hayfield Posted October 28, 2022 Share Posted October 28, 2022 I have been asked to build some 0 gauge hand built track, based in the style of continental practice, but using parts compatible with either Peco or C&L 0 gauge flexitrack. I have been given some plans and a few general requests about the design This is one of the plans from a company based in Liechtenstein. Designed for flatbottom track system, using 10" wide timbers. Each turnout to be built on 5mm foam board with servo's fitted The brief was for code 131 bullhead rail, plastic timbers and chairs, the main visual feature is the double timbers, also a form of equalised timbering The plan was stuck to the foamboard with Evo-Stik spray impact glue, allowed to dry fully, the plastic timbers stuck to the board with no nails. As for mounting the servo, I had a chat with the owner of a model shop for remote control models and have a couple of ideas, but that's for later Common crossing built in the normal way but using 1mm thick strip, I also soldered the Vees together with 225 degree solder, then used a normal solder for attaching the wing rails Stock rails and the common crossing have had the chairs fitted, but not stuck down yet As I said its in the style of rather than a direct scale model, and certainly the double timbers are very noticeable 3 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted October 30, 2022 Author Share Posted October 30, 2022 The first turnout is nearing competition. The check rails and the timber tiebar still need making and fitting. I have tested the turnout with a kit built 14xx and all seems fine 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted November 1, 2022 Author Share Posted November 1, 2022 The first turnout is nearly finished, so I started laying the timbers for a left hand turnout, also my mind was on the double slip, or more to the point its timbering. The slip again was from a continental plan using 10" wide timbering, where as I am using 12" wide timbering. Where possible 8mm spacing between the timbers is the design brief, this was possible in the centre and two outer sections, but the two switch sections had to be reduced to 7mm spacings, I expected the slip to use up quite a bit of timbering, but I have quite a lot of smaller timbers smaller timbers left over, which is not an issue as usually its the longer ones which are left over. I must also turn my thoughts to fitting the servos 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted November 12, 2022 Author Share Posted November 12, 2022 The first of the smaller radii turnouts nearly finished and the first turnout I designed to mimic contenital practice Tested with both a whitemetal kit (Not Springside) with Slaters wheels and a Dapol Terrier The next job is to understand then fit these servos, not a clue with the French text but the photos are easy enough to understand. Is just I am a bit clueless about programming them Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold simonmcp Posted November 12, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 12, 2022 Google translate app could be your friend. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted November 12, 2022 Author Share Posted November 12, 2022 Simon Thanks for the suggestion, diagrams are fine for assembly. Its the programming I need to gen up on and I have MERG units Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Freeman Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 There are several MERG units - servo control boards, which one do you have? Apart from the Megapoints one, you will probably need to use a setting box or windows PC, there are some simple ones which don't though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted November 13, 2022 Author Share Posted November 13, 2022 (edited) 22 minutes ago, Stephen Freeman said: There are several MERG units - servo control boards, which one do you have? Apart from the Megapoints one, you will probably need to use a setting box or windows PC, there are some simple ones which don't though. Stephen I was given these a few weeks back and had a quick demonstration, I have someone I can call to go through it again, I am too old to take it all in at once, especially with electrics The programmer is a Servoset 2 The control unit is a MERG servo 4 rev f Edited November 13, 2022 by hayfield Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Freeman Posted November 13, 2022 Share Posted November 13, 2022 (edited) I am familiar with the servo units I take it these are assembled? You will either need 12vdc or 16vac depending on which connections you use. The ac input is on the right if the servo connections are. The dc are next to the control terminals. You will probably need a USB to serial cable to connect the unit to the setting box ie servoset or pc running the relevant program though in the latest incarnations I think you can connect to the servoset by means of some of the pins on the board. I normally use a windows pc running SEMA4 with my own slightly modified firmware which gives a simulated bounce for signals with slight pause to give the impression of a pause ìn the pull. So don't use a servoset just a windows pc To connect a servo, the orange wire is inboard (the control wire), brown goes to the outside pin (common), the red one goes to the centre pin (positive). Having said that I usually connect 12vdc to the right hand terminals (near the servo pins) and so long as it of a smooth regulated nature, works for me. Edited November 14, 2022 by Stephen Freeman 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted November 20, 2022 Author Share Posted November 20, 2022 I have built the first relay holder and a test board, the board is 5mm foam board ( I am building the turnouts and crossings on this material) and in my opinion is far too weak to hold the screw fixings as the plan is to pre fix the relays to the foam board and cut a hole in the baseboard for the relay to fit through I have glued (With NoNails) a piece of 5mm ply where the servo will be fitted, hopefully the area of the plate will be sufficient to hold the relay securely 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted November 24, 2022 Author Share Posted November 24, 2022 I have started to build the double slip, the timbers have been down for a few weeks but I have shied away from building the slip whilst building the first four turnouts My normal method is to fit the common crossings first, then build the centre parts of the slips. The switch blades will be hinged and I am slightly concerned about the short switch blades. But that's for later 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted November 24, 2022 Author Share Posted November 24, 2022 Starting to build the first K/slip crossing 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted December 8, 2022 Author Share Posted December 8, 2022 Well I got there in the end, had a little bit of adjusting to do with the crossover part of the crossing which was not helped by the trailing wheels having a back to back measurement a tad under 29mm The double outside slip will be fun 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Sometime since I updated this thread the latest project is a double outside slip Two single outside slip plans were spliced together, as C&L only sell single outside slip plans Timbering was stuck down again not to the plan which is to a British style but trying to represent a Continental style The triple common crossings are formed Then built as a sub assembly Then tested, the stock rails are just for testing 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Kinney Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Great work! Finetrax version, perhaps 😏? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted February 1, 2023 Author Share Posted February 1, 2023 31 minutes ago, Wayne Kinney said: Great work! Finetrax version, perhaps 😏? Wayne It would be a lot easier in some ways for you, firstly they should be 10" timbers, I have no idea what continental bullhead chairs look like, but in 4mm scale only the very well informed would know. However if you are thinking about outside slips, there are quite a lot of rail parts, for a single outside slip you need to design a twin common crossing with differing crossing angles Perhaps a three way would push the boundaries in a similar way but would be a better seller 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHC Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Does this mean Wayne you are going into 7mm as well……… Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted February 1, 2023 Author Share Posted February 1, 2023 1 hour ago, KeithHC said: Does this mean Wayne you are going into 7mm as well……… Keith Now there is a challenge !! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Kinney Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 9 hours ago, KeithHC said: Does this mean Wayne you are going into 7mm as well……… Keith I did print one at this scale, looks great but, ...yeah nah! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted February 2, 2023 Author Share Posted February 2, 2023 11 hours ago, Wayne Kinney said: I did print one at this scale, looks great but, ...yeah nah! Perhaps you could supply the base only ? as 7mm scale modellers are more likely to resort to making parts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Kinney Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 5 hours ago, hayfield said: Perhaps you could supply the base only ? as 7mm scale modellers are more likely to resort to making parts It was kinda producing the bases that was the issue :) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted February 3, 2023 Author Share Posted February 3, 2023 Obtuse (K) crossing being built The 4 subassemblies built now need trimming to size Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roythebus1 Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 (edited) What rail and chairs are you using? I though most continental rail was flat bottom. I know the French used bullhead for a while. For DB/DR track, there was a series of point plans in the German magazine Modellbahn Eisenbahn, maybe 15 years ago. They included a plan of a turnout built on pressed steel sleepers. Now that would be a challenge. :) Edited February 3, 2023 by roythebus1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted February 4, 2023 Author Share Posted February 4, 2023 Roythebus As I have said all along its in the style of. The request was for some custom built trackwork in the style of, rather than a copy. I think there is a limited supply of appropriate track building components. From a set of plans sent to me the timbers were 10" wide but no details of chairs or rail. The request also stated code 131 bullhead rail with chairs. I have no idea of era being modelled, the plan was for a German turnout with no rail or chair/fixing detail The plan was by Hassler I think Profile range. The rest is I think in German Doppelte Kreuzungsweiche (double slip switch) 1:6,6 / R=3000 mm I guess 1 in 6,6 crossing angle and radius of 3m Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 Here is a typical German double slip as it should look. http://www.norgrove.me.uk/images/66162-WiesbadenDS.jpg 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now