Hand lay track

[nachoman]

first and foremost, in my opinion you can get better looking trackwork by using some of the high-end flextrack from micro-engineering. Properly weathered, it will look better than most handlaid track, unless you are going for early trackwork without tie plates. Second, handlaying does not really save money, especially if you factor in time. Turnouts can be made cheaper if you don't buy a jig, and can be made to work better with a little practice. I figure if I used prefab track for my 4x8 layout, I probably would have only spent 100 dollars more for materials. The complication in my case was the dual gauge track.

That said, handlaying track is a fun skill to learn, and rewarding when you get it all done. You have the option of spiking to wooden ties, or soldering to PC ties. Some basic tools you will need are 3-4 3-point gauges, an NMRA gauge, a good pair of needlenose pliers for the spiking, files, flush cutting rail cutters, and lots of patience. Your subroadbed will need to be sturdy - foam won't cut it. Many people prefer homasote roadbed to spike into, others like to use clear pine boards, and some (including myself) have gotten by with just cork roadbed. This is definitely a skill that takes practice and can be extremely frustrating at first. I found I had to re-lay many of my curves because it was difficult to keep them in gauge as I was spiking. The smaller the rail is, the more it can move on you. Code 55 is much trickier than code 70. I have learned a few techniques along the way. One is that I had to pre-drill the spike holes for the HOn3 ties in order to keep the ties from splitting and the spikes from bending. I when I am satisfied with a stretch of rail, I put a dab of diluted matte medium on top of every spike. After it dries, I tap the spike down to set it firmly against the rail. I started doing this after I discovered the cork roadbed was not gripping the small spikes tightly, and they would sometimes work up and interfere with the wheel flanges.