!

[@joeystrains.9316]

Great results. Finished track looks nice.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thank you very much!!

[@johnandrus3901]

Very nice! I like that look of the ballasted rail. I'm debating on whether or not to do this to my layout, because I have three mains on a 24x18 L and that is a lot of ballast. Either way, great job. An excellent video, as always.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thank you!

[@mycrazygrandpa]

I found out that Gargraves uses a black oxide process on their center rails so as to be electrically conductive, is this something you may try on a later experiment? Hopefully you will and we can all benefit, great tip!

[@henryszubielski8601]

Thanks for the tips! A very enjoyable video.

[@jackcurran1122]

Try cutting popsicle sticks up for ties also, soak them in clothing dye to color them

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Interesting idea! Thanks for sharing!

[@amblealong4581]

Looks nice! You're far more patient than me. Thanks for the tips!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks for watching!

[@ronalddevine9587]

I agree that the center rail isn't widely used here in the USA, but several years ago I discovered that the London Underground uses the centre rail quite extensively.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

There's a prototype for everything!

[@ronalddevine9587]

@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Indeed!

[@momatmach1]

The London Underground is a four rail system, there is a centre rail and also one to the side of the track.

[@VB-bk1lh]

Back in the 60's my grandfather set up a layout at our house, he used white rolled roofing to make the track bed area, which gave the look of ballast, and he cut wood ties from 1/8" thick produce crates. He then dipped all the cut ties in dark brown dye. The ties were held in place by the track which when screwed down through the strips of sheet roofing became trapped in place. The green areas were done with a mix of paint and fine sawdust applied with a roller directly to the whole sheets of plywood beneath it all. Lakes and streams were made with aluminum foil and tinted clear paint done with an air brush.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Very nice! Many layouts were done like this, especially before commercial scenery products became readily available in the 1970s and later.

[@VB-bk1lh]

I recently began digging out his old trains and track, what I'm finding is that what ever paint or ink he used on the tracks washed right off with a quick dip in rubbing alcohol. I remember him referring to it as 'ink', not paint but it was something he brought home from work at the refinery.@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

@@VB-bk1lh interesting. I know some who use gun bluing on the center rail.

[@Burmn]

I switched to gargraves, and did the same on the sides of the rail but with markers. Came out nice

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Gargraves is nice track!

[@RABSTRAINS]

Very educational, thank you!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Glad you liked it!

[@scaleyardmarine]

Brilliant

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks!

[@stormshadow5555]

If you're going to go to all that trouble, you might as well put down a cork roadbed too!

[@BAKU2K2]

Have you ever had any experience with Lionel's "Super-O" track? It's basically a predecessor to their current "FasTrack."

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

I do not have any Super O, but I have seen it. It's very hard to find since it hasn't been made since the 1960s. It has very realistic ties and a thin metal strip as the center rail. (You can start an argument with Postwar operators over whether the strip wears out pickup rollers faster than the standard rail.) Turnouts were very finicky as well. FasTrack is actually a totally different animal that came along 4 decades later.

[@lonnievickerman1990]

Ties would help the look. I did that also.

[@Engine1988]

I like to use a mix of tuscan red and black to make my rust.

[@djjuego123]

Awesome! What do you for area around switches?

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

I leave turnouts and other pieces with built-in bases alone to prevent getting ballast in the points and to make removal for maintenance easier.

[@georgebenson6036]

Great video as always. I have seen some people lay a strip of N scale cork roadbed along the outside of the ties with the sloped side facing out. That helps to trap the ballast inside the track. Also, I wish you would have given us a brand name on the craft paint you used.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

It's the generic tempura paint from Walmart/Hobby Lobby/Michaels.

[@plunkervillerr1529]

My main interest is to have a tight clean electrical connection . Still plunking along .

[@WilliamRichardson-w3c]

I agree it does look better

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

👍

[@chasesrailwaylinesrr6447]

I bet if there wasn't a center rail it would look really realistic looks great!

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

I went through the whole ballast glue cork Road bed thing with my HO trains. I prefer Mike's train house track with the road bed included. Since the track is brass it will not rust. I prefer the early solid rail track to the late model template style track because I find template in my book to be cheap all the scale rails use solid rail like the Prototype. Plus if you're going to have anything bigger than a 4x8 layout you're going to have to have a lot of terminal feeders because there's lots of resistance in the old style track with all the connections. I had an outdoor layout with old Lionel track and new Lionel track and in a year the new Lionel track turn black and then crumbled away and I had to replace it all with American made track. Of course I will use the old style track for your trackage and for siding.

[@RobertVitale-c9v]

There arer many options for ballast. I'll probably use pumice. Have you ever tried cat litter?

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

No. 1) Never had a cat. 2) The pieces look too big to me.

[@IndianaNorthWestern]

For the glue mixture I just use a squeeze condiment bottle, and if it doesn't soak in quickly or much at all because the finer ballast is a pain, I just drop some 91% isopropyl onto the stubborn areas and the next day everything is great

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Great tip!

