Hellier Train Care

So I keep telling myself that I'm not going to be using settrack on my layout due to the issues it causes if anything with a short wheelbase is run over it (mainly shunters with 0-6-0 or 0-4-0 wheel arrangements) But as happens I see that I can add more track to part of the layout and this track, due to the geometry, has to be set track, so I set about making it live, but of course I refuse to use Hornby's DCC staples, so I set about making my own modifications.   The back of  a Peco settrack point, as out the box   Most of the webbing cut away along one section.   Small sections of wire soldered to join the required rails   View from top once installed on track.  Now although they may be slightly more intrusive at this point, they should more or less disappear when the track is ballasted.

Not quite sure how I will manage this, but my plan is to make it as modular as I can, mainly so if I ever get extra room for it I can just add extra boards in between the existing ones. So my first thought is to make areas of track simple to remove, now I've seen this done with scenery which is easy enough, but with track that includes a bundle of points is going to be tricky and at the moment I'm not sure how I'm going to overcome this purely because of the wiring needed and my concern is where is this heap of wiring going to go and how am I going to make it easy to connect up without going through dozens of wires and connecting them appropriately. I am sure there are ways of doing this without creating obtrusive wires and maybe my decision to use dcc for points as well could help. Now as you may be able to tell, the coloured bits of the plan need to be easily removed, although it requires a little testing, one thought is to scratch build a building, maybe a signal...

So of course, the first main thing to go when creating a model railway is to plan the track. And this is my plan for my track, now put away your plan books, you won't find it in there, because like most railways I've come up with this myself. Now I know what your thinking, little boring isn't it? A few loops and sidings? Well yes it may very well be but it will be enough to keep me busy for some time to come yet, what with all the track laying, wiring and everything else that ends up in it. Oh and for anyone thats wondering I used a piece of software called Anyrail , its a great bit of software, and worth paying for the full version (trial only allows 50 pieces which you will reach very quickly), though for some reason Norton doesn't like it from what I've heard. Anyway, there will be pictures in a few days time of the work in progress, so keep an eye out.