Rail lb./yd.	Actual size inches	Scale 1/20.3	Scale 1/22.5	Scale 1/24	Scale 1/32
40	3.500	0.172	0.156	0.146	0.109
45	3.688	0.181	0.164	0.154	0.115
50	3.875	0.191	0.172	0.161	0.121
55	4.063	0.200	0.181	0.169	0.127
60	4.250	0.209	0.189	0.177	0.133
70	4.625	0.228	0.206	0.193	0.145
80	5.000	0.246	0.222	0.208	0.156
90	5.375	0.265	0.239	0.224	0.168
100	5.750	0.283	0.256	0.240	0.180
110	6.250	0.308	0.278	0.260	0.195
120	6.500	0.320	0.289	0.271	0.203
140	7.000	0.344	0.311	0.292	0.219

How do you do it?

Hand laid code 250 nickel silver rail is beautiful. I have about 12' over a bridge.  It is not to hard to do once you get the rhythm going. I used a little fixture I made to keep the spacing correct. You run the spikes in with needle nose pliers. Then push them in the rest of the way with the end of the pliers. I used a piece of plastic ties to keep the rail the correct gauge and slid it down as I added ties. I was able to do about a foot an hour. Your local Hobby Shop can help you get started. Trains West helped me.

www.trainswest.com

Tie Plates?

I did not use tie plates. They are the little metal pieces that go between the rail and the tie. They were rarely used by narrow gauge railroads and seldom by standard gaugers until after the 1880s. They help hold every thing together and keep it aligned. It depends on your time period and gauge if to use them or not.

Will 250 and 332 coexist?

When my ties are buried under ballast I use standard code 332 rail and plastic ties. There is a variety on clips to let you join code 250 to code 332 rail. I do not think I will add more hand laid track but I’m glad I did where I did. I may add more code 250 rail with plastic ties because I like the look. Remember my time period is 1900 narrow gauge.

The section of track below has the ties glued to redwood strips underneath with "Gorilla Glue". This keeps the ties from shifting and sinking, you can glue the ties down and then spike the rails, this would probably be easiest.

There will be Maintenance

In these photos below you can see the spikes coming out. I was told they would rust in and not come out. I don’t think I’ll clean the black off to promote rusting. I know I will not try to glue them in. Just like the big guys still do today, I’ll go back and drive them in when they need it.

After about 2 hours of spike resetting things look much better in the photo below.