Laying more 3rd Rail

Sorry for the long span between posts.

Today I’m working on the (cosmetic only) third rail, and people ask me about this from time to time.

To start I cut off the field side of every 4th or 5th tie and add a 1/2″ extension.

Next I drill the hole for the 3rd rail chair (insulator) with this fixture that’s made from a gauge.

Slide all of the chairs onto the rail before you start inserting them

Press the chairs into the holes one by one. Get them started but don’t fully seat them until you’ve got the entire rail down.

I don’t bend the end-approach until I have everything in order with the chairs. Bending last gives you to opportunity to slide on a chair if there is a problem when you are inserting them.

Fully seat every chair now.

Slather CA onto the top of the rail, align the styrene strip with one hand and then apply the strip in one motion being careful to keep in aligned on the top of the rail.

Small rail spikes are a good stand in got protection board supports. They certainly pass “the 2 foot test”

This previous post has all of the dimensional information

/https://davebarraza.wordpress.com/2021/07/29/ho-scale-mock-3rd-rail/