Inset tracks

As an aside to the thread on Harbours,quaysides, docks etc., has anyone much experience of laying inset tracks, such as at the above locations ?

I have seen it done with something like 'polyfilla', but I really want to have tracks inset in 'setts'

Any idea's gratefully received.

Keith J Patrick

Reply to
Keith J Patrick
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You can use (tinted) Polyfilla or similar and inscribe setts, then paint. Metcalfe sells sheets of embossed adhesive setts, but it's difficult to conceal the cut edges. You have to ensure adequate flangeways, and turnouts present obvious problems.

Reply to
MartinS

I've tried using these and I've found it very difficult to get them looking decent.

-- Rod

Reply to
Benny

You could fill the track in with solid polyfilla then try to rescribe the flangeways, but that way madness lies. Been there, done that. Now I fill in most of the surface with thin balsa glued to the sleeper tops and not quite up to the level of the rails. Faff about with a knife trimming the flageways until everything runs OK, then put a thin skim of polyfilla over the top trying not to get too much down the gaps. The balsa/ployfilla sandwich is much easier to trim than carving solid filler. Scribe the sets in when dry. Points are a pain whichever way you do it.

Stuart.

Reply to
Stuart.

Any ideas how tram modellers do this ?

Reply to
Keith J Patrick

Using Peco finescale Code 75 - I solder copper clad strips between the rails at about every 4-5 plastic sleepers (suitably gapped to avoid shorting the rails). To this, I then solder lengths of Code 65 bullhead rail and then fill the gap with polyfilla (mixed with grey or brown paint, so it doesn't show any cracks or scratches with a nice white line). For the outer sides of the rail, I measured the depth needed to get from baseboard level to just below the rail height (including sleepers and underlay) and then got my friendly local wood supplier to plane some softwood to the required thickness. The wood was then glued to the baseboard, cutting it so it was a nice fit alongside the sleeper ends. The resulting gap between the wood and rail was then filled with the same polyfilla mix. This way, the "infill" has a slightly lower level than the rail top, thus allowing easy cleaning of the rail head, without damaging the infill material. Ideal for tarmac/concrete infill - maybe the polyfilla could be scribed using an old biro to represent setts.

Cheers, Mick

Reply to
Mick Bryan

Same way. There are a couple of manufacturers of grooved rail and pointwork kits, but it's basically a fiddly scratch-building job.

Here's a great site on tramway modelling:

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Luna-Tram in Switzerland makes a system of roadway components with built- in tram track.
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- in German only.

Reply to
MartinS

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