Finally got around to tuning up the turnouts and found that I had to add a 20K styrene shim in the frog as the wheels drop down before climbing up the other side causing some cars to bounce… but during my tune process I oop’sed and trimmed the plastic point of the frog too low!
How can I rebuild or refill the plastic frog point? I tried melting a black spur after cribbing the edges with styrene but the spur plastic and the frog plastic did’nt weld together… I did one a couple of years ago in another location but I can’t remeber how or what I used… and it’s still working great to this day!
Also I have had a couple of switch rods (Atlas plastic again) just dry up and break! My spare supply is drying up so I need to make a few for the next time one decides to quit! How do I make one while still allowing the switch points to pivot?
Make a dam out of .010" styrene the same height as the top of the frog point. Mix up some five minute epoxy and fill in the dam with it. smooth it out a little before it sets up. When it has set up remove the styrene dam with a hobby knife. Wait 24 hrs and shape with a file.
Are the throw bars riveted on? Make new ones from .250" X .080" styrene. dril and tap for 1-72 flat head machine screws. If the switch is removed from the layout add a 1-72 jam nut under the rod. If you drill out the rivet maybe the clip in type will work there.
If they are the clip in type you can get new ones from Atlas.
I’m puzzeled? The only Atlas turnouts with plastic frogs for many years now are the “Snap Switch” which equal 18" radius curves. Is that what you are using? Or do you have some really old custom line stuff? I am also puzzeled that you have wheels that drop into them. Are you using semi scale .088" wheels?
If that is the case, seems like an odd combination that you would be using these two things together. Dispite their plastic frogs and sharp angle, snap switches work fine with NMRA standard .100" wheels and should not require shims.
Yes, I do have a mixture of really old stuff and new… That’s what you get when you get a deal from a friend ? The wheel diameter measures .380" HO scale… 33" and the measurement from the frog point to the closure rails is approx. .530" hence the wheel dropping into the pocket between these two points. The .410" HO Scale 36" wheels also drop into the pocket but obviously not to the same degree.
I guess it’s time to review all my rolling stock and make sure all are to the .410" standard metal wheels. I also got some old rolling stock from the friend that has the .366 plastic wheels… Quite an assortment…