Large Scale Central

Tight curve solved,hopefully.

Track and Trestles
#1

Over the past two years I have rebuilt my layout and while never finished the main problem has been a tight curve at one end. It was built with mainly radius three LGB sections and the longer 1.20 engines suffered too much drag, especially my live steam C21. With no space to lay wider radius track I made the decision to slightly widen the gauge to ease the problem. The original track was lifted and one new section with an easing of the gauge was hand laid. Unfortunately I ran out of spikes and decided to modify the LGB track which entailed moving the outer rail out and refixing it with epoxy. Progress in re laying the new sections outside was delayed by the English weather, rain, frost, high wind and rain again but this morning it got done with just leveling, ballast and one rock to move tomorrow. While at it I replaced a Piko switch with a hand laid wider radius one which will also help running and to me at least looks better.

#2

david bunn said:

While at it I replaced a Piko switch with a hand laid wider radius one which will also help running and to me at least looks better.

Y’all who can make those impress me. And handlaid track does look good.

#3

so, it sounds like you also had tight gauge there too?

#4

Yes Greg, it was too tight coming as it did straight after the curve. Also I had replaced the other switches at the far end of the loop by the depot with wider radius hand laid and the Piko switch really didn’t look right.

I was going to finish the ballasting today but is snowing!

regards

David

#5

david bunn said:

Over the past two years I have rebuilt my layout and while never finished the main problem has been a tight curve at one end. It was built with mainly radius three LGB sections and the longer 1.20 engines suffered too much drag, especially my live steam C21. With no space to lay wider radius track I made the decision to slightly widen the gauge to ease the problem. The original track was lifted and one new section with an easing of the gauge was hand laid. Unfortunately I ran out of spikes and decided to modify the LGB track which entailed moving the outer rail out and refixing it with epoxy. Progress in re laying the new sections outside was delayed by the English weather, rain, frost, high wind and rain again but this morning it got done with just leveling, ballast and one rock to move tomorrow. While at it I replaced a Piko switch with a hand laid wider radius one which will also help running and to me at least looks better.