Roller track gauge question

[Murball]

Hi All,

 

I've just bought this track gauge:

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/59664/dcc_concepts_dcg_rgfb100_roller_gauge_for_track_building_oo_scale_code_100_pack_of_2/stockdetail

 

And I've made my first  OO point with code 100 rail. 

 

My question is that the gauge sits on top of the rails. I had expected the tops of the rails to slot into the grooves of the gauge, wouldn't that be more useful? Have I recieved a code 75 gauge  in code 100 gauge packaging?

[brossard]

Try running a file through the slot all round.  You could have a machining remnant that needs to be cleared.  I've had to do that with many of my 0 gauge roller gauges.

 

John

[Murball]

43 minutes ago, brossard said:

Try running a file through the slot all round.  You could have a machining remnant that needs to be cleared.  I've had to do that with many of my 0 gauge roller gauges.

 

John

Thanks John. It seems like I'd have to do a lot of filing. Should the rails slot into the grooves in the gauge?

[brossard]

16 minutes ago, Murball said:

Thanks John. It seems like I'd have to do a lot of filing. Should the rails slot into the grooves in the gauge?

 

They should always slot into the gauge but tolerance is pretty tight so some fettling is in order.

 

John

[Gordon A]

 

What system are you using to build your points?

C&L and some other components are designed to tilt the rail at 1:20 similar to the prototype.

Some roller gauges are designed to build the track with the rails vertical.

If your rail sits in the grooves you may end up gauge narrowing once the gauge is removed.

It may be that the gauge is designed to just sit on top of the rail head  without gripping it.

 

Gordon

[Murball]

35 minutes ago, Gordon A said:

 

What system are you using to build your points?

C&L and some other components are designed to tilt the rail at 1:20 similar to the prototype.

Some roller gauges are designed to build the track with the rails vertical.

If your rail sits in the grooves you may end up gauge narrowing once the gauge is removed.

It may be that the gauge is designed to just sit on top of the rail head  without gripping it.

 

Gordon

 

Hi Gordan, I guess I'm hoping someone else with the same DCC concepts code 100 roller gauge can confirm that the rails are meant to slot into the grooves or not.

 

I'm building the point on top of a 1:1 printout with some simple self made jigs.

[Murball]

Here's a photo of the gauge sitting atop the rails. I can force a rail into one groove but then it is out of gauge to the other rail. This is with normal peco lengths of rail too, not just my point.

[AndyID]

It looks like the slots are for Code100. If they are both slots should drop easily over a piece of rail. You can test that by moving the gauge outside the track rather than centering it on the track. If that works and it does not drop on to Peco 100 track it's most likely gauge is too wide but the only way to find out for sure is to measure it with calipers. You can buy inexpensive electronic calipers online.

[Gordon A]

From your picture it looks like you are building your point using copper clad sleepers and that the rail is vertical.

Printed plans may be slightly out of true due to distortion in the printing of the plan.

You should use the gauge to locate the second rail from the rail on the opposite side. Do not rely on the track template.

I tend to lay the straighter outer rail first using the template.

The next is the crossing V which I set off the first rail using gauges to set the correct spacing between the rails.

The subsequent rails I lay using the track gauges to space the rail correctly off the opposire rails.

 

Have you got Ian Rice's book on track building?  This is an excellent guide to starting out in track building.

 

Andy ID's suggestion of investing in an inexpensive set of digital vernier callipers is a good one.

 

Gordon

 

[Murball]

9 hours ago, Gordon A said:

From your picture it looks like you are building your point using copper clad sleepers and that the rail is vertical.

Printed plans may be slightly out of true due to distortion in the printing of the plan.

You should use the gauge to locate the second rail from the rail on the opposite side. Do not rely on the track template.

I tend to lay the straighter outer rail first using the template.

The next is the crossing V which I set off the first rail using gauges to set the correct spacing between the rails.

The subsequent rails I lay using the track gauges to space the rail correctly off the opposire rails.

 

Have you got Ian Rice's book on track building?  This is an excellent guide to starting out in track building.

 

Andy ID's suggestion of investing in an inexpensive set of digital vernier callipers is a good one.

 

Gordon

 

Yes I used the gauge to space the rails and they are 16.5mm according to my calipers

[Murball]

12 hours ago, AndyID said:

It looks like the slots are for Code100. If they are both slots should drop easily over a piece of rail. You can test that by moving the gauge outside the track rather than centering it on the track. If that works and it does not drop on to Peco 100 track it's most likely gauge is too wide but the only way to find out for sure is to measure it with calipers. You can buy inexpensive electronic calipers online.

 

 

 

Thanks Andy, I took a few photos on horby code 100 Flexi track.  I hope they show that when I move the gauge outside the track, the gauge does not drop easily onto the rail, if I push hard I can force it onto the rail but then the gauge is stuck into the rail and I can hold it upside down. 

 

 

Surely the gauge should fit the rail more comfortably than this?

[Siberian Snooper]

If you have vernier calipers, they usually have internal and external jaws, use the internal jaws to measure the width of the slot.

 

 

[roythebus1]

I'd suggest the code 100 rail varies in rail head width. Have you tried it on another make of rail? But otherwise measure everything as others have said.

 

[AndyID]

Just as an aside, I hate these fixed gauges. They should be spring loaded to drive the faces of the rails that contact wheel flanges into position regardless of the width of the rail head.

 

Not that it helps Murball much 😀

[Murball]

14 hours ago, AndyID said:

Just as an aside, I hate these fixed gauges. They should be spring loaded to drive the faces of the rails that contact wheel flanges into position regardless of the width of the rail head.

 

Not that it helps Murball much 😀

Andy have you seen those photos I posted? Do you think my gauge is ok or should it fit the rails easier?

[KeithHC]

Have you tried it on code 75 just to see if it is mislabelled 

[Murball]

7 hours ago, KeithHC said:

Have you tried it on code 75 just to see if it is mislabelled 

Unfortunately I don't have any code 75. I think it probably is mislabeled 

[AndyID]

14 hours ago, Murball said:

Andy have you seen those photos I posted? Do you think my gauge is ok or should it fit the rails easier?

 

Yes, I did see them. It does look as if they are too tight on the rail heads. The big question is are the rails a bit wide or the slots too narrow? If they are tight on all the samples of rail you can find I think the slots are too narrow. But if you can force them on that might be OK as long as the gauge faces are correct at 16.5 mm.