playcraft points

[greeme]

I am building a layout using old play craft track. My locos are mostly triang and play craft so they run well on the track. My problem is with the points. They are all manually operated and seem to work OK except that whichever way they are switched to, they current to the switched out tracks is not cut off so the locos in them still move . any ideas of how to fix this. I understand they are not supposed to do this so I wonder if I need to move the power connectors?

[Andy Hayter]

I think to help we need to see a diagram of the track layout also showing where the power feed points are.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

They may have been produced in this form (dim memories from circa 1960). The moving blades a single cast piece, energised by the stock rail they were in contact with, and the rails after the (huge) plastic crossing bonded to the corresponding stock rail. Also quite possible that the product got progressively upgraded to make isolating points.

 

Look on the underside to see what connections are made.

[Il Grifone]

I built my first 2 rail layout using these (early sixties). A long time ago, but IIRC they had brass rail and were non isolating. There were two radii - tight and vicious.

 

http://www.playcraftrailways.com/Track.htm

[Chimer]

A simple (?) workround is obviously to stick an insulating fishplate between point and siding and power the siding rail via an isolating switch .....

[greeme]

thanks for all the replies guys.

 

I'll post a track diagram and include the power connects I've put in so far.  The point blades are not one single casting.  I will have a look underneath one and see how it's connected up, and post my findings on here. I only bought the playcraft track because I was building on a budget, and it works well with my old, coarse flanged locos.

 

Greeme.

[DKGL]

I seem to remember a "joiner" on Playcraft points, which could be slid back to isolate the rails. Have a look at the rails either side of the frog. I still have some of these stored(couldn't throw them out). I'll try to locate them later and check out.