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Peco Bullhead Points: in the flesh


AJ427
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 I am sure Rhuddlan models will have them by the end of the week. There are some on eBay.

 

Thanks Nick, I did ask him a couple of weeks ago, but got no answer if he was stocking them. His mobile got priority (todays world)

However we now have another thread on this subject and an answer to my question, so now ordered and paid for.

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There is no risk of shorting, as long as the BB is correct, the guard rail stops any risk of touching. This is not to say that out of gauge Lima, or wheels with rubber tyres that are worn might risk trouble. Old Tri-ang would fail, as would early Doublo.

It all depends on checking BB's.

This seems fair enough. Should we really expect Peco to produce a nice looking piece of pointwork which works well with really old stock designed to run on something much more coarse? I don't think so, but it is nice to be aware that it has more limited compatibility.

This is not really any different to Microsoft stopping support for an older product because it no longer works on the latest version of Windows.

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Best pull myself up on this, it is the distance between the tyre to root curve and the back of the opposite wheel that prevents contact. It spaces the flange in the middle of the wing guard channel, held there by the outer running rail, not the guard rails.

If the wheel is to modern standards just setting/checking the BB will result in the correct dimensions.

 

Stephen

Edited by bertiedog
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Best pull myself up on this, it is the distance between the tyre to root curve and the back of the opposite wheel that prevents contact. It spaces the flange in the middle of the wing guard channel, held there by the outer running rail, not the guard rails.

If the wheel is to modern standards just setting/checking the BB will result in the correct dimensions.

 

Stephen

In the normal run of things, I wholly agree. Then there are relatively new Hornby loco’s such as the P2 and L1 that have front pony trucks prone to dancing at rather odd angles and generally behaving in a most unprototypical way! I’ll have some of the new points installed and wired up in the next few evenings so will be able to test them to my own satisfaction... if there is a problem it will be a relatively easy fix anyway, just needs a slitting mandrel and a soldering iron...
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In the normal run of things, I wholly agree. Then there are relatively new Hornby loco’s such as the P2 and L1 that have front pony trucks prone to dancing at rather odd angles and generally behaving in a most unprototypical way! I’ll have some of the new points installed and wired up in the next few evenings so will be able to test them to my own satisfaction... if there is a problem it will be a relatively easy fix anyway, just needs a slitting mandrel and a soldering iron...

Actually the dancing Pony is prototypical for the P2 if some historic accounts are to be believed. I'd like to hear how you do any fixes (are you DCC by any chance)....I use DCC?

Phil

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Anybody know of somebody selling these on a website, not found any on the usual subjects ?

 

Merfyn

 

In one way this is the best news for all, Peco can now see the benefit of their investment in this product, which hopefully will lead to a new 00 scale range

 

Thinking about their(or was it their importers) advert calling it H0 track, there could be a new market in H0 for unifrog turnouts which would boost sales, all be it they are to 4 mm not 3.5 mm scale

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Just had a good look through the pictures in the opening post and without doubt, this is a huge leap forwards. I feel the need to buy one of each without actually having a project in mind for them right now. As someone who has no plans to build his own trackwork, despite occasionally doodling track plans wholly unsuited to Peco geometry, I can't help thinking that this is only the beginning. Bring it on.

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Actually the dancing Pony is prototypical for the P2 if some historic accounts are to be believed. I'd like to hear how you do any fixes (are you DCC by any chance)....I use DCC?

Phil

Hi Phil -Yes I use DCC. The fix, if required, would be relatively simple; creating a new gap in the closure rails a bit further away from the frog, and wiring the section closest to the frog, with the frog. This would also require repositioning of the under-sleeper wire bridges between the stock rail and closure rails... which means it would be a modification best made before fixing down the point to the baseboard. But as I have said, I am anticipating something here that hopefully will prove to be wholly unfounded...

 

Another observation, following a trial installation yesterday evening, is that it would have been really helpful if Peco had left a ‘tail’ of wire to the under-sleeper wire bridges connected to each stock rail, in the same way that they have provided us with one to the frog. Given DCC best practice of wiring in a ‘dropper’ to each rail section, this would have provided an in-built and totally hidden wiring to the stock rails, instead of us having to solder on our own.

 

The points are, however, really pleasing to the eye when in situ - a big improvement over FB streamline and much more in keeping with the finer detail we now have on the RTR stock we will be running over them.

 

Phil

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Just picked one up today to replace a hand built point which was destroyed when I tried to lift it to alter the track plan. They are pretty good but I think its a case of two steps forward and 3 back when it comes to this uni-frog. There are two locations where a short is possible, even with modern wheel profiles.

 

I'll add that It hasn't shorted yet but having had a play with a few wheel-sets its looks more than possible so I'm not taking the chance!

 

I'll add the pictures later but I have started to modify them to how I feel they should have been made - IE live frog. Fortunately the stock rails and the switch rails already have a small electrical bond in place. Its now just a case of a bit of careful slitting with a disc, two existing bonds at the frog to cut and a couple more to make. The pictures will explain it better...

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Guest Midland Mole

We should be getting these in the shop with our next Peco delivery, which will hopefully be this week. I'm looking forward to seeing them.

Alex

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Being to standard PECO geometry the 'six foot' gap is more like eight feet, I'd reduce that by trimming the turnout tracks a bit.

That'll be to accommodate the increased end throw of vehicles, especially coaches, when running around tighter than prototype curves and as I recall forms part of the original modelling standards. All modern OO track fixed geometry elements conform to the same standards, to ensure interchangeability between manufacturers; flexible track components need to follow the same rules for consistency but these do not need to be adhered to by individual modellers using them as they can reduce the over-width gap where their locos and rolling stock are shorter and/or the radii of curves are greater.

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Here's a photo of how the new points look when installed.  Ballasting is work in progress, and the below-board stuff is still to do.  The grain on the sleepers shows up really nicely when painted with Railmatch sleeper grime.  Plain track is C&L Flexi (thick sleepers) which mates up quite well.  Ballast is Woodland Scenics (medium) grey blend.

 

I'm pleased with how they look so far!

 

Phil

 

post-25458-0-14182900-1510069764_thumb.jpg

 

post-25458-0-01282900-1510069820_thumb.jpg

Edited by Chamby
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What a difference to what went before, it'll be even more difficult to tell EM from OO now but I'm committed to EM and my track work is finished but if I were starting from scratch and could afford it.....

 

I just hope PECO will see fit to do other types and some crossings as well.

 

Dave Franks.

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So after placing a pre-order for 3 of each of the new points last month, today I finally received these -

 

post-30324-0-83806300-1510086384_thumb.jpg

 

I'll be honest, they're not as good as I was hoping! Now I just hope they have enough still in stock to fulfill what I actually ordered!

Edited by 31B
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It's odd, but after years of looking at Streamline the new stuff looks like it's O - 16.5!

OO is best seen from the side......then you get the benefit of seeing the chairs at the correct spacing with this track, and even possibly some daylight under the rails!

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So after placing a pre-order for 3 of each of the new points last month, today I finally received these -

 

DSC_0076.JPG

 

I'll be honest, they're not as good as I was hoping! Now I just hope they have enough still in stock to fulfill what I actually ordered!

This is the very reason I no longer buy anything* from Hattons.

 

 

*Taking a risk on the P class but no other choice.

 

:(

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I really do like the look of the bullhead rails, and am now serious thinking about changing my track to this. The only thing that I find slightly concerning is the lack of information regarding what points they plan on making and in what sort of time scale. I had a quick look at Peco's own web page but couldn't really find much.

 

Does anybody have any clues regarding what they are going to produce and when?

 

Many thanks

 

Ian

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