CourthsVeil Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Good morning! Well, I think it is high time that I join this illustrious (yet small) circle of innovators. My project should not be considered a real invention, rather a betterment of older ideas. Still I think it is an innovation and qualifies for this contest. Its topic is what we call a sector plate – in this case, however, I’m not proposing a moving plate. Instead I use a piece of flex track. On Sept. last year, Shortliner brought up an idea (see there) to avoid alignment issues. He suggested to solder a short piece “out of a loco lift … to the track on a sector plate”. This in turn would very simply register with the rail-ends on the main board. You have just to raise the sector plate (main board-end) by a few millimeters, turn it to the desired track … After this Challenge had been opened I felt a lack of ideas. Quite disappointing! During the summer, however, an idea developed. It dawned on me that I could get rid of the whole sector plate with its cut out, its pivoting point and fixed track and replace it by a length (say 20 in) of FLEX TRACK. The back half of which would be fixed to the main board, the half facing the destination tracks would be moveable. And to provide simple aligning with the latter I would not cannibalize a (not so cheap) Loco Lift. Instead I propose to solder short L-sections to the rail ends of the flex track: Soon I’ll tell you more, watch this thread. I just hope my idea is really new (at least I’ve never seen it anywhere before). And I hope you can live with my rather rusty English… Armin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Armin - that is a very clever idea Jack Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonB Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 A neat idea! Just a couple of thoughts:- A small loop of wire soldered centrally to the end sleeper would help lifting the flexi track to clear the other rails. Because of the relative movement of the two flexi rails when curved, I suspect that this idea would be limited to the lenght of arc it could travel, possibly limited to just two mating tracks? But 2 track sector plate seems a fairly usual arrangement? Armin, I am ashamed to say that your English is better than my non-existant German!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 Jack, Don: thank you for your kind words! Armin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 Don: I imagine to glue a lamp post to the side of the first sleepers and to (mis)use it as a handle. Regarding the capacity, this depends on the curve the flex track will form. It did work already with three main tracks; in a few days I will test with four. Should work with even more if the moveable part is long enough (a flex track usually is some 37” long). Regards Armin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I just had a thought that German flexi track would come in metre lengths. If it did, it would be useful for FY cassettes. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted September 17, 2012 Author Share Posted September 17, 2012 Ed, the brand I use ("Piko", a manufacturer in Thuringia) sports flexi tracks of 94.0 centimeters. Don't know why this length. However, four of these tracks form a circle with 120 cm diameter, perhaps therefore … Cheers Armin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Its a good idea. Something very similar has been done before by Henk Oversloot on one of his layouts built to FiNe standards, (8.97mm track gauge, tighter rail and wheel standards than N). I operated the layout at a show several years ago. He used a piece of commercial flexitrack to connect the scenic part of the layout to several storage roads, with a system to move the free end of the track and ensure it aligned with the storage roads. To work it was dependent on very free movement of the rails in the moulded sleepers of the flexi track. He found that one maker's track worked for him, but many were too stiff in grabbing the rail to the sleepers. Removing the rail and gently reducing the size of the foot of the rail may help it slide freely. There is probably some stuff on the internet about it, though may need some searching. Whether its in Dutch, German or English would be hard to predict. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium BR60103 Posted September 18, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 18, 2012 The steamup yard at Formby Gorge has a 3-way stub switch made like this. My first hand made point was a stub switch using Peco flex. I suggest laying the movable track first and then soldering the far end to screws so that it's solid, then matching the other tracks up to allow for the shift of the rail ends. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjcampbell Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Interesting idea. One question: as you flex the track one rail gets longer in relation to the other due to being on the inside of the curve, the rail being able to slide through the sleepers. In your photo you have soldered a copperclad sleeper to the end of the flex, surely the soldered joints will fracture, or else it will stop the track flexing? Or is this the fixed track? