Preferred Cassette Construction

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

I’m currently considering the best way of constructing Cassettes for the fiddle yard on my new layout.

 

I’m looking at up to 30 cassettes in a combination of 1, 2,  4 and 5 foot lengths.

 

What are people’s preferred method of cassette construction?

 

Simon

[Dagworth]

A long strip of plywood with aluminium angle as the “rails”. 
A strip of plasticard between the rails helps with railing stock quickly. 

Gaffa tape over the outside of the aly to insulate it or the DCC signal can give you a nip. 
 

Use bulldog clips to align multiple cassettes to each other. 
 

Andi

Edited February 25, 2021 by Dagworth
More info

[burgundy]

Don't forget a plastic fold down barrier, to go across the end of the cassette, to ensure that 5 foot of train does not unload itself onto the floor when you try to turn it round. 

Best wishes 

Eric 

[nickwood]

24 minutes ago, burgundy said:

Don't forget a plastic fold down barrier, to go across the end of the cassette, to ensure that 5 foot of train does not unload itself onto the floor when you try to turn it round. 

Best wishes 

Eric 

My method is very similar to this and can be seen on page 23 of my layout thread (link in my signature below) It also shows the way I dock the cassettes and power them.

[gordon s]

6 hours ago, nickwood said:

My method is very similar to this and can be seen on page 23 of my layout thread (link in my signature below) It also shows the way I dock the cassettes and power them.

Here’s a direct link......

 

 

[gordon s]

I like the ideas from the posts above, but is there any possibility of corrosion on the aluminium strip in an internal environment and does electrical conductivity deteriorate over time.

 

Like most metals, there appears to be various grades. Are all acceptable for this application?

 

I guess I’m probably being unduly cautious, but thought I’d ask before investing in some test builds. 

[nickwood]

1 hour ago, gordon s said:

I like the ideas from the posts above, but is there any possibility of corrosion on the aluminium strip in an internal environment and does electrical conductivity deteriorate over time.

 

Like most metals, there appears to be various grades. Are all acceptable for this application?

 

I guess I’m probably being unduly cautious, but thought I’d ask before investing in some test builds. 

Gordon

My cassettes live in a box in a cold garage and have not suffered any corrosion. i can’t see any reason why corrosion would occur in a warmer internal environment. I have some aluminium sections that must be over 20 years old that are showing no signs of corrosion so have no worries in this respect. 

 

Not sure about grades but you must NOT use anodised aluminium as it isn’t conductive. I have never cleaned the aluminium on my cassettes other that an occasional wipe over with Isophrophyl, more for peace of mind than necessity.

 

One thing to bear in mind when buying angle sections to use in cassettes is make sure that the thickness is sufficient for your wheel flanges.

 

Hope this helps

[meil]

1 hour ago, gordon s said:

I like the ideas from the posts above, but is there any possibility of corrosion on the aluminium strip in an internal environment and does electrical conductivity deteriorate over time.

 

Like most metals, there appears to be various grades. Are all acceptable for this application?

 

I guess I’m probably being unduly cautious, but thought I’d ask before investing in some test builds. 

No - make sure the aluminium is not anodised.

[Dagworth]

I tend to run a Peco track rubber along the insides of mine at the same time as I clean the rest of the track.  The odd thing is there is a very distinctive smell when using a track rubber on aluminium.

 

Andi

[Zomboid]

Aluminium doesn't oxidise in the same way that iron/ steel does. Aluminium oxide forms a well bonded barrier on the surface which then prevents any further oxidisation of the metal under that.

 

At least that's what I remember from school.

[dasatcopthorne]

Here's my take on cassettes.

 

Raw Ali on MDF.

Screwed down not glued. Use low level Flange head self tappers

MDF wider than the Ali so that when they are next to one another on a table, you can get your fingers in between two cassettes

A smaller size of Ali and a spring steel clip (B&Q Greenhouse Glass Clips) to form a kind of 'fishplate' at opposite ends like RTR Track so that no bulldog clips etc., required. This makes the cassettes reversable.

