Fast Tracks

Greetings all,

I have not yet introduced myself. My name is Christopher and I have been involved with Model RR for many years but off and on. As a boy, my dad had a large layout that never could be fully finished as he is a career Army Officer, so we moved a lot. He built it to come apart but not like todays moduals. Fast forward to college, I now am married, have my own house, and I have built two layouts. The first was an HO table top style which I built as a learning tool and knew I would take it apart. The second was a double level N scale which turned out to be more than I could handle at this time. So, I am now on my third layout. This one is back to HO and it is a fictious branch line off the PRR Main; late 40's early 50's. It is currently built with Atlas code 83 flex track and turnouts.

I have built two FT type turnouts following an alternate set of directions on Joe Fugits forum. They were both build on a piece of scrap material and were never made to go on the layout. I now am setting up to build two more test turnouts using the twist ties turnouts and cross ties. These too will not go on the layout but they will get wired so I can make sure they work and do not short out. These two samples are also being built on the same materials as the layout; Plywood with homosote and cork roadbed. If these come out good I will then start the long process of ripping up the Atlas track and laying new track.

I am not super good at taking pictures as I work but I will try to get a few photos to show how the turnouts are coming out. I would also like any and all comments, suggestions, and hints as I progress.

Christopher

Greetings,
Friday afternoon I finished laying the ties on both the straight and curved turnout samples. I then used the Floquil paint pins to paint the ties with Tie Brown. Once the paint dried I ballasted both. This was the fastest and easiest ballasting I have ever done. The ballast was poured down the center of the ties and then I just smoothed it out with my finger. The grains all went into the space between the ties with no trouble and the shoulder was formed as the ballast fell into the glue that was put in place before the spreading. After this it was time for the wet water and then glue.

There were a few stones on the surface of the ties this morning when I started working on the turnouts. I removed the stones from both samples and the focused on the straight turnout. I used Atlas flex track on the layout and if I will be ripping it up to hand lay all of this I figured I would use the code 83 rail instead of wasting it. There was extra cutoffs so I decided to use that for these samples. I was surprised then I went to place my filed frog rails into the soldering fixture that they would not fit! When I examined the rail and compared it to the Micro Engineering track I discovered that the base of the rail is wider on the Atlas and the head of the rail is also bigger. I figured code 83 was code 83 and would be the same size. I still have ME rail from my very first FT order so I used that to make this sample.

The straight stock rail went in with no problem as did the curved rail. I did have to spend some time getting the extension of straight track I added to the end in gauge before I went on. The frog point also took so time to place but I was able to run a set of trucks over it before I fully spiked it down. The two switch rails did not come out as well as they should have. They both fit against the stock rails very tight thanks to the new Stock Aid. The test car travel the straight track just fine but on the diverging track something went out of gauge because I get a click at the frog and I will get a derailment off the outside of the stock rail after a few passes.

I will have to do better on the curved turnout sample.

I took some video of the testing but no pictures of the build. I will post links when I get the video uploaded.

Christopher

Greetings,

I have the videos posted. The quality is not great as I am tring to work the camera and move the test car.

The first and second should be straight forward. The 3rd - 5th videos are showing how the truck is clicking and falling off the track.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-j3Qx7WSb0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XriL2T0my9o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rPbzPeTvr8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtneDV7KD-E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHgQi9RgR14

Christopher

Christopher,

As you already found out - code 83 only represents the height. All the code 83 rails form differing manufacturers have differing profiles with differing rail head widths, bases, and webs. (Some even differ in the height by some modest amounts). ME code 83 is the 'smallest' (and best representation), and Atlas is far larger in profile than any of the others. You can select fixtures from FastTracks for specific rail profiles.

One area of concern is the rather large rail gaps at both ends of the frog. Looks like you used a Dremel with a wide cutting disk. You need to get thinner disks or be sure and cut those gaps with the recommended jewelers saw for smaller gaps.

