Time to replace a bad dry rotted retaining wall and add a second main line.

Setting peeler post in and drill holes for Rebar.

Addi roofing materiel to help from dry rot. This area gets a lot of watering from our walker sprinkler.

Wall pulled out the original main line to re level the area and set up two main lines.

Had to remover more of the small Mt. and shrubs to make a better run.

Forgot to post why the soldering unit and shrink tubing was showing. I accident with an axle when chopping out roots, I cut some underground control wires…

Had to repair the 8 pr. wires that controls the relay for the upper run that blocks the set up area. Also the Signal for that area and the signals and blocks to the main line at Hillsdale “Y”. I bad… what a mess i made. That took some extra time. to fix. . Woulden’t be so bad except we are all track power here.

Kind of fig. how the two tracks are going to work.

Pulled out the old Switch coming from two tracks to single main. Re-install siding switch on nbr two main.

Starting bend the outer main with the old main relayed. Keeped the 10 R. run on the inside and making the outer run around 11 1/4 R. so far. This is giving a little extra room for long pass cars on the outer run.

Question… Has anyone done a flex track splice with an offset for Hilman Joiners?

The other tracks I done years ago are, I just cut off even on both rails but, its not a good even curve to get right sometimes.

I’m going to try to slide one of the ties up on one rail for a off set. Put a Hilman on each off set rail. Hope to make maybe see if my Train L rail bender will go thru it for a better curve.

Has anyone tried this??? I’m not having much luck today… so far I missed up and pinched my fingers. &@#*% LoL

Seams like always something to work on every year…

We see that most of the set up area that is a 100 foot run, boards need to be replaced. Going to try using new re-cyl. plastic deck board that are around16 foot links and see if that will work… Course… that another project after getting this main line along the walk way done.

On all my curves I just slid the rails to fit then used split jaw clamps to hold them together, . Before finishing it up I cut ties to fill the gaps as best as they would fit. Still need to fix a couple of no tie spots on my main line.

A couple of places the ends are offset by 6-8”, but I have not had any gauge problems if that is what you are wondering

make sure any screws are removed so the rails will slide, a little water/ soap mixture can help the rails slide

i do stagger the joints with fishplates. only the last joint of the curve to the following straight gets cut to the same lengths.

that way, i get only two cut offs on any curve.

have a closer look at your bent track. the first and the last inch or so of the rails will not be bent well. (just, because not all of the bender wheels grip there)

use pliers to bend the ends. makes for smoother curves.

and i hope, you got helpers for moving earth and logs…

Korm Kormsen said:

i do stagger the joints with fishplates. only the last joint of the curve to the following straight gets cut to the same lengths.

that way, i get only two cut offs on any curve.

have a closer look at your bent track. the first and the last inch or so of the rails will not be bent well. (just, because not all of the bender wheels grip there)

use pliers to bend the ends. makes for smoother curves.

and i hope, you got helpers for moving earth and logs…

…

Hi Korm…

I kind of, like you did except I been using a large Man size channel locks to bend the last 3 or 4 inches of any flex curve track… Darn Train-L doesn’t like the two joints in same area. I did finely get the off set to work by having one rail about 3 to 4 inches longer. Only problem was a little work move two or three ties in the off set to work with the Hillman joiner. But it did work. The Train- L goes thru if fine and keep the same curve now.

Moving the earth? It was just the three of us… . "Me, myself and I… " But… Just over 39 and going on 84 we still gettttttter done. Not saying how I feel later on. LoL

Pete Lassen said:

make sure any screws are removed so the rails will slide, a little water/ soap mixture can help the rails slide

Ya Pete…

We take all of the screws out on the ties. The way our ground moves, we may have to tap the ties for alignment looks… Found that out years ago when i had to pull up a bunch of track to get rails right again. That’s a good advice of new be’s.

