Laying Track, Don't Make These Mistakes (358)

Laying track may look like an easy, foolproof process but there are a few things that you can do to really screw it up! In this video I'll give you an update on some track work I have recently done on my Piedmont Southern layout and I''l give you several tips to help you avoid some common mistakes.
Chapters
0:00 Intro
1:10 Train Show
2:00 Amherst Update
5:54 Tye River Update
7:30 Cork Roadbed
9:00 Under Track Magnets
10:10 Tip #1 Line ‘em Up
12:40 Tip #2 Flex Track on Curves
16:00 Tip #3 Floating Joints
17:15 Wrapup

[@TheDCCGuy]

A viewer asked about any issues with connecting the running rails to the frog rails so here is my answer. With the Walthers turnouts the frog rails are independently powered by jumpers so polarity/phase is correct. With Micro Engineering turnouts the frog rails are independently powered by the rails they are connected to so no problem. With other types it will depend on how they are wired internally. For example the old Peco turnouts need to be modified as I showed in previous videos.

[@neilharbott8394]

One suggestion I've seen, on bends, don't cut the flex track straight across, allow offset joins so there is no weak point which is liable to kink. Once you're on the straight, you can even up the joins. Obviously when you're constrained by switches/points this method of soldering the rails may be your only recourse.

[@nicksanto882]

When I worked in the environmental chemistry lab, I worked for a lot of industries in the State of Vermont. I served and communicated with a lot of people and talked with them on the phone occasionally. It was always a great event in my mind to meet them in person. It was a great event in my mind to meet and spend a few quality moments with you in Asheville at the train show last weekend!!! I enjoy your videos!!! Nick

[@markgoodrich941]

I would like to meet both of you.

[@jeffbutler6100]

I have been a member of a Railroad museum in my area in Southern California. Most of my volunteering was done, working on the track gang, I learned when you are laying out the rail and its going to made a curve, you first bolt up the rails together with the steel rail joiners in a straight line. Then just as in this video, you bend the rail you just connected into the curve you want. Because the rails are bolded tightly together, it acts a one long straight piece of rail, so when its bent in a curve, where rails are joined you get a smooth transition with out any kinks

[@Bigfoot-ju9ws]

As a newbie, I can't THANK YOU ENOUGH! Your videos are GREAT Larry!

[@roncrook8656]

I saw that selfie from the show in one of my FB groups. Was glad to see you feeling well enough to make it to the show.

[@donh8833]

Soldering the joiners is a great tip. I also insert pins outside the joiner until the caulk dries. I'm really grateful for these videos. Thank you.

[@mrbluesky2050]

from experience, I would not solder rail joiners, the problem of rail expansion does cause track to lift and buckle like in the real world, nor do I rely on joiners for electrical continuity, bond around them, speaking from a British point of view, and having owned and operated four of my own exhibition, portable layouts, and having seen an entire fan of switches, lift and twist when warmed up, six feet of rail, track and road bed lift up four inches from a bridge, and a fiddle yard with side to side wiggles all the way down it... leave room for expansion. the tip below for offsetting joints is recommended where possible

[@dawkinsm]

For those looking for the actual tips these start 10 minutes into the video 👍

[@TheDCCGuy]

Sorry, I still need to get the chapter information added to the description so they will show onscreen.

[@mikedurhan9941]

Larry: I appreciate you very much. Thank you for another helpful video.

[@caladamstrains3206]

Great info. I also use Rail Ribbons on the curved joint to get a smooth continuance of a curve. I have a set from 24"-36" radius.

[@donaldkormos5529]

Perfect timing Larry ... just bought a big box of flex track!!! All the best to you ...

[@jaimegarcia9944]

How nice to see you again!

[@elsdp-4560]

Thank you for sharing. Very much appreciate the tips and update of your layout, very nice.👍

[@johnpetru4133]

Great tips, thanks Larry. Good to see you again!

[@johnbanicki7232]

Great tips. Thanks for sharing.

[@eugeniomarins2936]

Dear Sir, Thanks for the great tips! Cheers from Brazil!

[@derekalexander4030]

Great group of track laying tips, Larry. Thank you again.

[@johnrocheleau1015]

Awesome. Thank you for the info. 🇨🇦

[@conrailfan6277]

Great video Larry!!

