Fig. 272.–Details of a Wooden Tie.
The wooden ties are three and one-half inches long, three-quarters of an inch wide and three-eighths of an inch thick. Each tie has two saw-cuts, exactly two inches apart across the top face. This part of the work is best performed in a miter-box so that the cuts will be perfectly square across the ties. A saw should be used which will make a cut of such a size that the steel track will fit tightly into it.
The distance between the two rails of the track, or the "gauge," as it is called, is two inches.
Fig. 273.–Arrangement of Track.
The track is assembled as in Figure 273. The spring steel is forced into the saw-cuts in the ties by tapping with a light wooden mallet. The ties should be spaced along the track about three inches apart. The work of laying the track must be very carefully done so that the car wheels will not bind at any spot. Curves should not be too sharp, or the car will not pass around.
The track may be laid out in a number of different shapes, some of which are shown in Figure 274.
Fig. 274.—Three Different Patterns for laying out the Track.