“I’m new to finescale modelling, what sort of trackwork is best?”

A simple and frequent question to which there is no simple answer. Much depends on the modeller and what they want to achieve. It’s probably a similar question you could ask a travel agent “where do you recommend for a holiday?”

Generally when making trackwork it will depend on timescale, cost, realism and to some extent skill-set and experience of the modeller.

It is assumed in this discussion, the modeller is aware of the basics of finescale modelling such as the difference between EM and P4 and the use of finescale rail sections such as Code75 Bullhead and Code 83 Flatbottom.

It is also assumed that the modeller is prepared to invest in a few simple gauges and tools which will be essential.

This note has been prepared by Doug Fairhurst from feedback and experience of modellers he has dealt with in the way of EMGS trade over the past thirty or so years. Much, however, will depend on personal choices of the modeller.

When viewing most 4mm scale layouts today the trackwork will have been constructed by one (or more) of the following methods:

Plastic based

Wood sleepering

Copperclad

Of course to some extent it is possible to mix these methods on a single layout, but please read on to ensure you understand what would be involved.

1. Plastic based

1.1 Flexible track lengths.

The speediest to lay is flexible track which comes in 1m lengths and one of the most popular is C&L Finescale Flexitrack. It is an ABS plastic based track and is available with nickel silver or steel rail section. There is debate about which is the ‘best’ material for the rail and devotees of either can put forward strong arguments such as: Steel ‘looks’ the most realistic; steel can rust, steel gives good adhesion, nickel silver can be soldered very easily, and so forth. These are just a few of the points of view expressed. In the past thirty or so years the EMGS has sold the vast majority of track/rail in nickel silver on a ratio of something like 250:1 nickel silver : steel.

Plastic based plain track is excellent value for money and it is stable but not really recommended in 4mm scale for outdoor use. Many of the award winning layouts featured in the model press use plastic plain track and where it has been ‘weathered’ it produces excellent realism. It is quick to lay.

For some modellers, however, there are disadvantages as currently only one standard sleeper length is produced (34mm) i.e. that of 8’6” prototype and only one chair type (3-bolt). However, this does provide for the majority of modellers wanting a bullhead section rail.

1.2 Plastic individual components.

There is a wide range of individual plastic components available from both C&L and the P4 Track Company.

Here individual sleepers (held in some form of jig or taped to a template or baseboard) are laid to an exact trackplan. Both 34mm (8’6” prototype) and 36mm (9’0” pre-Grouping prototype) sleepers are available. Plastic functional chairs are added using a solvent (Butanone), and gauges used to hold the correct track gauge whilst under construction. (The chairs need to be pre-threaded on to suitable rail lengths prior to fixing). This can be a very time consuming process for plain trackwork. However, there is great flexibility in the range of chairs available. 2-bolt for GWR, 3-bolt and 4-bolt.

Turnouts using this method are quite easy to construct but a set of gauges are essential during construction.

2. Wooden sleepers and timbers

This system is best described as the ‘ply & rivet’ method. Brass or copper rivets are inserted into the pre-punched sleepers and riveted into place. Sleepers are available in both 8’6” and 9’0” and here the rail is soldered to the rivet heads. This results in very strong trackwork. As the sleepers are wood, these can be stained to an appropriate colour. For further realism, the chairs used for plastic track construction can be cut and added, covering the visible part of the rivet head.

This method of construction for plain track is both time consuming and is the most expensive method of producing plain track. However, the advantage for this method is for bespoke pointwork where plain timbering (4mm wide ply) can be cut to prototype lengths and marked/drilled (1.2mm holes) to take the rivets.

3. Copperclad

Rail is soldered directly onto the copperclad material which is sold in strips 3.3mm wide for plain sleepering and 4mm wide intended for constructing pointwork. The strips need to be cut to the appropriate lengths of sleepering or timbering. There is, however, the time consuming process of ‘gapping’ the material to avoid short circuits. Copperclad does have an advantage for turnout construction in that no chairs need to be accommodated. Often, copperclad is used for hidden sidings, as this can be a cost effective method of construction as sleeper spacing need not be prototypical.

