One of the best things to happen to S scale in a long while is the introduction of Tomalco flex track in code 83 and code 70 rail. This track finally allows S-scale modelers to easily replicate realistic prototype rail sizes for period or light branchline prototypes.
I'm currently developing track modeling techniques for a layout representing the New York, Ontario & Western Railway's Rome & Clinton Branch set in 1886. Code 70 is the perfect rail size for modeling the R&C's 72 lb. per yard rail. Tomalco code 70 flex track comes with 120 ties per 3-foot section, which accurately represents a prototype tie spacing of 18 inches center-to-center (or 20 ties per 30' rail, with 3520 ties per mile). That's right on the money for a busy mainline track, but prototype tie spacing varied from this mainline spec out to as much as 30" center-to-center (12 ties per 30' rail, 2112 ties per mile) in very lightly used sidings. Period inspection records for my chosen prototype record that in 1884, the R&C used 2800 ties per mile in its mainline tracks, which gives a spacing of about 22" between ties, or 16 ties per 30' rail. To model this wider tie spacing, I started by sliding 16 ties off of a 3-foot flex track section, leaving behind 104 ties. I next cut away all of the molded connecting webs between the ties on the underside of the track. (A razor blade used with a chopping motion makes short work of this task.) With the ties now free to slide apart individually, I re-spaced them out to an average of 22" center-to-center. This also allowed the ties to be canted a bit relative to the rails, for a more haphazard hand-laid appearance. Removing the connecting webs between the ties also permits seeing between the individual ties beneath the rails, which really enhances the appearance when viewing lightly-ballasted flex track from near eye-level. Factory flex track has totally uniform tie lengths, with all the tie ends perfectly aligned. Photos of my chosen prototype show that the R&C track gangs never managed to even approach such uniformity. Obviously, some means to vary the apparent tie lengths and end alignment was required to model R&C track. Filing back the ends of some of the ties helped, but I found that an even better appearance was achieved by slicing off thin sections from the ends of some spare ties (the ties removed in step one), and gluing them to the ends of some of the remaining ties, to extend them slightly. The ties are cast from slippery engineering-plastic which resists most cements and glues. But by roughing-up the ends of the fixed ties with a flat diamond file, I found that a gap-filling ACC would hold the thin tie extensions on well enough to get the track laid, after which the ballast and ballast cement takes over to hold the extensions in position permanently. Take care to get tight, invisible joints at the tops of the ties, and use a modeler's knife and a file to blend the woodgrain over the joints and remove excess ACC. The joint will disappear after the ties are painted. Don't overdo this step - a few tie ends out of visual alignment with the rest are all that's needed to break up the look of artificial perfection. Factory flextrack comes with ties that represent only modern, square, sawn ties. It is a simple matter to use a hobby knife to re-shape the cross-sections of some of the plastic ties, even while they are still attached to the rails, to properly represent old-time hand-hewn pole ties and split ties. A few strokes with some sandpaper will restore scale woodgrain. The last step in enhancing the realism of the modified flex track is to paint the slightly glossy ties with a brush, using inexpensive water-based craft-store paints that dry with a very flat finish. I paint after the track is laid, to cover any shiny raw plastic and blend together the modifications. My prototype used cheap, locally-cut hemlock (softwood) ties for its straight track, but had to buy tougher oak and chestnut hardwood ties for use on curves (for better spike-holding ability). So, I will paint the ties on straight track a weathered grayish-silver, with a darker, more brown color being used on the curves. For sidings and yard tracks, I will space the ties out even wider than the mainline's 22" center-to-center spacing, which along with a lower ballast profile will help visually define the secondary tracks. Some experimentation showed that code 55 rail could be set right into the molded tie plates of the ties removed from the code 70 track, and that the flanges of NWSL code 88 wheelsets still cleared the molded spike heads with no problem. So, although micro-spikes or one of the new cyanopoxy adhesives would be needed to hold the rail in gauge on the slippery engineering-plastic ties, it will be possible to lay a few lengths of code 55 track to replicate the super-lightweight 50 lb. per yard rail that the R&C used in a few of its older industrial spurs. Each of the individual changes I made to the Tomalco code 70 flex track was small, simple, and fast, but taken together the overall difference in appearance from the stock track is strikingly realistic, and exceeds the best hand laid track that I could produce. Tomalco is planning to introduce matching code 70 turnouts, and I have some on order. I'm looking forward to working with them. Ron Stanulevich The poll results are in....... To REPLY to the list, use REPLY ALL, to reply to the sender, use REPLY. I do NOT know if this works on all e-mail software, but it works on some of the most common ones. For those of you on DIGEST mode, all REPLY messages go to the list. 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