# hand made track



## RogerPeter (Aug 20, 2012)

I know of a gent in PA that machines aluminum rail in the same size & profile as LGB rail. He sells is at 40 ents a foot, and it comes up to 10' sections. He told me that he epoxy's the rail to the ties in a homemade gig to hold rail spacing, and it lasts for as long as he has been making it. I thought, man, 10' sections sure would be nice to cut down on joints-
My question- Has anyone done this & how well do (for those that have used it, not those who have an opinion on if they would use it), like it. I know there is a lot of discussion on using aluminum, and thats not what I am after- Just want to know if anyone has tried it & liked it.
BTW- I am not a rivet counter... 
Thanks
Roger


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## kleinbahn (Sep 21, 2010)

Have handlaid track, operated on layouts with handlaid track, etc, if done well, it is fine. I would wonder about the epoxy if it was the only bonding however.


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## RogerPeter (Aug 20, 2012)

Did you screw each tie to the rail?


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Has anyone done this & how well do 
There are lots of ways to hand-lay track. One is to glue down the rail to ties, and yes, it has been done. (I personally did it in the smaller scales, and I suspect it works best indoors.) Epoxy alone could be problematic outdoors with all the track movement. 

If the gent is 'machining' the alum (not extruding it) then he could be cutting a slot in the ties for the bottom of the rail - which is the obvious way to help keep it in gauge. 

I have also seen photos of track made from metal strips put vertically in slots in the ties. Doing the same with his alum rail would make it stronger.


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## Madstang (Jan 4, 2008)

Did I miss something..couldnt you just use Aristo ties..and or Accucraft flex ties? 

Why epoxy the ties to the track.


REMEMBER if you hand lay ties, you WILL periodically be replacing them they will work loose, I know of one person that left handmaking switches because of the maintenance involved say every 2-3-years....not bad if you have very few switches, but if you have a lot you will spend some time repairing them....no repairing if you by Accucraft or one of the other manufactures that make them..I bet it would be the same for hand laid track.

I do not want the hassle and having handlaid track looks cool, but very few notice that, we just want to run trains.

IMHO 
Bubba


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## kleinbahn (Sep 21, 2010)

Pete, I wondered about machining Vs. extruding also...would make for expensive rail? 

Outdoors yes, every tie, indors, not so much.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

you WILL periodically be replacing them they will work loose, I know of one person that left handmaking switches because of the maintenance involved say every 2-3-years. 
Bubba, 

That's a bit of a generalization. I had hand-laid track for years that needed no maintenance, including switches. 

It all depends *how* you make the track. Stainless spikes work free - steel ones rust a little and cannot be removed - they will break after 10 years or so. 

.no repairing if you by Accucraft or one of the other manufactures 
I suspect they have the same problems. Have you searched the site to see what other folk are saying?


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## docstoy (May 15, 2009)

Having hand laid all my track and constructed all my turnouts save 2, and that the track has been in place for 4,3 & 2 years (depends on what area of the RR empire) I have a pretty good idea of the problems. My first attempts used 1/2" light weight spikes, 8/tie, no tie plates. These spikes were square in cross section and are no longer available. When these were not available I tried 3/8" spikes, didn't hold up, and went to 1/2" heavy non stainless spikes which I use now. The real advantage of the early 1/2" square cross section spikes was that they did not rotate in the tie. Consider the great expansion and contraction of aluminum code 215 rail. This causes a longitudinal movement of the rail sliding it back and forth across the tie face. Living in South Dakota where temperature fluctuations yearly can reach 120 degrees, we also, because of our high altitude (5300'), see daily fluctuations of 50 degrees regularly in the summer. As the rail moves relative to the tie it rotates the spike left and right. If the spike is round it loosens the spike by ratcheting it up out of the hole. If the spikes were square there would be resistance to rotation and the rail would have to slide beneath the spike head. As I said the square spikes are no longer available so the round heavy 1/2" spikes are used. Another problem I have is the deer. As my empire is a garden railroad, at ground level with limestone ballast and rocks and sedums, deer like to graze on the sedums. While they stomp around with thier little feet the effect is the same as a woman in high heel shoes, the ties are pushed down. The newest addition to the track is an electric fence, this was placed in desperation due to ongoing maintenance problems caused by deer. I have placed hand made expansion sections to relieve the effect of track expansion-namely the pushing out of the curved section of track as the rail elongates. I accept maintainence as a part of the hobby, and find it as interesting as running my 5 RC controlled Live Steamers. 
Tom


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