Model Railroader - Tracklaying Tips And Techniques.pdf - Model Railroader - pigur7

PRODUCTS

I NFORMATION S TATION

Tracklaying tips

and techniques

Track

M any model railroaders

discover a whole range of

unfamiliar terms when

they begin acquiring the track

components to build a layout.

Most of these terms match pro-

totype track terminology and

are clearly descriptive, while

others require some explana-

tion. The list which follows

defines the most common track-

related terms, including some

that are often misused.

AREA: The American Railway Engineer-

ing Association is the prototype railroad

organization which establishes right-of-

way material specifications and track

construction standards.

Ballast: The crushed rock used to hold

track in position, spread weight, and

provide drainage.

B&B gang: A traveling railroad crew

that specializes in bridge and building

construction, maintenance, and repair.

Bridge: A structure which supports a

track passing over a depression in the

terrain or a stream. A through bridge has

a floor structure which supports the

track between its side beams or trusses,

while a deck bridge has its supporting

structure below track level.

Bridge guardrail: A set of heavy timbers

or steel rails mounted inside the run-

ning rails on a bridge or other structure

to keep derailed cars in line.

Bridge pier: An intermediate support

used between bridge spans.

Bridge shoe: An iron or steel casting

which transfers the weight of a bridge

to its supports. One end is normally a

solid mounting while the opposite end

allows for expansion or contraction.

Bumper: A braced, coupler-height

blocking device which keeps cars from

rolling off the end of a track.

Smooth-flowing handlaid trackwork has been

the hallmark of the Detroit Model Railroad

Club’s O scale Detroit Union RR for over half

a century. This view of Duncan Junction

includes several regular turnouts, a cross-

ing, a single-slip switch, and a double-slip

switch. Photo by Jim Hediger.

terminology

An introduction

to railroad lingo

By Jim Hediger

Illustrations by Rick Johnson

Bunk, camp, or outfit car: A passenger

or freight car converted into movable

living quarters for track workers.

Clearance: The space that’s required for

rolling stock to pass an object or other

equipment. Vertical clearance is the

space between a car roof and an over-

head object or structure.

Clearance point: The location near a

turnout where equipment may safely

pass other adjacent equipment.

Cross level: A reference comparing the

relative heights of the two rails across

the track.

Crossing: A level inter-

section between two

tracks or between a

track and a highway (above).

Crossover: A pair of facing turnouts

which allow a train to pass from one

parallel track to the other (below).

Double or scissors crossover: Two pairs

of facing turnouts with a crossing in the

middle which allow trains to pass from

one parallel track to the other (below).

Gantlet (not gauntlet) track: A pair of

overlapping parallel tracks which share

a single roadbed and track structure to

pass through a narrow obstruction like

a tunnel or bridge (below).

Double-slip switch: A special condensed

track component which combines the

functions of four turnouts and a cross-

ing in a short distance (below).

Gap: A slot cut through the rail to break

the electrical path.

Gauge: The standard dimensional spac-

ing required between the rails or

wheels. Tight gauge refers to less than

the correct spacing, while wide gauge

means the rails are too far apart.

Grade: The vertical rise or fall of a track

in units of height per 100 units of dis-

tance, expressed as a percentage. A 2"

rise in 100" is a 2 percent grade.

Grade crossing: A level intersection

between a highway and the track.

Ground throw: A low-level manual con-

trol device used to operate and lock the

switch points and select a route through

a turnout.

Guardrail: An additional rail placed

inside the running rail that engages the

back of a wheel flange to help guide its

wheelset through a frog.

Headblocks: The pair of extended ties

beneath the switch points which sup-

port a switch stand.

Industry track: Any side track where

freight cars can be spotted so a railroad

customer can load or unload them.

Insulated joint: A mechanical rail joint

which doesn’t pass electricity.

Joint: An end-to-end mechanical rail

connection using a rail joiner to main-

tain precise alignment.

