Diamond, part 1

All the tie strips for the code 55 rail are glued in place, and the complete trackage is now easily distinguished. As seen in this picture.

Sometime ago I decided to make two of the spurs cross, creating a diamond (which can also be seen in the picture). This to create some visual interest. And for the opportunity to build a diamond, which I have never done before.

When now installing the tie strips I was forced to consider the diamond as well. I started by drawing lines where the rails would eventually cross. I also marked the position of the ties.

After having studied some pictures of diamonds on the Internet I realized that the ties needed to be diagonal to both sets of rails. Otherwise they would not be able to support rails in both directions at the same time. I arrived at the pattern in picture below.

I had some H0 6" x 6" scale lumber at hand, so I used that to cut the ties for the diamond. In the end I squeezed in yet one tie on each side. This to get a tighter tie spacing. The spacing I had originally planned (as in the picture above) just did not look right.

Then I could proceed with the adjoining ordinary ties, like this.

Next I will start laying track, but I will save the diamond for last. But I have understood that I will need an auto reverser or a DPDT switch to handle the frog polarity of the diamond. Since I want the diamond to adapt automatically I have ordered a Digitrax AR1 to have handy once track laying reaches the diamond.