track moves

[macmodels]

:(Got my loco, tender and riding car built, all a peice of cake, but now, laying the track is kicking my butt. The track in the curves keeps moving, from use and the sun. The straight track is fine, it stays nestled in the ballast. I used 1B stone for ballast. It is about 1/4" to 1/2" diameter stone. I tamped the stone and retamped the stone, and it still moves. HELP!!!!

[wirestrecher]

I had that problem with my 4 3/4 track. you must leave room for the rail to expand at the joints. We checked the expantion with the rail in the sun on a hot day, 105 deg. with the rail at 125 (measured) then put the rail in the pool and cool down to 65 and measured 1/8 expansion per 9'. I drill 1/8 holes with a jig for location and drill out to 7/32. leave a gap when the rail is installed on a cool day. Use nylok nuts and snug 'em down lightly, not to tight. the first layer of ballast is 1/4 by dust mixed with portland cement. 15 part dust to 1 part cement ( no agregate) . Then level your track and when you are happy water it down. Soak it like rain,realy soak it but dont move the dust with the water. I even had my sons put masking tape on the joints so no powder would get into the gaps in the rails when we ballasted. leave a liitle space to put down your decorative ballast. We used crushed granite :-). The problem with the rock is it will not compact. this method was after aftr trial and error. I have 400" of track in my back yard and the 4 3/4 gauge must be level or you'll just have a derail "o" thon. on a hot day all the rail gaps are closed and in the evening they open up. Cool! I'm 6' 3"" and 250 lbs and can run my Ridingrailkits F7 at run 8 on a hot or cold day with no derailments. all the extra effort and detail made all the difference.