Although ready to lay track is available commercially many modellers prefer to build their own using material available from the model trade. Track construction methods fall into three main categories; pinned, soldered or glued.

Pinned track consists of separate chairs, usually whitemetal, which slide onto bullhead rail and are secured to wooden sleepers with track pins. A flat bottomed version using spikes is also available. This system is popular where heavy section rail (Code 200)is used but is less frequently used in the smaller rail sizes.

Soldered track comes in two versions. The simpler uses copperclad printed circuit board (PCB) cut to sleeper size with the rail soldered directly to the copper. For two rail power supply the copper has an insulation gap cut between the two rails. It is extremely quick to manufacture track using this system but the finished appearance, particularly of bullhead track, is not as realistic as with some of the other systems.

The more elaborate soldered track system consists of wooden sleepering with brass rivets inserted at the rail positions. Bullhead rail is soldered to the rivets and the joint disguised with plastic cosmetic chairs glued in position. Manufacturing track with this system is relatively slow but, with care, the finished work is very realistic. Glued track is a distant relation to pinned track in that separate plastic chairs slide onto bullhead rail and are glued to plastic sleepers with one of the plastic-welding solvents. The finish appearance is very realistic.

Note 1: Some plastics have suffered from embrittlement due to the action of sunlight and are not suitable for long term use in the garden. Check before purchase.

Note 2: Where live steam locomotives are to be run, especially if of the externally fired type, plastic sleepered track should be avoided if possible.

The type of track making jig illustrated in Figure 1 first appeared in the model press in the late 20s and early 30s. The design has changed little over the years, the main variation being the introduction of double sided tape to hold the sleepers in position over a track drawing instead of using fixed spacers. There is little to choose between the methods, the former allows greater flexibility in positioning sleepers but the latter allows the finished track to be removed easily without damage.


Figure 1. Basic track making jig.

Figure 2 shows how the rail locator holds the rail in position while it is being fixed. If used with pinned slide-on chairs, the end of the angle (shown dotted) can be cut away to allow access for a pin punch. Distance X = Y + Z where Y is the distance from the inside face of the rail to the end of the sleeper, and Z is the width of the hockey stick moulding.


Figure 2. The track locator in use.

Figure 3 shows the track making jig in use for soldered construction. By lightly pressing the end of the rail locator against the hockey stick moulding, the rail is held at a set distance from the end of the sleeper. When a second rail is fitted in the jig using a four legged track gauge (Fig. 4), the finished track is dead straight. For curved track, remove the single rail and sleepers from the jig and place in position on the baseboard. Fix the second rail using a three legged track gauge (Fig. 5).


Figure 3. The track making jig in use.


Figure 4. A four legged track gauge of the type preferred for straight track.


Figure 5. A three legged truck gauge which provides automatic gauge widening on curve if this is desired.

This article was written for the Gauge O Guild manual by Ken Sheale and Richard Chown. It was adapted for the GOGWiki by Nick Baines.