No track gaps please!

I have two suggestions...  Track layout software and Fastrack (or RealTrax)!  

Larry

Great point Hugh! While I have a fastrack layout so gaps are really not an issue, I still looked down all of the track at eye level to check for any noticable dips and shimmed the track where needed, especially at turnouts.

I have seen numerous videos online of steamers bucking up and down over rough track of any brand.

About not having track gaps, I like it now that Gargraves has insulating track pins, as before I had to make something to fill the gap and keep alignment on S scale track.

I mainly do O gauge but I have a few S gauge trains.

With Gargraves track in O gauge I had to make sure there were no gaps in the track and that the track stayed seperated if I wanted an insulated area.

I tried using Fastrac and after using it, all I will say "It's not for me". Too problematic for me to use!

Lee F.

Great topic. I've heard (not necessarily from this forum) that when using Atlas and other track other than fastrack, that there should be a small gap to help with shrinkage and expansion for weather changes. That always struck me as peculiar if it's in your home. What are your thoughts about this factor? Should it even be considered? Thanks Terry

Just don't spoil seamless track work with garden pebble ballast the size of an O scale bowling ball.

Even though my basement is heated and cooled, I have noticed my trackwork changing due to seasons.  I have one small section of flex gargraves that I have bent into a O48/O46 track that during the summer my scale berk had no issues going though but this winter it derails 5 out of 10 times from the track contracting just a little bit due to the cold weather outside.   

Just a quick comment about flex track (any brand), the reason the track can flex is because one or both of the rails a slightly loose in the ties.  This looseness may SOMETIMES cause a very slight track gauge problem.  Notice I said sometimes.  This may be why one loco runs good in the summer and not so good in the winter as things change.  What I have done in the past on a couple of layouts is to check the gauge and if it slightly to the tight side, I push on the lossest rail forcing the gauge to be slightly wider and then super glue that rail in place (on wood ties you can spike it iver).  Some times this solves the problem.  Russ

Folks, it is really tough to have a gap less Lionel tin plate track layout. 

Rob

True, yet there are those who will criticize it as "sloppy."

Hugh - received the transformer today - please e mail me I have a question

Paul

The trick with GarGraves track (at least) is to take a small piece of wood (you can even wrap it in cloth or something to cushion it) and hold it against the track end.  Tap it with a small hammer to "snug" it up against the piece you just put down.  Then drill the holes and screw it in.  I re-did sections of my PRR Panhandle and eliminated some gaps.  The result is smoother running trains.

By the way, check out the GarGraves DVD for tips laying their track.

George

RickO, what do you use to shim the Fastrack so that it's level?

Thanks

Bruce

Actually while a bit crude, my kids leftover 3x5 index cards work great, they allow you to make small adjustments adding or taking them away. I'm not worried about the appearance of the cards they will eventually get lost under the scenery.

Harry,

How have you been! Just remember Harry, first you must know how to lay track before you ballast it with anything so J engines don't wind up on the floor with bent cabs. BTW, you are not one of the recent visits.

All the best though, I hear you are doing well.

Hugh

I have to admit, that' I'm going to have track that not spaced as tight as I or apparently others would like. My grandson and I were very careful in marking out both the location of the Ross track and the Flexibed vinyl roadbed, but after the track was glued down in the first section, when we got the switch end of the section section we we about a quarter inch to far from the mating track. We had to make that distance by relaxing the joints in the run. We started to far to the right end. I know this because that 1/4" has showed up where the track meets the swing out gate track. The Loctite structural adhesive really holds and I didn't want to risk wrecking anything in an attempt to rip it and move it back the distance. So I'm going to live with the noise in that one section. I'm going to be more careful moving forward so I don't introduce more errors after all the careful fitting I did to get me this far. It was a 25ft run of straight track so a small error in each place could add up really fast.

Look Ma!

No tinplate gaps but OH, those bowling ball size ballast stones!