This clinic needs to be imderstood with photographs, or come to Bill's free clinic on
the assigned Saturday. I have printed out the notes, but unless you have a good
idea of what it is you're doing, these notes will mean nothing to you.
We have many books and videos that will work nicely with these notes.
Bill Johnson works every Saturday here at Caboose Hobbies 303777-6766
and he will be happy to answer any questions and recommend books or videos
that would help you if you live too far away to come to his Saturday Clinic.
Why Handlay?
TOOLS
1. Eye protection
2. Good pair of pliers
3. Rail nippers (dedicated pair)
4. N.M.R.A. Gauge
5. Three point track gauges (3 pair)
6. Test pair of trucks or test car
7. Files (3 different sizes)
8. Soldering Iron 15/30 watts
NO GUNS
Rosin core solder/silver solder
9. Short Hack Saw blade
10. Straight edge
11. Radius tools
12. Flat work surface with edge
13. Dipping tank for Hobby Black
14. A piece of flex track (Flexible and Stiff)
15. Putty Knife
16. Eye dropper
17. Sanding block and fine sand paper
MATERIALS
1. Pine lattice strips 1/4 inch thick
2. Durham's water putty
3. Wood Ties
Full profile
Low profile
4. Elmer's wood glue
5. Leather dyes for tie stain
6. Clear alcohol
7. Rail
Codes
100 Heavy Modern Mainlines
83 Standard Mainlines
70 Secondary trackage sidings, yards, etc.
55 Lightly used spur trackage
Structure (top down)
1. Rail
2. Ties
3. Roadbed----------pine lattice
4. Sub-roadbed-----5/8 or 3/4 inch plywood
5. Cleats
6. Risers
Planning
1. Use flextrack to get easements
2. Use paper and crayon
3. Or mark on roadbed
Lay Roadbed
1. Mark lattice with center line
2. Straight sections
3. Curves (use kerfs) Knotches to the inside
4. Fill-in sides with water putty
5. Paint roadbed (optional)
Glue ties and ballast
1. Mark on roadbed end on tie and spacing points
2. Locate rail joint points before you lay ties
3. Free hand or jig
4. Use low profile ties under joints
5. Sand the top of the ties
6. Stain before or after
Rail preparation
1. Select correct size
2. Weather (stain or paint) before
3. Clean joint ends
4. File slight angle on ends
Laying straight rail
1. Place both rails on ties to center on ties
2. Use gauges to hold rail in place
3. Gauge from center line or end of ties
4. Using good pair of pliers grip spike
5. Spike down one rail (pre-drilled ties can help)
6. Spike both side of rail
7. Spike every 4th or 5th tie
8. Use a straight edge to keep rail straight
9. Spike the remainder of rail
10. Gauge the second rail from the first
11. Spike in the same tie as the first rail
12. As you approach the end of a rail solder on the next rail
Soldering rail
1. Pre-file and clean each end
2. Use the correct size rail jointer
3. Use 30 watt soldering iron
4. Apply small amount of flux to rail and joiner
5. Apply soldering iron to inside of rail
6. Apply solder to outside of rail (let the heat from the rail and joiner melt the
solder to prevent cold joints)
7. Clean and file away any extra solder
Laying curved rail
1. Hold both rails with gauges (with 3 point gauges the single side should be
to the inside of the curve to "spread" the gauge slightly)
2. Spike down the rails, centering on the ties
3. It is important to solder the rails on curves together before you spike it
completely down, this will prevent kinks at the joints
Ballast
1. Use correct size and color for main and branch line distinction
2. Spread lightly keep off tops of ties and rails
3. Be extra careful around turnouts
4. Spray with a fine mist until it is all soaked
5. With an eye dropper glue in place with mix of 50% white glue and 50%
water witha drop or two of detergent
6. When dry remove any ballast that could foul wheel flanges
Turnouts
Switch Ties
1. Using a piece of flex track locate the main and diverging routes
2. Mark on the roadbed the rail locations
3. Lay long switch ties from the points to the ends (they can be cut back later)
4. Sand the top of the ties
5. Stain the ties now
Steps to Lay Rail
1. Temporary spike the two outside rails (Stock)
2. At point where they begin to diverge is the head or switch stand tie
3. Mark this location on the ties and rail
4. Remove stock rails and file away inside of rail base for about 2 or 3 inches
5. File a slight notch in the inside of the rail head (the points will rest there)
6. Between the two switch stand ties place the pre made throw bar
7. Relay these stock rails
8. Take a single piece of rail and file points on each end
9. Test fit point to stock rail, it should rest next to one another
10. Using two pieces of rail file two points (these will form the points of the frog)
11. Gauging from the stock rails position the frog points together
12. Temporary spike frog points in place
13. Locate the bend point in the point or closer rail (use piece of scrap rail and gauge)
14. Pre-bend points to inside of switch so they will hold the throw bar in place
15. Fit point rails in place and temporary spike in place
16. Test run rail trucks across turn out
17. Add guard rails (gauge to frog)
18. Fill the frog and wing rails with solder
19. With a cut off hack saw blade clear the flanges ways
20. Using a N.M.R.A. scraper gauge clear the flange way to correct gauge and depth
21. Test run rail trucks across turnout
22. Spike point rails to about 15 ties from head ties
23. Add method of activation
