Fast Tracks

I'm no where near ready to try my hand at slip switches, but I'm laying out a series of modules in N scale and I thought I might take the take the plunge and built my own switches. The center of attraction is a largish (for a model railroad - right now 6 stub and 4 through tracks) passenger station and the supporting yards and head-end equipment facilities so there are plenty of nice, simple #6's and crossings. I figure I'll have perhaps 30 or so switches under my belt (plus rejects - I'm nothing if not a realist ) before I got to tackle the really tough stuff. Right now it looks like a total of perhaps half a dozen single and double slip switches and I was wondering if the double slip jigs serve for single slip jigs as well. From the template, it looks as if they can, at any rate.

(I tried to find the answer before asking and looked back through perhaps two years of previous posts, as well as the specs and missed the answer if it was there.)

Thanks.

Mike

Hello Mike,

Yes, you can build a single slip switch by omitting the necessary frogs and point blades, etc., for one side. You may find the document Building A Double Slip Switch With A Fast Tracks Assembly Fixture quite helpful. It can be found in our Document Library here:

https://www.handlaidtrack.com/printable ... -a/163.htm

_________________
- Terry -
Customer Service - Fast Tracks HobbyWorks Inc.
service@fast-tracks.net

http://www.nscale.net/forums/showthread ... Slipswitch

"Aussie" has been there, done that, got the T-shirt and has been nice enough to write about it.

Read "Aussie's" information first before you start with building slips. Most of the (FT) manuals are based on the hO-scale fixtures. Things seems to be a bit different in N. I have a couple of idea's I would like to try as well, but I'm not sure wheter or not they will work. As soon as I found out I will let you know.

_________________
Paul Bender

Everybody can shovel, firing is an art

📷 Image no longer available Originally hosted at i279.photobucket.com — the host went away before this archive was made.

Firing this train was more fun then hard labor © R. de Water

Terry,

Thanks. Actually, it was from some of the photos in the doc that I decided that the appropriate slots probably *were* there to build the single slip. In fact, the doc made it look, if not easy, at least doable -- until I saw the reference to Aussie's post in Nscale. net. I'm starting to feel dubious....

Paul,

Mille gracias. Aussie's posts were a life-saver. Of course, I'm not sure if they saved my life by making the N scale slips possible or a life saver because because they scared me off build-my-own slips entirely - but either way, they were a life saver....

Mike,

I'm working on a way to cheat us through a way of making the slips "in another way". This will be largely based on the experience of "Aussie" but from a slightly different angel of attack. I hope to find the time to test this line of thinking. I have done a bit of prefabrication today (and documented it) but I need to make a finished product and see whether it will give a workable solution.

It looks like I have found an easier way of prefabricating the pointblades. Next step is the make halffabricates of the toads and the final bit is figuring out a way to get rid off the trouble with the hinged points.

I hope to come with an updated PDQ, but don't wait for it, it might be a long way to go. However any real failures will be reported as well.

_________________
Paul Bender

Everybody can shovel, firing is an art

📷 Image no longer available Originally hosted at i279.photobucket.com — the host went away before this archive was made.

Firing this train was more fun then hard labor © R. de Water

Hello All,

We don't suggest that our method is the only way to build a turnout, slip switch, etc. but it is a proven method that works. Solid points definitely make the task easier than using hinged points but the hinges are usually necessary when the point rails are short like those found in a slip switch and a 3-way turnout. When using light rail such as code 40 and 55 it may be possible to avoid hinged points because the rail is much more flexible but I wouldn't suggest this for the larger rail sizes.

_________________
- Terry -
Customer Service - Fast Tracks HobbyWorks Inc.
service@fast-tracks.net

Don't worry.... I'm still trying to make sure I'm really crazy enough to want to hand-lay in the first place (right now, all there is is a first plan using Peco Code 55). If I do decide to go hand-laid, I've got an awful lot of framing and track and wiring and a lot of simple #6's to practice on before I get to the tough stuff. Not that I'm not excited about trying the tough stuff - a hand laid complex station throat that actually gets most trains through it without a short or derailment and I'd retire in glory - but I have to try to remember to be realistic about my skill level, especially when it's zero (on a good day) at this point....

I figure it'll be a long while... and a half... at least, before I'll have the nerve to tackle the slips. And twice as long before I tackle them successfully...

But it's the journey that matters.

Mike

Terry (and others)

Right now I will not suggest to go against the FastTrack procedure or that from "Aussie". But having gone through the way "Aussie" build his slipswitches I did start wondering whether the differences in size make it possible the make workable slips in a slightly different way. Things in the FT manual seems the be perfectly suitable for hO and bigger, but N-scale / code 40 might offer some different ways of working.

Like I said: as for now just make your best combination of the FT and "Aussie" way. If I find any alternative ways I will let you know, including the thing which did not work.

I can't find it right now but Jerry Pournelle had a nice line about this in Byte. It was something like: "I make all those silly mistakes, so you don't have to"

_________________
Paul Bender

Everybody can shovel, firing is an art

📷 Image no longer available Originally hosted at i279.photobucket.com — the host went away before this archive was made.

Firing this train was more fun then hard labor © R. de Water