Traverser / Sector Plate connection to main baseboard

[MarkSG]

I've decided to add a Grainge and Hodder rotating traverser* to my current layout - I'd initially designed it using a hidden siding and cassette storage to represent "the rest of the railway", but a slight rearrangement of furniture in my study meant I had space for a separate fiddle yard. I've never used a traverser before, so I'm interested in other people's experience, and suggestions, on how to ensure that the selected track on the traverser lines up correctly with the fixed track on the main baseboards. Is there a generally accepted consensus on the most effective way to do it? Or has anyone come up with something particularly simple and elegant?

 

* One of these, for those not familiar with them http://www.graingeandhodder.co.uk/store/c3/Traversers.html - the rest of the layout is also on G&H laser-cut baseboards, so it simply adds on to the end.

[08221]

Very interested in replies to this posting as I have just bought the same traverser to replace cassette’s in my fiddle yard.

[philsandy]

I built my own basic traverser. There are 3 tracks on the traverser and just one on the main baseboard. The LH and RH tracks on the traverser line up correctly with single track to the main layout by means of two stops, (a screw or block fixed on each side of the traverser). One stop physically prevents the traverser moving any further left once the LH track is in line, and the other stop  prevents the traverser moving any further right once the RH track is in line.

To line the centre track up I used  a ball catch, as used on internal doors.  The ball part of the catch was fitted on the end edge of the traverser, (approx. 20mm below the centre track,) and the other part, that retains the ball, is fixed to a baseboard cross member. The trick to doing this was to fit the ball catch first, and then when the traverser is "locked" in centre position with the catch, lay and fix the centre track down on the traverser so it is in line with main baseboard track.

Hope this makes sense, but it's harder to explain than actually do it.

Hope this helps.

[woodyfox]

Hi,

 

I've built a traverser using heavy duty ball bearing drawer slides (Wickes). It works really well. The traverser is 9 foot long and so needs substantial drawer runners. The connection between the tracks is achieved by soldering 1.2mm bore brass tube (about 10mm long) into the outer face rail web on both sides of both tracks to join. I then use 1mm brass rod (bent to an 'L') pushed through both tubes when aligning. This ensures really good alignment and conductivity (even in DCC) and it's also wire free.

 

Regards 

[Izzy]

Like others I use rod and tube to align my sector plate fiddle board tracks and also to power them. Nice and simple and prevents the wrong train moving!

 

There is a difference between traversers and sector plates/turntables in that while traversers have parallel tracks the others don't, or lets say only one through the centre pivot will/can be. All the others will curve at some point to enable end on connection with the exit road. The board shown in the photo seems to suggest they will be parallel. The more roads you have the wider/tighter the curvature will be at the outer ones. It will also depend where the pivot point is. With a turntable type, as per illustrated it will of course be the middle, but sector plates one can be at the end.

 

I find it best to lay the exit road first, then lay and align each road in turn to match it. I use a few copperclad sleepers on each track end to solder the tubes to.

 

Here's a couple of shots to illustrate. Hope they help.

 

 

 

 

Izzy