Today marked a big milestone on the layout. I completed the tracks for the N&W’s Norton Yard, the last remaining track on the lower level. All that remains before rudimentary operating sessions can commence is a single turn on the helix to get to Miller Yard staging.

N&W's Norton Yard. Interstate main and scale track are in the foreground. The mirror is used to visually increase the size of the N&W's yard.

While most of track arrangements on the layout are switch for switch like the prototype, the N&W track arrangement in Norton is a little more “fudged” to allow more switching operation while still capturing the feel of the yard. The biggest challenge I had was cramming a decent sized yard into a small space. Part of the solution was to stub it into a mirror to effectively double the visual size of the yard. While it’s still not close to prototypical in length, the mirror gives the impression the yard is larger than the neighboring Interstate yard which is what I was going for. I also rearranged some of the industry tracks to allow them to be worked from the west end of the yard instead of the east (mirror end), and I brought a couple of industries westward a little. The result should be a fun switching job on the layout. I predict it will take the N&W crew at least an hour to work the yard, industries and interchanges.

Why I love handlaying track! Curved 24 degree crossover with no. 5 1/2 curved turnout coming directly off of it for a 4 rail scale track.

Because of the compact nature of the trackwork in Norton, handlaying saved me once again. I was able to stack switches tightly together and even have a curved crossover to extend the length of the back industrial track. Another fun project was modeling the double rails for the Interstate’s scale track. It takes a lot of time, but I love handlaying!

I model the coalfields; therefore, I need to model a lot of “crummy track.” By this, I mean a daily load of heavy hoppers in humid, rainy “hollers” meant it was tough (an economically unpalatable) to keep trackage in pristine order. It was much easier to impose severe speed restrictions on the crews, but even then, a broken rail or track out-of-gauge was not uncommon.

Handlaying track makes it easy to model crummy track. For the visual effect of crummy track to be effective, there needs to be something to contrast with–the mainline. For my mainlines, I use 1/8″ high ties, code 83 rail, keep all the ties closely spaced, align them 90 degrees to the track and nicely in line on either side of the track. For my secondary tracks, I use 3/32″ high ties, code 70 or 55 rail, space the ties out, align some of them cockeyed to the track and only loosely align them on the sides of the track. This gives the distinct impression of a mainline and sidings, and the difference in tie and rail height make the sidings lower than the main which is prototypical. Here are some photos to show the effect.

Difference between tie spacing and alignment between the mainline (middle) and the siding (bottom). Note how the siding ties are further spaced and somewhat misaligned

Another photo to show the height of the main (middle track) and the spacing and alignment differences of a well used secondary track (foreground) and a neglected siding (third track)

The second photo also illustrates the difference in color of the ties. For the main, I leave the stain (Minwax ebony) on longer to create an almost black tie. For the secondary track, I wipe the stain off quickly to leave more of a grayish color.

Telling a story. The ties and uneven rails indicate there was once more here.

Track can also be used to tell a story. For example, one of the tipples I model (Dorchester) had tipple tracks and coke tracks. In the era I model, the coke ovens had been long abandoned. To reinforce this using track, I modeled the track as if the rails had been cut back a bit by putting some old ties in place beyond the rails. I left the rails different lengths intentionally to look like they’d been just taken apart at the nearest rail joint (I also drilled a couple of holes through the ends of the rails to reinforce this). A pair of crisscrossed ties over the rails made a quick bumper. For the extra ties, I used a square file the same width as a rail and made a slight notch where the rails used to be and then poked some spike holes with a small spike and pliers. Viola! Extra scenery and interest for very little investment.

I knew from the beginning I wanted to handlay my track. The main reason was so I could lay whatever switch arrangements I wanted: curved, wyes, number 6.5s, curved crossovers, you name it. I was hesitant to jump in at first, but my friend Patrick Tillery, who’s handlaying his second layout, demonstrated how to lay a switch one night, and it wasn’t that tough. He follows the method Tony Koester laid out in MR a couple decades ago, and it works well.

My first handlaid switch

My first switch was for the Miller Yard staging yard. I found it was somewhat time consuming, but it was a simple process, and I really enjoyed it, especially when it actually worked!

Next, I tackled the more complex track arrangement at the west end of Andover staging. This involved a series of stacked turnouts and a crossover, but again, all went well. It’s a simple matter of doing the rails in the right order: stock rails, frog, points. When you’ve got a big ladder, it seems like all you do is stock rails and the occasional point, but before long, you’re finishing up with the points and running trains.

Laying switches at the west end of Andover staging

Completed switches along with prefab flex track (staging only)

I have now handlaid more than 40 turnouts, and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to prefab!