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John, There are two deep valleys on my 2 rail RR that just needed some  action.

So I am threading a three rail meandering route 20" off the floor for a Galloping Goose to waddle through the gorges.   The lower world has broad curves along the visible  r-o-w but the Goose needs to reverse movement within the width of my around the room bench work.  So I fabricated loops to achieve that goal.  The donut hole of the loop became the mandrel around which I formed the 270 degree curve.

The plywood loop is 37" across, just enough to fit under the bench work.  I was not going to work on this right now except that the loop base was scrap off of the new industrial peninsula and the saber saw was all warmed up.

So now there will be 3 rail at 20" and 60" with the majority 2 rail at 36", 42",48" and 54" above the floor.  There are only three basic levels of two rail but the basement floor has a 6" pitch over 70'.  Being most track is in constant grade it depends where one stands as to it's effective height.  I work elevations off a horizontal datum laser line around the wall.  I know TMI.

IMG_9678

FWIW, at Justrains I rolled a section of MTH Scale Tracks down to about an 8" radius.

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Last edited by Tom Tee

Man, what a tidy job. I can't even bend that stuff to 072 without at least a wee kink or two and lots of "GOT to be a better way!" - it's called "sectional curves" - I adapted my track plan to the track, not the other way around.

Anyway, great work.

It's a little-known fact that if you bend flexible model RR track below a certain radius it will enter another dimension. Kind of an Event Horizon sort of thing. 

To bend GG flex go onto the GG web site and click on the video demonstrating how to bend their track.  It is  rather simple.

Just cut a piece of what ever scrap 1/2" to 3/4" thick sheet goods about 18" x 3', cut an arc several inches less than the curvature you desire,  clamp or fasten the template onto a working surface, place a piece of GG along side the edge of circular cut sheet goods, then take a short piece of 2 x 4 scrap, and rub it along the outside radius of the track while firmly holding it along the panels edge.

On the 16'" radius I formed I did use my one elbows to hold the beginning end to make it stay down.  I could have clamped it down or called for reinforcements to hold it for me.  What you are looking at is my first attempt at making an 032 piece of GG curve track.

Disregard the fear mongering and purveyors of sectional track.  The cost of bending your own becomes a small fraction of the cost of sectional track.

Once you see it done or once you do it your self you will laugh at your reticence.

Disregard the beer belly bending or water heater bending.  It can be done that way but it is also easy to kink it that way.  When in doubt follow the mfg instructions.

Last edited by Tom Tee

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