Ali extends 1mm beyond the MDF

A stub matching the cassettes at the end of the normal track that the cassettes plug into.

I also embed a micro switch in the stub of any inbound track that switches off about 12" or so of any inbound track when a cassette is not in place.

 

Dave.

[Barnaby]

13 hours ago, Dagworth said:

A long strip of plywood with aluminium angle as the “rails”. 
A strip of plasticard between the rails helps with railing stock quickly. 

Gaffa tape over the outside of the aly to insulate it or the DCC signal can give you a nip. 
 

Use bulldog clips to align multiple cassettes to each other. 
 

Andi

Well said Andi, says it all.

 

My take is similar in that I use a piece of flat-bottom guttering with a length of Peco track secured in it. 

I'm an 0 gauger but my train lengths are only about 1 mtr max. 

 I may make some loco sections up and use bulldog clips in the manner said by Andi.  Having the smaller track sections would make for less loco handling, just unclip the bulldogs and remove/ replace the loco section but it will require me to add some electrical connections if I do.   

Longer length trains may need some extra stiffening between the track and guttering but it works fine for me at these lengths.

 

The guttering does offer protection and ease of movement for me, I slide and spin in the fiddle yard, it works well for me.

To stop a great escape from the gutter-track I use  plastic pivoting handles that double as a train stop when down, one on each end and when raised as handles for lifting away.

 

As they say necessity is the mother of invention.

 

Best

[Tony Cane]

Here is my take on fiddle yard cassettes. While I would be the first to admit that these represent a significant amount of extra work compared to gluing two bits of aluminium angel to a wood base, the complications are for reliability and ease of use. The cassette shown is for a loco.

There is a basic U shaped box with an MDF base and ply sides. I have used the same track as on the layout soldered at each end to copper clad strips. Alignment and electrical connection is provided by square brass pins and tube. This needs to be slight interference fit to give continued good connection. On this version a springy wire sits in the top of the pin. On the next version a simpler brass finger will be formed in one side of the brass socket to do the same functions.

The brass handles allow the cassette to be lifted, and provide a latch for the gates. These, as well as preventing any stock from rolling out, have rubber pads to protect the couplings.

The deck has been filled in on both sides of the rails with plasticard, and with the addition of re-railing diamonds in the 4ft ensure that all wheels are on track as they exit the cassette. The diamonds are missing from this cassette as we had some stock with negligible clearance above rail height.

While any of these features can be incorporated on other designs the complete package gives simple and reliable operation.    My experience with the use of aluminium angle was that it got dirty very quickly, probably down to the type used, as others have reported no such problems. Also the use of bulldog clips I found to be tiresome where separate loco and train cassettes were used.

[St. Simon]

On 28/02/2021 at 11:22, Tony Cane said:

Here is my take on fiddle yard cassettes. While I would be the first to admit that these represent a significant amount of extra work compared to gluing two bits of aluminium angel to a wood base, the complications are for reliability and ease of use. The cassette shown is for a loco.

There is a basic U shaped box with an MDF base and ply sides. I have used the same track as on the layout soldered at each end to copper clad strips. Alignment and electrical connection is provided by square brass pins and tube. This needs to be slight interference fit to give continued good connection. On this version a springy wire sits in the top of the pin. On the next version a simpler brass finger will be formed in one side of the brass socket to do the same functions.

The brass handles allow the cassette to be lifted, and provide a latch for the gates. These, as well as preventing any stock from rolling out, have rubber pads to protect the couplings.

The deck has been filled in on both sides of the rails with plasticard, and with the addition of re-railing diamonds in the 4ft ensure that all wheels are on track as they exit the cassette. The diamonds are missing from this cassette as we had some stock with negligible clearance above rail height.

While any of these features can be incorporated on other designs the complete package gives simple and reliable operation.    My experience with the use of aluminium angle was that it got dirty very quickly, probably down to the type used, as others have reported no such problems. Also the use of bulldog clips I found to be tiresome where separate loco and train cassettes were used.