Conclusion

Although ready made pointwork for EM and P4 is available in the hobby, such units tend to be bespoke and costly.

Most modellers opt for some form of template on which to construct their pointwork and cut the individual lengths of “timbering” appropriately. Although this method is suitable for a small layout with few crossings etc., it is recommended that jigs are constructed (or purchased) prior to embarking on a larger venture.

The most challenging part of pointwork construction is creating the ‘V’ and its associated wing rails etc. This can be quite daunting for the first timer. However, practice makes perfect and jigs are available to assist in this process. These jigs are relatively expensive if only a small number of V’s etc are required for a small layout. Ready made V’s in the most popular angles are available from the EMGS.

More recently, it has been found that the soldered rivet method can be dispensed with whilst still retaining the wooden sleeper or timbering. Here the functional plastic chairs can be ‘glued’ directly to the timber using Butanone solvent.

In these notes I have only concentrated on trackwork constructed with bullhead rail. Despite the vast majority of current prototype railways using flat bottom rail, the period modelled indicates that bullhead is still the most modelled.

Flat bottom trackwork can be constructed along similar methods but currently there is no ready to run flexible plain track. Butanone is used to fix the functional plastic clips which can used with either plain plastic timbering on crossings or on simulated ‘concrete’ Dowmac sleepers. Spikes (i.e. simulating the clip fittings) could be used as an alternative. There still remains the option of copperclad soldered construction. A more recent manufacturer, Colin Craig, has introduced a range of parts to cater for flatbottom construction.

As you can see, there is much for the modeller to ‘digest’ and in the end it comes down to personal preference.

From an EMGS Trade perspective (of something over 35 years of selling track making products) the trend in recent years has certainly been towards plastic flexible track for the plain trackwork.

“I’m new to finescale modelling, I’m told that all rolling stock has to be compensated”

A frequent question often asked by modellers when first considering 4mm finescale modelling.

A simple answer would be - “No it doesn’t”

However, I say this with some qualification.

First, what is the purpose of compensation? Well, it’s simply to keep all the wheels on the track at all times and avoid derailments.

Prototype stock has some form of hornblock and spring which compensates for any irregularities in the permanent way and also the loading of the vehicles.

This implies that good running can be achieved by compensating the stock on a model layout which has badly laid track!! - And that clearly is not the case and not the intention.

To keep all the wheels on the track at the same time avoids (as in prototype practice) the possibility of poor running and derailment but in modelling there is an additional requirement for locomotives, that of keeping good electrical pickup from the track.

On a perfectly constructed level baseboard with trackwork laid with the same precision, it can be argued that no compensation is required at all. However, with the best will in the world this is not always achievable, particularly on a multi-baseboard portable layout. The board joints really do need to be kept in perfect alignment. To achieve that goal the use of alignment dowels is recommended. (These are commonly misnamed as ‘Baseboard Joiners’. They don’t actually join and hold the boards together. Some form of bolt or other fitting is also required).

Similarly baseboards are generally constructed from wood which inherently has the potential to warp or twist. Quite often this is not really noticeable but is sufficient to cause the track to have a few ‘dead’ spots etc. The ‘home’ layout with permanent baseboards in an evenly heated room is a totally different prospect for one constructed in an unheated garden shed or come to that one constructed in a loft. Similarly, exhibition layouts, however carefully handled, go through some extremes in transportation, setting up and dismantling and, of course, the exhibition environment itself.

Compensation with EM and P4: Clearly with the much finer wheel profile in P4, very special care has to be taken when constructing baseboards, trackwork and the vehicles. However, many modellers, whether they work in EM or P4, tend to use some form of compensation.