[@johnpontin9276]

Great video thx

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks for watching!

[@monstersbrandsparkplugz7151]

I get a cheap bag of play sand spread it out on top of the track bed then go over it with the ballast. It’s a good filler and my ballast goes a long way.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

That's a great idea!

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

What type of paint do you use acrylic testers model glue rustolium or krylon metal paint

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

I actually use cheap, generic poster paints on the track. Works fine.

[@jblackacre2325]

Hi Mike, I really look forward to your videos. I was just trying to download your ties from thingiverse and received a 404 not found response. Would you be willing to check or share the link again please?

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Hmmm. I will check the problem. Thanks!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Funny. It looks like ALL of my files are missing from Thingiverse! Here's the link on Tinkercad www.tinkercad.com/things/5gptXynHAte?sharecode=1uyGtj8fnNhPY7dvuPf-PQuaAxCm96-4a6kcW_Xy-74

[@jblackacre2325]

Thank you Sir! Fwiw, I've had similar problems with my own creations on thingiverse.

[@michaelashley9354]

I like your show I got two ways to catch up

[@ThomasBieschke]

I have a couple Lionel locomotives that spark a lot when in use. I had both clean and lubed by a Lionel authorized dealer. I clean the track and still have same issue with sparking. I was told to not use the old track to buy new track. Is there anything you could suggest for me to try? thank you.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

A few things: 1) They all spark a little. 2) What are you cleaning your track with? If you're using an abrasive of any kind, you are putting microscopic pits in the rails that trap dirt. The best I have found is a two step process - wipe down the rails with mineral spirits, then add a light coating of CRC cleaner, which will clean, improve contact, and convert and prevent rust. Many modelers in the scale world use NO-OX instead of CRC, but it doesn't play well with traction tires. After the above treatment, I find just wiping with a clean, dry cloth when needed works fine for months.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

If the problem is only certain locomotives, I would check to make sure the inside contacts are clean on the motor and E units.

[@ThomasBieschke]

It is both locomotives. I was also told to use rubbing alcohol and soft cloth. the Lionel set was purchased back in 1961 by my dad a few days after I was born to set up around the Christmas tree. it has sentimental value and would like to pass along to my son or daughter.

[@ThomasBieschke]

I will give this method a try. Thank you.@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks

[@frankmarkovcijr5459]

Since my old gauge trains include subway trains as well as running electrics with the pantographs down just like the New Haven ep 5 had 3rd rail shoes when they were in New York Central territory. When my uncle took me to the Long Island Railroad they were signs everywhere saying Beware of the third rail. I can accept the rail being in the middle instead of on the outside because I am not going to go to outside third rail and nobody has made stuff for outside third rail since World War II.

[@JL-pc9sl]

Nice video and great ideas...only question i have is why the huge gap between the sections of track. You should not be able to see any part of the pin that connects them. Not only can this cause electrical problems but the noise and running problems it can create are BAD!!! Not to mention it just looks like BAD!!!

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Well, here's the situation. When the track was laid in the Spring, the gap was closed. But the 40" straight on the right sits directly under an HVAC vent. In the summer, the repeated blasts of cold air causes the steel rail to contract, opening the joint. In the winter, repeated blasts of hot air makes the rail expand, closes the gap, AND pushes the unsecured rail on the left slightly out of gauge. Things return to normal in spring and fall.

[@TheScottab]

I was wondering also, now I know. @@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks

[@michaelashley9354]

My Lionel train is 70 ft around and not including two sightings it would take me forever

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

You can do a small section at a time.

[@lonnievickerman1990]

Is it really worth all that trouble ? They are toy trains, I have attempted this project back in the mid 70's.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

It depends. If you like the classic tinplate look, that's perfectly fine. If you want a bit more realism (as much as 3 rail allows), this is an option. Rule #1 is your railroad - your rules. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@markcopeland4344]

Mike get you a makeup brush works better than a paint brush not as stiff.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Good idea!

[@Cbtrainnut]

Impossible to make 3 rail track look realistic. Like putting lipstick on a pig. It’s still a pig. Just an S Scalers opinion. But a really nice video.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. :-) Thanks for the video comment!

[@robertnielsen2461]

This discussion started in 46 when Gilbert introduced S gauge and it still is going on,some things are just to much fun to let go of!

[@Cbtrainnut]

@@robertnielsen2461 I agree lol

[@jimyeetast9335]

Just switch to ho at this point if your going for realism and let the kids play with your o gauge

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Lionel suggested this in their own Model Builder magazine in the 1930s, so I'm okay. ;-) photos.app.goo.gl/6W7CtmgB2LsqaaaF8

[@roge69charger]

The Fast track doesn't look as realistic at all to your 027 track Fast track reminds me of the racing car track I recall Decades ago

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks!