Trolley / Tram track and single-point switches / points / turnouts

jwchenard

jwchenard

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Trolley / Tram track and single-point switches / points / turnouts
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I've done several searches here, and online generally, and found nothing on this subject. Does anyone have any input on large-scale single-point switches, trolley track with guard rail, in-street track, etc? Are there any commercial products available? (There's a fairly active HO and O scale traction model community with a decent number of components available.)
Thanks. -- Jason
 
Welcome to the Forum, Jason..

We do have some 'Tram / Trolley' modeller's, so over to them..
(A bit of a niche, within a niche, though)?
 
The subject has surfaced once or twice. The great tram track builder was Tramcar Trev in Oz.

It might be worth searching the forum using 'single blade' or some such words - I think short string searches are probably more effective on the forum.

It has also surfaced in regards of a funicular, but I think the principle works slightly differently.
 
Tramcar Trev’s posts are what you need to look at. As for single blade switches (points) and no blade ones for routes that just go one way, fraid you will be on your own to build them. But look at what has been done in the smaller and even larger scales and they will scale up/down as they are copies of how the real thing used to do it. Your biggest challenge will be overhead, LGB make it but quite expensive. Scratch building is very possible and one of our members Melbourne Sparks has done both overhead and some if the Track that you are asking about. Look at his thread all the way through for some great inspiration.

www.gscalecentral.net

Eltham South Electric Tramway

Apologies for all the broken images in the earlier pages of this thread, I'm lazy and haven't rehosted them. Skip ahead for working images! After a very extended period of procrastination I finally got a start on building a garden tramway late last year. It's been running for about six...
www.gscalecentral.net www.gscalecentral.net
 
Not single blade switches but I think they are just LGB R1 points with infills.

The Whiteleaf Railway/Tramway

Whiteleaf2.jpg
 
PhilP said:
Didn't GregH do something-like with some of his points?

PhilP.
Click to expand...
I think Greg made some points where both rails pivoted across much as happened in Welsh Slate Quarries, though these were described in places as Tram Rails the term gets mixed up with the true Street Tramways that Jason is interested in. Wish I could remember the name for this type of pointwork, no doubt someone with a memory will remind us but it is Thread Drift. They could be with or without a Frog.
 
Here is the real deal. I suspect with the abrupt bend in the track, it would need some length to keep the diverging angle down. :nerd:

iu
 
This is a link to Tramcar Trevs blog there may be some good info on there. LANYON VALLEY STEAM & ELECTRIC TRAMWAY
Unfortunately Trev had to give his tramway up due to health reasons.
It was featured on an Australian ABC News story "Vietnam veteran's miniature model therapy" about how he used it as therapy for his PTSD, the video on the news site has expired but if the ABC was contacted they may be able to supply a copy.
 
jwchenard said:
Trolley / Tram track and single-point switches / points / turnouts
==========================================================
I've done several searches here, and online generally, and found nothing on this subject. Does anyone have any input on large-scale single-point switches, trolley track with guard rail, in-street track, etc? Are there any commercial products available? (There's a fairly active HO and O scale traction model community with a decent number of components available.)
Thanks. -- Jason
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I don't know of any commercial parts available for tramway track in large scale. It would be great if you could get brass girder rail! At the moment you pretty much have to make your own.

Single bladed points are certainly practical, especially for paved track. The blade can be on either side, but generally it is on the inside of the curve so that in the straight direction the wheels only have to roll over one gap in the flangeway rather than two. I used another bit of rail for the guard rail on the little bit of paved track that I have, but the amount you need rapidly increases if you use it everywhere.

IMG_0533small.jpg
 
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