Junction: A location where main lines

diverge or cross each other.

Cut and fill: A right-of-way construction

method that removes earth or stone

above grade and uses it to fill in the

gaps below grade.

Deck: A bridge floor which may be

either ballasted or open (with the track

bolted to the supports).

Derail: A safety device that’s used on

spur tracks to keep cars from rolling out

and fouling a main track. It usually has

a cast-steel frog which diverts one

wheel up and over the rail to stop a car

well short of the clearance point. Some

derails consist of a single switch point

that’s normally left open to stop any

moving car clear of the main track.

Drawbridge: A movable bridge that

spans a navigable waterway.

Elevated: A reference to a high level

right-of-way, often constructed on a fill,

to provide clearance underneath for

another track or a roadway.

Elevation: The measured height of a

specific location above a base line.

Expansion joint: A special slip joint that

includes an open space in the center to

allow the rails to expand or contract.

Facing point: A track turnout or switch

that’s positioned so its points face

oncoming traffic.

Flangeway: The space between a run-

ning or stock rail and a guardrail for

wheel flanges.

Frog: The portion of a turnout or cross-

ing where wheels cross the intersection

of two rails.

TRACK TIMELINE

1832

Wooden ties

were intro-

duced on the

Camden

& Amboy RR

1921

Mainline rail

weighed an

average of

83 pounds

per yard (HO

code 55)

1937

The first 30-

mile stretch

of continuous

welded rail

was installed

on the

Delaware &

Hudson RR

Heavier rail

became neces-

sary to handle

the increasing

loads and

equipment

weights

1956

Mainline rail

weighed an

average of

105 pounds

per yard (HO

code 70)

1957

Prestressed

concrete ties

(reinforced

with steel

rods) were

introduced

1983

Mainline rail

weighed an

average of

117 pounds

per yard (HO

code 83)

1893

The first

concrete ties

were tested

on the

Philadelphia

& Reading

POST WW II

Lap or three-way switch: A special track

component which combines two over-

lapping turnouts (below).

Rail joiner: A formed sheet metal

mechanical connector used to join

model rails end to end.

Rail nipper: A specially ground pair of

modeler’s cutting pliers used to make

clean, square cuts in soft metal rail.

Relay: An electrical switching device

commonly used to control polarity,

power, and signal circuits.

Reverse or “S” curve: A track arrange-

ment where two oppo-

site curves meet at a

common point (right).

Reverse loop: A loop

of track that begins

and ends at the same

turnout to turn trains

around (right).

Riser: A vertical piece in the benchwork

which supports a trackboard.

Roadbed: Any material used beneath

the track to simulate the prototype bal-

last profile.

Ruling grade: The maximum grade

which affects train size in a given area.

Single-slip switch: A special condensed

track component which combines the

functions of two turnouts and a cross-

ing in a short distance (below).

Switch lock: A padlock or an interlock-

ing device which secures a switch so its

points cannot be moved.

Switch machine: A remote control

device which moves the switch points

to select a route through a turnout.

Switch rod: A metal rod that connects

switch points to a switch stand or a

remote-controlled switch machine.

Switch stand: A trackside manual con-

trol used to operate the points and

select a route through a turnout.

Tangent: A straight track.

Third rail: An extra rail mounted along-

side or between the running rails to

supply current for electric locomotives

or traction cars.

Tie: The structural element which runs

at right angles to the track center line to

support and hold the rails in gauge.

Most ties are hardwood, but some are

made of prestressed concrete.

Tie plate: A forged-steel plate used

between the rail base and the tie top to

help spread the load.

Timber: Any heavy wood beam that’s

used in railroad construction.

Trackboard: The horizontal wood sup-

port beneath model roadbed and track.

Trailing point: A reference to a switch

with its points facing away from the

direction of travel.

Turnout: A track component with mov-

able points that’s used to select which

route a train will follow.

