Laying track

Last week I unpacked and assembled the Gargraves sectional track.  And (pat myself on the back) the curves fit my carefully laid roadbed perfectly.  I measure and cut each section of straight or flex track, file the burrs and run a 1/16" drill into the hollow ends of the track.  I am thoroughly enjoying cutting track with my Dremel and a 2 1/2 inch diameter carbide disc.  Sparks fly as it tears through the metal with a high pitched screech.  Ahr, ahr, more power!

I am drilling holes through the table top for power feeds.  The feeds are 6" lengths of 18g wire with spade connectors crimped on.  The spades wedge in the underside of the split rail and I just insert the wires through the holes as I lay the track down.  I am not gluing any track yet.  I want to be sure it all fits and I want to be able to test it first.  At this point, I have 2/3 of each mainline done.  Tested the crossover a few times and no derailment. 

Old Gargraves Turnouts

I decided to update the older O-100 Gargraves turnouts that I am using as crossovers.  There was no way to attach switch machines.  So, time to improvise . . I cut out some of the plastic and made some wood tie extensions.   Just need to stain them and add switch machines.

Two steps forward, one step backwards

It is a challenge to bend Gargraves track.  I can bend an "S" curve and it will hold its shape just fine.  But an O-42 or even an O-54 won't stay.  And if I adjust the ties to straighten them, I lose even more of the curve.  Honestly, the problem is that I am trying to pre-shape track to glue it down, rather than screw or nail it down as is recommended.  The solution:  I am buying Gargraves sectional track for the curves and using flex-track for the straights, "S" curves and a few short curves on the turnouts.  Time to call Just Trains of Delaware.

In the meantime, I made up 42" and 54" diameter cardboard templates to lay out the track plan center lines.  The mainlines have 4" spacing on the straights, and 4 1/2" on the curves.  John brought over some 60' and 70' passenger cars and an MTH Allegheny to test track clearances.   I put the 70 footers on the 2 mainline tracks and I have an inch of clearance on the curves (real inches, not scale inches!). Of course, when I couple the cars on the same track, the angle from car to car would only be seen in a prototypical derailment . . .







I am using Woodland Scenics trackbed and it is so easy to work with.  It is partially split and I use a box cutter to split it the rest of the way, then spread Woodland Scenics Foam Tack Glue on the back of a half section and lay it along the centerline.  I pin it down with Woodland Scenics Foam Nails, then repeat the above for the other half section of roadbed.  It goes really fast.  Say goodbye to cork roadbed . .

Adding an extra foot (why planning ahead would have helped)

The benchwork extra foot is done and installed.  It took nearly as much work as the original 5X10.  So much for afterthoughts . . .

I am getting ready to lay out the track plan and glue down woodland scenics roadbed.   Also need to build a wooden jig or 2 to bend the Gargraves (a strong recommendation from what I read).  I am still not sure how well this is going to work on top of 2” of foam since I can’t screw down the track.  Straights will be fine.  For the curves, I am hoping that if I pre-bend the track and weight and glue it, it will be ok.  I will try a section, and if it fails miserably, I will pull off the foam and maybe add another 1/8” underlayment and put the roadbed and track on that.  I’ll have to give up on most of the below grade scenery, but I’ll cope. To be honest, a lot of things will be easier if I pull the foam off, but I have a pathological tendency to avoid doing things the easy way.

New Track Plan

I played around with my "elevated loop crossing over a flat loop" track plan.  Tried to connect the two at one end, but it just wasn't working.  So, now I am back on the web looking for a new track plan.  Good news:  I found exactly what I want.  Bad news:  I have to make my 5X10 table into a 6X10 table.  Out comes the saw . . .

Here is the layout photos and plan:

Mike's O Gauge Train Site

He did a tremendous job of modeling and design in a small space.  You would never know it was only 6X10 from the photos.  The layout even has a dual track mainline.

I made some changes to his plan to allow O-42 curves on the inner loop and O-54 on the outer.  But I am very grateful to Mike and I want to give him credit for his design and inspiration.

Testing Frankenstein

I stopped by Cool Trains on my way home from Lancaster yesterday.  In their "Yard Sale" area, he had the same MTH PRR RS3 that I missed buying at the Timonium show.  Also a PRR N5C Caboose and a little Z-500 transformer.  I made it home before our company arrived, but no time to test our the RS3.   They left around 10PM, Judy went to bed, and I headed down to the basement.   

Finally, I had a train to test out on my "Frankenstein" layout.  Why Frankenstein?  It has 2 loops of track loosely put together with one elevated O track, and a ground level O27 track.  Mixed in are some O-42s, O-54s, and some K-Line Super K track with ties.  Then I stepped back and looked at a bunch of dirty, grungy, used "O" track (even a few rusty pieces) and I decided I needed to clean it before running my new prize on it.  So out came the Scotch Brite pad, then the vacuum.  OK, got the wires hooked up, engine on the track.  I crank up the throttle, engine does nothing, power supply buzzes, and its circuit breaker pops.  Darn!  OK, take RS3 off the track, crank up the throttle, and it pops again.  OK, now this is a simple loop of track, no switches.  Nothing is laying across the track.  Why is the circuit breaker popping?  Not having any fun yet . . .

So I start inspecting the track closely, and sure enough, one straight section had 2 missing center rail insulators!  So I stole the insulators from an old piece of O27, put everything back together, RS3 back on the track, turn up the throttle and hear the sweet sound of an engine starting, horn blowing, light comes on, radio conversations.  Great!  Now, how do you get it to actually move?   So I am randomly hitting buttons, turning dials and It starts to move.  Never did figure out how to actually control it.  I did run it around the track a few times, but it was getting very late, the trainsounds were cranked to max. volume, and my son got home and I did not want to keep him up, so I quit for the night.

So before I went to sleep, I actually read the manual.  Very helpful . . .  There is a little more to it than "turn throttle, train go."

Benchwork does not need to weigh a ton

After much thought, the decision is made.  This O-scale adventure would start out small:  a 5X10 layout.  And it needs to be easily dismantled and moved.  Blue foam is now popular in HO and N, but could it work in O?  I came up with a design for two 5X5' lightweight 1X3" wood frames topped with 3/16" underlayment and 2" blue foam.

I built 4 "H"-shaped 1X3" legs and diagonal braces, bolted the 2 sections together, glued on the blue foam with latex caulk and the table was done.