Starting out in EM gauge.

"Robert Wilson" wrote

Hi Robert.

Welcome to the wacky world of EM! I assume you have joined the EM Gauge Society?

I'm not sure that the jigs you mention are designed for coping with flat-bottom rail. I don't model using FB, so I'm not best qualified to comment, but I think the general consensus is that it takes twice as long and is twice as hard as using bullhead. Have you built *any* trackwork before? If not, it may be worth having a practise with bullhead to get the general idea, then extend to FB. I assume you are modelling modern image (whatever that means!!), so perhaps getting in touch with some of those groups may help. DEMU comes to mind.

Thanks Paul, those snippets are useful. I was in the EM Gauge soc but my membership lapsed and have'nt got round to renewing. I was at the Welshpool and Llanfair railway here in my neck of the woods and noticed how the crossover is formed, and realised I was going about it in the wrong way. I will try doing stuff in bullhead to start with and then graduate onto FB Rail. I am hoping to model the 1980's British Rail, preferably before whent he 40's disappeared. I guess things will be mostly blue in this case.

Thanks again,

Rob.

Might be worth taking a look how the Proto 87 boys do it. I know its 3.5mm/ft but the construction principles will be the same for EM flatbottom.

Rob,

You might want to get Iain Rice's book on buildign 4mm track - "An Approach to Building Finescale Track in 4mm" published by Wild Swan. He covers nearly every variety of track construction and he's got a good load on information about the prototype as well.

Jim.