Main line or main track: The principle

route used by trains passing a given

location along the line.

Milepost: A trackside signpost with a

number indicating the distance from an

established starting point.

Narrow gauge: A reference to any rail-

road built with a track gauge that’s less

than 56 1 ⁄ 2 " standard gauge.

NMRA: An abbreviation for the

National Model Railroad Association,

which is the hobby organization that

establishes the basic specifications or

NMRA standards which ensure compat-

ibility between products made by dif-

ferent manufacturers.

“On the ground”: A railroad slang term

for a derailment.

Platform: A loading dock for freight or

passengers. A high platform is even with

the car floor, while a low platform may

be at any height below floor level.

Portal: An entrance to a tunnel or the

framing at the ends of a truss bridge.

Profile: A scale drawing which shows

the grade alignment for a section of

main track.

Puzzle switch: A slang term referring to

the special track components used in

extremely congested areas including

single- or double-slip switches and

three-way switches.

Radius: The size of a curve measured

from its center point to the curved track

center line (circumference of the circle).

Rail: A specially shaped rolled steel

beam with a wide base

that’s spiked to the ties

to carry the weight and

guide trains along the

right-of-way (right).

Rail code: This is a reference to the

height of model rail in thousandths of

an inch: code 100 measures .100" tall,

code 83 is .083" tall, code 70 is .070",

and code 55 is .055" (below).

Snow shed: A heavy canopy structure

built to carry snow slides over the track.

Spike: A forged-steel fastener with an

offset head that’s driven into the ties to

secure the rails.

Spiral curve or easement: A curve of

gradually increasing radius that makes

the transition between a fixed-radius

curve and a tangent or straight track.

Spring switch: A turnout which has its

points controlled by a spring-loaded

mechanism. Trains can make a trailing

move through the switch and then the

points return to their normal position.

Spur or spur track: Any single-ended

track.

Stub switch: A pointless turnout which

changes its route by gently bending the

approach or “fly” rails sideways (below).

Frog

Flangeway

Guardrail

Wing rails

Head

Web

Base

Stock rail

Closure

rails

Points

Headblocks

Switch

rod

.100"

.083"

.070"

.055"

Code 100 Code 83 Code 70 Code 55

Superelevation: Banking built into a

curve by raising the outside rail so

trains may operate at higher speeds.

TURNOUT

PARTS

Railhead: The wide, top portion of a rail

that the wheels run on.

10 TRACKLAYING TIPS

1 Stagger all of the joints in the

track, roadbed, and subroadbed.

Avoid humps or dips in the track,

especially near curves, turnouts, and

places where grades begin or end.

3 Drive spikes gently, using just

enough pressure to seat them

without putting a vertical kink in

the rail.

4 If you’re using track nails, drive

them gently until they’re snug

without distorting the plastic ties.

5 Carefully align every rail joint and

make sure both rails are fully

seated in the rail joiners.

6 Eliminate any potential bump by

removing the ties beneath a rail

joint, sanding them thinner, and

then replacing them.

7 Smooth the top inside corner of all

rail joints with a small file until

you can slide a fingernail over the

joint without feeling any snagging.

8 Use a small file to sharpen all

switch points to obtain a smooth

path for the wheels to follow.

9 During installation, solder the wires

to the underside of the rails so

they’ll be hidden by the ballast.

Use a National Model Railroad

Association gauge to check and

adjust the spacing of the rails

and guardrails in turnouts.

Turntable: A revolving bridge structure

commonly used to turn locomotives in

an engine terminal.

Wheel stop: A wedge-shaped device,

mounted on the rail heads, which is

designed to keep a car from rolling off

the end of a track.

Wye: A triangular track

arrangement which has

three turnouts connected

at their frog ends to turn

trains (right).

Wye switch: A turnout which diverges

equally in both directions.

Model Railroader - Tracklaying Tips And Techniques.pdf

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