bigdaveadams1 Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 (edited) Hello all, One of my friends is interested in using Marcway Points and SMP Flexi for a new layout. I said I'd help him come up with a track plan, but was wondering if it is possible to draw up Marcway Points in Templot? They quote 36" radius etc on their website, but I can't find the length of the turnouts? Or which sizes they use A5/B6 etc. etc. So before he rings up to order some points, I thought I'd ask on here! Cheers BDA Edited April 7, 2015 by bigdaveadams1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenser Posted April 7, 2015 Share Posted April 7, 2015 9 .5" or 23.5cm. As measured from one of mine Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdaveadams1 Posted April 7, 2015 Author Share Posted April 7, 2015 Thank you very much! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted April 7, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 7, 2015 Hi Dave, Marcway offer this on their web site: Layout Planner Full Size Rail Prints Of The Range £ 4.50 Matching non-prototypical pointwork in Templot can be hard work. Knowing the radius means very little. In addition to the length you need to know the crossing angle, exit angle, intended double-track spacing, etc. Templot may not be the best program to use for a range of fixed pointwork sizes. It is intended for flowing handbuilt track where the size and curving is infinitely variable and often no two templates are the same. The easiest solution would be to scan the Marcway templates and then have them in Templot as picture shapes, so that you can use them simply as a background guide while creating a Templot track plan over them. It may be better to use other software such as AnyRail or XTrackCad. I don't believe AnyRail includes a Marcway library at present, but I'm sure David would be pleased to add one if he had the relevant information. XtrackCad includes a turnout designer function which allows you to enter basic dimensions. regards, Martin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdaveadams1 Posted April 7, 2015 Author Share Posted April 7, 2015 Hi Martin, Thank you for suggesting that Templot might not be best. I will take your advice and purchase the layout planner pack from Marcway. I'm down near Sheffield tomorrow, so I think I'll pop in to their shop and have a chat. Thanks again Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdaveadams1 Posted May 11, 2015 Author Share Posted May 11, 2015 Picked up some Marcway points and SMP track for my mate today. Very impressed with the points and the service in the shop was excellent. I forgot however to ask for DCC ready points. I assume I can just cut a break in the rails before the frog? Also I noticed there was no hole in the tie bar for a point motor actuator wire. So I wonder if anyone knows what sized drill bit should I use? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenser Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 Yes , you'll need to cut gaps in the rails to isolate the frog. One tip is that you can fill in the gaps with a sliver of plasticard (ie microstrip) glued in with cyano. This can then be trimmed back so that the rail surface is continuous and there is no risk of rail creep and the gap closing up. Obviously you should only do this once all soldering in the area is done as cyano gives off toxic gases if heated (The clue is in the name) You will also need to bond the switch rails to the relevant running rails underneath, and gap down the length of the swich rails to isolate them from each other, I understand that "normal" homebuild practice is to do exactly this from the start - isolate frog/gap between the switch rails , meaning that "normal practice" handbuilt yields a DCC ready point automatically. Why Marcway have taken a different approach beats me... The hole depends on the wire you are using and therefore on what point motor you are using. Keep it tight if you can - Marcway points can be stiff and the less slop in the whole setup the better. If you are using Tortoises you must replace the wire supplied by Circuitron with something stiffer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightbe Posted May 28, 2015 Share Posted May 28, 2015 How do Marcway turnouts even work if they don't isolate the frog? I.e., how are they gapped? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lee Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 I have 8 Marcway 36" radius points on my main layout. Obviously, the timbering is gapped, otherwise there would be a short circuit. Switching is done by point-blades. They actually work reasonably well as they are, although when I clean the track, I tend to clean the areas of contact between point blades and stock rails with a fibre-glass pen, and then either a little bit of rag or a cotton bud soaked in spirit. They tend to be a bit stiff compared to some others. I had intended to use wire-in-a-tube, but ended up using Marcway's point levers. If I was to do another layout with them then I would investigate the 48" radius points, which are, I believe, the same price. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightbe Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 They are gapped half way along the switch rails if I remember right.... Im sure they work cos they been selling em for best part of 50 years Then I don't understand how it's not DCC friendly? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The isolation breaks instead of being in the centre of the turnout between the 2 switch rails, run the whole length of the turnout between the stock and switch rails on both sides, the switch rails and common crossing are electrically activated when the tip of the switch rain touches the stock rail. This could cause problems if older style thicker wheels cause shorts whilst going through the gap between the switch and stock rails Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Lee Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 They are gapped half way along the switch rails if I remember right... Mine are not. I ordered them from Marcways direct. These are the ready-made ones of copper-clad construction. Is it possible that you might have thought of the SMP plastic based kits? (I did have a go with these but found I couldn't get acceptable running.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hongkongmike Posted October 9, 2018 Share Posted October 9, 2018 Does Marcway have an email address? I'm in New Zealand, and would prefer to communicate with them by email rather than phone. Grateful for any help please, as I can't find an email address on their website. Cheers, Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campaman Posted October 24, 2018 Share Posted October 24, 2018 All my dealings with them have been by phone, I guess the only way would be to phone them briefly and see if they have an email adress you can use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Chris Chewter Posted October 26, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 26, 2021 Just taken delivery of some Marcway points and I thoughts I’d share what you get out of the box. These are 60inch radius OO bullhead points. A close up of the blades and tie bar: Shame the cuts aren’t straight, so some filling required before they are fitted to the layout. End on view: And a side on view: Now to start some track laying, but only after a spot of remedial work and wiring first. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted October 26, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 26, 2021 (edited) On 09/10/2018 at 22:32, hongkongmike said: Does Marcway have an email address? I'm in New Zealand, and would prefer to communicate with them by email rather than phone. Grateful for any help please, as I can't find an email address on their website. Cheers, Mike marcway@talktalk.net marcwaysales@outlook.com Edited October 26, 2021 by TheQ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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