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Using the easy-assembly Finetrax pointwork kits in 00 and EM (and in P4 from the S4 Society)


NFWEM57
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This shows the same OO-SF Finetrax turnout in the other direction.
To the left it joins to some hand built OO-SF slips … “ …that I prepared earlier” and straight on is some temporary Peco code 75 flat bottom.

Gauge transition again is not really noticeable in my view.

 

I have run some different stock through it in all directions, RTR from Bachmann, Hornby, Dapol, Oxford, and some kit built, including long some wheelbase vans, pulled and also propelled.

Zero derailments, and it all runs very smoothly.


These are great kits.

 

 

6B04C896-EBE0-47CB-8CB0-FACF186BC256.jpeg

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I blackened the V crossing but I hadn’t polished it enough before that picture was taken. It has since been polished and looks much better. I will probably just try paint for the next one.

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Came across this by accident when hunting for bridge guard rail information. Basic stuff, but the explanation of how switches and crossings work is excellent. Useful for those starting in track building.

Lots of very interesting stuff on U-tube Network Rail.

Did not find what I wanted. Looking for design / picture of running rail and guard rail laid on longitudinal timbers with transoms / tie rods gauging the width. To be used on a bridge design. Any help would be appreciated.

Dave

 

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18 hours ago, Dominion said:

These are versatile products.  This is an OO-SF B7 kit in progress.

 

It is actually a right hand kit, with the mainline curving to left. I cut most of the outer webs on both sides from just beyond the 2 webs that sit further out. 

 

Amazing. I'm looking to just this myself but to create not as extreme a curve in the mainline.

So, could I ask if you could carefully flip it over and take a photo to show the cuts you've made, 1 pic being a 1000 words? It would be greatly appreciated.

 

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As requested.

The gaps are very hard to see so I took a close up of the centre section so you could see the ones I did there.

 

The parts either side of the close up are simple to describe. Every outer web towards the heal beyond the photo is cut, except the 2 either side of the  crossing nose, though I think you could do those too if you wanted.

None to the toe end are cut as that area of the template I am matching to is roughly straight anyway.

 

I would avoid cutting the ones under the tie-bar, and also the out-rider ones so the gap doesn't open too wide there. You may also notice the base seems to be 2 parts joined together is a shape that reminds me of old Scalextric track. I left those intact too.

 

The whole assembly is much stronger than I feared once the rails are in.

I would say the trick is having a good template, (e.g. Templot) and pre-curving all the rails as closely as you can to what you want, before inserting them.

 

IMG_1210.jpg

Edited by Dominion
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19 hours ago, Dominion said:

These are versatile products.  This is an OO-SF B7 kit in progress.

 

It is actually a right hand kit, with the mainline curving to left. I cut most of the outer webs on both sides from just beyond the 2 webs that sit further out. 

Where the 2 remaining inner webs are close together at the heal end third of the base that was plenty for the baseplate to adopt the curve on the template, and could have probably cut fewer links.

Where the 2 inner webs are further apart around the middle of the base, I cut every second inner one on one side only.

The toe end of the turn out is on a transition towards the opposite curve and is nearly straight so I only cut a couple of webs on one side there. 

I carefully pre bent all the rails to match the template. The base is not attached to the template, it is just naturally sitting in the desired curve.

I am very pleased with how it can match the template.

 

The first few webs on the outer side I cut with nippers as they would open up naturally. Be gentle as the material is slightly more brittle than mass produced track bases. On the inner side I used a razor saw to create small gaps.

 

I made a set bend in the right hand stock rail as that is actually the diverging route.

 

With many webs cut and without the rails, the base obviously needs to be handled carefully, and probably gently until installed.  The mainline radius on the template is about 55 inches.

 

IMG_1200.jpg

When I did mine (photo a page or two back), I just cut a few of the webs with a craft knife, avoiding the areas around the tie bar and common crossing. I then glued them down and assembled in-situ.

 

12 minutes ago, Budgie said:

I am trying to print the template and I get 404 Page not found for https://www.britishfinescale.com/v/vspfiles/pdftemplates/00-SF/Standard/B7/00-SF_B7_TEMPLATE_A3.pdf

I got the same - the A4 half-templates worked though. I'd used Templot for the planning, so just needed the frog end to get the check rails the right length.

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19 minutes ago, Budgie said:

I am trying to print the template and I get 404 Page not found for https://www.britishfinescale.com/v/vspfiles/pdftemplates/00-SF/Standard/B7/00-SF_B7_TEMPLATE_A3.pdf

 

The EM and 00-SF templates match those from Templot. Just set 00-SF in Templot and print a B-7 template. For how to do that (just a few clicks) see this video:

 

 https://flashbackconnect.com/Default.aspx?id=hdIcVN9vvksNd4kwp6LaSw2

 

Martin.

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20 hours ago, Dominion said:

You may also notice the base seems to be 2 parts joined together is a shape that reminds me of old Scalextric track.

 

1 hour ago, Wayne Kinney said:

The Crossover kits will come in two identical parts that fit together with clips as shown:

Now that really does look like Scalextric!