Rolling stock 4-wheeled vehicles: These are the majority of wagons you would see on a layout for say coal, minerals, cattle and the general merchandise box van. Compensation is easy to achieve. A pair of W irons can be substituted for the original mouldings of a kit or ready to run item. One of the pair, when attached to the underframe, becomes ‘fixed’ with no movement permitted. The other of the pair is attached by way of a clip arrangement which allows a slight ‘rocking’ movement. In this way, without the use of any additional springing, all four wheels of a vehicle will remain on the track. It is always recommended, however, to add a little weight to the vehicle. The actual rocking movement, and in some cases, limit of travel, can be incorporated differently from manufacturer to manufacturer. EMGS Manual sheets do provide and explanation of the major systems in use.

Rolling stock 6-wheel vehicles: This is a specialist area and the EMGS has produced a Manual Sheet on this topic. Remember, it’s more to do with minimum radius and the possible requirement to provide some lateral movement of the wheel set. (Either the centre axle or by some Cleminson system or similar).

Rolling stock - Bogie vehicles: Quite often no additional compensation is required as the pivots attaching the bogies to the body of the vehicle do permit a slight rocking motion. However, on some ready to run stock oscillation can occur. It is possible to prevent this by adding a piece of packing (or dampener) around the pivot area of one of the bogies.

Locomotives: To add some form of compensation is considered desirable. On many ready to run locomotives one of the driving axles is sprung thus eliminating any further need by the modeller to modify the incorporated compensation. On scratch and kit-built locomotives, the manufacturer will advise, by way of the construction instructions, the various options available. In general there are two main methods:

Individual sprung hornblocks

Here each axle is retained in a pair of hornblocks each having an individual spring and adjustment screw attached. The modeller can place their model on to a level piece of plain track and can then adjust each hornblock in turn. The EMGS sells these from the Alan Gibson range.

A ‘Flexichas’ (*) system

In this system the compensation is provided by a tension bar (e.g. a piece of sprung wire) acting upon the centre of the axle which has the pair of moving hornblocks running in a guideway. Sometimes one or more of the other axles are fixed with no (or very limited) travel and the hornblock just acts as a bearing. An 0-6-0 locomotive would probably have a slightly different arrangement to that of say an 0-8-0. The EMGS sells this system from the MJT range.

Summary

1/8” diameter axles for locomotives and 2mm diameter axles for other rolling stock (including locomotive tenders) have been the most common for many years and the EMGS has always catered for those sizes. However, with recent ranges of Bachmann and Hornby the locomotive driving axles are 3mm in diameter and axles for ‘multiple units can be either 2mm or 2.5mm in diameter. The EMGS ranges have been extended to cater for those diameters where required.

As you can see, there is much for the modeller to ‘digest’ and in the end it comes down to “good planning and execution”. A study of the EMGS Price list will show the wide range of items available for compensating various types of rolling stock.

There are some simple rules:

Never rush the building of baseboards. Ensure everything remains square and all joints are screwed and glued.

Always use quality materials, discard lengths of timber that are twisted.

Never plan trackwork such that a piece of pointwork spans a baseboard joint.

If track gradients are required, keep them as prototypical as possible and avoid nasty ‘humps’.

Check for free running of all stock.

Check clearances for curved track.

Avoid buffer locking scenarios.

Check the back to back measurement of all stock prior to installation.

Operate the railway at prototypical speeds.

From an EMGS Trade perspective (of something over 35 years of selling products to provide compensation in wagons and locos) the standard 2mm body bearing and simple etched brass W iron remains the most popular and low cost method of compensating wagons.

For locomotives, little extra has to be done with the more recent ready to run locomotives as simple, but effective, springing is already incorporated. Usually for scratchbuilders and those assembling kits, the basic simple hornblock parts are sufficient.

(*) The name ‘Flexichas’ has become a generic name for a specific form of chassis compensation and derives from model builder Mike Sharman and his system. The system is fully described in Mike’s book 'Flexichas - A Way to Build Fully Compensated Locomotive Chassis’. The design features a bespoke brass square bearing which is positively located by a hornguide.

Doug Fairhurst – May 2009