Free-moN Flagstaff, AZ - Free-moN Module

[vermonter_railfan]

It has been some time since I have updated the progress on Flagstaff. The modules did end up going to Deshler, NE back in April to attend the first Free-MoN weekend in a while. Since getting back it's been a struggle to get back to working on anything. Now that Altoona N Scale Weekend is quickly approaching I began to work on things again.

First off I tackled a project that I've been holding off on and that is the grade crossing for the main module. I spent time in SketchUp and designed a drop in crossing pad that will hopefully work better than the BLMA concrete pads. I have also added some more cork for where the roadway is going to go and began to layout the station platform.

I also have ballasted Walnut Creek, which is my 2' MSS "Intermediate" signal module that represents trackage east of Flagstaff.

[ednadolski]

how would it work to make that grade crossing as one piece, where the bare rail slides in from either end?

Ed

[vermonter_railfan]

how would it work to make that grade crossing as one piece, where the bare rail slides in from either end?

Ed

I don't understand the question, unfortunately.

When I designed these, I designed them to drop in between the rails. Then the pieces that are between the tracks drop in as well.

[samusi01]

how would it work to make that grade crossing as one piece, where the bare rail slides in from either end?

Probably not too bad to do, but getting a single piece printed part that keeps each rail seated and correctly aligned in gauge might take a bit of work. I’d be worried about resin fouling the track insert areas and causing out of gauge problems.

[ednadolski]

I don't understand the question, unfortunately.

When I designed these, I designed them to drop in between the rails. Then the pieces that are between the tracks drop in as well.
www.therailwire.net/forum/gallery/55/5820-240826131054.png[/img][/url]

I'm thinking of something like an Atlas re-railer section.  Those are injection molded around the rails, of course, but what i had in mind was something like a printed part with 'channels' that allow rail to be inserted from either end.   Alternately, it could be a multi-part approach where the pieces can sort of snap into place around the flex track (it might  be easier to remove the plastic ties from the flextrack where the crossing will go.

getting a single piece printed part that keeps each rail seated and correctly aligned in gauge might take a bit of work. I’d be worried about resin fouling the track insert areas and causing out of gauge problems.

With the tie strips that I have done, I haven't had too many issues with the track gauge, as long as things are properly scaled to the correct dimensions.


Anyways it was just a thought, since I have done parts like these and found it a little tricky to get good placement/alignment of individual parts, esp trying to keep the field-side pieces (sitting on the flextrack 'spikes') snug against the rail heads without slipping up too high.

Ed