[@rblechta]

Excellent and useful video, Larry. Thanks so much!

[@darrellnorton2208]

Great video. For someone like myself who is new to the hobby and in the process of planning there first big layout there's some great tips and advice . Cheers for sharing 👍

[@chrisbarr1359]

Hi Larry, hope you are doing well!

[@FunWithHOScaleStuff]

Good advice. Thanks.

[@dwightatnorthernstar1820]

Very good tips. I have also learned over the years, many modelers don't pay enough attention to rail joints. Also, I now use a level on both rails each way . Not perfect level track causes derailment]ts. (Both ways) length and width . Thanks, for your videos.....

[@OgaugeTrainsplusslotCars]

Thanks for sharing

[@peterbradford5987]

Great video.

[@jrisner1951]

Glad to see you.

[@larryboyer]

Excellent video I always look forward to your videos

[@TheDCCGuy]

I appreciate that!

[@elleryparsons2433]

Cork Road Bedding will Always The Way To Go when Model Railroading Hands Down.

[@user-ws4yc7bx4e]

This is such a cool video, I grew up in Amherst Virginia! And my father worked at The Piney River plant for American Cyanamid.

[@TheDCCGuy]

Oddly enough as I have dug into my family history I have run into a branch that lived around Amherst. But then my families has lived in Virginia since about 1640 so there likely are branches just about all over the state!

[@rkalle66]

3:24 I first thought that the stump track (industrial siding) is for protection. The switch on the side track into the stump track protects the switch at the main track like a derailing lock.

[@EL-nc1cs]

Nice and very informative show Larry....... I've been using cheap wooden squier sticks for un-coupling kadee's for years. Have fun !!! what ever turns you on.

[@TheDCCGuy]

I have a few of those too but prefer not to use them as they tend to damage scenery and catch on cars flipping them over. I have even seen guys flip,locos off the track with one. In addition they can catch in the KD couplers and lift cars off the track. On a double deck layout they can also catch on wires hanging under the upper deck. One friend of mine with a huge layout told me he has to spend at least a full day after each op session, fixing all the broken fences, trees, signs, utility poles, etc. that operators break with the skewers. Magnets do’t do that!

[@randydobson1863]

hello Larry & it's is Randy and i like yours video is cool & Thanks Larry Friends Randy

[@brandongaines1731]

This video has earned a "Like" from me - that's a rare feat for any KZbinr! Thanks for the informative video!

[@jeffharbin8424]

Really enjoyed this video Larry. Being new to this hobby you continue to spark ideas for my lay out. this really helps ! Question: how do you determine how tall to make your facia ? Are you trying to prevent a de~railed car or train from going over the edge ?

[@TheDCCGuy]

The fascia in most cases is simply there for appearances. It hide the raw wood frame of the benchwork, the wires, the switch machines, the lights, etc. Its height depends on 2 opposing factors: (1) the need to hide everything, and (2) the desire not to hinder your field of view on a double deck layout like mine. On a single deck it depends almost entirely on the need to hide the mess. Also on a main deck or single deck layout there often is a cloth skirt attached to the backside of the fascia to hide all the other junk stored under it. In those cases where structures are located close to the front edge of the layout, owners often install a piece of plexiglass for protection.

[@SamBarr-cx5er]

Because my layout is in the loft I have had to leave 2 mm gaps every yard of rail when I assembled everything at 21 to 22 deg C. I get 4 to 5 mm gaps in the winter and closed up completely in the summer.

[@TheDCCGuy]

Lofts, attics, garages, sheds, barns all can suffer from the expansion/contraction problem. Even the railroads have to deal with it. I saw a KZbin video recently that said that in very hot regions such as Florida, Texas, Arizona they only lay rails on very hot days to take advantage of the fact that steel rails can deal better with contraction that expansion. Fortunately my basement is heated and cooled as well as dehumidified so I really don’t have to deal with expansion/contraction but I still stick in a few floating joints on the long expanses just in case.

[@JulianSaunders]

Hi Larry I liked tip #2 about soldering the rail joiners, how do you over come problems with frog polarity and shorting if using dcc?

