Great Chesterford Junction Part Two

Yes I`ve seen that method Andrew and it gives an excellent result.
Actually I think I`ve researched just about all the methods.....
Anyway I`ve chosen my pathway for this build and we`ll see how it goes.
Gormo

 

Thanks Chris,
Yes I`ve watched Rob Bennett a few times.
The track plates he uses, Code 83 No.8 turnout are $142.95 US. plus he has a number of point filing jigs which vary from 60 bucks up to near 80 each, plus the ready made sleeper templates( Quick Sticks ) etc. and ready made PCB ties.
So to get set up it`s a reasonable outlay, especially when converting to Aussie dollars, however if you`re building fifty points or more, it works out very cost effective.
Problem is if you want to use say a number 6 point as well as number 8`s you need to buy the number 6 template as well......so it can run up into a tidy sum.
Gormo

 

The turnout build can be found by clicking the link below

Building a OO Gauge Curved Turnout / Point Code 100 Rail

 

Thanks Jim,
In my case, it`s something different and a new skill to learn, on top of that there is no time pressure as the turnout will be dropped into place when it`s ready, and in the meantime the railway still runs as normal
Gormo

 

Well folks, for any of you who followed the build of this turnout below, you`ll be aware that I used an NMRA gauge as my main tool .......without some form of track gauge it would be very difficult to get a good result.



The NMRA gauge also has one part of it dedicated to checking the spacing of wheel flanges.
In the past I`ve used back to back gauges to set wheels and they are good, however the NMRA gauge for flanges is spot on.
You don`t have to deal with wheels that have gears attached to the back of them, as in tender drive locos or Lima diesels etc........the gears interfere with back to back gauges and make it difficult to get an accurate reading .
The NMRA gauge on the other hand is only concerned with the flanges and therefore every wheel / axle can be checked accurately and adjusted if necessary.
The turnout I have just built uses the much closer tolerances set by the NMRA gauge and as a consequence of those settings, the wing rails and check rails have much narrower gaps than you would have on the older track that I have used for GCJ.
The gaps on the old track let just about anything run through them so therefore good for older locos etc.
The gaps, even though an advantage in some ways, can be a disadvantage in other ways, such as allowing wheels to drop into the gap between the frog and point rails.
I intend to raise the bar a little on GCJ and replace some of the older points that cause wheel drop, however if I am to adopt these newer finer tolerances in my home made turnouts, I need to have the wheels on my rolling stock set accurately in gauge.
This has become very evident when testing my locos through the new turnout.
Most of my locos are older models, however some are more recent.
What I have found during my testing is that a pattern is emerging.
My Mainline locos and wagons are all perfectly in gauge.......haven`t checked the coaches yet but I`m guessing they will be the same.
My Lima locos are all turning up in gauge.
My Bachmann locos are all perfect.......as a matter of fact better than all the rest.
What about Hornby you say..???....well this is where I have a problem........every single Hornby loco I have regardless of age is not set correctly.
Once again a pattern is emerging, but within the pattern......the Hornby locos vary from axle to axle......on one of my 0 - 6 - 0 locos.....a Jinty....each axle was different.
Three of the oldest locos with the thick wheel arrangement and traction tyres are well under gauge.
What I find annoying is that the Lima and Mainline models are most likely older than my oldest Hornby model, yet they are set correctly in gauge.
I find it hard to believe that every Hornby loco that I own has had it`s wheels set incorrectly by a variety of previous owners.
I realize that Hornby probably set their wheels at a narrower gauge to cope with tight set track radii, however the other manufacturers seemed to find no need to do that..???
Anyway......I am resetting and adapting my Hornby locos and all will be good eventually.
Gormo

 

G`day Folks,
Major works have commenced and it`s time to do some turnout replacement.
The old turnout was removed without too much trouble. I used a knife to follow the line of the ends of the sleepers to cut through the underlay down to the baseboard.
The rail joins were cut through with a Dremel and a couple of track pins were removed.
Also had to cut the connecting wires.
After all that, the turnout lifted out fairly easily.



