How do I build cassettes for N gauage

[Black Sheep]

I'm looking at building cassettes for my N gauge layout but have no idea how to get the gauge between the aluminium angle correct and consistent.

 

the plan is to build a series of short ones for the locos and longer ones for rolling stock.

 

the intent is to be able to turn a 5 coach train, being able to remove the loco separate to the rolling stock makes it easier to change the loco, making more variation of train formation on the layout, and removes the need to physically turn a long cassette, merely turning a loco sized one will do the job!

 

the issue I have is I have no idea how to make sure that my cassettes are built with the gauge consistent along their length.

 

I don't even know what width to work to, let alone how to measure it!

 

all advice welcome

[Ian Smeeton]

9.42mm Gauge, and the best bet would be a roller gauge from 2mmSA or ahve your own made up.

 

Ally Angle on a plywood base would do for cunstruction

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Kris]

Would a Roller Gauge work on angle? i thought they worked by sitting on the railhead?

 

The would need to be sitting on the railhead.

 

The point crossing nose gauges would work however.

 

I would get a strip of wood that is 9mm wide (or 9.42 depending on your preference) then butt the angle up against this.

[bcnPete]

I used ally angle on mine and the two angles are mounted on a 2mm piece of Artist Card - I made mine 500mm long ( to suit layout length at that time) and there is no problem with rigidity.

 

I usually stick them with double sided tape (I will perhaps use glue next time) and space them using 3 evenly spaced, point crossing nose spacers as Kris mentioned.

 

Hope this helps...

 

[Donw]

Cut the strips for the base a set width (twice the angle width plus the gauge minimum). Fix the aluminim strip down one side against the edge. Using something suitable for gauging probably a tracksetta for N, for 2mfs the crossing nose gauges would be suitable. Fix one end down using the gauge fix the other end down using the gauge. Fix along the length checking with the gauge. Check the ends are square (file or hacksaw if necessary) then file a very small chamfer on the ends to ease the wheels on. Cutting small plastic card diamonds (same thickness as the Ally angle) cut to the same width as checkrails and fix each end - can help ensure stock is properly aligned and not running on top of the strip.

Don

[Linners]

Sorry to sound dense, but what are "point crossing nose gauges" and where do you get them from?

 

Linners

 

 

The would need to be sitting on the railhead.

 

The point crossing nose gauges would work however.

 

I would get a strip of wood that is 9mm wide (or 9.42 depending on your preference) then butt the angle up against this.

[2mm Dabbler]

Sorry to sound dense, but what are "point crossing nose gauges" and where do you get them from?

 

Linners

 

Item 1-253 from Shop 1 of the 2mm Scale Association , sold and used in pairs to place the crossing nose from the stock rails.

 

 

With regard to Tracksetta gauges I recall Keith Arrmes increasing the width of these by gently tapping the web using a centre punch.

 

And I agree in using 9.42mm gauge for future re-use.

 

Michael

[buffalo]

If you use aluminium angle, remember that it is often sold with an anodised surface (e.g. the stuff sold by B&Q). This is non-conductive so you will need to run a file or other abrasive over the 'rail' edge to remove the coating. Alternatively, try to get untreated aluminium.

 

Nick

[Kris]

Cutting small plastic card diamonds (same thickness as the Ally angle) cut to the same width as checkrails and fix each end - can help ensure stock is properly aligned and not running on top of the strip.

 

This might cause problems if you are trying to use 2mm and N gauge in the same cassette.

[queensquare]

Cutting small plastic card diamonds (same thickness as the Ally angle) cut to the same width as checkrails and fix each end - can help ensure stock is properly aligned and not running on top of the strip.

 

I didn't bother with these on Highbury and have never had any real problems.

 

Jerry

[richbrummitt]

Don't ask me about construction technique - mine are a bit of a dogs dinner.

 

The cheap(er) angle is usually conductive. I bought mine in Wickes. Untreated aluminium will always anodise where exposed.

 

If you put a centre piece full length it will help with railing the stock in the cassette. This is something I am definitely going to do when I re-make mine.

[Black Sheep]

well, a prototype has been successfully made, the gauge strip I put down the middle didn't work, however using a 2mm wagon did.

unfortunately use of PVA glue on the smooth surface of aluminium didn't work and it fell apart after a bit too much handling, better now than with a loco on however.

[Crewlisle]

This is my updated article, the original of which appeared in the Railway Modeller many years ago. As I say in my article, "Fiddle yards are a waste of space". I hope it will help solve your problem.

 

FIDDLE YARD TO FIDDLE RACK

 

Some of you may have seen my 00 gauge layout "Crewlisle" at the NEC, Alexandra Palace, Taunton, Plymouth or Exeter. It is all contained in 8.5ft x 7.5ft with a central operating well and scenery is kept to a minimum by basing the layout in an industrial town in the North West on the WCML. The layout is on three levels. The high level has a four-platform terminus for six-coach expresses, steam shed with turntable, diesel shed, coach sidings and goods yard. The lines from the high level descend to the main baseboard level to join the double track main line continuous run with overhead catenary and a reversing loop which leaves the down main line, descends inside the edge of the operating well to go under two of the main baseboards and then joins the up main line.

