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First layout (1980s) in N or 2mmfs or a hybrid?


jamespetts
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Interesting topic which ties in with something I am fiddling around with at the moment, trying to apply the NMRA wheel and track standards (S3.2 and S4.2) to British N gauge.  The NMRA standard is much tighter than the European NEM, around half way between commercial N gauge and 2FS.  Gauge 9mm, check rail clearances 0.75mm, back to back 7.65mm (all +/- a tiny bit) with a maximum flange width of 0.5mm. Not as nice to look at as 2FS but a big improvement on commercial N, or even Finetrax with its NEM-compliant 1mm check rail gaps. Helpfully most of the more recent N gauge models have wheel profiles closer to NMRA than the shockingly bad NEM standard.  I had to turn down the tender wheel backs on a Farish J39 as the flanges were a bit wide, but that is the only non-compliant wheel profile I have found so far. Back to backs on N gauge models out of the box seem to vary around +/- 0.1mm from the NEM standard of 7.4mm so absolutely everything needs regauging, which on a Dapol B1 required more bravery than I thought I had. I don't think the end product looks too shabby.

 

DSCN1750-M.jpg

 

My current layout is Finetrax but with soldered crossings rather than the supplied cast ones.  As a first step I have closed up the clearances with Microstrip and it all seems to work fine, smoother running than previously.  Next step is to build a soldered construction B6 turnout.  I assembled a couple of roller gauges from washers and shims, just need crossing nose gauges and I can get going.  As regards flatbottom Code 40, one possibility might be to use thin ply sleepers and cyano adhesive, with just a few strategically placed soldered sleepers for strength.  I built a small amount of track that way a long time ago and from what I can remember it came out pretty strong and was quick to make. That broad, flat rail base is ideal for glueing to things, unlike bullhead. Milling ply sleepers to a concrete sleeper profile might be a bit tedious though.  You could shave the chairs off Easitrac sleeper mouldings but I have no idea how well they would take cyano.

 

Richard

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That Burton-on-Trent layout is lovely - the trackwork looks excellent. This is indeed quite similar to the sort of thing that I am after, albeit very slightly later in time and in a different part of the country. The hybrid solution (fiNetraX and Easitrac in the scenic areas and Peco in the fiddle yards) seems to have much to recommend it.

 

I was not planning to have this layout as moveable, but thank you for the suggestion apropos the design in case I was.

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Martin Stewart (Ketton Cement(ish)) has built some flat bottom turnouts in 2FS using laser cut timbers from an American company (IIRC).  The layout featured in a recent RM.

 

Jim

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Layout thread here. It's a stunning layout that one, first post contains links to Martin's turnout construction, which looks very interesting, using laser cut ply bases. All 2mm FS though, so would necessitate going the whole hog.

 

For me, in your position, having to construct all the trackwork for the fiddle yard would be the deal breaker, versus just using Peco track off scene.

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Type Ketton into the search field top right. If the search range in the grey box does not say Forum index, click on the grey box and select from the drop-down menu. The layout thread is number eight in my search results. Not so terrible as all that.

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It's number one and two on Google when you type 'Ketton Cement(ish) site:rmweb.co.uk'. Either works, in built searches are usually pretty poor, Google will find things where you have random snippets of information.

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Layout thread here. It's a stunning layout that one, first post contains links to Martin's turnout construction, which looks very interesting, using laser cut ply bases. All 2mm FS though, so would necessitate going the whole hog.

Since Martin's system is based on a Canadian one for N-gauge, I wouldn't have thought it would be too difficult to adapt for what you are after.  I will direct martin to this thread and he may be able to advise.

 

Jim

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Martin Stewart (Ketton Cement(ish)) has built some flat bottom turnouts in 2FS using laser cut timbers from an American company (IIRC).  The layout featured in a recent RM.

 

Jim

 

Hi Jim

 

Thanks for directing me to this thread.

 

I took the original FastTracks idea of an aluminium construction fixture and designed them for 9.42mm gauge and British sleeper spacings.  I commissioned FastTracks of Canada to manufacture these for me then I used my CAD files to create a 'negative' to produce the plywood sleeper bases which were cut in the UK by Tim Horn who did a great job.

 

I have a few Blog entries here:

 

Design and manufacture of fixtures:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1168/entry-15646-turnout-construction-fixtures/

 

A finished turnout ready to lay:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1168/entry-16702-finished-turnouts-sort-of/

 

I have recently been playing around with the idea of building flat bottom turnouts to 9mm gauge but finer tolerances which will still allow RP25 wheels to pass through smoothly.  I bought some FS160 gauges from Germany and started to build a 1:8 switched diamond but haven't finished yet as work and other things have got in the way.

 

If you are considering hand building flat bottom turnouts I would highly recommend getting to grips with Templot to print the plans and purchase the FB rail filing jigs from FastTracks Canada.  While they are a little pricey, they will last for hundreds of turnouts and once you're finished, I'm sure you'd get a good second hand price if you decided to sell them.

 

Here are the links to the jigs I own:

 

1:8 Pointform tool (Does VEE's and switch rails)

http://www.handlaidtrack.com/pf-8-s

 

1:10 Pointform tool (Does VEE's and switch rails)

http://www.handlaidtrack.com/pf-10-s

 

1:12 Pointform tool (Does VEE's and switch rails)

http://www.handlaidtrack.com/pf-12-s

 

StockAid tool (files foot of stock rails to accept switch blades)

http://www.handlaidtrack.com/sa-s

 

Hope this helps

 

Martin

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