Fast Tracks

I bought fixtures for both my straight and curved tracks (n-scale) and will soon be buying turnout fixtures. However, I find that the cost of the tie strips for straight/curved track (not turnouts) is quite high. Can I assume that I can use individual wood ties instead, and do you have any instructions and/or videos showing how to do this? I like the "Tie Rack" but I wasn't sure if/how to use it with track built in the fixture. Can I just leave out every 5th position in the Tie Rack and use it that way? I'm especially concerned about using it with curved track made in the fixture. I'm also wondering if there are any specific techniques or procudures that should be followed for installing the track on the layout - e.g. do you glue the ties down first and then attach (glue) the track down to it, or attach the ties to the track first and then glue down the whole section as a unit?

I think I've looked at every video I can find, but I'm not sure any of them clearly explained this part of the procedure.

Thanks!

There is no reason you cannot build your straight track using only wood ties. The only real advantage of using the jig and PC ties is that the jig and ties will produce a very straight track while doing this freehand is not the easiest thing to do but then again there isn't a perfectly straight prototype either except for the sections of the railroad that have recently been aligned and leveled.

Thanks, but that wasn't really my question. I want to use the fixture and PC board ties, but I want to use individual wood ties with the track because the cost of the tie strips seems prohibitive to me.

My question was whether there are any videos or instructions available specifically on how to lay the track on individual ties without using the tie strips.

cdavis2747,

I think you could probably leave a space for the PCB ties that are soldered to the rail when using wood ties with the Tie Rack fixture. You would insert the wood ties in the tie rack leaving that space for the PCB tie then apply a strip of tape down center of the ties on the top side. Then you could remove the held together wood ties from the Tie Rack fixture with the tape maintaining the spacing and the gap for the PCB ties. You would then glue those wood ties down to your layout and then drop in the soldered rail sections with the PCB ties fitting into those gap areas. You could glue the rail sections to the wood ties or use spikes. I think there is a video on the website showing how to use the Tie Rack fixture but I don't think it covers this exact scenario. It probably wouldn't hurt to review it anyway.

Inprinter

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If the light at the end of the tunnel doesn't stay at the end of the tunnel, then it is time to beat a path in the opposite direction.

I have both the tie rack and fixture for branchline code 70 track in HO and upon overlaying a length of track made in the fixture I found that the pc ties and tie pockets do not matchup as can be seen in the photo I took. This is a bit of a disappointment to me as I also found that I would not be able to afford the cost of the tie strips and had hoped to use the tie rack instead.

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Cheers
Ian
Adventure before Dementia
http://scalemodcommunity.org
http://mnamodelrr.com

Ian,

Thanks for that tip and the picture. I'm using n-scale mainline track, so I don't know if the same thing applies or not. I was hoping one of the principles of Fast Tracks would answer this question definitively. It's just stikes me as very odd that they would not use the exact same spacing on the Tie Rack product as they use for all the other jigs. Could there be some rational reason for doing this that I'm not aware of???

I suppose I could cook up a jig of some sort on my own that would lay the ties down in the right spacing, but I'd rather just buy one from the experts and spend my time doing some other work on the layout.

Chuck

After taking another look at the specs, the Tie rack for mainline calls for a 20 inch tie spacing, 22 for branch, and 24 for siding, exactly the same as the specs on the fixture for the corresponding type of track.

I noticed in the picture posted the Tie Rack was a branchline model. Was the track built to branchline specs also? If so, the specs say they should match up.

I'm wondering if Ron or Tim could clear this up, please????

Thanks,

Chuck

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If the light at the end of the tunnel doesn't stay at the end of the tunnel, then it is time to beat a path in the opposite direction.

Both my fixture and tierack are marked as branchline and as the photo showed they definately do not match up. So I am now wondering if there has been a mistake made with the manufacture of one or the other of my units.

_________________
Cheers
Ian
Adventure before Dementia
http://scalemodcommunity.org
http://mnamodelrr.com

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If the light at the end of the tunnel doesn't stay at the end of the tunnel, then it is time to beat a path in the opposite direction.

Yes I agree with you there.... some clarification is required.

_________________
Cheers
Ian
Adventure before Dementia
http://scalemodcommunity.org
http://mnamodelrr.com

Hi Ian,

Something isn't right there.

The design of the straight and curved track fixtures, laser cut tie strips and the TieRacks are supposed to be all compatible. Precisely for the reason you are seeking, so you can use individual wood ties with track lengths built in the fixtures.

I had a look through the CAD files we currently are using for the fixtures and the TieRacks, and superimposing the two they are lining up. The only thing I can think of is that either the fixture of the TieRack is mis-labeled.

My guess, taking into consideration the process used to produce each, is that the fixture might be the culprit.

Would it be possible to take a picture of the fixture, looking top down, with a ruler lined up against the edge of one of the tie pockets? From that I can determine if it is actually a Branchline fixture or not.

We will fixture out which is in error and send you a replacement. If you post the image here, be sure to also email it to our service@handlaidtrack.com account as well so I am sure to receive it.

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Cheers!

Tim Warris
Fast Tracks
http://www.fast-tracks.net
service@fast-tracks.net

Thanks for the fast response Tim. Will do a couple of photo's once I can locate my rulers, just moved recently so a lot of modeling tools and stuff is still packed away in boxes.

_________________
Cheers
Ian
Adventure before Dementia
http://scalemodcommunity.org
http://mnamodelrr.com

Just a quick update, turns out Tim was correct with his assumption that the fixyure was incorrect due to an incorrect label. He has very kindly arranged to send a correct replacement. There is no doubt about the Fasttracks company they certainly stand by their products and I will definately continue to buy more items from them as finances allow me to do so. Good on you Fasttracks your a pleasure to deal with.

_________________
Cheers
Ian
Adventure before Dementia
http://scalemodcommunity.org
http://mnamodelrr.com

I put down several thousand wood ties using the tie rack and I loved how easily that went. I found both the tie rack and the assembly fixtures were accurate.

To be of help: when using the tie rack, one is to run tape across the top of the wood ties, then pull the ties out of the jig using the tape, finally place the ties onto the roadbed and glue them (Titebond). Be very careful when you make this transference. If the masking tape has a lot of tension in it (stretched) it can recoil and shrink the spacing between ties. Using a wider masking tape is better. Keep a piece of soldered track handy so that you can see you are hitting your gaps as you glue the wood ties down. When gluing, press evenly along the length of the segment being glued into the roadbed so that they do not shift.

My biggest mistake was racing well-ahead and gluing all wooden ties down first. In hindsight, it would have been better to glue just enough wooden ties to allow for the length of soldered track to be placed. Else, like me, a putty knife will be needed to remove offending wooden ties.

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"Life is about learning"