Hand Laying O Scale Track - Lessons I have Learned

Putting 4 spikes per tie and using tie plates requires a great deal of patience.  However one can improve the experience by following some simple rules and procedures.  Here are lessons I have learned in the process of Hand Laying.

1. Keep your feet and legs comfortable by using a fatigue mat.
2. Put some music on.
3. Lay a rail out on your ties using T pins to hold it roughly in place.
4. Insert a tie plate under the rail about every 8 or 9 ties for up to the length of the rail or tow you reach the location of a switch.
5. Insert two spikes in each tie plate but DO NOT drive the spikes home.  Leave them loose.
6. Insert tie plates between the 1st and 2nd and 2nd and 3rd tie that was inserted in 4 above.
7. Spike the first set of 7 or 8 tie plates driving the spikes home.  
8. Then drive the 1st spikes home and the 2nd two spikes home.
9. Then insert another 7 or 8 between the next set of ties.
10. Then go back to #6 and repeat.

What this effectively does is make is easy to insert tie plates between set as the "boundary" spikes were not driven home and the rail is still a bit loose.

Then repeat this for the second rail using 3 way track gauges to control the spacing on the second rail.  Always double check the gauge by using the standard NMRA gauge.

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