Thoughts on a new track product line

[rail and tie]

Dual guage would be very, very, very cool!!

[aquaper]

I will second / third / fourth the dual gauge option.  I have seriously thought about getting into On30 just to model the dual gauge Lakeside and Marblehead Railroad.  Even if you don't pursue dual gauge, I'd be interested in standard gauge C55 turnouts.
Paul

[seusscaboose]

Lakeside and Marblehead Railroad

wow!

L&M?

shout out to Northwest Ohio!

I spent my summers at Lakeside.

Wow!

ok.  sorry for the thread hijack

[aquaper]

Who doesn't love narrow gauge Shays? . I'm not sure how feasible steam Nn3 is, but I might go for it if the track was available.

[pnolan48]

David,

I think you are proposing very limited production here, and not taking on Atlas, Peco, ME, correct? Some seemed to have missed that.

I like the concept and execution very much, and would buy some for my proposed branch mining line.

[DKS]

I think you are proposing very limited production here, and not taking on Atlas, Peco, ME, correct? Some seemed to have missed that.

Yes, that is correct.

[davefoxx]

One suggestion to improve the esthetics of your tie strips would be to reduce the height of the webbing between the ties, so that there is some airspace under the rails.  To me, that's one advantage of the look of handlaid track over pre-fab track: if the ballast is not well-maintained or is sparce on the prototype, you can see daylight under the rail. The unprototypical webbing on commercial track can be a real eyesore, if not hidden.

Admittedly, this may make the tie strips too fragile, but, if feasible, this could be a feature unique to your line that is only available in 100% handlaid track.

DFF

[nkalanaga]

Mike:  Not knowing where the photo was taken I can't judge the builders, but a lot of narrow gauge lines were "funky" all the way through.  Modern turnouts use standard tie lengths so that the ties can be precut and treated.  Early railroads, of any gauge, used whatever they had handy, and in many cases, as few lengths as they could get away with.  The ties past the frog look like they've been replaced as needed as the old ones rotted out, also typical of broken down, and financially broke, narrow gauge lines in their final years.

[DKS]

One suggestion to improve the esthetics of your tie strips would be to reduce the height of the webbing between the ties, so that there is some airspace under the rails.  To me, that's one advantage of the look of handlaid track over pre-fab track: if the ballast is not well-maintained or is sparce on the prototype, you can see daylight under the rail. The unprototypical webbing on commercial track can be a real eyesore, if not hidden.

Admittedly, this may make the tie strips too fragile, but, if feasible, this could be a feature unique to your line that is only available in 100% handlaid track.

DFF

I totally agree with you about the aesthetics of handlaid track; however, the he webbing was deliberately left high so as to increase the surface area for adhesive and make the bond as reliable as possible, since there are no spikes or soldered joints.

Mike:  Not knowing where the photo was taken I can't judge the builders, but a lot of narrow gauge lines were "funky" all the way through.  Modern turnouts use standard tie lengths so that the ties can be precut and treated.  Early railroads, of any gauge, used whatever they had handy, and in many cases, as few lengths as they could get away with.  The ties past the frog look like they've been replaced as needed as the old ones rotted out, also typical of broken down, and financially broke, narrow gauge lines in their final years.

The image was taken at the New Jersey Museum of Transportation in Alaire, NJ. Admittedly not the best resource for "authentic" information, but the only one I could conveniently visit in person. And, given that I'm modeling a "quaint" backwoods railroad, it's in keeping with the look I sought.

[E44A]

Forget the narrow gauge stuff.

Do it for standard gauge and get it out now during the C55 famine. Then enjoy being the first person to get rich off of making model train stuff.

I thought the famine is just over?
My LHS has just restocked boxes of ME and Atlas c55 flexies. Snap tracks are always available.

[Chris333]

wow!

L&M?

shout out to Northwest Ohio!

I spent my summers at Lakeside.

Wow!

ok.  sorry for the thread hijack

Great, I just bought another book...

[VonRyan]

DKS,

Love to concept! It might even get me to do some Irish 3 footers!
If you marketed these, I know that at least I would spend my money.

-Cody F.

[sirenwerks]

Yes, that is correct.

If that's the case my interest just waned.  I love the product idea but won't deal with becoming addicted to one great product only to have to switch (no pun intended) to something else when I get opportunity to expand.  No schism intended David, track's just one of those things that, IMO, we need consistent supply of.

[bill pearce]

Not to push you into an institution, but this would be a fine product if you also had code 25-30 rail. Something that could be used with both tie strips for Z in general, and N tie strips for sidings and such.

[DKS]

If that's the case my interest just waned.  I love the product idea but won't deal with becoming addicted to one great product only to have to switch (no pun intended) to something else when I get opportunity to expand.  No schism intended David, track's just one of those things that, IMO, we need consistent supply of.

Maybe one of these days it might be available in a consistent supply. But I can't make a sprint from the starting line with a thousand units in stock; this has to build slowly, or I could wind up hurting, in more ways than one.

Not to push you into an institution, but this would be a fine product if you also had code 25-30 rail. Something that could be used with both tie strips for Z in general, and N tie strips for sidings and such.

This could get really expensive. I've already been pricing custom rail stock, and not only is it very difficult to obtain, but also very costly. I'd need to order an enormous amount to make it affordable, which leads to a conundrum.