Always Fixing Track?

[RobertInOntario]

I guess I've always seen track as part of the layout - never completely finished.

On my past HO layout, I used handlaid track. I started out by laying the initial oval, without any turnouts, to get a feel for hand laying track. Then I had to cut the benchwork from 4x8 to 4x6. Where I removed and relaid track, I had to sand the Homasote smooth before putting new track in. As I relaid sections, I added my 1st 2 turnouts, but didn't add a turnout throw of any kind. To throw the turnouts, I had to stop the train, flip the toggle which controlled the frog polarity, and then move the throwbar by hand. The plan was to come back later and add the memory wire switch machine.
Fred Wright

Thanks -- I really like what you say about track never being finished, like the layout. Good point and way of looking at things!

Also, I think I've had to add some risers to my layout, especially at the curves. I found I had to raise up the outside edge of my curves a tiny amount, otherwise certain locos (again, not all of them but just 1-2) would derail. I think that's the same thing you were referring to?

Rob