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Nice idea - I'm a little more interested in the 'L' angle soldered to the connecting end of the track. I presume this was set into the top of the rail to prevent a derailing bump as stock crossed. and of course a similar 'set' on the receiving rails? A similar arrangement could also be used to engage cassettes. As for flexitrack simply remove a few/all of the webbing to make it very flexible indeed, even applying some silicone to lubricate the chairs so that it slides freely. I think I prefer the idea of fixing the rails at the receiving rail end rather than at the pivot end of the SP. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Interesting idea. One question: as you flex the track one rail gets longer in relation to the other due to being on the inside of the curve, the rail being able to slide through the sleepers. In your photo you have soldered a copperclad sleeper to the end of the flex, surely the soldered joints will fracture, or else it will stop the track flexing? Or is this the fixed track? Henk's approach (see my earlier post) was to fix the rails at both ends to a soldered sleeper block, then arrange the entry line and storage sidings to have their rails all on the same parallel alignment. When used on an off-set line, the flexi formed a S-bend. Due to the varying effective length through the S-bend, the centre storage road was slightly further away from the entry line than those adjacent to it, etc.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
benachie Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I'm not sure that it was an S-bend. With a true S-bend, there is no difference between the "inner" and "outer" rail lengths. Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Thank you all for your kind words! Nigel: the brand I use is “Piko-A” flex track, here the rails do move freely through the chairs. No problems encountered so far. Kenton: therefore no lubrication needed. David and Michael: the sleepers (not the rails!) at the “pivoting” end are fixed to the board. At this end the rails are free to move – esp. due to bending the other (“mating”) end. Therefore no fear of fracturing the soldered joints. See my following post! And I forgot to say in the OP: all your comments and suggestions are welcome! Armin PS: I'm not yet acquainted to YouTubeing - could anybody pls teach me how to insert into this thread the link to a video clip I have uploaded to YT. Will this work with the button "Link" in this editing window...? Or how else? Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I'm not sure that it was an S-bend. With a true S-bend, there is no difference between the "inner" and "outer" rail lengths. Alan If you're referring to my post, then yes it was an S. I can only assume I wasn't clear. Yes, the inner and outer rails of the S were identical lengths. But, as the storage sidings moved from "on the centre line" to "skewed a lot more by the S", then the effective length over the S alters due to the curvature. Hence the entrance to sidings being in different places. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 Armin, have you an answer to my question regarding the setting in of the 'L' connectors - not wishing to be pushy just thought it might have been missed with the flexing comment Kenton: therefore no lubrication needed. I guess my comment on webbing and lube was more aimed at those who don't have access to (have never heard of) Piko-A and are more used to the typical Peco flexi track that tends to grip the rails quite tightly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 PS: I'm not yet acquainted to YouTubeing - could anybody pls teach me how to insert into this thread the link to a video clip I have uploaded to YT. Go to your Youtube video, click on the "Share" button below the video, copy the link that then appears, and insert it here using the link button.eg. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 Kenton: here we are (you didn't miss anything and I didn't miss your question). Now on with my description: A few weeks later I plunged into the adventure of proving (firstly to myself) the feasability of my FlexTrack-Sector thing. I had frets of Sprat & Winkle couplings at hand (i.e. small brass sheets), cut the needed pieces and bent them lengthwise: These I soldered to the ends of my 20” part of flex track (“mating” part). A word of caution: this task is not really apt for an all-thumbs. But with a good pot of patience it is quite doable (even for me, despite having been all my professional life a white collar guy). Flex track rails will always move as long as the track isn’t fixed/ballasted. In this case it has to be moveable, must not be fixed. In order to prevent the rails from shifting lengthwise whilst bending the track I soldered a PCB-sleeper to both rails: And didn’t forget to cut its copper in the middle… This is how the flex end (above) and one of the main board ends will meet: A few days later I had rigged up and wired my suchwise prepared flex track plus three (!) main board (i.e. destination) tracks and let all my rolling