RMweb Gold InTheTrainShed Posted February 9, 2023 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2023 When I looked under these points I can see two spot welded pieces with the end of those pieces shaped and look like they should be touching the bottom of the point blades once thrown - is that what they are supposed to do ? ( I assume for better electrical contact ) - or do they have another function and do not need to be touching the bottom of the relevant thrown blade ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calnefoxile Posted February 9, 2023 Share Posted February 9, 2023 Basically yes. The tabs conduct the power from the rail to the switch blade, and so should touch the bottom of the relevant switch blade. Cheers Neal. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravenser Posted February 9, 2023 Share Posted February 9, 2023 3 minutes ago, Calnefoxile said: Basically yes. The tabs conduct the power from the rail to the switch blade, and so should touch the bottom of the relevant switch blade. Cheers Neal. Not the most reliable form of conducting the sparks known... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porfuera Posted February 10, 2023 Share Posted February 10, 2023 (edited) 21 hours ago, Ravenser said: Not the most reliable form of conducting the sparks known... Even so I think it is probably gives a little more continuity than relying solely on the switch rail making contact with the stock rail - hopefully both are happening at the same time so it better than just having a single contact point (no pun intended). I guess there is still the problem that these tabs could easily get covered by glue when track laying and paint when weathering (or even just by oxidation/oil/dirt) so as you say not really ideal but hopefully these tabs will have a slight self-cleaning action if they are lightly sprung against the bottom of the moving switch rails, which doesn't happen at all with the switch-rail-to-stock-rail contact area. And don't forget that Hornby track is (allegedly) aimed newcomers to the hobby, who probably will use track pins rather than glue and won't be weathering - and probably won't be doing much cleaning either. I imagine anyone doing any serious tracklaying and weathering will use Peco track. Edited February 10, 2023 by Porfuera 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britishcolumbian Posted February 13, 2023 Share Posted February 13, 2023 On 10/02/2023 at 03:11, Porfuera said: I imagine anyone doing any serious tracklaying and weathering will use Peco track. I'm still not sure if I want to get away from Tillig track for my modular efforts; though I'm thinking of trying my hand at making my own turnouts, that would be ideal because then I could build to the designs of the railway I'm modelling... we'll see. Keep in mind for NorAm track, FastTracks does do templates for TT scale, too, for those wanting to make their own. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porfuera Posted February 13, 2023 Share Posted February 13, 2023 12 minutes ago, britishcolumbian said: I'm still not sure if I want to get away from Tillig track for my modular efforts; though I'm thinking of trying my hand at making my own turnouts, that would be ideal because then I could build to the designs of the railway I'm modelling... we'll see. Keep in mind for NorAm track, FastTracks does do templates for TT scale, too, for those wanting to make their own. Yes, sorry - I was being a bit UK-centric in my previous reply and other makes of track are available, even here! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britishcolumbian Posted February 13, 2023 Share Posted February 13, 2023 22 minutes ago, Porfuera said: Yes, sorry - I was being a bit UK-centric in my previous reply and other makes of track are available, even here! I imagine it'll take some time for yous to thoroughly realise you're not in a British-only venture anymore, but in a global scale. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 Overall I'm happier with my Hornby track than my Peco. Of the 10 Hornby points in my fiddle yard two have needed a small screwdriver inserting under the tab to get a bit more consistency in the contact. Of the four Peco points two have had the blade fail completely almost as soon as I started using wire and tube with a Gem point lever to switch them. On Hawthorn Dene there are some 10 year old Peco N gauge points in use thrown by this method without any problem whatever. I'm beginning to wonder if I can get away with Hornby points on the front of the layout. I'll wait and see what Peco have to say before committing myself. Les 2 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 On 13/02/2023 at 16:41, britishcolumbian said: I'm still not sure if I want to get away from Tillig track for my modular efforts; though I'm thinking of trying my hand at making my own turnouts, that would be ideal because then I could build to the designs of the railway I'm modelling... we'll see. Keep in mind for NorAm track, FastTracks does do templates for TT scale, too, for those wanting to make their own. If you have the drawings/data for the turnouts used by the railway you are modelling I would see it as much better to spend a bit of time with 'Templot' and set up a custom template to give exactly as you want it. Its practically as simple to build on a printed plan as in an expensive fast Tracks jig. Templot is customisable for every detail. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britishcolumbian Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 8 hours ago, Grovenor said: If you have the drawings/data for the turnouts used by the railway you are modelling I would see it as much better to spend a bit of time with 'Templot' and set up a custom template to give exactly as you want it. Its practically as simple to build on a printed plan as in an expensive fast Tracks jig. Templot is customisable for every detail. Templot is something I'll definitely be looking into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted February 23, 2023 Share Posted February 23, 2023 On 19/02/2023 at 19:40, Les1952 said: Of the four Peco points two have had the blade fail completely almost as soon as I started using wire and tube with a Gem point lever to switch them. Are you using an Omega loop? I found that some of my H0e/009 ones did the same if I didn't use one as it compensates for the extra throw of the GEM lever. I gave up using the GEM levers and just bent the end of the wire into a loop so I could throw them OK, as Peco points have the spring system that works just fine. Looking at the Peco points they do look more delicate than the other scales. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 24, 2023 Share Posted February 24, 2023 On 23/02/2023 at 09:25, Hobby said: Are you using an Omega loop? I found that some of my H0e/009 ones did the same if I didn't use one as it compensates for the extra throw of the GEM lever. I gave up using the GEM levers and just bent the end of the wire into a loop so I could throw them OK, as Peco points have the spring system that works just fine. Looking at the Peco points they do look more delicate than the other scales. Omega Loops present. Les 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Ah, back to Peco, then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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