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Points arising


Kaolin2FS

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Pathetic progress this week as work is getting in the way but a tame start has been made on the first two PCB turnouts, with sleepers in place in preparation for the first rails to be laid. As only the rails will be visible alongside the dries I've only laid every third sleeper to speed the process. This may yet prove to be a bad idea if the rails are not sufficiently supported, in which case I'll sneak in another one in each gap.

 

When I got to this point and tried to straighten the coiled rail to lay on the sleepers, I belatedly realised there's bound to be a jig for this, at which point I had a quick rummage around the 2mm Association shop list and found one (shop ref 1-218 :this:). I may well invest in this very soon but in the meantime, here goes anyway:

 

blogentry-16846-0-54438900-1351890085_thumb.jpeg

 

To lay the plain track I'm planning on clipping the first rail to a straight edge using paperclips to get a straight edge, then using triangular gauges to lay the other rail. With only 52 days to go until Christmas, I should have this - along with my previous attempt in easitrac - all complete, wired and operational by then!

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the coiled rail is very hard to make straight invest in the 500m length of bullhed it makes life so much easier :no:

 

been there tried that and easitac points get easier the 2nd attempt, I would recomend the new track book it is well worth the money and full of tips and how do I's

 

NIck

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Thanks Nick; I wanted to try steel rail though and that's only available in coils to my knowledge. The Track Handbook is already on my shopping list for Warley later this month!

Graham

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Code 40 bullhead from Marcway is even better. It is straight both horizontally and vertically.

 

David

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You need to make sure you've got a sleeper supporting the crossing nose (the sharp end of the 'V') - looking at your diagram, I don't think this is the case.

 

Good luck with the steel rail - others have used it to great effect, but I couldn't get on with it, and now get my rail from Marcway as David has noted above.

 

Andy

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Hi Graham,

Don't worry about your lack of progress due to work. I've done nothing for almost 2 weeks now due to work being so busy. We need to stop work but still get paid so we can thrive in our hobbies!!

Best regards,

Jeremy

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I would suggest sneaking extra sleepers in now in the key areas around the crossing and the toe. In these critcial areas it would be better to have more control of the gauge and the top. Regarding the rail steel rail will be harder to straighten than the nickel silver. Basically you try to put the opposite curve into the rail to end up with it fairly straight. If you have less sleepers and the rail is not stright enough you could have problems with the gauge, with the rail curving between the sleepers.

Don

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I'm afraid that this will end in tears. The steal rail is very difficult to use as, particularly at code 40, it is too soft - especially the coiled stuff.If have used the coiled stuff (Nickel Silver) for some plain track but only after a lot of messing about and, as others have said, its not worth the effort - I wouldn't attempt to use it for pointwork - use Marcway or Association straight rail.

Also, you will not save any time by missing out all those sleepers. More likely you will waste lots of time trying to sort out all the problems of track wandering out of gauge and level due to it being inadequately supported. Put all the sleepers in, the extra few soldered joints will take no more than a couple of minutes.

 

Jerry

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Code 40 bullhead from Marcway is even better. It is straight both horizontally and vertically.

 

David

That's good information thanks David, I was unaware of this source of rail

 

 

You need to make sure you've got a sleeper supporting the crossing nose (the sharp end of the 'V') - looking at your diagram, I don't think this is the case.

 

Good luck with the steel rail - others have used it to great effect, but I couldn't get on with it, and now get my rail from Marcway as David has noted above.

 

Andy

Andy, I had planned to support the very tip of the nose although it's not obvious unless you blow up the image. However, also see below...

 

 

Hi Graham,

Don't worry about your lack of progress due to work. I've done nothing for almost 2 weeks now due to work being so busy. We need to stop work but still get paid so we can thrive in our hobbies!!

Best regards,

Jeremy

I'll drink to that Jeremy... roll on Friday!

 

 

I would suggest sneaking extra sleepers in now in the key areas around the crossing and the toe. In these critcial areas it would be better to have more control of the gauge and the top.

 

I'm afraid that this will end in tears. The steal rail is very difficult to use as, particularly at code 40, it is too soft - especially the coiled stuff.If have used the coiled stuff (Nickel Silver) for some plain track but only after a lot of messing about and, as others have said, its not worth the effort - I wouldn't attempt to use it for pointwork - use Marcway or Association straight rail.

Also, you will not save any time by missing out all those sleepers. More likely you will waste lots of time trying to sort out all the problems of track wandering out of gauge and level due to it being inadequately supported. Put all the sleepers in, the extra few soldered joints will take no more than a couple of minutes.

 

Jerry

Don and Jerry, thank you for the voice of experience. I'll now certainly put the sleepers back in, as suggested, as well as trialling the steel rail on some plain line first - making sure I have some straight NS on standby in case the air turns blue!

 

Thank you all for the comments and suggestions.

 

Graham

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