[@TheDCCGuy]

Good question. With the Walthers turnouts the frog rails are independently powered by jumpers so polarity/phase is correct. With Micro Engineering turnouts the frog rails are independently powered by the rails they are connected to so no problem. With other types it will depend on how they are wired internally. For example the old Peco turnouts need to be modified as I showed in previous videos. I will add a pinned comment on this and maybe do a followup video too.

[@stevechilders2425]

Larry, just an fyi, they make neodynium bar magnets that are the same length ish as the Kadee magnets. I use one under each rail.

[@TheDCCGuy]

I’ll have to look for them. However being that long do they tend to stop locos in their tracks?

[@stevechilders2425]

No effect on the Locos. I would only use on sidings and spurs though since any pause on a loco while over them could cause an uncoupling on the mainline if used there.@@TheDCCGuy

[@sews2quilt]

I have a request that might help hundreds of model railroaders. How about showing an Athearn blue-box diesel with the proper decorder and stay-alive (or keep-alive) set-up. I've contacted all the major DCC manufacturers and they are not helpful at all. I have a bunch of blue-boxes with the Digitrax Dh163AT system hooked up. I know the decoder that came with this setup can not work with a Keep Alive. How about showing how to hook the correct decoder (possibly using the same wires) and a stay-alive....Thanks

[@TheDCCGuy]

See videos #88 and #194

[@Tpage61]

Good stuff as always, Larry! When your layout does a 90 degree turn, what minimum radius do you use for the curved track?

[@TheDCCGuy]

The largest that will fit!

[@TheDCCGuy]

The largest that will fit!

[@randycaulkins3644]

Larry, what do you use to solder the joiners without melting ties or globbing solder in the area?

[@TheDCCGuy]

I use standard 63:37 solder with my Hakko iron. I showed this stuff back in video 214 I think and also in a few other videos. The trick is to get the iron tip in against the rail joiner and flow in the solder quickly. The melted solder transmits the heat very quickly and presto you’re done. It also helps that I have been practicing for over 30 years.

[@Quince828]

I always thought that the Kaydee magnets were designed to sit on top of the ties and glued in place. What you’re doing looks better but how do they work having to send the magnetic force through the cork roadbed?

[@TheDCCGuy]

There are also magnets that fit on top of the ties as you remember but they are not very prototypical looking and are mainly used for adding uncoupling later when it is difficult to install the under track magnets. Notice that these under track magnets are much bigger than the ones placed on top of the ties and can easily penetrate ballast and do the job.

[@dwaineruthannarmentrout1811]

How thick is your Green foam sub-roadbed and where can you buy it? I've only seen Pink thick foam at my local big box store.

[@TheDCCGuy]

It is 1/2” foam over 1/2” plywood. See my video #140 on the use of foam. You can find it at Lowes, it is their house brand.

[@dwaineruthannarmentrout1811]

Thanks so much for your quick reply. Great video as always with really helpful tips.

[@ronaldlatek8103]

It looked like you installed the uncoupling magnets at right angles to the track. Is this correct? I always installed kadee magnets in-line with the tracks..

[@TheDCCGuy]

I’ve always installed them with the long axis of the magnet parallel with the track. I just checked and that’s the only way they work!

[@ronaldlatek8103]

@@TheDCCGuy I guess I didn’t see it correctly. Thank you for the fast response.

[@amyreynolds3619]

Do you go to Hickory or Easley train shows. Plus Columbia has a good train show too.

[@TheDCCGuy]

I have been to some of those in the past but to be honest with you I have so much stuff accumulated, as my wife often reminds me, I could open a hobby shop in the basement! Consequently when I do go to shows it is mainly out of boredom or just to get out of the house and long drives are not something I look forward to. I used to go to the big shows up in Baltimore MD regularly but any more my needs are so limited and specialized I pretty much have to special order stuff. I really miss Blue Ridge Hobbies, I ordered from him on a regular basis for about 10 years until he shut down last year.

[@RichardKuivila1947]

WOW ! That's a LOT: Mistakes (358)

[@TheDCCGuy]

????

