Code 75 or marcway ?

[rob D2]

Hi guys,

I am just in the planning stage of a new layout and have a slight dilemma. I have always used peco code 100 and insulfrog points but am increasingly unhappy with the look of both.The technique I have always used is to use med points and make sure both tracks either side are wired up - hence a large loco is not reliant on the point for current collection, it gets it from either side.

 

Furthermore my low tech point switching is to recess lengths of tube in the cork tiles and use rods in them bent at 90 degrees either end to operate the points.

 

i would love to get into marcway or such like OO finescale but I don't want to get into frog polarity switching or point motors because i like my simple system and it works.

 

i seem to recall peco electrfrogs instructions indicate you can use them from the box without mods but would that be the case with finescale ?

 

would my heath robinson systems be viable ?

[RANGERS]

You will need to switch the crossing polarity some how with scale points but it needn't be complex. A changeover slide switch can do the job.

 

Step 1 - Drill the switch slider horizontally, push a long bolt/ machine screw through it (about 8BA) depending on the size of your slider, and attach one end of your point rod to the head of the screw (either solder it on direct or use a brass washer and solder to that. Place a nut on the opposite end and leave it. until step 2 is complete.

 

Step 2 - Attached the opposite end of the point rod to the tie bar on the point, best is to drill a hole and thread through from below if it's a copper clad tie-bar.

 

Step 3 - Go back to the switch end and adjust the position of the nut on the thread to give the correct amount of throw to firmly switch the point.

 

Step 4 - You can then wire the centre pole of the switch to the frog of the point, and the two outer terminals to the two adjacent running rails respectively, switch the point and the polarity will switch with it.

 

The switch can be buried in the baseboard on the operating side. It's reliable (keep a couple of spare switches to hand just in case one fails) and fairly cheap.

 

There are more sophisticated ways of wiring it but this is about as simple and reliable as it's likely to get.

[rob D2]

thanks for that - I am wondering if the way to go may be peco code 75 points and SMP finescale track.

 

Would these join up ? would it look silly ?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

They will join up, though you have to compensate for the difference in sleeper base depth of the two types of track. Some doctoring of the Peco point timbers and tiebar really helps, followed by careful ballasting: use the large radius points and a pretty fair appearance results. Chris Nevard's 'Cement Quay' photographically featured on this site is I believe an example, judge for yourself the results obtained.

 

Rangers' description of manual point actuation using a slider switch is a well proven method of control, strongly seconded.

[hayfield]

Hi guys,

I am just in the planning stage of a new layout and have a slight dilemma. I have always used peco code 100 and insulfrog points but am increasingly unhappy with the look of both.The technique I have always used is to use med points and make sure both tracks either side are wired up - hence a large loco is not reliant on the point for current collection, it gets it from either side.

 

Furthermore my low tech point switching is to recess lengths of tube in the cork tiles and use rods in them bent at 90 degrees either end to operate the points.

 

No problem useing this method with hand made turnouts

i would love to get into marcway or such like OO finescale but I don't want to get into frog polarity switching or point motors because i like my simple system and it works.

 

You will have to get into polarity switching for these type of turnouts, you could use a simlpe single pole double throw microswitch, or as stated a slider switch (can be used to move the rod or the rod can move the switch)i seem to recall peco electrfrogs instructions indicate you can use them from the box without mods but would that be the case with finescale ?

 

would my heath robinson systems be viable ?

 

Most deffinatly