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7mm test track

Captain Kernow

Entry posted by Captain Kernow

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I've been diverted slightly from the construction of 'Bethesda Sidings' by the desire to get my 7mm test track up and running. I could easily have gone out and bought a yard of Peco track, but I wanted to build some myself, using some copper clad sleepers that I had.

 

First of all, the copper clad sleepers (spare 4mm ones) were cut to length and laid out on a piece of flat board, with a straight line drawn on to help things:
blogentry-57-0-30672100-1530970681.jpg

 

As this is only a test length of track, I didn't go for standard sleeper spacings, but rather spaced them according to how many sleepers I could get out of a given number of lengths of copper clad sleepers. This worked out at a spacing of 24mm. Each sleeper was lightly glued to the flat piece of board with some PVA (which would enable easy removal once the track was completed):
blogentry-57-0-70460900-1530970784.jpg

 

I'd managed to misplace my proper (C&L) 7mm track gauges, so as this is only a test track, I made some up out of bits of Dalerboard to the correct gauge (32mm in this case). Here, the rails are just laid loose on the sleepers:
blogentry-57-0-86817500-1530970854_thumb.jpg

 

With a yard-long steel rule to keep the rail straight, the first rail is gradually soldered to the sleepers. The rail is Peco code 124 flat-bottom rail:
blogentry-57-0-48005400-1530970893.jpg

 

The second rail was then soldered in place, using the cardboard gauges:
blogentry-57-0-67752500-1530970942.jpg

 

Here we have the completed length of track:
blogentry-57-0-80035700-1530970980_thumb.jpg

 

The sleepers were then gapped and temporarily laid on the wooden plinth that I made for it:
blogentry-57-0-80803300-1530971072_thumb.jpg

 

The piece of track was then sprayed with Halfords undercoat and then Halfords Matt Black, the rail tops cleaned and wires soldered on at one end. Here it is in place on the 'test track shelf':
blogentry-57-0-05865600-1530971136.jpg

 

Control is simple DC, of course, using a Gaugemaster controller, which I have now wired so that I can switch it easily between the 7mm test track, the OO/P4 one, the OO/P4 rolling road or a 12v DC output on the workbench:
blogentry-57-0-72080800-1530971202.jpg

 

And finally, a Peckett obliges with a test run:
blogentry-57-0-69769300-1530971225.jpg

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  • RMweb Gold
bcnPete
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Don’t fight it C’ptn ;)

 

I too have strayed to the dark side...and it’s very compelling indeed :good:

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  • RMweb Premium
Northroader
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I think a test track lives up to the name if you make it as a reverse curve, two radii facing each other across a bit of straight. That way you can check a lot more about how your stock performs.

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  • RMweb Gold
Captain Kernow
  • RMweb Gold

I think a test track lives up to the name if you make it as a reverse curve, two radii facing each other across a bit of straight. That way you can check a lot more about how your stock performs.

No doubt, no doubt.

 

But this is really just to do with the checking of locomotives and how their mechanisms perform, especially if I ever get into building kits.

 

The OO/P4 test track has performed this function for years (in terms of testing chassis that I am building) and I wouldn't be without it.

 

At some point, the chassis being built is then tested on the layout and any adjustments made, should any be required.

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  • RMweb Gold
queensquare
  • RMweb Gold

Those Peckets are BIG locos, it dwarfs that signal box ...

 

Its just a ground frame......

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