Laying flextrack for model railroads 

This is really helpful! I am using flex track for the first time as I return to the hobby after 50 years away...and this really helps. Wish me luck...

Thank you this program was very helpful I have not laid track cents 1979 now i want to put my HO track up again after finding it , I watch every video you put out so much information that i for got.

At last, some one else who cuts track correctly. Thank you for putting this out there. It's a pet peeve of mine that the wrong way is demonstrated in the media.

2:44 "and then just let the end fly off into outer space." This made me actually lol, I don't know why haha.

always good to watch others do track projects, get some helpful insights on making track laying easier. Thanks Peter

This is an exceptionally useful video! Thanks for explaining this! I'm getting close to laying track on a new HO layout and the timing couldn't be more perfect.

Many moons ago I laid foam roadbed on my plywood prairie with clear latex caulk. Then the same caulk for the track, tacked all in place with thumb racks. After cured I pulled all the tacks. That was it, no nails. My downfall was I soldered 100% so my once straight rails were no longer straight, but on 300+ feet of track with one power feed I had great continuity! Live and learn

Very good installation tips and perfect timing! Thank you for sharing!

Nice video, I learned some more tricks.

Thank you. I learn a lot !

I always try to join the l+r rails at different positions. It stabilizes curves, way less kinks. I do not solder them together in order to allow temperature to shrink/expand the different materials minimizing tensions.

There is a lengthy discussion, both in the comments and in the description above, explaining in detail why it is NOT a good idea to attempt to stagger the rail joints in this way.

Just ordered my Hakko station, thanks for the tip, I'm constantly going through cheap irons.

As always very interesting and informative...thanks for sharing....Jack 👍

Sure makes the process way easier with foam base and makes me want to lay some track now ha, Thanks Peter cheers ken uk

Nice tips, thanks!

Great job .. thanks for sharing and keep up the great work.. Lance

Very intuitive, thank you very much.

Nice Video. Great job

Well done! Thanks.

great tips, thank you

Well done mate

I would agree with generally everything this man says about model railroading, but would specifically agree with the gluing technique. I used too much glue and it took up space between the ties which limited my ballasting...and what I have learned thus far is that ballasting can be everything...and weathering your track, and design, and grades, and ugh!

Peter ,Great video. Enjoyed watching you hard at work. At the joint sections I used 9" straight set track pieces and left the track free floating So when I had to pull a section apart, I wouldn't be cutting or damaging valuable rail. I will send U mail thru ur business address on my next or newest model Railroading idea and plan to see what u think.

Nice Job Greet from Germany

Ahh a lesson.. thank you!

I have not read all the comments, so forgive me if I repeat anything. One thing I do that is different is on the curve I do not trim the rails to equal length. I, therefore have one rail joiner being supported by solid rail. The only place I cut rails are at turnouts cross overs,and end of stub end sidings.

Thank you

Hi Peter. Another excellent video. Could I just ask what glue do you use for the roadbed? I assume you have to weigh it down? Also how do you manage to curve it? I previously used cork as we tend to in the UK but have bought some of the foam type to try.

nice video

Nice video. What type of roadbed did you use? Also did you install any of the switches that you built and offer for sale?

I find it is also important that when installing a turnout, be sure that the rail joiners can slide all the way back off the 4 ends so that the turnout can be removed for maintenance as needed. The same is true when installing a turnout into a rail section. Set the joiners back off into place, set the turnout into the rails, and slide the joiners half forward into place to lock the turnout into position. AND do not lock the turnout down to the roadbed if you ever hope of removing it. I recommend you PIN it down. Bob S

Hello Peter, great tutorial! And you’re right, you do deserve the best of tools. Lol. See ya next time.

Great video, your best one , show how to lay track, what type turnout are you using

I’ll have to try that adhesive. I’ve recently been using Gorilla Glue clear contact adhesive. It’s a water based, so foam safe, clear “goop” that comes in a tube. I favor it over caulk that’s become so popular in the last few years, mostly due to cure time. The Gorilla Glue clear contact sets up mostly in about 30 mins, at least to where I can remove the T-pins. What’s the “cure” or setup, or “go off” (for the Brits) time for that adhesive your using? And as always, good content, and thanks for your effort to share this, it’s is appreciated.

Fantastic! Always enjoy your tutorials. What are your thoughts on easements and super elevating the corners on the mainline?

I,m using Peco flexi track code 75 and its very good,you don,t get a kink on the curves,the rails bend nicely but when I cut the rail I have trouble putting the rail joiners on so I have to file the end then it goes on easy enought.

great video.. just wondering if those as electro frog pts? if so did you drill the holes for the wires.

Excellent clinic, Peter! Is this essentially the same procedure for N scale (my scale)?

