On a large layout, why would you NOT use flextrack?

Expense.

Ditto for not using ready made switches.

At least here in Canada. Can't recall the price of code 70/80 flex track, but code quality 70/80 switches are around Can$30 each. Plus, of course,

-- Cheers Roger T.

On Sat, 23 Aug 2003 13:05:10 UTC, snipped-for-privacy@aol.com (PEACHCREEK) wrote: 2000

By the time I get commercial switches set in so that they work acceptably I would be lucky to get three a night. And this doesn't count having to regauge the ME switches.

Well, I think handlaying track can be done a lot faster if you contact cement the rails to the ties instead of spiking.

As for laying the ties, the Chuck Hitchcock's technique in the August Model Railroader for laying flex-track with caulking would probably work on them too especially when combined with the techniques in the following article. It used a jig and a strip of tape to lay several dozen ties at a time.

The CALSA tie-laying method Model Railroader, November 1977 page 115 (HANDLAY,"PETTY, DAVID", SCRATCHBUILD, TIE, TRACK, CONSTRUCTION, MR )

Eric

PEACHCREEK wrote:

Hand laid Track Pros: Cheap, All you buy is the rail and ties and you can make your own ties and swithches if you really want to save money. Track configuration can be quite flowing, no cookie cutter appearance. Overall appearance is closer to scale, wood ties look like wood. Cons: Sloooooowwww construction. Even with a Kadee spiker, it take a long time to lay track. I got to the point where I could do three switches an night. Compare that to flex track and commercial switches.

I probably WOULD, but to answer your question (for HO layouts) ...

Hand laid track is:

Cheaper ... or it USED to be, especially in large installations. That's why our local club chose to hand lay most of the track our twelve modular-layout sections some 25 years ago. Nowadays the cost of rail and pre cut ties may make it more costly, especially for code-100. Code-100 'utility' flex can be cheap. Better grade flex, or smaller rail sizes (code-70 or 55), gets more costly. You CAN cut your own ties and save money. The cheapest way to get a small quantity of code-100 rail is to buy cheap flex track and strip the rail out of it. A large order might make the separate rail more affordable (I haven't checked lately).

More versatile ... any size and configuration of curve, crossover, 'diamond', switch, 'dual gauge', whatever, YOU want/need.

Better looking ... if done well. You decide the appropriate rail size, tie type, tie size and spacing, tie plates, coloration, etc. This is one place where hand laid track has an advantage. You CAN make flex track look better (varying tie spacing, size, coloration, ballast, etc.), but this takes TIME. Much of this comes naturally when hand laying. My experience has been that by the time you do these things to flex track, it take pretty much as long a time (per foot) as hand laying.

More durable ... if laid appropriately. Our club spiked directly into pine roadbed to get stronger track. That's NOT the best for noise suppression, but it's not as bad as we feared. Actually it's been pretty good. It's lasted 25 years now, with hundreds of take down, move, and set-up cycles, with only minor maintenance. The few areas where we used flex track have caused far more problems ... especially the switches. This would be especially true of the smaller rail sizes like code-70 (or smaller). I used a lot of this on my home layout (where it's been fine), but it's FAR more delicate. I VERY much doubt it'd stand up to the kind of service the club layout gets.

More 'pride of construction' ... for those who enjoy such things. Remarkably, even a lot of the general public notice the hand laid track (especially the several #16 switches). They know it's NOT 'plastic flex track', and ask how we did it.

That said, on a layout subjected to less abuse, good quality flex track looks (if weathered and ballasted) and works just fine. It MAY save money. It MAY save time ... though, by the time you weather and ballast it properly, not nearly as much as you may think.

Dan Mitchell ==========

Kev>