# Homemade Aluminum G-scale Track



## Zeno (Apr 11, 2013)

Anyone know of any photos or articles on homemade aluminum G-scale track. Specifically made from 1/8" x 1/2" aluminum bar stock for the rails. 

I've decided to go this route. I've already cut the tie blanks from an oak log on a portable sawmill. I have enough blanks to make about 1600 ties. These are extra large but I'll be planing them down in a planer. My entire railway will be elevated so I plan on mounting these ties directly to a wooden substrate. I'll most likely use decking screws for that. The ties will be slotted for the aluminum rails and the rails will fit snugly into these slots. I plan on only having to actually fasten the rails to the ties very sparingly. The aluminum rails will be bent for the curved sections using a metal bender so there won't be any stress on the curved sections and the curves will be precise.

In any case, any examples or experience of homemade track along these lines would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.


----------



## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Hi Zeno, 
Not exactly the same as you are doing, but my first track back in the 70's was using an extruded aluminum rail that had a 'tongue' underneath that fitted into a slot in the tie. 
I cut the slots so that it was a nice tight fit, and I used yellow cedar for the ties. 
I found that after a couple of seasons, with expansion and contraction, the rail slowly worked it's way out of the ties. 
No big deal as it just meant that the rail needed to be pressed back into the slot. 
However after another few years, the slot was no longer very tight. 
Larry Stavers track in Portland is similar to what you are doing, but he has used steel, but again, I noticed this year that many ties have worked loose. 
Good luck with the track. 
Regards, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


----------



## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Zeno, 

If you look up Groovy Track you will get some info on what you are planning to do. This groovy track is used in the ride on scales but the idea is the same, this will give you the pros & cons of the system. Good luck with your rr. 

Chuck


----------



## iaviksfan (Dec 27, 2007)

Before I got serious about g-scale, I made this track to run my B'man around the kids play area. 1/8x1/2 alum bar and some 1/2x1/2 angle. Wood lath for the ties and decking boards, which were tongued and grooved. This still holding up after 8+ years. 
Hope this helps,
Greg R.








.


----------



## Zeno (Apr 11, 2013)

Posted By iaviksfan on 23 Jun 2013 12:04 PM 
Before I got serious about g-scale, I made this track to run my B'man around the kids play area. 1/8x1/2 alum bar and some 1/2x1/2 angle. Wood lath for the ties and decking boards, which were tongued and grooved. This still holding up after 8+ years. 
Hope this helps,
Greg R.


. 




Yes, this is very helpful. Thank you very much for sharing your photos. This is almost exactly what I have in mind but it's nice to see it done in practice. In fact, the only difference will be in the size of the ties. I'll be using ties that are a bit closer to scale size. Although your wider ties don't look bad at all. I've already rough-cut my ties. They are about 1/2" square which is a bit large. I was thinking about planing them down a bit, but actually the larger they are the more durable they will be. So I'm going to try to keep them as large as possible and still keep them looking good. I'll have to experiment with this a bit. 

But overall, I have the same basic idea complete with the underlying foundational roadbed boards. And like you I intend to fasten the ties directly to the roadbed boards. I also plan on fastening the rails down periodically just as you have you with angle brackets. Strangely I was thinking of using very small angle brackets and actually fastening the rails to a tie. I was thinking that would look more "realistic". But in truth, the way you have it anchored to the foundational roadbed is probably more practical and doesn't look bad at all. 

I thank you very much for posting this. You have assured me that it's going to look GREAT. And that was a bit of concern I had. 

Like I say, yours looks great too even with the wider ties. And this basically tells me that I have a lot of room to experiment with positioning my ties. I'm going to have to layout some test track to get a feel for precisely how I want to space the ties. If I could get away with these larger ties without having to plane them down that would be great. It would be more durable that way too. So I'll try to go with my rough-cut ties as is first.

You got me excited now. I can hardly wait to build some track. I haven't ordered the aluminum rails yet. But I might do that real soon. 

By the way have you built any turnouts? I'm hoping to try my luck at building a few turnouts. 

Another questions also. Did you use a bending machine at all to bend the rails for the curves, or are they flexible enough to just bend them by hand as you lay them out? I haven't gotten my hands on any aluminum bar stock yet so I have no clue what it's like to work with. 

Also, what radius were your bends? I'm going to be making some pretty tight curves (i.e. 4 foot radius or less).


----------



## iaviksfan (Dec 27, 2007)

Zeno, 
The curves I used were 8' diameter, The alum. bar bends REAL easy. ( I bought mine in 12' lengths) The ties were notched slightly to keep the gauge and the bar was tapped into them. I do have pictures of a switch, which I will look for you. I drew an arc on the deck boards to aid in the locating of the ties to keep them uniform. 
Glad this helps you. 
Greg R.


----------



## Zeno (Apr 11, 2013)

Posted By iaviksfan on 24 Jun 2013 05:54 AM 
Zeno, 
The curves I used were 8' diameter, The alum. bar bends REAL easy. ( I bought mine in 12' lengths) The ties were notched slightly to keep the gauge and the bar was tapped into them. I do have pictures of a switch, which I will look for you. I drew an arc on the deck boards to aid in the locating of the ties to keep them uniform. 
Glad this helps you. 
Greg R. 
Yes, I'm finding your information very helpful. And I especially appreciate the photos. Your track looks very nice. Part of my concern was that this might not look like good track because it's just a flat bar, but you have put those fears to rest for certain. 

I made a mistake. I said that I would be making 4 foot radius bends, but I actually meant 4 foot diameter. So my radius will only be 2 feet. These will be really tight bends. I'm designing engines specifically to run on these tight curves. So I'll be bending the track twice what you are bending it. I've been thinking about buying a small hand-operated flat bar bender. Or maybe even just making one. The idea is to get set the bars into these bends naturally without strain. I'm not sure if that's overkill. It may not be necessary. I'll have to experiment with that. 

The other thing too is that my turnouts will have that same tight turn. And with turnouts I till it will be important to have the bar bent permanent to shape. At least in terms of it wanting to sit in that shape naturally. So I'm thinking some sort of bender may come in handy when it comes to making turnouts. A nice little roller bender that will bend the entire rail with a nice smooth radius.

I too am purchasing the rails in 12 foot lengths to save $ per foot. But these will be cut in half to 6' pieces for shipping via UPS. It's funny because it's actually cheaper to buy the 12 foot sections and have them cut in half for shipping than it would be to by 6 foot pieces outright. There is no charge for cutting the pieces in half for shipping. 

So anyway I still haven't ordered the rails yet. But I'll be doing it soon. I'm anxious to experiment with these rough-cut ties and see what they look like.


----------



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

That is a great idea Greg. With the price of brass track today, your idea of using aluminum flat bar will save people a lot of money especially for storage yards etc.


----------



## iaviksfan (Dec 27, 2007)

Thank-you, but I cannot take credit. I got this idea from a gentleman on this forum I think..... He was from New Zealand and very helpful, like most of you are. When I bought the alum. it was $1.20 for 12' and the 1/2x1/2 alum angle, was fairly cheap as well.
Here is a picture of one of that gentleman's switches. Unfortunately, this is the only one I can find at the moment. My wife says I'm a hoarder, guess I am....I have so many piles of useful information I might need someday.








crap, I cant get the file loaded. i'll keep working on it


----------



## iaviksfan (Dec 27, 2007)

Sorry only b/w....I'll keep looking for the other pics...
Greg R.


----------



## Greg Hunter (Jun 25, 2013)

This my first attempt at a reply, so if it doesn't display OK you'll understand.

I have been using aluminium bar (10x3mm) in slotted sleepers for nearly 20 years. You can see how I have done it from by web page linked below (I hope). I use treated pine for the sleepers, 38mm x 8mm. I cut into 100mm lengths, cut the slots and then cut long ways into 3 sleepers. So a metre of wood, gives 30 sleepers for about $1.



http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/satr/satr.htm

and go to the "Making Track" item in the index at right.

The method works well inside, but sleepers do start to fall off after a couple of years outside. I haven't found a glue that will work. I'd estimate that I re-fix 5% of my sleepers each year and replace another 5% as they have decayed, broken or just won't work any more. This on track that is not screwed down.

However as long as the track is fastened down to a 'base', as you propose, it works well. I still use this method for sidings where mounted on raised baseboards. (for mainlines, I'm now using 'real' rails nailed to sleepers.)


----------



## iaviksfan (Dec 27, 2007)

Greg, 
Post worked just fine. Nice looking track and turnouts you made. The reason I went with commercial track was I didn't like the look of the ties. and I just couldn't wrap my head around the idea of making switches. Yours is a simple design. I like that. Good Job. 
Greg R.


----------



## Zeno (Apr 11, 2013)

Thanks Greg Hunter for the link to your web site. That's a nice site. 

I looked at your track making page. Nice idea with the swivel turnouts. They would be easy to make. I'm going to try my luck at making the conventional style, but if that fails I might fall back on your swivel turnouts.


----------



## barry_from_oz (Jul 11, 2013)

Like Greg Hunter I am in Australia and I have been interested in his aluminium bar track for a long time. I finally went out and bought some bar today which cost me AUD 3.07 per 4 metre length of 10mm x 3mm bar. 

This works out as about AUD 0.23 per foot which is about a third of the cost of "proper rail" . If I keep the bar rail in out of the way places I can get 3 times as much track for the same budge which is fairly inflexible. I've got to make a lot of sleepers, sorry ties, now but one advantage of retirement is having more time.


----------



## Jim85711 (Feb 12, 2013)

Hi, I also am using 12 ft aluminum rods and redwood for the ties, In southern Arizona it doesn't matter what you use in this heat it's going to expand and go back, plastic melts period. redwood ties a buy big long planks cutting down and my tues are 3 3/8 in 5/8 square slots are 45 mm and 1/4 in deep 'my only trouble is manufacture turn outs, sorry even when I model HO and N gauge no one makes a good switch, not to mention brand names. even couplers are pain. I have start making my own but I'm struck how to fasten to the ties without splitting them apart. currently using manufactured too many de-railments especially when people come to see. any way does anyone have an idea how to tie them down to the ties, the make your own work so much better with G gauge and it's really easy to bend the rail, file the rails, but tying them down. I'm currently making the turn featured in Garden railways. 

jim85711
Tucson Arizona


----------



## iaviksfan (Dec 27, 2007)

The only thing I know of to avoid splitting is to pre drill the holes. Or slightly oversize the hole and use screws. 
Greg R.


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Use some L shaped tabs, screwed to the rail, below flange level and screw it to the wood.


----------



## iaviksfan (Dec 27, 2007)

One more thing to consider, On the photos I posted, Those ties were glued down then I used a nail gun to pin them down. 
Greg R.


----------



## Jim85711 (Feb 12, 2013)

Gentlemen, thank you for advise, does anyone have a scale drawing template of this or some plans that you could post


----------



## Jim85711 (Feb 12, 2013)

Hi Guys, Still having problems trying to fasten down everything for making turnouts using aluminum rods 1/2 by 1/8 I'm using the plans featured in Garden Railways Magazine, anyone had some ideas


----------



## Jim85711 (Feb 12, 2013)

Hey all you Train Nuts, as I am 

I finally did it, I have finished construction engineering of my very first #7 turnout with aluminum flat rods. Trying to download the photos. I will till you this is a process to put together this turnout. I had to use two lengths of aluminum rods for each stock rail. in a upside down capitol T shape so I could anchor down the stock rails, they were welded together


----------



## John Galt Line (Dec 12, 2012)

I am wondering exactly what would be involved in actually making your own rail with the correct profile etc... out of aluminum or brass stock. I've seen films on how the mills make rails with hot rolling and such and the process look very straight forward. But how do LGB, PIKO, and AML... et al make rails; and would it be at all possible for us to "roll" our own?
Or would it be more hassle than it's worth to make the rails at home? and best to stick with what is commercially made?
Or is it like making the initial investment in flex track...( cost of your first case of flex track and the rail bender, and then after the initial investment in the $300+ rail bender it is more cost effective to use flex vs sectional in the long run?)
thanks for the in put....


----------



## Allegheny (Jan 2, 2008)

Not certain about brass rail, but aluminum is extruded through a tool steel die. The die will typically be 3 or 4" in diameter so it will have multiple "copies" of the rail profile burned through it using an EDM die sinker (CNC spark erosion process). Round aluminum billets, heated to within a hundred degrees or so of deformation temperature are then forced through the die under some ridiculous level of pressure using a massive hydraulic ram (think hundreds to thousands of tons per square inch). Under that pressure, the aluminum "flows" similar to a liquid and is extruded onto a conveyor belt. For rail as we use it, i.e., in 6 or 10' lengths, the process will result in rails a foot or two longer than the final, desired, length. Those extra long rails are then stretched while being annealed to remove any kinks and to produce a very straight piece that is then sheared to length.

All in all, not a very home shop friendly process, but it could be doable. Large hydraulic rams are available sometimes and if you extruded, say, only four rails at a time (for a total of 0.1 square inch in cross section), the psi using a 50 ton ram would be 500 tons per square inch, which I think is enough for aluminum. Obtaining a furnace to heat the aluminum up into the 1,300 degree F range wouldn't be hard at all. Any EDM die shop could make the die, etc.

I once considered ordering something like 50,000 ft of rail from one of the extruders on the west coast - the first paragraph is a synopsis of the process the salesman told me. Even with shipping, the price per foot would have been 2/3 less than the best price I could find from any of the retailers at the time (I'm guessing this was six to eight years ago before aluminum prices went stratospheric). The plan was to keep 10k feet for myself and sell lots of 5k or 10k to others at cost + shipping to them. Had quite a bit of interest, but no one ponyed up any dough ....

Brian


----------



## John Galt Line (Dec 12, 2012)

Brian,

thank you for the info. It never occurred to me that the rail would be extruded. i thought it would be less "work" to use progressive roll forming to shape the rail. Maybe that is how it's done with brass and stainless steel. and in now that i think about it aluminum would be "soft" enough to press through a die like we do 
shaped pastas at the hotel.

thank you,
Shane


----------



## TrainTech (Jul 26, 2015)

Hey guys, has anyone found an effective way to bend the alloy flat bar into accurate curves?


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Durston-80mm-Flat-Mini-Rolling-Mill/113178?Pos=86

Now find a similar unit used or a chinee knock off. By lifting the feed you can impart a curve as you roll.
John


----------



## Jim85711 (Feb 12, 2013)

*Gentlemen*

All it's been awhile since I posted anything sorry, but I have been reading a lot from the forums they help a lot. I have two 1/2 years and still a work in progress. some days it's just too hot and humid, or get frustrate and stuck on something. however the Fuzzy Puppy & Southwestern is coming along well,. A bender to be honest the bender helps take the pressure off the ties, but I have been changing out the redwood ties and I am now using composite fence panels from home depot. after two rails come out of the redwood. I am also using an all purpose construction adhesive from home depot it come different colors like brown. I am using Track Power DC analog, it currently has 13 double insulated blocks. and combination or TE remote and stationary controllers are the control panel. I am at the point now where I pay close attention to directions of the blocks and not fry any engines, I constant 15amps for all the blocks. So I can run Aristocrats FA-1 FB 2 and FA-1 and lighted heavyweight passenger cars. I fried one Lionel gp 20 and repair it totally rebuilt. and I also burnt USA GP 40 so I need to get my signals up and going and leds on the control panel working.


----------



## Greg Hunter (Jun 25, 2013)

I started out using this method 20 years ago.
See here:

http://www.members.optusnet.com.au/satr/track.htm


----------



## Jim85711 (Feb 12, 2013)

I just everyone to know i do not regret using aluminum flat bars fr track all, after you have the down and ballast you can hardy tell, plus its is more like building your own REAL Railroad with the exception. it's a scale model of you own creation. G scale Large scale is very time comzuming. I believe it has been 3 years now in making. and i still don't have anything parminate down or my al turnout operting. However I do have all the wiring buried and in the electrical control panel box. I plan to have latching relays with reed switches and magnics the tigger them. for trains running opposite directions to pass and change thing as neccessary . and also want to beable to have 3 options, when operting 1. automatic. 2. remote control , 3. manually. I find it is very dissappointing to me is you can purchase an inexpensively cheap battery operated helichopter with contoller and charge as little as 10.buck, why is it I can find something nexpensive to replace trackside recievers to replace aristocraft TE equiptment without costing a small fortune.


----------

