In the last article “Beginning Model Railroading Part 2” we covered the layout preparation and painting. Today we will cover track preparation. I will assume that the layout has dried a couple of days after applying the paint; it will be a mess otherwise.
You can download and printout a full sized track layout from my website or we can use the actual track as a template. Either way what we want to do is to create a pencil outline of the track on the layout. This will be used as a guide when laying down the cork roadbed.
Using the track as a guide takes a little more work but it does save paper. So without using the track joiners (small metal pieces that join the tracks) place the entire track down on the layout according to the track plan. Without the track connectors to hold the tracks together you will have a mess, instead I use masking tape (doubled over and applied to the bottom of the track) to hold the track down till I complete the tracing.
With the track in place grab your pencil and using the side of the pencil trace around the inside and the outside of the track and four switches. It does not need to be perfect just complete.
Take a strip of the cord roadbed and your will notice that it can be separated in the middle, go ahead and do this. I don’t recommend gluing the cork roadbed to the layout, as this will cause you multiple headaches when you move a track or add a siding.
I find that I work a section at a time. Lay down the first section (I would try the straight first) with the right hand side of the cork roadbed three inches in front of the left hand side. This stager will help eliminate derailments caused by bumps after the track is operational.
Making sure not to have the end of a track end at the end of a cork, this will also cause a bump. Hold the track and both sides of the cork down with one hand and place a track nail in the hole provided in the track and gently hammer down the nail. If you hammer the nail down too hard it will break the track. I suggest after the nail is set (the first couple of hits) that your move your hand to hold the cork together while you finish nailing. This will prevent a gap.
Place the next track down, this time you will need to use a metal joiner to mate the tracks together. One of the areas your will need to consider is power and how you apply it to the track. I have a couple articles on the website that go into this subject in detail.
Before getting too far we must consider how we apply power to the track. I would suggest looking at my article on “Applying Power To The Track” before proceeding too much farther. It may give you some in sites on powering up you track without encountering low voltage sections that will slow the train down and draw unnecessary power.
In the next article we will tie up all the loose ends give you some details on how to lay the cork under a switch properly, hook the switches up, and start running your trains.
Michael
Permission is granted to freely print, unmodified, up to 100 copies of the most up to date version of this document from http://www.modeltrainslayoutsonline.com, or to copy it in off-the-net electronic form. On the net/WWW, however, you must link here rather than put up your own page.