Lift out baseboard section

[DCB]

17 hours ago, Will Hay said:

Why would anyone run locomotives around a track with a section missing?

Good question, because someone left a controller turned on and just turned the mains off last operating session.?  Its no big deal. My gaiety pannier suffered a bent coupling when I did it last time, I don't think anything RTR other than a budget 0-4-0 made since 1970 would survive though.

I made a lifting flap to block off the lower lifting section where the trains emerge from a tunnel onto the lifting section but the upper still has a 3ft drop to solid tongue and groove floor.

Big problem for me is the Hornby 42XX and 72XX which move so slowly and quietly that you can forget they are running.

 

The sliding fishplates might work about ten times but then they will be too loose to transfer power.  Those 1/4  mono or stereo jacks look the business for power to lift out sections but I use an aviation quality  multipin connector for my lifting section so it can be removed if ever necessary without snipping or unscrewing wires.

[melmerby]

9 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

I see your baseboards either side of the gap are 10mm ply and 20mm solid timber

They are actually 10mm x100mm ply sides as well (which flex a lot less than the usual 2x1 bracing) , the solid timber is just where the hinged sections are to get some meat to fix to.

The end gap between rails does vary with temperature but side to side alignment is quite good, I adjust the alignment guides occasionally

[TerryWW]

I was fortunate enough to be able to have a baseboard built commercially.

I also needed a hinged section (to give access to a loft hatch) and as my hinged section was "off-scene" they used a pair of hinges intended for the lifting section of a pub bar. They were certainly solid and there was never any "play" in the hinge.

[Will Hay]

I addressed my issue a different way.

 

I replaced my [conventional] loft ladder with a concertina type, thereby reducing the footprint in the loft, which means I no longer need a removable section in my layout.

 

Thanks to all that contributed.

[cravensdmufan]

On 19/05/2020 at 23:43, cravensdmufan said:

I see your baseboards either side of the gap are 10mm ply and 20mm solid timber, much better engineered than mine which is is soft Sundeala.   Also I made the mistake of soldering the rails to copper clad thereby stopping the temperature gap that you mentioned from fluctuating, I reckon that's why the slight rail movement is sideways rather than lengthways, hence derailments.  Will now re-engineer.  Thanks for providing useful photos and info.

 

I need to re build my layout, specifically the lift out section.

 

I need to have sections of track either side of the lift out board with proper buffer stops when using the layout as an end to end.

 

These are not “set up and posed” photos!  It’s exactly how the DMU ended up after I’d hit the red emergency stop button on the Powercab!

 

My fault of course for forgetting to place the stop pins in the track when the lift out section was removed.

 

It was a close call.  One of my favourite DMUs nearly hit the deck.

 

Lesson learned.  Roll on the layout upgrade.

[ITG]

As my lift out section is the centre section of a reversing loop, I wired it such that the reversing loop modules

 feeds power to the removable section, and the latter then feeds power to the 12-18” of track either side of the lift out section, up to where the isolating Rail connectors are, adjacent to the points at the respective ends of the reverse loop. Thus, if the lift out section is not in situ, there’s plenty of length for the loco to stop. 

[doilum]

My previous house had an O gauge round the basement rooms. The lift out behind the door was an op en box with an 18mm deck and ,12 mm sides 200 mm deep to ensure that nothing could fall off.

More importantly, the feed to the controller ran all the way round the perimeter with push to break switches strategically placed to deal with any disaster. I'm not sure how this would work with dcc, but when the cost of replacing a full express train is considered it might be worth working it out.

[ISW]

I'd ensure that ~1m of track either side of the removable section was powered by the same circuit as the removable section. That way if the removable section was not in place, the track either side would not be powered and prevent 'flying trains'.

 

[Johnny Rock]

I'm currently building a hinged lift up section to my layout. I've bought some copper clad strip with the intention of soldering the rails to these then cutting the track at the hinged end. The solder doesn't seem to stick to the copper strip that well. Should I try the adjustable screw below the rails (soldered) or glue the rails to plywood? Obviously I'll cut the rails with a dremmel once track is fixed over the joint.

[ISW]

39 minutes ago, Johnny Rock said:

The solder doesn't seem to stick to the copper strip that well.

You should be able to fix that problem with some flux, either the liquid or paste type, applied with a small paint brush to the areas where you want the solder to 'stick'.

 

Ian

[doilum]

51 minutes ago, Johnny Rock said:

I'm currently building a hinged lift up section to my layout. I've bought some copper clad strip with the intention of soldering the rails to these then cutting the track at the hinged end. The solder doesn't seem to stick to the copper strip that well. Should I try the adjustable screw below the rails (soldered) or glue the rails to plywood? Obviously I'll cut the rails with a dremmel once track is fixed over the joint.

How clean were the materials immediately before soldering?

[Johnny Rock]

Hmm good point, copper strip is brand new maybe should have cleaned rails underneath before soldering.

[Johnny Rock]

I'll try flux too, I've got some just missed that step. 

[doilum]

10 minutes ago, Johnny Rock said:

Hmm good point, copper strip is brand new maybe should have cleaned rails underneath before soldering.

Brand new isn't good enough. Needs abrading to a virgin surface within minutes of soldering. Oxidation begins immediately and prevents soldering success.

[F-UnitMad]

On 25/07/2020 at 14:30, cravensdmufan said:

 

I need to re build my layout, specifically the lift out section.

 

I need to have sections of track either side of the lift out board with proper buffer stops when using the layout as an end to end.

 

These are not “set up and posed” photos!  It’s exactly how the DMU ended up after I’d hit the red emergency stop button on the Powercab!

 

 

My fault of course for forgetting to place the stop pins in the track when the lift out section was removed.

 

It was a close call.  One of my favourite DMUs nearly hit the deck.

 

Lesson learned.  Roll on the layout upgrade.

Entirely prototypical if you're modelling Stourbridge Town....

 

[DCB]

 

A good point to refer you all to my post    "Train Protection Barrier"   (By DavidCBroad,) July 29, 2018 in Layout & Track Design.  It stops 6 coach HSTs with the power car at the back....

 

 

Edited March 20, 2021 by DavidCBroad

[jcm@gwr]

On our 0 gauge club layout we have 2 lifting sections, main entrance with 4 main lines

and a narrow gauge, and another at the other end for access to the w/c, and back door,

that has 4 main line, 1 branch line and 1 narrow gauge track.

I fitted heavy duty micro-switches (salvaged from central heating motorised valves) to

trigger a set of relays, because the tracks are set up to be switchable DC/DCC, to cut the

power to the approach curves.

We worked out the length needed by running a 12 coach train flat out, then cutting the

power, and measuring the length it took to stop.

It doesn't stop someone reversing a long train off the edge, but you can't fix stupidity!

[doilum]

The easiest and securest solution are some plywood buffer plates that can be quickly dropped into place or hinged out of the way. A large railway style sign reminding you to replace them immediately after removing the bridge completes the job. Isolating sections are the icing on the cake!

[Johnny Rock]

Had great success with the copper soldered section on my hinged section. All in place and working well. A good tip I found on YouTube was to raised the hinges by about 15mm or so which ensures that the track ends don't snag as the section lifts. Now to complete the track circuit and wiring the 

[gordon s]

Here’s another variation on a theme using a gate section, rather than a lift....