It actually makes it nicer if you slide one rail about 3 inches up, and the other about 1inch off the end, and do this to the next one too. Cut the 4 rail spikes, 2 each side of the join, and feed the rail up the spikes, into the joiner. This way, there is no 2joins in the same place, and the spikes and ties keep everything parallel, beside the 4 spikes , where the joiner is.

Thank you for sharing. Why do you mix Peco and Atlas? Wouldn’t it be faster and better to use the same brand then rail fasteners would fit properly? For example: why do you cut the tie on the turnouts? Peco turnouts are designed so the joiners fit underneath the ties at the ends.

Peter, helpful video thanks, what is the manufacturer of the rail cutter you used, with flat one side?

Excellent video, I found it very useful and informative thank-you. Q. I see on all your builds you use some sort of 2" or 50mm foam base, but the only product I can find remotely similar over here in the UK is called Celotex but it is foil backed and I don't think yours is ? What is your product called please and do yo know if it available in the UK ? Many Thanks.

would a 3/8" hole work for N scale turnouts?

Do you ever put easements in, or not find it worth the effort?

I noticed on your roadbed you left gaps? Is this on purpose? Do you like the black foam roadbed over cork? And do you leave gaps with the cork as well? Is the sub roadbed plywood? And what glue did you use to hold down the Black foam roadbed?

Thank you for the proper way of cutting track, i was cutting it wrong

I didn't know you should connect the sliding rail to the rigid. You survived the Tennessee tornado or not close?

Nice video. Good suggestion for the craft store glue, I've been using Liquid Nails, this looks like it would be easier to place the glue. Xuron offers rail nippers intended to use to cut from rail head to base, the opposite from the nipper you used in the video. I have them both, offers a bit more convenience in laying track. I no longer cut the rail short at the joints. I let the extended rail (on a curve) stay, and then under cut the ties and slide the rail in the next piece of flex track forward and make the joint that way. I do this because I was having trouble avoiding kinks in curves with flex track. By not having the rail joints across from each other, the intact rail helps to hold the radius and limit the amount of kink in the joint. The process is a bit more time intensive, but the improvement of the tracking of your trains is well worth the time invested. Because you gut the ties off the end of the flex track, you probably will want to add ties back into those areas. I file the molded in spike detail off the top of my discarded ties, and slip them back under the rail joiners. Be careful, you might need to file a bit of depth off the replacement ties so they don't lift the rails and make a hump. Also, I add the ties as I'm laying the track and before any parallel track is laid. It is much easier to slide the ties in now than after the rest of the track is in place. Before installing turnouts, file the bottoms to knock off any casting errors that may exist. I don't find a lot of irregularities, but the few I do and eliminate, really help the performance of the final track work. Finally, because the track joints are no longer directly across from each other, I no longer solder every rail joint: instead I do every other joint staggering which joint gets soldered. I also leave about a ten thousandths of a gap between the rails in a non soldered joint to allow for expansion and contraction during weather changes.

Hi Peter a peace of advice please ? if you put two pieces of flexi track together say (one yard ) 90 cm approx making two yards or 180 cm would this make a half circle and what would be the smallest curve you could get if that is possible? or would it take three sections? and again what is the smallest half circle ?best wishes ken great videos love them all ??

You need to cut the ties at the joints. Cut the chairs off and let the rail joiner slide over the tie. That you you can maintain perfect sleeper spacing and your not going back over it to fill in the gaps.

what size solder wire do you use

I have the hardest time fitting rail joiners, any tips?

Aloominum?

With such a wide radius l o n g 180 deg [+-] curve why not solder 4-5 3' flex sections together while straight, with sliding rails all on the inside of the curve, lay it onto the foam/cork, then only cut it once where track then continues on a tangent...Wouldn't this guarantee a smooooth curve and less futzing ?...

Nice work but I am not a fan of glueing track down as I sometimes change my mind on arrangement

I am no expert. But I used DAP Alex Plus transparent silicone caulk. It is just over $ 2 / tube. So far it has worked well for me for gluing Styrofoam to plywood, cork to Styrofoam and track to cork (all purpose)

It is better to offset the rail joints I do not cut the rail it’s better offset on curves To prevent derailments

what awful gaps between sleepers at the joints

Newbie here. When laying your turnout, have you thought about using the tip of the soldering iron to go through the roadbed so the hole will be precisley where it needs to be? Then use the drill bit to finish up.

You should stagger the joints that way to try to run better and less derailments

Always told keep moving rail on inside

Never solder track! Curves or straights! No need.

worst thing you can do is to solder joints

absolutely wrong way to cut track and track cutters are useless

He didn explain what side of the rail goes in or out, the bottom ties have spaces or slots to make up for the curve. The side with the cut outs will go out side. I also stagger my curves to avoid pinching.