Archive for March, 2009

On street trackage for model train layouts, sharp curves, embedded rail and turnouts, not to mention vehicular traffic, are all construction, maintenance and/or operational challenges. That’s why many lines decided to build track on a center median or side-of-the-road easement.

While electric interurban lines built many of these, mainline railroads built plenty too, or took over track from interurbans. Modeling them is as easy as building your street parallel and very close to the track. Ten scale feet between the road’s edge and the track centerline is typical. If your street is in a village or city, add a curb along the edge of your road surface using a scale 6 x 6″ styrene strip painted a concrete color. If the track is between two lanes of traffic, make sure to add appropriate grade crossings and signs where streets cross. Rural lines seldom have curbs. Instead they have a strip of tall grass or a small weedy drainage ditch—easily modeled using appropriate ground cover.

This tip provided courtesy of Walthers