The Frog and Guard Rails are critical. Proper rail in the proper fixture should align correctly when constructing - but there is some play room in aligning the frog point rails in teh fixture and thus the geometry alignment gets somewhat off. Having a really sharp point on the frog point rails is important. Check construction with the NMRA gauge as you build and after soldering. Sometimes you will need to reheat and shift rails to get the critical areas dead on correct. Wing rails need to be closely set in the fixture for the minimum allowed flangeway area - and the bend at the frog throat (wing and closure rails) needs to be nice and sharp (having relieved the base carefully). Dress off with a file all bends and filed points areas.

-ed-

_________________
-ed mccamey-
COSLAR RR - http://www.coslar.us/
NMRA Standards and Conformance Department
PROTO & FINE Scale Coordinator
I estimate I have about 5 pounds of coupler springs somewhere in the vicinity of my workbench.

Ed,



I looked over the site and everything is spec. out for the ME rail. Just different code heights.



Yes, I did use a dremel with a cutt of wheel. I though I still had thinner disks but I do not. I will have to get more. As I am laying the track directly on the wood ties and spiking it in place I am not sure how I would get the saw blade in the frog area with out cutting the stock rails.



Good points but remember that I am not using the FT fixture for these, I am using the twist ties. The frog point was made and then loosly spiked in place. Then I pushed/ pulled the frog point into place checking as I went to make sure both sides had the proper clearence. I think that after I had it in the right place it got shiffted a tiny bit and thus through things off.

[/quote]Wing rails need to be closely set in the fixture for the minimum allowed flangeway area - and the bend at the frog throat (wing and closure rails) needs to be nice and sharp (having relieved the base carefully). Dress off with a file all bends and filed points areas.

-ed-[/quote]

Agreed! The wing rails on this example are not as clsoe as they should be. Plus, I see now I did not get a good bevel on the end of one of the wing rails.

Thank you Ed. Please keep me on my toes.

Christopher

Greetings all,

The curved turnout is not finished yet. We went to a family get together so I did not finish.

The two stock rails are in place. I made the track coming to the points longer to allow a bit more room for the test care to sit. The frog is in place and I could run the test car over the frog area with not clicks. I have a video I will post later today.

I did get the point rails rough cut and filed.

This sample turnout should be finished tonight.

Christopher

Christopher,

I understand now that you are not using the fixture. As noted, critical in the frog area is the flangeway spacing and the bend crook with the closure and wing rail. Keep the frog tightly in geometry alignment. I generally build the straight route first and set the frog. I add the curved closure - wing combination, then add the curved stock rail and set the gauging at that point.

Finally, I'll set the guard rails - here using solely the NMRA gauge to get the track check gauge correct.

The point switch rails can be assisted in alignment if you also do a very - repeat VERY - modest bend on the curved stock rail right at the points position. Sometimes we call this a 'Z' bend or 'joggle'. Works very well when handlaying on the ties, and is also the way most prototypes set the diverging stock rail on turnouts.

When doing the curved turnout, work the outside broadest curve first - then fit the inner diverging curve. It will come together a lot easier.

-ed-

_________________
-ed mccamey-
COSLAR RR - http://www.coslar.us/
NMRA Standards and Conformance Department
PROTO & FINE Scale Coordinator
I estimate I have about 5 pounds of coupler springs somewhere in the vicinity of my workbench.

Greetings,

The straight route point rail is in place. Here are two videos of the first testing. Please ignore the sounds of the dryer in the background.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AGVSYNDCIo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAGLysKbeHc

So far so good.



Ed, I know "Z" bends from RC Helicopters but I am not clear how it is being applied here. Can you show mw a picture?

Christopher

Christopher,

Not a linkage Z bend - but an offset bend.

_________________
-ed mccamey-
COSLAR RR - http://www.coslar.us/
NMRA Standards and Conformance Department
PROTO & FINE Scale Coordinator
I estimate I have about 5 pounds of coupler springs somewhere in the vicinity of my workbench.

Greetings,

Ed, I will have to try that bend. Thanks for the picture.

Here are the last two vids of the curved turnout. This one came out really well I think. The test car travels the point very smoothly and there does not seem to be any skipping or jumping on the frog.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGNpMEnzYeM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqCV4gGKoj8

I still have to cut the gaps for the frog before I can apply power but I need a thinner cut off wheel first.

Christopher