# fabricate track



## Blk69 (Dec 6, 2009)

I am new to the G train world. I have been building a new train table top for my father and looking at track. Wow, track is expensive!! I did a search to see if anyone had fabricated their own track to cut down on costs. Couldn't find any reference. I did see some folks make engines out of wood, foam, and other stuff. Track has to be easier to fabricate then a engine.

Curved sections of track would be difficult to fab, but straight sections may not be that bad. Today I was talking to the Duke Energy folks who put one a large display in Cincinnati of a old B&O model train (40' X 30'), O scale. Check it out on youtube if you have not sean it (search Duke Energy Holiday Train). They fabricated everything, track, engines, rolling stock, etc. The only problem with fabricating the track is getting the gauge right. Outdoor track is $10 plus a foot. Have to believe someone as been successful in creating their own track. I want to hear your successful story.


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

Kormsen was into fabricating G scale track for a while, and made posts about it. 

R1 (4 foot diameter) track is still 'reasonably' priced; Mic has (had) a one shot standing offer: you pay the shipping, he'll send you a circle of it and a transformer.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

If you are indoors, aluminum track from Llagas Creek and Sunset valley is pretty inexpensive, much less than 332 brass. Indoors, aluminum should not be too troublesome for track power. 

I don't know where you are getting $10 a foot, but you need to look at some other vendors, unless you are purchasing the most expensive track at list price. 

$6 a foot for Aristo brass is about the going rate. 

Regards, Greg


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Outdoor track is $10 plus a foot. Have to believe someone as been successful in creating their own track. I want to hear your successful story. 

Blk69 (?) You haven't looked very far if you couldn't find any references. [Mind you, MLS' search function could use some help.] The track forum has regular threads from folk asking the same question. (Search it with Google: put mylargescale.com in front of your query.) I posted a track photo in the gauge-3 thread - here's another version of it. All the track is hand-laid. 










I gave up spiking plain track - too much like hard work. Llagas track bases and bulk rail allow you to make track for about $3 ft. 
Here's an old thread that Google found: Hand laying rail questions

And if you do a general search of the whole 'net, you find gems like this, from the Saskatoon Railway Modellers: Hand Laid Gauge 1 Track


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Posted By ThinkerT on 13 Jan 2010 09:41 PM 


Mic has (had) a one shot standing offer: you pay the shipping, he'll send you a circle of it and a transformer. I can add another starter circle to Mik's, but the te basic expired.... same deal...

Methinks he priced SS as 'outdoor' track and didn't look for discounts and is too new to know of 'street' prices or where to find such bargains. Perhaps MAP pricing caused the jolt....

After downsizing and rethinking my expansion I priced SS track online and found some deals that were wiped out by shipping, so I checked my local train Store and out of stock bins with outrageous prices marked greeted me... Back to the internet and one of our advertisers; my old sparring partner, Robbie at RLD hobbies, got 2 R switches and shipping for less than local. About the same time local stock was back. My downsizing worked out better for operations though; a wye entarance to the reverse loop really makes it more accessible and eliminates the need to back a train around turn it. 


Back to fabricating track... the force required to spike the rails adds another dimension, either predrill or hammer, that would really slow down production to where your time might be worth more than the track... so we bite the bullet and reign in our dreams until finances catch up.... I have thought of modifying a HF brad nailer to get the hammer head close enough to the rail foot, but with many of my great ideas, nothing has come of it.... I'm not ready to fabricate SS switches either.

John


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

I would recommend AMS Flex track. Much cheaper and easy to bend into the curve you want. Code 332 or 250 (I prefer code 250).


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## Blk69 (Dec 6, 2009)

cheapest I can find is $5.5 a foot for flex brass (with tresses). Can you purchase just the rails?


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## JPCaputo (Jul 26, 2009)

Has anyone tried using 1/4" square X whatever practical length of metal or plastic to hand build track? It wont look real pretty, however it will get the trains running. 