 

My total stock consists of 42 locos (24 steam, 14 diesels and 4 electrics), APT and HST, 72 passenger/parcel coaches and 126 goods wagons. Everyone asks where I keep them all when they cannot see a fiddle yard or traverser! My answer is a "fiddle rack" as I have always considered fiddle yards wasted space in small and medium sized layouts. As well as my reversing loop holding two six-coach expresses, it also has a 4'6" removable section in the operating well where the line descends to go under the main baseboard. The removable section is one of fourteen identical U-shaped "cartridges", each one holding a train complete with loco. Each cartridge can hold a 4-6-0 loco or large Co-Co diesel + 4 coaches or 10 short wheelbase wagons. This is about the maximum length that can be safely handled by holding both ends to prevent the stock rolling off during changeovers. For exhibitions they are transported in the main wooden stock box together with the remainder of the locos in their boxes.

 

With reference to Figures 1 & 2, the cartridges are made from 50mm wide x 10mm thick plywood with pinned and glued 50mm high x 3mm thick hardboard sides to prevent the stock falling from the cartridge during exchanges. A short section of aluminium angle is screwed to the edge of the baseboard inside the operating well under each end of the cartridge and the adjoining track. This is to provide a solid base to ensure that the track, pinned directly to the cartridge plywood bases, is level and a fixed distance between the centres of the two M6 securing bolts. At each end, a 6mm deep rectangular section on the underside of the cartridge base is cut out just wide enough to take the M6 square nut but with the longer side across the width of the base. The M6 nut is inserted and held captive by pinning a piece of 3mm hardboard to the underside of the cartridge base with the bolt's clearance hole through the hardboard elongated part way across the width of the cartridge. This is to allow movement to align the tracks before tightening the nut & bolt. All this should be done before pinning the track to the cartridge base.

 

Power is supplied to each cartridge by a phono-plug with the socket being on the cartridge and the single supply plug secured to the baseboard. If the cartridge is required to be reversed (eg for a branch line fiddle rack), two sets of these fittings may be required on diagonally opposite sides of the cartridge depending on the length and position of your supply wires. I have recently converted my layout to DCC and I have no operating or control problems with this arrangement. If your layout is a single level branch line, only one line is required for this system and can be easily hidden by either a back scene or any other scenery, but it is recommended that a solid piece of wood or aluminium plate is let into the baseboard at each end to provide a solid datum for aligning the cartridges.

 

Figure 3 shows the end view of the storage brackets under the layout. On my layout, the two brackets are screwed to convenient baseboard framework immediately below the removable section. The brackets are cut from 12mm plywood with small end stops pinned to the ends of each cartridge ledge to prevent the cartridges being knocked over.

 

With this storage system you can keep adding your favourite locos and stock without overcrowding your layout. There are at least three other locos I want and a rake of Bachmann TPOs for starters! Anyone who has seen my layout can see for them selves the space saving advantages of this storage system.

[TomJ]

As my DIY skills are limited I took a different approach. To keep things simple I used straight pieces of setrack on 9mm ply with some strips of wood on the sides for bracing. I've soldered fishplates on the layout side for connection. Seems to work well so far (but I only run 2 coach branchline trains).

[Kris]

unfortunately use of PVA glue on the smooth surface of aluminium didn't work and it fell apart after a bit too much handling, better now than with a loco on however.

 

I wouldn't be glueing the strips on, I'd screw them down.

[Black Sheep]

I chose to glue to first attempt to check everything was correct before drilling, the main reason for making a cassette at this stage was to get dimentions for the entry to the fiddle yard sorted.

[Crewlisle]

Further to my description of how to make the cassettes, to aid alignment cut a piece of 3mm plasticard to the 9mm gauge x 50mm long. This will help in aligning the tracks before tightening the bolt.

[Nigelcliffe]

Don't ask me about construction technique - mine are a bit of a dogs dinner.

 

The cheap(er) angle is usually conductive. I bought mine in Wickes. Untreated aluminium will always anodise where exposed.

 

 

All Aluminum has an oxide layer on the outside. The oxide is a decent insulator, though the thin skin on most aluminium is still mostly conductive.

 

Personally, I'd use something other than Aluminium for the conductor; eg. rail soldered to PCB ties with the aluminum just acting to assist railing stock and protecting from falling off. The conductivity of Aluminium due to the oxide layer is variable at best. ( Ask anyone involved with Broadband infrastructure about aluminium telephone cables and its effect on Broadband signals !).

 

 

In school chemistry of 30 years ago, we were shown how reactive aluminium really is; you can weld with it - very prototypical for joining bits of rail (Thermit reaction). But, the oxide layer will form nearly instantly on Aluminium, so you never normally see the reactivity of the pure metal.

 

 

Nigel