 

Hi Tony,

 

These look very familiar, are these the ones used on Prospect Valley & Prospect Point?

 

Simons

[St. Simon]

Hi All,

 

Thanks for the suggestions, I thought they would all be Aluminium profile based which I have used before.

 

I was hoping that someone might have a more cost effective solution due to the amount I have to produce!

 

Simon

[Tony Cane]

27 minutes ago, St. Simon said:

These look very familiar, are these the ones used on Prospect Valley & Prospect Point?

Guilty as charged.

[St. Simon]

17 hours ago, Tony Cane said:

Guilty as charged.

 

In that case, hello Tony, long time no see!

 

I did like the design of the cassettes on the prospect layouts, so I might use it as a base!

 

Simon

[Tony Cane]

On 02/03/2021 at 15:33, St. Simon said:

 

I did like the design of the cassettes on the prospect layouts, so I might use it as a base!

If you decide to use the brass pins and need some turned up, please let me know.

[kipford]

Buy your angle from an Aluminium stockist, it will come in 17 ft lengths but is easily cut up and above all the most economical way to obtain it. We never clean cassettes, the don't seem to need it. For 4mm scale 1/2" x 1/2" x 18swg angle will be fine, it is what I use on Brighton, SHMRC use on Hope under Dinmore and Richard Butler uses on Westcliffe, plus a few other club layouts.

[Crewlisle]

 As you probably all realise is that you can get a lot of trains in a small space using removable cassettes but many of them in this forum seem to be over engineered & use aluminium angle which easily tarnishes.    If you look at the track plan of my 8'6" x 7'6" DCC layout 'Crewlisle' on Google & associated photos, you will notice in the operating well is the 'Reversing Loop & Cartridge Exchange System'.   My cassettes/cartridges are 4'6" long each holding, for example, a Class 47 or Black 5 with 10 wagons or 4 coaches.  Their construction is detailed in the attachments below.  There are 14 complete trains on a rack immediately below the reversing loop track & lifted into position as required.  All my additional locos/stock are kept in their storage boxes & swapped around as required.

In addition to the racks, the reversing loop can hold two 6 coach expresses.  I have made two additional 6ft long cassettes using plastic cable trunking to hold a Pacific or Class 50 with 6 coaches, Blue Pullman or HST.  They are not connected electrically or have track in them but are aligned at the left hand end only with the excess length resting on the reversing loop & poking under the right hand baseboard.  They are gently pushed onto/off the rails before gaining electrical control.  Obviously they are removed/replaced & stored as required.  

 

The article appeared in one of the railway modelling magazines about 10 years ago.  Since the article was written, I now have a total of 53 locos, Bachmann Blue Pullman, APT, HST, 126 wagons & 72 passenger/parcel coaches.  The electrical & mechanical alignment at the ends might appear basic & archaic but it has worked faultlessly since built.

 

Peter

 

CASSETTE - DCC.doc

Edited March 13, 2021 by Crewlisle
Paragraph spacing & one of the diagrams.

[YesTor]

@Crewlisle  That looks an interesting idea and likely something I could well utilise into my own plans.  Do you happen to have any photographs of the actual cassettes in use on the layout?

 

Best

Al

 

 

[Crewlisle]

Al,

 

First photo shows the general arrangement of the cassette rack.  This photo was taken about 30 years ago.  I have since moved it to under the removable section of the reversing loop in the operating well.

Second photo is a general view of one end.  Most of the racks are reversible.  Remember, if you make them reversible with a plug at each end check you reverse the wiring at each end as well.

Last photo shows the underside of each end.  If you look at the hole you will notice that the hole in the nut is off centre because the captive nut can move about 4mm each side to align the track before tightening the screw.  See cross section of end of cassette in my original post.

[kipford]

Quote

but many of them in this forum seem to be over engineered & use aluminium angle which easily tarnishes

What is over engineered about a piece of ply or plastic and two aluminium angles? Also in 30 years of using aluminium for cassettes have never had a problem with tarnishing. They will dull off due to natural oxidisation but I do not see why that is an issue.