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Hi

 

I'm following this with interest.  I know I've been told the answer before, probably by Martin, but am I remembering correctly that the geometry of a cross over on a main line is likely to follow B7 dimensions but the points to a siding are likely to be more to B6?


Thanks

 

David

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2 hours ago, Clearwater said:

I'm following this with interest.  I know I've been told the answer before, probably by Martin, but am I remembering correctly that the geometry of a cross over on a main line is likely to follow B7 dimensions but the points to a siding are likely to be more to B6?

 

For the prototype, turnouts in a main running line would typically start around B-8 (trailing into yards), C-9 (low-speed double-junctions) or C-10 (low-speed crossovers)  and go up to high-speed junctions at F-20 (or more in flat-bottom).

 

The minimum for a running line is possibly a B-7.5 trailing, across a fixed-diamond or slip into a yard, in a curved running line -- which prevents the more usual 1:8 fixed-diamond used in straight track. Flatter angles than 1:8 must be a switch-diamond whether straight or curved.

 

1:7 or 1:7.5 turnouts might possibly be found in Y-shaped double-junctions, but they would likely have C-switches -- C-7 or C-7.5 .

 

Shorter turnout sizes such as B-7 and below are found only in yards and sidings, or other low-speed locations such as a terminal run-round.

 

On models we use these shorter sizes on running lines to fit the available space, in the same way we use very sharp curves in prototype terms.

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

Edited by martin_wynne
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On 16/09/2021 at 15:27, martin_wynne said:

 

For the prototype, turnouts in a main running line would typically start around B-8 (trailing into yards), C-9 (low-speed double-junctions) or C-10 (low-speed crossovers)  and go up to high-speed junctions at F-20 (or more in flat-bottom).

 

The minimum for a running line is possibly a B-7.5 trailing, across a fixed-diamond or slip into a yard, in a curved running line -- which prevents the more usual 1:8 fixed-diamond used in straight track. Flatter angles than 1:8 must be a switch-diamond whether straight or curved.

 

1:7 or 1:7.5 turnouts might possibly be found in Y-shaped double-junctions, but they would likely have C-switches -- C-7 or C-7.5 .

 

Shorter turnout sizes such as B-7 and below are found only in yards and sidings, or other low-speed locations such as a terminal run-round.

 

On models we use these shorter sizes on running lines to fit the available space, in the same way we use very sharp curves in prototype terms.

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

Martin,

 

You are a bottomless pit of permanent way knowledge..!  Please write that book!!!

 

Patrick

Edited by NFWEM57
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The rail lengths provided in the kits are plenty to extend either end of the track base for the stock rails. However for the one I am installing now I needed a bit more than one of the provided rail lengths in the kit.

The longer C&L rail I have here is a different profile and a loose fit in the Finetrax chairs.

 

Instead I was able to join 2 Finetrax rail segments about half way along the stock rail, just like the real thing !

That's a Peco rail joiner on the far stock rail. Sorry it is out of focus.

 

IMG_1202.PNG

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On 16/09/2021 at 09:38, Wayne Kinney said:

Hi Guys,

 

00 Gauge Standard Crossover base is looking pretty yummy :P

 

DSC06037.JPG.be08f2906053b7bf39ccebeb04d55c1d.JPGDSC06038.JPG.5b73506a405583affabe70e3783170c3.JPGDSC06039.JPG.6082a286fc4c8fc6c2f711ac6dbe5de5.JPG

 

The Crossover kits will come in two identical parts that fit together with clips as shown:

join01.JPG.3a37eb5110468c51b75ade8a830645cd.JPGjoin02.JPG.a2e30dc2f650f3b6eabd5d5d39bc8e90.JPG

 

I'm about to send this kit over to a guy doing an article in Hornby magazine.

 

 

That is looking rather tasty as you say.

 

BTW have you made it to London Road station on a Tuesday evening yet?

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1 hour ago, KeithHC said:

Well done Wayne the crossing looks great and very clever on the connection. I am already working out how to assemble one….. How are the diamonds and slips coming on?

 

Keith

Diamond please.

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On 20/09/2021 at 10:04, Compound2632 said:

 

Apologies if this has been asked and answered before but what are the track centres here? Scale 11'2"?

This example uses 50mm track centres...

On 20/09/2021 at 08:20, KeithHC said:

Well done Wayne the crossing looks great and very clever on the connection. I am already working out how to assemble one….. How are the diamonds and slips coming on?

 

Keith

 

On 20/09/2021 at 10:07, RBAGE said:

Diamond please.

 

I am still waiting for castings to return to me, I spoke to the caster yesterday, he should be casting on Thursday/Friday so I should get them next week. After testing and if all goes well I will make up  batch of kits just before releasing these next month. Note it will be the EM Gauge kit first, as I the castings are 1mm flangeway castings. I will work on the wider 00 Gauge castings after i confirm all is well with the EM Gauge kit.

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1 hour ago, Wayne Kinney said:

This example uses 50mm track centres...

 

Thanks. So at 1:7, one would want to remove 35 mm / 37 mm to reduce the centres to 44.7 mm / 45.0 mm - that looks to require the removal of three or possibly four sleepers? Presumably the 00 fine and EM crossovers will be at prototypical centres.

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