All turnouts are finished and now I only have regular track to lay, won't be long now, this is going fast now. Bob.

That is a fine looking rail line Robert … I'm looking forwards to some action shot's / videos of you trains.... Then you can get back to the Caddy ...

Looking great, won't be long!

Awesome, HIGHBALL soon!

Thanks guys, for all of your encouragement over the last few years, I appreciate it. OK, after 2 years and 8 months, I made one circuit with the E-8 and cars.  I have one glitch with a switch, other than that, it went good.  I will be posting a video when I get all of the ballast in and secure. Just one of the tracks is laid and I am working on the other, need more track. Bob.

Bob

I am very impressed! Keep up the great work.

Tom

 

Here is what the ballast will look like. Bob.

Stuff blows all over it seems. Does look nice though. Gets under the track also. I gave up on using it on the track on top of the blocks.  Glueing can be a problem due to expansion of the track/ties.

Well, tragedy has struck my track laying.  Today it was hot and  after laying track and ballasting it on a cool day, I discovered that the track has expanded so much that it lift some of the track out of the ballast, so back to the drawing board. Bob.

What if you cut some roofing shingles or cut up some roll roofing ...and lay the track on that, it will look better than concrete..

Here has what I have learned about using the slide-on track connectors.  I provided gaps when installing the connectors. On the hot day, when the track expanded, the gaps were still there.  The connectors are so tight, no expansion occurred at the joints. So, it doesn't make any difference if you have a gap or not, the expansion occurs throughout the whole track and not absorbed by the connector gap in the track.  You would think that the gaps would shrink and keep the track from popping out of the ballast, but that did not happen, the track expanded with the gaps still in place. Bob.

In the past I used (2) of those 6" tracks with the slider rails *half rails that slid in contraction or expansion.  Sorry, do not have a pic right now (might have been Aristo), and now that I am off the ground, track ties are screwed to the white plastic trim board.

grr, I would be interested in some of those if you have more info. Thanks, Bob.

I made a set for a friend, not sure I have a pix or not.

stretch track, I have seen here  

 

 

https://www.spur-g-blog.de/2019/10/gleis-ausdehnungsstueck-von-thiel-gleis/

Thank you very much, I am going to try it. Bob.

Dash 8 -- that is it and link provided gives the info.

  I have used the expander tracks on both the SS and Al track, work great. Don't forget if you are using sectional track to remove the screws holding the rail to the ties so the expansion can slide along the ties.  LiG

I ordered 4 of them, hope they do the job. Bob.

Screwy Nick, I am having trouble paying for the track expanders from the people in Germany, how did you pay for them? Bob.

OK, problem solved.  I used Paypal.  The supplier in Germany told me to use Veem for overseas money transfer.  As it turns out, after signing up with Veem and getting an approval from them, they canceled my account from Veem.  They said, after taking all of my information, that they don't service private parties, only businesses.  I wish they had told me that in the first place.  I have my order in and should get them soon.   BTW, don't use Veem.

I hope it was worth the hassle ?

Yes Sean, it was worth the hassle.  I can't think of any other way to handle the heat expansion of the tracks without using these track expansion sections, should work well.  I am waiting for some adapter connectors from SSVR, they had to make some more.  These expansion sections are code 332 and my tracks are code 250.  Bob.

Hi,

one more way...

https://www.massoth.de/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/GB_0417_Schienenverbinder_Code_250.pdf

 

https://www.modell-werkstatt.de/profil-adapter-code250/332