Using a back-to-back gauge for your model railway ensures that the wheels on your rolling stock are spaced correctly...
Cart 0 Product Products (empty)
No products
Free shipping! Shipping
£ 0.00 Total
Product successfully added to your shopping cart
Quantity
Total
There are 0 items in your cart. There is 1 item in your cart.
Total products (tax incl.)
Total shipping (tax excl.) Free shipping!
Total (tax incl.)
Search Tips
Tips categories
Latest Tips
-
How do I use a back to back gauge?Read more -
What is a poly-cap?Read moreA poly-cap is a type of plastic cap often used in model-making kits, especially for assembling figurines or model...
-
What is Graham Farish?Read moreGraham Farish is a name you’re likely to come across if you're interested in British model railways, especially in...
-
When did semaphore signals stop being used in the UK?Read moreSemaphore signals, those distinctive mechanical arms that once graced railway lines across the UK, were largely...
-
What is Kato track?Read moreKato track is a popular choice in the world of model railways, known for its quality, ease of use and versatility. If...
How to maintain a curve when joining flexible track?
Joining sections of flexible track mid-curve can often result in small but annoying straight pieces of rail where two sections of track meet in an otherwise perfectly flowing curve. This is caused by the metal rail's memory causing tension as it tries to return to its naturally straight resting position.
In many cases, a join midway through a bend is unavoidable because to create a complete curve using a single piece of flexible track would result in an incredibly tight radius, fortunately, there are a few tips to help eliminate these undesirable curve spoilers.
Traditionally, modellers have simply removed a couple of inches worth of sleepers from the ends of the tracks to be joined and manipulated the rails to adopt a more desirable resting memory before replacing the sleepers and joining the tracks, this method is perfectly valid but does require skill, patience and time.
Another solution is to use a tool called a 'Tracksetta'. This inexpensive but useful tool is a piece of shaped metal specifically designed to fit between the rails of model railway track. It acts like a backbone, holding track to the desired shape whilst it is glued into position. Tracksettas are available in 00 and N gauges and come in various radii so you can still use them to construct bespoke track plans.
To use a Tracksetta while constructing a flexible track curve, place the tool on the curve between the rails where the track sections join and glue the track to the baseboard leaving the tool in place until the glue has dried. Fixing track in this way will turn every sleeper-chair into a rigid anchor that will help the rail to retain a flowing shape.
A final solution is the flexible track holder from Proses, also available in N and OO gauge. This tool allows you to create any curve and even 'waves' out of flexible track. Well worth a look if you have lots of track to lay or need more flexibility than allowed by Tracksetta.
Click here to receive the tips weekly in your mailbox. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Related products
HO/OO Flexible Track Holder
Price: £ 19.75The Flexible Track Holding Tool keeps your flexible track in desired shape...
Track Laying Tool 915mm (36in) Radius
Price: £ 9.00Track Laying Tool 36" OO 915mm Radius Use with flexible track. Also suitable...
Related posts
-
How to clean model railways track?There is of course the old tried and tested method, the track rubber which does the job, no railway modeller should... - What scale is Hornby?Hornby model railways are OO Scale or 1/76th that is 4 millimetres to the foot (12 inches). It runs on a track with...
- Is Peco track and Hornby track compatible?Peco Setrack and Peco Streamline are compatible with Hornby track as they all share the same gauge width of 16.5mm....
- How to weight my model so it does not tip?For wargaming figures, a small coin or washer glued to the under side of the base will usually to do the job. This...
- How often should I clean my track?This a hard question to answer. There are no hard and fast rules about how often you should clean the track. Bear in...