I found this review of the new Passenger Train set on Youtube, but included in the review are instructions to making your own tracks.

You will need Popsicle sticks, some plastic rods (I can't really tell what the guy calls them in the video due to his Aussie accent ), super glue, and grey spray paint (optional).

Here's the video (skip to 2:04)

some plastic rods (I can't really tell what the guy calls them in the video due to his Aussie accent )

"Plastic model I (eye) Beam"

Same kind of stuff they use in model railway dioramas. Probably more commonly known as "Plastruct" breams.

MMCB

I have to say, thank you for this transmission of ideas! While this isn't purist, it is cheap, and I like cheap. Now let's see if there is some of that plastic railing-stuff at Hobby-Lobby....

Edited January 17, 201114 yr by TheDesuComplex

The track looks better than I thought it would and seems to work OK.

This is what you get when you stock train sets but no train track. I've not seen one shop that stocks the train/station/level crossing, that also stocks the track. What is their malfunction?

BTW, Aussies do not call studs "blisters". Don't know where the guy in the video picked up that weird term.

:classic:

Edited January 17, 201114 yr by AussieJimbo

When I saw this wideo, I thought that I can do it also...

I use plastic bottom part from old scaner.

And I start to cut long stright pieces (rails), and short for slippers.

This is the begining... I will cut as much pieces as it's possible, than I start glue parts together. Wish me lack :-)

First I try to make tracks like 4519 Cross Track

Edited January 25, 201114 yr by wildzi

Look forward to checking out the finished product, widzi.

:classic:

for a crossing, its easier to cut up 2 straights. this is my version:

it works great.

That's a very nice clean job on the crossing Broomhandle.

I've been giving serious thought all week about cutting up track *gasp* to make better switches.

I recall once seeing a how-to somewhere on using flex rail for O-gauge that was used with 2x8 plates for sleepers.

I'll just modify lego track for my layout and I was thinking to get a very clean cut I would use a flush cut pull saw.

They are very thin and cut on the pull stroke so it's much easier to keep the cut straight.

Here is basically what I'll be using: Pull saw

I don't recommend using this saw with 9V... I am running PF track.

I'll report back on the results.

Bel

I recall once seeing a how-to somewhere on using flex rail for O-gauge that was used with 2x8 plates for sleepers.

Since I'm still firmly grounded in 9V land (only PF for newer stuff), I plan on making extensive use of the O-Gauge trick mostly for straight sections. As it is I'm slowly collecting 2x8 plates for when the time comes; we know we're moving, just not when, which is when I'll get some space.

The technique for using O-Gauge is on this blog: Ken's Flex Track for LEGO Trains.

I do not believe my "permanent" layout will be large enough to accommodate large radius curves anyway, and as it is I just have shortage of straights (like everyone else, it seems, both PF and 9V).

Also, using flex track for curves requires installing at a fixed radius and cutting the inside rail to fit, making it not particularly flexible (I should say "versatile") for future use, one of the benefits of LEGO (being able to easily reconfigure things).

Out of interest, has anyone ever considered going 'broad guage' (compared to regular 'L guage') by using G scale track, such as that produced by LGB, Piko, et al?

That would give access to much gentler and more realistic radii, as well as pointwork that can easily be motorised with far less chance of fouling the mechanism- even with the much longer loco and carriage length that such track would permit- not to mention wider and more prototypical width. And it would also enable the use of 4 axle bogies for diesel electrics or to facilitate the building of longer steam engines.

It should be easy enough to widen the axle length by 7mm since the most recent Lego trains use Technic axles (standard 9v motors wouldn't work without customisation I'd have thought because of the pickups).

And of course, most G scale track is designed for live electric track in harsh outdoor conditions- so might possibly be an interesting way of preserving a form of 9v live track lego- especially if there was a way of taking power from the track using modified pickups or wheels to feed a PF motor.

Edit- I'm wondering if the commentator in the YouTube is actually from New Zealand rather than Oz, as he keeps referring to 'Ligo' rather than Lego (although his pronounciation is uneven). New Zealanders have a similar accent to Australians but they tend to pronounce the letter 'E' as 'I'.

From experience, most New Zealanders are most offended if they are mistaken for Australians...

Edited February 12, 201114 yr by Legoless

for a crossing, its easier to cut up 2 straights. this is my version:

it works great.

That looks great and very clean. Do you have an in-between picture or one without the tiles?

Edited February 12, 201114 yr by thomasmn