This method works great if you model narrow gauge industrial. It's cheap, quick, simple and (arguably) quite acceptable for backwoods operations. No measuring, no drilling, no fancy tools. Maybe not as durable as snap track in the very long term, but durable enough.

Needed:

1. Two rails bent to shape - roughly by hand is good enough for me - they barely need to match
2. One plastic tie (aka sleeper) - Micro Engineering works best; Aristo second; LGB is a bit sloppy.
3. Sleepers - Size doesn't matter, but mine are about .625" square and 4" long cedar, ripped from fence boards. The ones shown were in the ground for a few years and are here being recycled.
4. Pliers - Just about any will do.
5. Chisel-like device (screwdriver, wood chisel, etc.) with a fat end that doesn't hurt your palm
6. Hotwheel track - I'm just kidding about the Hotwheel track.

Here's a close-up of my much-used pliers. Note the simple notch I have cut into the tip with a hack saw, to roughly accommodate a tack head. Not necessary, but it helps.

Tacks - Call around to some hardware stores

Step 1 - Slide the plastic sleeper onto one end of the rails, making sure the rail ends are square.

Step 2 - Snug the first wooden sleeper up behind it (not in front of it), using the plastic tie square the wooden one, centering it by eye.

Step 3 - Using the pliers, push in part way four tacks tight against the bottom edge of the rail so that if pushed in all the way the tack head would secure the rail. But just push them in part way for now. Notice that pre-drilling is not necessary. Did you ever see photos of old track gangs pre-drilling spike holes? I think not.

Step 4 - Using your pushing tool, slowly press the tacks in the rest of the way. If you want an authentic experience, gently pound them in with a small hammer.

Step 5 - Advance the plastic sleeper down the track (just slide it along) and slip in a second wooden sleeper from underneath.

Repeat Step 3 and 4. Since the first tie is secured snuggly to the rails, you can save Step 4 (the pushing step) for the very last if you like.

Step 6 -  Keep going until the plastic sleeper falls off the far end.

Step 7 - Admire your work.

Now comes the time to lay the track you've just made.

Note:
I don't use battens -- I find the track to be sturdy enough on its own.
The trench underneath is just a few inches deep.
The track goes in before any ballast (that step's not shown here).

The base ballast of large gravel is dumped on top and allowed to work its way down between the sleepers, aided by finger poking.

The surface ballast of crusher fines (aka limestone screening) is then dumped on top...

...and smoothed with a large brush intended for applying wallpaper paste. One rain and the surface ballast settles in nicely.

The final step is to apply more topsoil beside the track, up to the ballast edge, however it snowed before I could do this. The stack of old ties you see are the real old ties, replaced during this job, left piled right where real trackworkers might. Nice touch, eh?

Ta da. Here's this track section at the end of its first summer...

By the way. You might say trackwork is in my blood. The photo below is from my grandfather's collection, from his days on the Algoma Central. That's him on the far right. For more photos like the one below click here to visit part of Ted Ellis' Unofficial Algoma Central Railway Site.

Cheers...Pete