Making my own track....next consideration

R. YOUNG

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I've really enjoyed the replies I've gotten re: making my own track and am now pursuing costs involved in order to make a reasonable decision about rail material. My next concern is making turnouts which seem pretty daunting. I've enjoyed seeing some of the pics posted to my previous thread showing different turnout techniques but would appreciate anyone's experiences of making their own turnouts. Videos are great as it's easy to stop, make notes, backup when you've missed something, etc. So please jump in with how you've made turnouts, the do's and don'ts and little secrets learned.
Thanks-
Robin
 
Ah Grasshopper! You must exercise your 'Google-Fu'..

Try the following search-term:

youtube making large scale turnouts
 
I had to make a few, mostly for cost reasons. Couple of things I learned:

You can make points with both proper brass rail, and flat aluminium bar. The aluminium bar is cheaper of course, but it's easier and slightly less labor intensive to use proper brass rail, because you can just spike it down. You can solder it too, and the completed product looks better.

You don't need any fancy tools or plans. Just a simple track gauge, a wheelset, a hacksaw and a file is enough. I used a spare sleeper as a track gauge. If you start with one rail you can work your way across measuring all dimensions with the track gauge.build_order.gif
This was the build order I found to be easiest. Start with spiking down rail 1, then 2, measuring with your track gauge on the left. Then 3, measuring with your track gauge to make sure it's bent to the same radius as 2. I found it easier to lay rail 3 as a continuous piece, and then cut a slot in the railhead later for the point frog. That way it's easier to make sure the curvature is constant.

Note that if you're using track power you'd need to have some insulated rail joiners and a switch to switch the polarity of the frog section with the point blades.

Rail 4 is next, with the end cut on an angle to match rail 3. If you're using brass rail you can solder it here, to make a nice point frog.

Rail 5 can be bent to form a short wing rail for the frog where it meets rail 3, save having to cut a flangeway.

Last of all is the point blade itself. Personally I like tramway style points, which only have a single blade. It's less fabricating, and less likely to get derbies stuck between the blades for outside operation.

IMG_688small3.jpg

Here's a single bladed set of points using conventional brass rail. The point blade itself is made from a bit of aluminium bar, held down with a screw. The screw is tightened to provide just enough friction to keep the point blade in position, so there's no point lever required..

IMG_6220small.jpg

This set of points has conventional point blades instead. You might need to file a little nick in the stock rail so the point blade sits up against it nicely. The extended sleepers are for the point lever mechanism.

IMG_2288small.jpg
You can use the same basic building technique to build more complex sets of points for specialist applications too. This set of points is designed to be concreted in, so it has full check rails to form a flangeway. Instead of conventional sleepers, the brass rail is soldered to some scrap steel tie bars to hold the gauge until it is concreted. Note that even though the overlapping sets of points on the left look complicated, there is only one extra place where the rails have to cross compared to a conventional set of points.

IMG_9453small.jpg

The finished product after concreting. Because of the continuous check rails this is somewhere where paying attention to the back to back measurement (the distance between the insides of the wheel flanges) is important. This measurement actually varies a bit between wheelsets from different manufacturers, so make sure you test with a few different wheelsets! On ordinary sleepered track this doesn't matter as much.
 
I had to make a few, mostly for cost reasons. Couple of things I learned:

You can make points with both proper brass rail, and flat aluminium bar. The aluminium bar is cheaper of course, but it's easier and slightly less labor intensive to use proper brass rail, because you can just spike it down. You can solder it too, and the completed product looks better.

You don't need any fancy tools or plans. Just a simple track gauge, a wheelset, a hacksaw and a file is enough. I used a spare sleeper as a track gauge. If you start with one rail you can work your way across measuring all dimensions with the track gauge.View attachment 231864
This was the build order I found to be easiest. Start with spiking down rail 1, then 2, measuring with your track gauge on the left. Then 3, measuring with your track gauge to make sure it's bent to the same radius as 2. I found it easier to lay rail 3 as a continuous piece, and then cut a slot in the railhead later for the point frog. That way it's easier to make sure the curvature is constant.

Note that if you're using track power you'd need to have some insulated rail joiners and a switch to switch the polarity of the frog section with the point blades.

Rail 4 is next, with the end cut on an angle to match rail 3. If you're using brass rail you can solder it here, to make a nice point frog.

Rail 5 can be bent to form a short wing rail for the frog where it meets rail 3, save having to cut a flangeway.

Last of all is the point blade itself. Personally I like tramway style points, which only have a single blade. It's less fabricating, and less likely to get derbies stuck between the blades for outside operation.

View attachment 231865

Here's a single bladed set of points using conventional brass rail. The point blade itself is made from a bit of aluminium bar, held down with a screw. The screw is tightened to provide just enough friction to keep the point blade in position, so there's no point lever required..

View attachment 231866

This set of points has conventional point blades instead. You might need to file a little nick in the stock rail so the point blade sits up against it nicely. The extended sleepers are for the point lever mechanism.

