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Peco 009 points problems


rynd2it
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I have inherited an 009 layout which has the track already laid down. I intend to operate the points with servos and have run into a couple of snags

 

a)   I cannot remove the springs which lock the point blades, these are old points and the access to the spring is underneath. Can I leave the springs in place when using servos?

 

b)   The person who laid the track did not drill any holes for the point operation. I have tried to drill from the bottom up after drilling a tiny pilot hole through the hole in the tie bar. I have had limited success by placing a No 10 scalpel blade under the tie bar to stop the drill bit which is marked with a depth gauge of white tape. Anyone got another solution?

 

c)  The points are all electrofrog but being old the frog is electrically connected to the switch blades. I don't want to rely on blade contact with the stock rail for continuity so I'm thinking cut the blades one sleeper away from the switch blade pivot and then bond the blade to its stock rail and have a frog switch for polarity. Is this the right way to go?

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

David

 

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Some thoughts:

a) In my experience servos are strong enough to throw the points with the spring in place.

b) I'd make a connection to the tie bar on the surface, maybe a short length of wire-in-tube or similar to where the servo can be mounted, or connected to.

c) I wouldn't make any changes to the point, just wire up the frog and switch it electrically.

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18 hours ago, Nile said:

Some thoughts:

a) In my experience servos are strong enough to throw the points with the spring in place.

b) I'd make a connection to the tie bar on the surface, maybe a short length of wire-in-tube or similar to where the servo can be mounted, or connected to.

c) I wouldn't make any changes to the point, just wire up the frog and switch it electrically.

If I switch the frog I'll have a dead short as both blades are connected to it. The frog has to be isolated. Servos mount under the baseboard and I think I have a way to remove the spring but I will see how it works with it in place

 

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I had exactly the same...I glued down track then realised I had forgotten to drill a hole for the servo. Darn and blast.

Like you, I drilled a small hole from the to to mark the position.

I then used a router bit in my drill from underneath. That is because an ordinary full bit is chamfered at the end and I was worried about it breaking through. My router bit was flat ended. I have cork underlay so as soon as I saw cork, I stopped and poked the rest of with a knife.

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3 minutes ago, Nile said:

I suppose it depends on the timing of the switching, with a servo there may be a delay, so yes isolate the frog. 

I've never quite understood this. There may well be a delay with a servo but at the most out will only be a couple of seconds and no loco will get there in that time...

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12 minutes ago, Nile said:

It matters if you are using DCC as you will get a short circuit. It could also affect DC control if the track is powered at the time.

The blades need to be bonded to their respective stock rails to get good continuity and to prevent shorts from oversized wheel flanges. Therefore you have to isolate the frog. Modern Peco points already have this done but these are old ones

 

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