8 Meter Diameter Curved Point - Got Plenty Of Space?

PhilP said:
When I read the above post, I thought it said 'Thief' offering.. :eek:;)

Very Freudian!
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Hahaha, quite..... ;)

It's well worth going through the Thiel site in detail, some of the trackwork layouts in the "images" section are quite amazing.... for example: http://www.thiel-gleis.com/en/image/weichen11

Yes, all their products are going to be more expensive than mass-produced LGB or Piko pointwork - but some are not THAT crazy, for example their brass Y-point works out at around £130 which compares quite well with, say, a GRS handmade one or even a stock LGB R5. It's the "exotic" stuff that starts to get expensive, such as a beautiful three-way point for about £300 (this is a fairly long one with wide radii, not like the LGB R1 version) and a 1500mm long Hosentrager crossover will set you back almost £730......

So, re my earlier question, has ANYONE here on GSC actually used any of Thiel's products...?

Jon.
 
I've been making points out of flat aluminium bar. Nothing like as nice of course, but only 1/1000th the cost.

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Nice work - am I right in thinking you do not use track power (cannot see any insulated frogs)? I made up a wye point once from two LGB R1 curves - I suppose brass 332 rail could be used instead of the flat ali (I wonder if similar flat bar is available - aluminium would not survive out climate).
I admire your parsimony!
 
trammayo said:
Nice work - am I right in thinking you do not use track power (cannot see any insulated frogs)? I made up a wye point once from two LGB R1 curves - I suppose brass 332 rail could be used instead of the flat ali (I wonder if similar flat bar is available - aluminium would not survive out climate).
I admire your parsimony!
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Thanks Mick! I use overhead power, so all rails are the same pole. It certainly simplifies the construction, but there's no real reason you couldn't build insulated points with a similar construction method.

It would be better to make it out of brass rail, but it's really expensive here. It costs three times as much as the hardware store aluminium, and 10 times as much as aluminium from the metal supplier before shipping.
The aluminium is actually an aluminium alloy, it seems to stand up to the weather well. After a few weeks of not running it forms a thin layer of powdery oxide, but just running the trains is enough to scrape it off.
 
That cost issue now explains why a few of you guys in your parts appear to use the bar method for Trackwork. Why not, better than no Railway and from normal viewing distance who can tell? Good on you, eapecially that 3 way. Not easy I know have done one in 0 Gauge.
JonD
 
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Where did you acquire the knowledge for making these? I'm using flat bar rail, but haven't attempted any points yet.
 
Beddhist said:
Where did you acquire the knowledge for making these? I'm using flat bar rail, but haven't attempted any points yet.
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I just sort of.. worked it out. They look more complicated than they are. The basic process is start with an easy reference point (lol) like the straight outside (non frog) rail, then the outside curved rail.

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Then the inside curved rail, since that establishes all the critical angles and dimensions. I used a sleeper and a wheelset to measure everything. Anywhere two rails need to cross it's better to make the curved rail continuous, since it's easier to line up both separate pieces of the straight rail. Later cut a slot in the curved rail for the flangeway.

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The simple tramway style point blade is also made from aluminium bar. You can go as nuts as you like with check rails and stuff, I usually have a lot since there's a lot of tight curves.

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The whole thing is plonked in place and screwed to the existing track. A copper earthing wire is wrapped around all the screws to make the whole thing electrically continuous. All the screws have a blob of grease on top of them to (hopefully) slow down corrosion from the dissimilar metals. I made sure I tested it before burying it in the ground. Minor adjustments can be made by bending the aluminium brackets that hold the rail down a little. Then I buried it in gravel. Depending on your climate the treated pine base might not work so well, a bit of thick plastic or cement sheet would last longer.

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Once buried it looks pretty natural. The single bladed points have been reliable so far. You can have the point blade on either side, though personally I prefer having it on the inside of the curve. That way the straight rail has one less gap in it.
 
Many thanks for the full gen on Building Bar Track. Looks great in the Tramway Concept, would also work very well for a Light Railway.

I may have a go with that if my proposed indoor Tramway ever gets built. But I will probably use Brass Bar and only for Points as I have plenty of old Bonds Brass Rail kicking around from my Home Built Track days. My Home Built Track was a bit of a failure due to using Bonds Brass Track Pins in Timber Sleepers that kept lifting due to expansion and contraction of the Sleepers over the seasons. But I did get a few years out of it before I bit the bullet and changed over to Peco. Yours should last for an age with your method of Construction. Only down side as you have mentioned is the Wood Base. But replacing the Wood when it rots should be easy, and will probably take longer than you think before it gets criticle.
JonD
 
dunnyrail said:
Many thanks for the full gen on Building Bar Track. Looks great in the Tramway Concept, would also work very well for a Light Railway.

I may have a go with that if my proposed indoor Tramway ever gets built. But I will probably use Brass Bar and only for Points as I have plenty of old Bonds Brass Rail kicking around from my Home Built Track days. My Home Built Track was a bit of a failure due to using Bonds Brass Track Pins in Timber Sleepers that kept lifting due to expansion and contraction of the Sleepers over the seasons. But I did get a few years out of it before I bit the bullet and changed over to Peco. Yours should last for an age with your method of Construction. Only down side as you have mentioned is the Wood Base. But replacing the Wood when it rots should be easy, and will probably take longer than you think before it gets criticle.
JonD
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Brass bar/rail would be way better, I wish it wasn't so expensive here. :(

I'm hoping that like on many real tramways, the dirt will hold the rails in place long after the sleepers have become termite food.
 
Thanks very much for posting all that info and pix. I didn't know that it was possible to build points with a single blade.
 
Beddhist said:
Thanks very much for posting all that info and pix. I didn't know that it was possible to build points with a single blade.
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It was more of a tramway thing in Aus/NZ. In the US they used them for heavy rail, mainly on street trackage. Because the wheels have to roll over an extra rail gap (compared to a conventional double bladed point) they're generally only suitable for low speed.

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Single bladed tramway point in Melbourne. These are becoming rare now, all new points are double bladed.

(edit) Ninja'd!

Zerogee said:
Single-blade Feldbahn point from Bertram Heyn.....

http://www.modell-werkstatt.de/gleissystem/weichen/einzungenweiche-2-x-75-hebel-links.htm

Jon.
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Hard to beat this design for the ultimate simplest point. I had no idea you could buy a ready made version!
 
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