View attachment 231867
You can use the same basic building technique to build more complex sets of points for specialist applications too. This set of points is designed to be concreted in, so it has full check rails to form a flangeway. Instead of conventional sleepers, the brass rail is soldered to some scrap steel tie bars to hold the gauge until it is concreted. Note that even though the overlapping sets of points on the left look complicated, there is only one extra place where the rails have to cross compared to a conventional set of points.

View attachment 231868

The finished product after concreting. Because of the continuous check rails this is somewhere where paying attention to the back to back measurement (the distance between the insides of the wheel flanges) is important. This measurement actually varies a bit between wheelsets from different manufacturers, so make sure you test with a few different wheelsets! On ordinary sleepered track this doesn't matter as much.
Wow, that's a lot to take in. Check Rail, Wing Rail, Point. Lot's of terminology that I'm not sure of. Are there names for each of your 6 rails shown in the diagram?
I had earlier wondered if there is documentation showing descriptive terms along with illustrations so that when reading a verbal description with an accompanying picture that I can accurately associate the parts with the picture. Must be the past engineer coming out in me I guess :(
 
How about, if you draw your point out full size on a board you can cut the rails and sleepers to suit. If it's successful, you can use it as a proper jig.
 
Best thing to do is have a go, first one with care will be ok. Next one will be better leaving the first one to be in a group of sidings where it will not be critical. The Jig idea by Paul is sound advice, do not concern yourself too much with the correct names of things it will not make your build of point or switch as they call them over the pond any better.
 
Best thing to do is have a go, first one with care will be ok. Next one will be better leaving the first one to be in a group of sidings where it will not be critical. The Jig idea by Paul is sound advice, do not concern yourself too much with the correct names of things it will not make your build of point or switch as they call them over the pond any better.
I really do like the idea of making a drawing template over which to lay and bend track. And I guess the best way to learn is to jump in and not worry about the names, etc. Good advice all.
Thanks
 
Until you get proficient, and you will do quickly, those parts will have lots of good unrepeatable names, lots of unrepeatable names!:swear::swear::rofl:
 
TurnoutDiagram.gif
 
Robin,
I posted a bunch of stuff on your original thread before I found you had moved on! Included some photos of turnouts/switches/points.

I also posted a video of Dan's large live steam track which is in Forest Hills, near you. He has a collection of live steamer locos and I'm sure he'd invite you to his next steam-up - just let me know if you'd like to contact him.

I use a template, often derived from prototype practice. (drawings are online for several.) Here's a group of turnouts laid out on my dining table on a large sheet of paper:

full


And here's the finished trio of turnouts being laid in my garden:

full
 
Robin,
I posted a bunch of stuff on your original thread before I found you had moved on! Included some photos of turnouts/switches/points.

I also posted a video of Dan's large live steam track which is in Forest Hills, near you. He has a collection of live steamer locos and I'm sure he'd invite you to his next steam-up - just let me know if you'd like to contact him.

I use a template, often derived from prototype practice. (drawings are online for several.) Here's a group of turnouts laid out on my dining table on a large sheet of paper:

full


And here's the finished trio of turnouts being laid in my garden:

full
Hi Fred-
Yes, I do know Dan and he's pretty much responsible for bringing me over to the "dark side". Actually I'm going to see him in a few minutes as he's only 10 minutes away. I've visited his layout several times and have met some of the guys so possibly we've met as well (I'm not great remembering names).
Thanks for your replies, I appreciate all the help I can get.
 
Ok, thinking ahead of how to construct an elevated railway in the back yard (garden to you folks in the UK) I wonder if anyone would care to share how they built their system. In particular, the vertical posts used, how you connected from post to post and what materials would you recommend. I do have some pieces of Owens Corning "FOAMULAR 250" foam insulation board which is 1" thick and am considering using it for the horizontal surface on which to lay track. What do you think? Is it too fragile if it spans horizontal stringers which might be 10" apart? Just curious and am not 100% convinced it should be used.
 
Depending on how high you want it, but I used an extremely easy ladder system out of boards made from recycled plastic. There's loads of different ways from proper brick/block walls to planks on legs. All have pros and cons, but it's usually down to your budget and how long you intend to have the track down for.
You'll get some interesting replies to this, all useful
 
Robin, I have a doc from Carl Weaver on how to build a raised outdoor line, using concrete block footers, etc. PM me have your email and I will forward it.
 
Robin, I have a doc from Carl Weaver on how to build a raised outdoor line, using concrete block footers, etc. PM me have your email and I will forward it.
Fred-
I'm not sure how to PM but if you let me know how I'll give you my email address.
Thanks
 
Fred-
I'm not sure how to PM but if you let me know how I'll give you my email address.
Thanks

If you click on Fred's avatar it will open up and there is a "start a conversation" facility. Just click on that and start your message. It will probably want a title to your message.
 
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