Talking about track

My first N-gauge efforts, (at age 8, and then age 29 or so) both used that old Code 80 track. The stuff with the black ties and the barlike rails. Times have changed, of course. There's more realistic stuff available.

I knew from the start that I would use this more realistic stuff. All that remained to be decided was what combination of sizes to use. I finally opted for Code 55 on both the main line and the branch, and for this reason:

Switches.

Something else I knew from the start was that I was going to build my own switches, no matter how hard it was and how long it took. That's the point of a hobby, right? The goal is in the process, and the joy is in the work? Well this looked liked a whole lotta joy.

Some experiences building HO switches (back when I thought I was sticking with that scale) convinced me that I could get excellent results, but that it was a heck of a lot of work, and quite tough on the back and the eyes. When I switched to N gauge, these concerns doubled.

In my searches for information on switch-building, I came across Fast Tracks, a Canadian company that builds aluminum jigs in all scales for all manner of track features. They also sell the materials needed, such as rails, wooden ties and circuit board ties.

After doing the math of buying dozens of Atlas switches, versus making all my own from scratch, versus dropping a big old check for a Canadian jig, the jig won hands down. I now have one in a box on top of a cabinet, awaiting use, and really look forward to it. With it came a bag of circuit board ties, and you solder just enough of these to the rails, all held in place in the jig, to create a switch that holds its shape. Then you add cosmetic, wooden ties once you've installed it on the layout. It also came with a point-grinding tool for very sharp, precise points.

It was expensive, no joke. But I can make unlimited switches with it. And they promise to be better than the factory-made ones.

Which brings me back to my choice of Code 55 for everything. I only wanted to buy one of these hunks of milled aluminum. They differ according to track code and of course turnout number, so I decided that #7 switches in Code 55, layout-wide, would be my choice. #7 seems pretty big to some people, probably, but one of my initial goals here has been realism, and real-life rail switches are pretty darn long.

The way I will distinguish the main line from the branch is by paint. The main line will be more blackish and greasy-looking, while the branch will be browner and rustier to reflect its lighter, lower-speed use.

Other track details: The flex track is by Atlas, except for the bridges, which will be Micro-Engineering bridge track with the more closely spaced ties. I still need to pick up one more piece of this stuff. The roadbed will be standard cork, which I have used in the past and liked. I plan to stick the roadbed down with white glue and the track with water-based Liquid Nails.

Stick with me here and you'll see how that goes.