Then removed the remnants of the rail joiners left on the connecting rails.
Then overlaid the new turnout to roughly assess how much spare rail has to be removed.
I have also removed the timber sleeper on the far right, to allow a rail joiner to slide on fully.



Next I have to fit some jumper leads under the turnout rails to leapfrog the frog for continuous current .
Then add some dropper wires from the stock rails to connect up to adjoining tracks.
Then glue on new underlay under the turnout and then airbrush the whole thing in a basic colour as close as possible to Peco Brown plastic.
As the outside temperature is about to hit 43 degrees Celsius in about 2 1/2 hours, work will cease until more favorable conditions arrive.......supposedly tomorrow...
More as it happens
Gormo

 

Oh well......we can`t change the weather.
Gormo

 

G`day Folks,
Back out in the shed today with some cooler weather and rain on hand.........the complete opposite of yesterday and about 20 degrees cooler......
I had to improvise some underlay for the new turnout.
I do have carpet underlay very similar to the original carpet underlay that was used for the railway build, however very similar is actually too thick.....there`s not much in it but just enough to cause a problem in this situation.
As an alternative , I had this Pink foam / plastic / thingy stuff laying about which will give good support at the correct height.



All the feeder wires and jumper leads have been fitted and then a few holes were drilled to pass them all through the baseboard.
The rails have all been carefully cut to length and then some test fitting was done.
So all good to go ahead



Then masked up the point at the tie bar to protect the area where the point blades make contact with the stock rails, and went ahead and airbrushed the turnout.



Once the painting was complete, I wiped the top of the rails with a cloth soaked with thinners.
The masking tape was also removed and the point blades were checked for free movement.
Touch ups will be done with a brush once this coat of paint dries.



Then painted the underlay with Burnt Umber acrylic.
This will be covered with track and ballast but we do not want any Pink showing through.



Now we wait
Gormo

 

Yes we are nearly there Ron,......
The turnout is now installed.......I managed to snap a Balsa sleeper in the process, so that had to be replaced before the turnout went in.
Most of the rail joiners had to be reduced in length to give clearance to fit the turnout and just drop it in place. The rail joiners were then slid into place to connect the adjoining rails.



The jumper leads were connected for the rails either side of the frog to give a continuous flow of current. The dropper wires on the stock rails were connected to their adjoining tracks. and the frog wires were connected to a micro switch which is activated by the movement of the sliding mechanism under the baseboard which moves the tie bar.
So now it`s a matter of finishing off with painting the remaining sleepers and tie bar, followed by some weathering and colour blending.
Then ballast and more weathering and hopefully it will look like it has always been there.
This is an analogue set up and as a side benefit, if the turnout is set incorrectly when approaching from the heel end of the frog, the loco will stall at the frog thereby preventing a derailment.
Below is a video showing the turnout in operation and how it allows a loco to crawl through it without stalling.

 

The loco will stop dead at the frog because the frog will be the opposite polarity to the single rail that approaches it........in other words positive meets negative on the same rail.
I suppose technically is an induced short......it`s the same on all my other live frog turnouts......you can`t put a loco through them if they are set wrong.
Gormo

 

Don`t know yet Andy...????

 

G`day Folks,
The turnout is ballasted so it just needs weathering and blending now



I have had the engine shed off the layout whilst installing the turnout and I thought I would take this opportunity to install some buffers at the ends of the engine shed sidings.
The three near the tunnels were 3D printed by Chris M and I`ve had to excavate some scenery to drop them in.
The one near the brick wall is a Peco version which suited being set into the paving.



The buffers will be painted and weathered when I`m in the area dealing with the turnout.



I might just add in closing this discussion about the turnout, that it performs beautifully, and if I were to build another layout I would consider all scratch built turnouts.
Gormo