This guy is crazy !

Hello,
This is a new 00 gauge/H0 layout I'm planning to build after a few failed starts with too many layouts.
No particular era or area. The radius will be very tight (200mm).
Technical data:
-67cm x 46cm baseboard,
-Peco setrack points (one or two - don't know yet),
-Peco flexi track (one single track),
-Hornby 0-4-0 steam locos,
-Short wheelbase Hornby wagons.
This is my first try with the Peco flexitrack. I just want to see if I'm able to use it. I found a lot of ideas in the video bellow. Any advice, suggestions and criticism are welcome.


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Hi Chris,

That is certainly tight. You will need to cut the webbing at the back to get that radius. Using code 75 rather than code 100 flex track will help. It is a lot more flexible. Looking at the video the most obvious issue is joining the flex to the straight sections. Rail joiners do not like sharp transitions. Unless you feel like making your own curved ones. To do this properly you need at least 150mm of the flex to be straight before starting the curve. The half circle curve needs around 600mm, so around 900mm of flex. Just doable with one length of flex (36" , 915mm). 

One way to get flex to stay curved at such tight radii is to give it a coat of aerosol spray paint or matt varnish before starting. Even then you will need track pins.

Nigel

Wow that is tiny!! Good luck with it, I would have thought it would be pretty fiddly getting those curves right!

Not too much room for scenery there Chris……………..

I'm intrigued by your user name - where does it come from - there was a "Christian de la Maziere" in The Sorrow and the Pity or is it from Lamaziere-Basse ?

Petermac wrote

I'm intrigued by your user name - where does it come from - there was a "Christian de la Maziere" in The Sorrow and the Pity or is it from Lamaziere-Basse ?

I like this small village mostly for the very scenic road between Egleton and Lamaziere-Basse.

BCDR wrote:

Hi Chris,

That is certainly tight. You will need to cut the webbing at the back to get that radius. Using code 75 rather than code 100 flex track will help. It is a lot more flexible. Looking at the video the most obvious issue is joining the flex to the straight sections. Rail joiners do not like sharp transitions. Unless you feel like making your own curved ones. To do this properly you need at least 150mm of the flex to be straight before starting the curve. The half circle curve needs around 600mm, so around 900mm of flex. Just doable with one length of flex (36" , 915mm). 

One way to get flex to stay curved at such tight radii is to give it a coat of aerosol spray paint or matt varnish before starting. Even then you will need track pins.

Nigel

Very good advices. Thanks.