I’ve recently gotten back to the layout after a long break and am trying to correct some wrongs I did before. I had used code 40 rail to construct a stub end yard and made all the turnouts as well, using homecut pcb ties. I built it on site and used as long a rail as I could, up to the 3ft length and it was pretty much a monolithic yard. Expansion/contraction reeked havoc on it, and I opted for a redesigned yard area that was more “usable” in a number of ways.
I’m going to make the turnouts again , but with code 83 and use flextrack. I’m looking at quite a few switches all butted together for the ladder and am a little gunshy about making such a long and interconnected setup, but I also don’t want the problems of having the short rails after the points, leading right into another short rail in some cases.
I will try explaining what I have the best I can.
Off the main track-no5 turnout>no5 slip>no6 3way>no5 turnout. That is a straight line off the main, and all the diverging rails to one side would go to flex. A no5 turnout off the cross rails of the slip would parallel that line of switches and connect to the diverging rail of the 3way by another no5 switch.
Would you build it monolithic, or split it up a bit?
Gap as if intended for DC operation, leaving gaps slightly open (assuming a reasonably consistent temperature and humidity, but not NASA clean room conditions.) Make sure power (of appropriate polarity or phase) reaches ALL rails through drops or around-the-joint jumpers.
My own home-built specialwork resides in a non-climate-controlled Mojave Desert garage. Leaving generous expansion gaps has resulted in trouble-free operation. Failing to leave them (fortunately, not in specialwork) has resulted in unhappy rails breaking their latex caulk bonds and doing nasty things - since lifted and re-layed with more appropriate gaps.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
It’s a fool’s game to argue with someone like Chuck, above, who could write books on hand-laid trackwork and turnouts. If it were me, I would make NMRA compliant turnouts with only the absolutely necessary gaps to keep stalls and shorts a thing of nighmares. The expansion/shrinkage control gaps would be all outside of the turnouts. I am not sure if this is what Chuck meant, but expect that is his preference: keep the turnouts a nice contiguous unit, with necessary electric control gaps, but the expansion control gaps are all around the rest of the rails on the layout.
— and as far in advance of the points as possible!
A joint (not a gap, usually) in the stock rail opposite a frog closure rail is no problem, but a joint an inch in advance of the sharp end of a point is an engraved invitation to Murphy to come out and play. (And now you know why I have no use for store-bought turnouts.)
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I think Chuck was talking about the gaps at both ends of the frog, which isn’t really optional if you want to run any locomotives. (shorts).
I did have generous gaps there, and they did close up a bit but never shorted. The problems seemed to affect the outside rails that were continuous and straight sections that were part of it. It was enough to rip the copper off the ties. That was more of a tree, with most of the turnouts being parallel . What I’m jumping into now seems to be more ina series with a parallel set as well.
I have a 90ft TT, and the biggest engine that I have that can ride it is a stiff old brass PRR M1 that can handle 24r curves, but will absolutely not go through a 23.9999999r curve. That is the engine I am trying to base everything on since I cannot run the more reliable-go around 18r curve-smooth running articulated engines I have.
I guess I will go with the monolithic assembly, which may be easier in the end. I was able to use the fast track templates for the majority of the turnouts, only needing to ride a few onto the other a little to save space and line up where I needed. The very last no5 tail needs to start into a very broad curve, but not enough to justify not using the template. They are all taped together and I will put that onto a board and start making parts.
Your decision sounds reasonable to me. I purchased a jeweler’s saw a few years ago in advance of my own foray into hand-laid turnouts. I saw Tim Warris make them using such a saw, and he also used rail stock, jigs, and PCB ties. The fine filament jeweler’s saw left tiny gaps, hair thin, that have never closed up on me personally, and my basement had swings in humidity, with a wooden layout frame, between 40-75%. From my viewing perspective, even with a chest-high layout, it was difficult to see the gaps after the rails were painted and weathered.
Next question-
I have a kaydee uncoupler that I wanted to use for this yard. Would it be wise to put it at the end of the drill track just prior to the slip switch? My thoughts were to try the “delayed action” of the coupler from that point to shove the cars either down the I/O tracks or down the ladder . Kaydee makes it sound good on paper, but how well does it work in reality?
Tom, believe it or not, we put a Kadee under-track magnet directly under the center of a slip switch and got reliable delayed uncoupling all four ways. (Chanute AFB Model RR Club, circa 1977)
Just had to be careful stopping a train over the DSS if you didn’t want to uncouple.
Back to the hand-lays. My longest rail in my Down yard puzzle palace is a full meter long and serves as a stock rail for four sets of points between rail joiners (1.5mm gaps when laid cold.) BUT - it’s free to move, not held in place by PCB ties. On August 4, at 1600 hours, those gaps won’t accept a piece of letter paper. If the rail had been spot-anchored anywhere, it would have turned into a sidewinder track when the temperature was tickling 120.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
At the radial tracks of the tt, I used a pcb tie right at the pit to hold the rails , but then nowhere else on the 3ft service tracks t avoid the sidewinders.
Is it the plywood base that causes the most problems, or do these NS rails expand/contract that much?
I spent a few minutes last night making a jig for no5 points to file and hold flat and in place for solder. I tried it out on a short set and it looks like it’s going to work pretty good. I need to get more track spikes before I can complete this task, although I’ve been playing with nailing flex down to the plywood with a pin gun. It works well and is invisible , but not recommended over foam. It shoots straight through and into the floor. I might try toying around with using on haindlaid track if I can get accurate placement and leave the head up enough to bend onto the rail.
Plywood… Or whatever else your sub-roadbed and roadbed is. Yes, metal rails will expand/contract a little, but not so much that you get “sun-kinks” on you layout only from the rails expanding/contracting. The underlying layout however…
I’ve been slowly getting this series of turnouts together and am in the middle of the 3way. What is the best way to handle the points on this thing? What I’m seeing is the points just attached into half a rail connecter instead of soldered onto a pcb tie. Is this correct?
If you use ply, even under foam you can have expantion problems, just foam, almost no expantion is needed.
Pivoting points with rail joiners is '50s technology. As long as you have positive control over frog polarity/phase it will work - but you leave yourself open to back-of-the-flange shorts if the open points are at all close to the stock rails.
My point pivot of choice is a vertical brass flathead wire nail, soldered under the extreme heel of the point. It goes into a hole that gives an easy (but not loose) fit into the tie and out the bottom of the roadbed. The point thus becomes a pintle hinge. The closure rail isn’t attached to the point at all - in my work, that’s an electrical gap. A closed point has to be snug enough to take power from the stock rail, while an open point is as electrically dead as the Weimar Republic.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Hmmm. I happen to have a box of brass nails I’ne been toting around in my nail tool box for quite awhile. I’ve got the 4 on the 3way and then ll the ones on the doubleslip as well. Guess I’ll get good at it just as I don’t need the skill anymore.