JP


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## Blk69 (Dec 6, 2009)

Found rails at Sun Valley and they are $2 a foot. That is $4 a foot taking in account both rails. For a little over 5 you get the ties also. Seams like a no brainer. Is there a better place to get just the rails?


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Switch Crafters at http://www.switchcrafters.com/ 

They sell rail, spikes, a spiking tool and prefabricated turnouts - all in aluminum and in various codes. 

Bob C.


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## Blk69 (Dec 6, 2009)

Can you use aluminum outside?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I was trying to hint... are you running track power? 

Where do you live? 

Greg 

hey, I just noticed, I'm an engineer! So that is what 6 stars is.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

Can you use aluminum outside? 

you can. 
but if you are using trackpower, you have to clean it frequently 
(when aluminium oxides, it does not transmit the current well.)


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## Blk69 (Dec 6, 2009)

I was planning on using track power. In central Ohio. How offin does AL track have to be cleaned?


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Blk69 on 15 Jan 2010 07:35 AM 
I was planning on using track power. In central Ohio. How offin does AL track have to be cleaned? 

It depends on weather. I use Brass outside and it also oxides. But I noticed certain times it will do it faster then others. Especially when we have damp/wet weather. I clean my tracks whenever I run trains. Thats something that should be done anyone to get rid of any small balast the gets on the rails and small sticks. You can use a scotch brite pad attached to a pole or track cleaning cars. Depends on your layout size it is quick to clean.


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

I handlay track using ferrous metal which rusts. I've had the rails outside now for about 4 years and have yet to see any rust through. Here's a shot I took yesterday. Track is 32mm


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

How often to clean? 

That's the 64 thousand dollar question. Some people have run aluminum track power outside with very little problems (track joiners, conductivity between sections, oxidation), but the majority of people would find that the oxidation would be excessive, and difficulty keeping oxidation and corrosion down in joiners and problems with power feeds. 

The successful track power people outdoors are in the minority, and I would not recommend it. If cost is an issue large enough, then you could try a simple, small, inexpensive oval and see how it fares over a couple of years in your environment. 

No one can tell you for sure how it will work where you live unless he is a neighbor. 

Regards, Greg


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## Big John (Jan 4, 2008)

I used to live in Northern Ohio and I had 332 brass track outside. I only had to clean the rails two or three times a season. I soldered wires across each rail connection and I think this had more to do with keeping conductivity than just cleaning the track. Four years ago I moved to the state of Delaware and switched to 250 aluminum track and battery/RC control for my engines. 250 Aluminum is about the least expensive track I found. You have to invest in batteries and RC equipment but it totally eliminates the track power problem. 

Big John


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## kurt morud (Sep 3, 2008)

I am in the process of hand laying my own steel ribbon rail. I use ties that are a bit oversized but when ballasted it looks very real. when finished you can walk on this track. I built a hand laid layout about 15 years ago at our previous home and am now able to get back at it at our new home of 4 yrs. Honey do list was extremely long!!! There are a couple of pictures in my profile. If you want me to send you a few photos.............let me know. 
One hint for outdoor layouts. Use WD40 on the rails and you will have fabulous continuity. I run my track power locos with MOMENTUM on the transformer and they start and stop perfectly. You can crawl at a snails pace and never get any jerking. 


Kurt


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## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

I walk on my Artiso track all the time. Never had a problem. I'm sure the other brands of track will hold up to walking on them also, as long as they have good solid support under them. A friend of mine has his go across his driveway and it is driven over all the time with no problems. 
Bob


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Every now and then, our LHS gets someone who has decided to get out of the hobby and wants to sell their used brass track on consignment. This stuff usually comes in grimey with caked on mud and no hint of the original shiny brass rail. Sometimes it even still has nails where it was secured to...something! The straight sections usually go for $3/ft. (or less if there has been obvious damage.) I have access to a Train-Li double rail railbender which allows me to treat _all_ track as sectional track! The rail is weathered to a beautiful patina that _matches the rail I already have laid down! _Cleaning "gunk" off of the track is easy! I take it to a car wash and power scrub off the grime with the wand and then just blow the soap away with rinse! The total I spend is maybe $1.50 and it's as clean as it's ever going to get! In my opinion, paying top dollar for "new" brass track is like going to a dealership and paying the asking price for a brand new car! If you've got the money to throw away and that's your cup of tea then go for it! After ballasting, the track will look good and will still give you years of great service. Oh, if you still need to clean the tops of the rail because you're using track power, you would have to do it anyway with new rail so save some money!


