First handlaid turnout - Harlem transfer Company up next

[timwatson]

I got my first turnout handlaid this weekend. Only took a weekend for one (par for the first one right)? No jig and it was a template I made in illustrator. I was happy with how it turned out. It's about 6.5" radius and it is like a #2.5. Like I said first one.

I did try 2 different soldering methods on it. The Lance Mindheim way (tinning the ties and the Fast tracks way - flux on side blob on iron). I personally liked the flux blob method (Fast tracks). The tinning was too much work for such a minuscule hold - I had 2 joints break that were done that way. Not worth it IMHO. I am a Mindheim fan however but this one just didn't work for me.



Tim
http://nscalerail.com

[Chris333]

Looks good.

I read Lance's article and I don't get the tinning either. Once my PC ties are down I lightly scuff them with sandpaper. Then apply flux to the ties, slap the rail down and solder. I touch the solder to one side of the rail and once I see it ooze out the other side I'm done.

I do add a few extra PC ties, but as long as it doesn't break you are OK.

Now hook up some flex and run a few cars through it. No de-rails then your good.

[Gen]

Congrats on building your first one, Tim. Looks good from here. You will get faster and better, no doubt.

Just curious, are you sure it's a #2.5? If so, it would need hinged points, I would think. Looks more like a #4...

[timwatson]

Hey Chris thanks, yup I hooked up some flex to all 3 sides and seems to be working.

@Gen 1 point is hinged the internal straight track will move over its oc tie. The outer curved rail was making the track gap too small so it's soldered down but this gives the whole thing good spring and keeps its shape. I probably should have taken another thing beside it for scale.

[ednadolski]

Nice looking work Tim.  You might want to consider adding a few more PCB ties, just to make sure it holds gauge over time, and/or if you're planning to add rail gaps to isolate the frog.

Ed

[wcfn100]

A couple things, the gaps on the guard rails look a bit big.  Are you using an NMRA guage to check them?  Shorter turnouts aren't as much of a problem but if you start going bigger you could start riding up the frog if these are too sloppy.  Second, maybe try and draw a turnout that doesn't have a long, gentle curve on the diverting stock rail.  Some turnouts have an angle break right at the points like the one below.



It really helps get that rail out of the way so the points don't have to be ultra thin.  Another way to do this is to start into your curve earlier. 

Regardless of all that, it looks much better than my first attempt, so your off to a good start in my book.


Jason

[Chris333]

Keep in mind that the prototype turnouts he is trying to build have a diverging route that is 90'-104' radius in some cases.

[timwatson]

Thanks Jason for the comments. I really wouldn't be attempting this if it weren't for the Harlem transfer Chris posted a picture of. I like the operations and am excited for the challenge it presents.

If you look in the picture there is actually a mini wye coming off that first turnout set. So this track work will be anything other than by the book. If they weren't so dang short it would be loads easier.

[wcfn100]

I guess all I was trying to say was that long gradual curve of the stock rail along the points makes for a lot of filing of the points and can create gauge problems.  And when you couple in the fact that it's not necessarily prototypical, there's really no reason to mess with it if you don't have to.  This is one reason I've stopped using FastTracks templates and have drawn my own to better reflect what I see on the prototype.

The picture Chris posted show turnouts on a constant curve, so none of this should be a problem for those.


On the soldering issue,I do exactly as Chris describes.  Flux where the rail will hit the tie and let the solder flow under the rail.


One last thing is making points.  I don't know what you're doing, but the way FastTracks does theirs isn't the best way.



edit: Image removed, see post further down.

I've never done the bevel on the underside, I'll have to try that.

Jason

[Sokramiketes]

I've never done the bevel on the underside, I'll have to try that.

Jason

Interesting, but overkill?  What scale was that diagram created for? 

Yeah, the prototype doesn't notch the stock rail, but it sure is faster to do it that way in N scale.  And then point filing is easy, and one step.

[wcfn100]

Interesting, but overkill?

Not necessarily.  If you don't do it this way, when you file to a point, you can file through the web of the rail leaving a gap between the head and the base.  Fast Tracks has a term for this which I can't find right now.  It's the only way to file to a true point and a have a solid rail.

As for scale, it does look odd.  I first found this in a track laying book from the 70's that didn't even mention N scale.  I was just happy to find a diagram on the web to use for illustration.

edit: A secondary thing it gives you is a little more rail base to solder to the throw bar.

second edit  this works especially well for making the frog rails.

Jason

[Chris333]

For a regular everyday turnout I agree the Fast Tracks jig is not perfect. If I build a turnout using the jig I almost always have to bump over the outside diverging route to get cars to run through smoothly. Once I move the rail over a hair the turnout no longer fits back in the jig, so I do it last.

[wcfn100]

My perspective may be skewed a bit after building a #12 turnout.  Building the frog the FT way would certainly eat into the web of the rail with how long the angle is. The same would happen to the points if you followed their templates.

There's obviously a bunch of ways that work, and most N scale equipment is pretty forgiving.  I'll just put this in the 'don't knock it until you try it' category because it does work very well and does make other parts of building the turnout easier.


Jason

[Sokramiketes]

My perspective may be skewed a bit after building a #12 turnout.  Building the frog the FT way would certainly eat into the web of the rail with how long the angle is. The same would happen to the points if you followed their templates.

There's obviously a bunch of ways that work, and most N scale equipment is pretty forgiving.  I'll just put this in the 'don't knock it until you try it' category because it does work very well and does make other parts of building the turnout easier.


Jason

With notching the stock rails you don't need a true point, that's all.  You go halfway into the stock rail and halfway into the point rail and each maintains half the web. 

For the frog, yes there's a portion of the tip that doesn't have a web, but operationally it doesn't matter.  And if you fill your frogs with solder, it really doesn't matter.

It does look like a good method if you want to get away from notching the stock rails.  But, it also looks like it eats through the web since you have to add a brass bar.

[wcfn100]

It does look like a good method if you want to get away from notching the stock rails.  But, it also looks like it eats through the web since you have to add a brass bar.

Oh *****, I didn't see the bar.  I don't do that and it's not necessary.  Here's me getting off my lazy a$$ and scanning from the book.





All you need to do is bend it far enough so the web lines up with the edge of the rail head and then file straight.

I can easily say it's worth the extra effort.  But certainly not required to make a smooth running turnout.

Jason