Pete Lassen said:

On all my curves I just slid the rails to fit then used split jaw clamps to hold them together, . Before finishing it up I cut ties to fill the gaps as best as they would fit. Still need to fix a couple of no tie spots on my main line.

A couple of places the ends are offset by 6-8”, but I have not had any gauge problems if that is what you are wondering

…

Kind of wish i has Split Jaws joiners. I have the Hilmans and all screw are on the side and very hard to get to when install two main track side by side. Split Jaws if I remember right, Rail screw are on top. That would make it a lot easier to install but, not sure how to hide the screws tho.

Was you able to make a good cruve with them using the Train - L to keep the radius going? Our Hilmans don’t when joints are across from each other.

We’ll post photos tomorrow on the finished track laying and the off set curves. Came out pertty good for an old guy. Course a few problem before connection two mains at the other end was we have a run around switch tracks there, that we are keep for now . They are Aristo 10-R. track switches. Darn frogs on both jumper had to be re-wired with sold brass wire. I dumped the Aristo small wires that either get burning into with a short or just comes un-screwed.

I staggered the joints on my curves, and most of my railroad is curves. It can make replacing broken ties a bit more difficult.

For bending the last couple inches of the rail. I used large channel locks too, but my rail is stainless and its a bear to bend by hand.

Split Jaw clamps have the screws on the side just like Hillmans.

David Maynard said:

I staggered the joints on my curves, and most of my railroad is curves. It can make replacing broken ties a bit more difficult.

For bending the last couple inches of the rail. I used large channel locks too, but my rail is stainless and its a bear to bend by hand.

Split Jaw clamps have the screws on the side just like Hillmans.

…

Great…Thanks for the inform. on split jaws.

Took these photo after leveling the tracks and setting ready for ballast.

Coming out of Wilsonville.

10 R inside tracks and 11-1/4 R outside tracks at “S” curve of 7 foot walk way.

Nice thing in using flex track, you can make compound curves with the Train -L bender. Looks more real on long trains.

Curver along walk way that has access to Lani area.

This is where we joined back to Dbl. track at Pine Tree Jct. We left the old run a round in.

Looking back from Pine Tree jct. that has a branch line to Cattle pens.

.

Cont. along walk way of Pine Tree Jct. ( Not in for now has Water tank and animated Station.) before going over twin bridges.

Also, Looks like later on I will have more wiring to do for more target Sig.

Are we having fun yet??? At our age playing in the dirt, You bet.

Good stuff Pap!

Your old skool RR has and always will kick ass !

Got some work to do here myself but it keeps me young (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

" Rooster " said:

Got some work to do here myself but it keeps me young (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

…

Me to… now that we are over 39 and love playing in the dirt like in our second child hood… lol. Good…Keep it up, My Son.

Noel,

This is a Split Jaw clamp…

And here’s the no longer available Hillman:

Soon the Split jaw will no longer be available, except on the used market.

Yep, going to buy up a bunch from Robby for safekeeping!

Greg

After re-reading PAGE ONE TWICE as suggested by the experts (all 3 of them so far).

I’m quite glad to see you got the RR all fixed up Pap AND IT LOOKS GREAT!

I have been enjoying my very basic track powered roundy round railroad which the experts stated won’t work as well …(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

This post has been edited by ROOSTER: Broke up my comments so it makes it easier to quote

Joe Zullo said:

Noel,

This is a Split Jaw clamp…

…

Guess I had the Aristo straight blade screws on my mind that was screw down along the rail., Not the Split Jaws…

I do now remember I had a few of the Split jaw years back and gave them away. For us…was not a good grip and some kept coming off. Might of been some our our Aristo or USA rails . Hillmans work great with not problems.

Now got to figue out how i’m going to make a 332 to 250 brass rail joiners… I going to try some 250 brass in our Bakers Acres yards. I found a bunch of that 5 footer I never used. I have pulled out the 332 brass 5 foot flexs in that yard for use in other areas.