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## mgilger (Feb 22, 2008)

I live in Northern Ohio and use Brass. If your going to use Battery, Aluminum is great and sure cheaper than Brass. In our club, of 50+ members, I've only seen one member trying to run track power and Aluminum track. It seemed he had a lot of problems the day I was there. Conditions might be better in your location where Aluminum would work out great. 

Are there any clubs near you that you can visit and get peoples opinion in your general area? That's always the best way to make a decision like this. 

Regards,
Mark
*http://mmg-garden-rr.webs.com*


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I stuck with track power as long as I could, but finally gave up. Battery is soooo much easier.


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## Axel Tillmann (Jan 10, 2008)

We are selling rails as well track and of course individual ties. At the end of the day, it's not the assembly that contributes to the prices its the cost of metal a problem of the high demand for these metals in China which has driven up the world market prices.

Actually many people I spoke too, who do outdoor layouts state that in the long run their were not very happy with their attempts to hand spike their own track. Very often the spike come out, and I foresee that when using a rail bender such as our EasyBend DuoTrack that hand spiked rail may not sustain the pressure when bending.

The correct tie strips serve also the purpose the keep the gauge of the track and that in a no-brainer way, just slide the rail through the ties. If you just pay yourself $10 and hour you might realize that hand-laying track is not any advantage. You have to mark, secure and spike 20' of rail to end up with 10' of track, potentially cut your own ties and if you buy pre manufactured ones you could almost stay with bulk purchase of tie strips (e.g ProTie US cost $99 for 100' which is 1400 ties if you hand-spike, so you need $0.10 per tie to be even even and less if you wanted to be cheaper). Cutting you own ties out of wood, is not a very successful path (even here on MLS we say many threads were the weather pushed the spike out of the wood and the whole track came loose).

If you look around than you will realize that ProTrack is about $6/foot. The advantage is that is high quality Brass made in Germany versus the short cuts from China. One mentioned product is so soft that it wears out so quickly that you are facing a re-buy eating up all the savings you might have had (if any at all).

Another product that states it is made in Germany has a specific weight that is 30% below of ProTrack. It never stops to amaze to which extent the quality cuts go and that is to the decrement of our hobby. Granted track is more expansive than it used to be, but let's put a prospective on it.

You buy track only once for the entire layout (if you buy right). So for an initial 100' layout (e.g. to see if you like the hobby) you invest $600 (which if you don't like the hobby) you can sell for almost the same price back into the market. So let's say you end up building a medium size layout of 500' then $3,000 for track, $3,000 for rolling stock and $2,000 for accessories makes $8,000 over the course of 20 years (the time you will on the average enjoy this hobby) is $400 a year.

I tell many wives of husbands that get into the hobby - the costs beats a gambling addiction, a new sports car, having a girl friend







.

Granted 8K to 10K are not peanuts, but when incrementally spent it provides year round enjoyment and activity. There is always something to do. Many poeple invest 10x more for a pure gardening hobby, or any other hobbies for that matter. Today you spend $100 just for filling up a gas tank.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

If you're really looking to go cheap cheap.... then I'd suggest investigating the 'Groovy Track' method used in the ride on scales. You use plain bar material for rails pressed into simple grooves cut in the ties. 

http://www.railsystemsco.com/Groovy track.htm 

In gauge 1, I think I'd use plastic lumber cut extra deep then buried in the ballast to try to reduce tie splitting, and 1/8 x 3/8 aluminum bar for rails.


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## Westcott (Feb 17, 2009)

Greg of The Sandstone & Termite railway describes how he's made his own track -
G gauge groovey track

He is in Australia, so he has to put the rail on the underside of the ties...


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