[@dundasjunctionmodelr.r-jam8267]

Larry tip #2 , I never thought about soldering the track to the curved turnout first , great tip but I am having a issue with the entry side of this curved turnout, gap at the points not big enough, cars derail every time but only on the inside curve

[@TheDCCGuy]

Sounds like you’re saying the distance between the points and the stock rails is not wide enough? First what turnout brand and size? Second have ypu checked the wheels,on your cars to make sure they are properly gaged?

[@dundasjunctionmodelr.r-jam8267]

Hi Larry it is a Walthers 24/28 curved turnout, I opened 4 brand new Atlas side hoppers, wheels are in gauge , I compared the cap between a new turnout and one I installed, we are going to investigate further, but the wheels seem to jump over the open side of the point on inner curve only , when backing up into the turnout I will let you what we find , but we were looking at several new Walthers turnouts today, the space looks bigger, going to measure the gap new vs one installed

[@dundasjunctionmodelr.r-jam8267]

Hey Larry just a update, we fixed the problem,it was the switch, filed the rail on one side so points would move better, tested a train, worked better, will install a new switch in time

[@TheDCCGuy]

I checked the one in the video and ran 40’ cars and passenger cars through it without issue so maybe you got one put together just as the midnight shift was finishing up and didn’t do the QAQC.

[@dundasjunctionmodelr.r-jam8267]

Larry I think so, watching your video just made me look more , thanks

[@smarquardt10]

Hey larry!!! I was watching some of ur old dcc videos. And I noticed that u have switched from nce to digatrax??? Was there a reason for that??? I am doing research on what dcc I want to use. So far I am leading to nce. Ur thoughts???

[@TheDCCGuy]

Actually I have been using Digitrax since 1993 and my HO layout is largely Digitrax but with some DCC Specialties and NCE Switch 8 accessory decoders. Back in the early days of DCC I also had a Lenz set and Wangrow System One which was essentially the same as NCE since they made the firmware and some other parts. I started using the PowerCab a couple of years ago when I did the series on building a modular layout. If I were starting all over I would still have a hard time deciding myself which way to go.

[@smarquardt10]

Lol!!!! I'm in that boat right now. I have been looking at mrc. But ppl say there instruction book I very hard to understand. So I guess it's up to me and my budget. Heck I will go for a good used one too. That's if I can find one.

[@EndeavorMorse12]

I am looking forward to your presentation on how to incorporate the DCCconcepts Alpha Box and Alpha Central with a Digitrax DCC system.

[@jeffhallford5284]

Off topic question. What is the spacing between your track shelves?

[@TheDCCGuy]

Most are 16” but at Tye River I dropped it to 15” where the top and bottom deck tracks converge on the helix.

[@jeffhallford5284]

Thank you sir. I enjoy your content. It's always informative.@@TheDCCGuy

[@lesliesavage9229]

I got a question, but first I did walk away with some helpful tips. I noticed you use code 83 track. Some say, and I can't see why they say code 100 works better to prevent derailment. This is because both tracks do not allow the flange of the wheel low enough to interfere with anything. Plus the code 100 flange is smaller, which seems counterproductive to keeping the train on the tracks. In short it seems to me there was another reason for promoting code 100 over 83, but that reason would never sell, what ever it was. Your thoughts?

[@TheDCCGuy]

I personally think it does go back a few years when wheel flanges were much larger. In many cases back then the flanges could actually bump along on the cast in spike heads on code 83 and smaller rails. Now that flanges and spike heads much smaller that shouldn’t happen. I use code 83 in most places but also have some code 70 on some sidings and spurs-no problems.

[@lesliesavage9229]

@@TheDCCGuyOkay, thanks.

[@gerlandkent6377]

👍

[@darrenrogers7891]

Hi Larry, how about you show us a full layout tour...?

[@TheDCCGuy]

Right now it would take a week or two just to clean it up enough for that. I am currently in my last big push to get all the track laid this spring and then knock off the last helix. Maybe in about a year I can do a full tour.

[@amyreynolds3619]

I went to Asheville train show in the fall but I could not go in February do election.

[@RichsModelingTrains]

What state was this show in. Asheville North Carolina is not far from me. Also what is the best way to find local train shows and clubs

[@TheDCCGuy]

It was in Asheville.

[@modelrailroader5619]

Thanks for another great video, Larry. Layout rooms are always such a hot mess during construction, aren’t they?