Crystal River Products Track Templates

By Chris Lane

If you've read my book EZ Model Railroads or some of my postings on various Yahoo groups over the years, you might come to the conclusion that I hate flex track. In truth, I use flex track and generally like it, but for me it falls into three categories: 1) The ties are molded on too darn tight; 2) The ties are molded on too darn loose; 3) There are no other categories! The result can be track that either is not the correct radius intended because the flex track kept on flexin' while you were trying to lay it, or you have kinked track or curves that are not smooth because the tight ties caused the track to flex unevenly. Both of these problems are especially common at the joints. I have found a tool that could really help minimize those issues and it is a line of laser-cut, acrylic plastic track templates from Crystal River Products.

Track templates are nothing new. I have a set of curve templates from Arbour Models that must be 30 years old. But these new laser-cut templates have several features that make them quite handy for both flex track and hand-laid track. First, they come in two varieties: flex track and hand-laid track. It is important to get the same type as the track you are laying, as the two styles are not the same. The flex track templates are slightly narrow so it can slip between the railheads of the flex track. The hand-laid curve templates are slightly wider so locomotives won't bind up on curves. This is the same principle behind the three-point track gauge long used by modelers. Once you decide which style you need, there is quite a selection of scales, radiuses and straights. In HOn3, you have radiuses of 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28, and two tangent sections of 11.5" and 5.5". Both styles have locking sections at the ends allowing you to create long curve sections, or transition from tangent to curve. In theory, you could connect a minimum radius template to one of larger radius to create an easement.

All the templates have a hole at each end so you can anchor it with a push pin. Fixed to roadbed, you can then use a mechanical pencil to mark the track centerline using the slots on the template. After the centerline is marked, you can move the template, placing one edge on the centerline and tracing the outer edge, then moving on the other side of the centerline and repeating. This gives you a guide for lining up your ties for hand-laid track. You could also use the hole to pin the template to a tie and hold it in position while you hand-lay. All the templates are laser-etched with the track gauge and radius.

The methods for using the templates with flex track depend one which sort of flex track it is. For the loose kind, I glue the ties to the roadbed with acrylic medium so I use the end holes and push pins to hold the track in place and to radius until the glue dries. As some brands of flex track have holes for track nails built in, you may be able to push in the track nails through the centerline slots.

For the tight-tie kind of flex track, I just lay the end of the template in between the rails where the curve starts, and gently start flexing the track in the direction of the curve until the template drops in place. You can then remove the template, and attach to the roadbed per your usual method, as the track is not going to change radius.

Of course one of Murphy's rules is there will be no less than one joint in the middle of your curves and there is likely to be several. It is all too easy to end up with a kink or sub-minimum radius at those joints. Early on you learn that the best way to handle those is to solder two sections of flex track together while they are straight and then curve it to the radius you need. I usually find my planning is not that good and realize that I am going to have a joint after I've already fastened one end of the flex track. With these templates, it is much easier to make sure you hold that joint in the correct position while you add track joiners and the next section. I have even soldered the joint using the template to hold position a few times. Now I did pre-tin the rails, I have a fine-tip iron that throws a lot of heat and I am quite handy with a soldering iron, so this probably falls into the "Don't try this at home, kids" category but it can be done. If you melt your template, don't come crying to me. I'm just saying…I have even taken to using a straight template to make sure that the tangent joints are as straight as they should be.

The templates are equally handy for hand-laid track. The manufacturer has provided handy cutouts on the outside of the template for the purpose of driving in the spikes. As designed, the template rests on the web of the rail and you gauge the rails by until the railhead is against the template. In actual practice I found it was far too easy to drop the template down against web, so I don't see this tool replacing my roller and three-point gauges anytime soon. However, it has become an indispensable compliment to those tools for positioning the inside rail. If you've ever hand-laid track, you know that if you get the inside rail in the correct position on the curves, coming back with the three-point gauge makes laying track a snap. The Crystal River templates are fantastic for this purpose because the centerline shows you where to lock in the template to the middle of the ties, and you can smoothly spike the inner rail against the template. You then lay the outer rail into position using your regular gauges as per normal.

For either flex or hand-laid track, these templates will help you make your track as smooth and kink-free as possible. When I first got them, I thought they were nice but a bit of a luxury. The more I use them however, the more I am starting to consider them an essential part of my track-laying toolbox.

They are priced at $8 per template or $35 for any 5 templates. Shipping is extra.