Tillig - not for beginners?

[60163]

So after a year and a half of armchair doodling, I've finally settled on a design for a small (roughly 1x4 feet) HO scale shunting plank, and have taken interest in the Tillig Elite track system for it's looks, turnout qualities, dual gauge options and geometry. However!

 

A quick search of the internet has taught me about the fragility of the aforementioned system and how easily 'hamfisted' approaches to laying track will reward you with a broken point! This will be my first experience building a permanent layout, save for playing with a few lengths of flex track. My concern is that my inexperience may wreck some very nice pointwork!

 

If care is taken with laying the track/turnouts, ought I to be alright with Tillig despite my inexperience? Or ought I just stick to the good old chunky but time-proven robustness of Peco?

 

Thank you kindly and have a great day!

[roundhouse]

I have not used Tillig HO track and turnouts but have used their TT version. I think they are of similar design. The turnouts were installed without any issue but on pushing the solenoid arm into the taillight turnout tie bar from under the baseboard, the tie bar has broken on a number of turnouts. However this was easy to replace using copper clad paxalon sleeper strips and soldering the turnout blades to these. The hole for the solenoid arm was drilled befor fitting.

 

Other than the above issue the turnouts are still working fine after a dozen or so exhibitions with our Czech layout 'Smrzovka'.

 

Ian

[OFFTHE RAILS]

I've examined a few Tillig points and they look very good and are beautifully made - for HO.

As PECO won't manufacture proper 00 track with UK sleeper spacing perhaps Tillig might oblige ?

Ian M

[Oakydoke]

....The turnouts were installed without any issue but on pushing the solenoid arm into the taillight turnout tie bar from under the baseboard, the tie bar has broken on a number of turnouts....

Consensus would appear to suggest not to use solenoid type motors with the Tillig turnouts.

Replacing the turnout tie-bar is a mod sometimes recommended, but with the more gentle action of slow-motion point motors, this shouldn't be necessary.

[squeaky]

I have bought and built the Tillig point kits in the past, I can only agree that you should change the tie bar with whatever method of throwing the point you are using, they are just not strong enough!

[Savoyard]

I have used Tillig track on my layout Rederring and whilst I have had problems with the double slip, which was replaced, I put this down to the underlay I used which distorted the track. I have had no problems with points using Tortoise point motors and only had to replace one tie bar out of 9 points and I think thats was down to me taking the point up.

Here are some pictures I took tonight to give a flavour of the track on the layout.









I replaced some of the plastic check rails with metal ones.

Regards,

Peter

[gordon s]

Congratulations Peter on some of the best looking RTR track work I have seen. I also used Tillig on a very early version of Eastwood Town and found it to be the best looking RTR track available. Just looking at the single piece switch blades in your pics and it could easily be taken as hand made trackwork. Yes, the tie bar is of much narrower section than others on the market and from memory the hole was a tight fit if not undersize for Peco solenoid motors, but it is perfect for slow motion motors.

 

As track goes it is no more fragile than current RTR locos. You would treat those with respect. Do the same with Tillig and you will be rewarded with track that may rival hand built product to 00 standards.

[Savoyard]

Thanks Gordon. I wanted to use SMP/CNL correct sleeper spaced track but as this was my first (and so far only) layout I have built I wasn't sure how it would come out so as my local shop, Arcadia in Shaw, was selling off all his Tillig track and points at half price I decided to use that instead as the points looked the nearest to hand built ones.

 

With regards to the tie bars I used a slightly thicker wire on my Tortoise point motors so I had to drill out the hole carefully, in fact I think that was the reason one of the tie bars broke. I bought some spare tiebars from International Models.

 

I will be using SMP/CNL next time and may consider building my own points or use the Tillig points which some have done.

 

I suppose as it was my first layout - Tillig is OK for beginners!

 

Regards,

 

Peter

[Ron Ron Ron]

I did replace some of the plastic check rails with metal ones.

 

Peter, for the benefit of others, since the Elite range was updated a little while back, I understand that the check and wing rails are now all metal.

 

International Models

 

regards

Ron

[60163]

Peter,

That's some absolutely fantastic track work! I refuse to believe that's the first layout you've constructed.

Thank you all kindly for the information! I had been under the impression that it was particularly fragile, but the comparison to modern locomotives made much more sense. I have a great deal more of confidence than I had before about using Tillig products and will have to consider using them!