stock run: all locos alone and with some wagons as well as the various wagons/coaches alone. And, look, they all went over the joint without much difficulties. Most of the locos lolloped a bit – especially the Bachmann Spectrum Saddle Tank loco (0-6-0) didn’t like it. (No wonder, the brass sheet is ½ mm thick, if I reckon well thats 20thou and raises a code 210 track to code 260!) But the small 0-4-0 shunters (e.g. German Kof’s - see the video) managed it surprisingly well – as well as the normal steamers and my class 03. And even my quite demanding US-loggers (a Mantua 2-6-6-2 articulated and a Bachmann Spectrum Shay) had no problems at all. Equally important is the changeover from one main board track to another. As already said: lift the flex track a few millimeters, turn (=bend) it to the next destination and put it down – alignment sections on the respective rails. This works a treat: it is a matter of seconds and quite reliable – as long as I have sight contact to the tracks (but this not different to most manually driven sector plates). Because without the Deus ex machina (a.k.a. God’s Hand or the 0-5-0 ) these sector arrangements are quite helpless. In the meantime i also managed to make and edit a little video clip and to upload to Youtube*. Here - thanks Keith! - is the link: http://youtu.be/-PHX-i5MX5E Here is a two-track variant that will become the centre of a new mini layout (here before adding the PCB-sleeper): Overview: That's for the time being. I hope I could clarify some of the above questions. Watch this thread - to be continued (I'm trying to diminish this hopling...) And again: your questions and comments are welcome! Armin * When I started model railroading two years ago I didn't expect to do/learn such strange things... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
benachie Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 I explored this idea a while back using neodymium magnets to align the tracks securely rather than the brass brackets. It worked well but I used a different (?better) method in the end - which I might tell the world about one day! Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted September 19, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 19, 2012 Wouldn't it be better to solder the brackets to the bottom of the receiving track? Yes you would need a set on each track but it would give you smooth railtops. Andi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Andi: thank you for your comment, this is certainly quite an interesting alternative (especially if one uses only two receiving tracks). I am, however, too deeply involved with the current project to change anything. Regards Armin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Success: End of August I had to go to the hospital for a surgery (not a big thing) and in the following two weeks had plenty of time to think … and think … … and think. It was clear that the “L” joints should be made of thinner material, e.g. phosphor bronze like the “rails” in the Loco Lift. But where to get that from – quickly? Then I remembered a loco (a Jinty) that I was completely unable to persuade to move. And I remembered I had seen two bronze wipers touching the wheels. Aha, insight! When I was at home again I dismantled the poor Jinty, “freed” her of her wipers: Then I put the shell again on the chassis. Now she – the Jinty – is sitting again on an unused, overgrown track in the background. She is a real Siding Queen, serenely rusting and idle awaiting her final fate. But I digress… The next steps were as already described: I put the wipers into a vise (with really edgy jaws!), bent them lengthwise making them to L-channels, soldered them to the rail ends (not without some swearing): bent the joints into the proper position (otherwise much hopling again) and added the PCB-sleeper. Next step was to set up a four-track test bed and let my locos run again (a five-track version was tried but didn’t work): And – as expected – there was quite an improvement visible. The above mentioned lolloping is nearly absent. Even my pretentious Saddle Tank loco (0-6-0) now goes over the brackets without any problems. I will come back when I've uploaded the respective video clip… Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Back again! Here's the recent video clip I made to prove that it works: http://youtu.be/V9qssga_DP0 The phosphor bronze wipers are some 0.2 mm ( 10 thou) thick. Since I don’t want to cannibalize a loco every time I build a FlexTrackSector, I did some search and found that well assorted electronic dealers sell fitting bronze sheets (e.g. Conrad-UK – usual disclaimer!). At the end, the little device I had in mind a few months ago does its duty. After proper preparation a simple piece of flex track can replace a regular sector plate. It may serve up to four main board tracks and it does not have to be confined to 20”. I can imagine a full length (i.e. 37”) piece providing the capacity for a not so short train to fiddle with around… Phew – I just managed to finish this thread in time. Again, your opinions and comments are welcome. Cheers Armin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.