Fast Tracks

[conrod]

I just made my first set of points, started about 5:45 pm today and was finished by 7:00pm, thats with cutting the sleepers out of PCB board myself.
It took me longer to make the sleeper jig than to do the points!!!
The shelf in the background above my workbench is going to become my shunting layout

 

[sumpter250]

The first thig I saw was all the "machinery", which prompts the question,
"did you bring one for everybody?" :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

The jig looks like it will do the job! The shay, and the dump cars didn't escape my attention. Looks like you have the best of most worlds there, again,
Pete

 

[conrod]

Thinking about Fastracks

Thanks Sumpter250,
I've just made another two points, left and right used both sides of Fastracks jig at once, took just over 3 half hours .
But spent some time thinking this time, I left the frog point till after I soldered the straight and curved outside rails and the diverging and straight moving rails inside.
This let me position the "pointy" frog really deep into the triangular gap between the closure rails, think this is better than the suggested method of do the frog first then solder it in last.
Also next time I'm going to remove the slight thickness of aluminium between the "guard rails" and the outside rails, this will let me get the guard rails right up to the outside rails so the flanges of the wheels are kept away from the frog point.
Has anyone tried that before?????
Any comments, do you think that would work????

One day I'll get around to trying the 14 degreess crossing I also brought, but not for a while, its too complicated

 

[60103]

Conrod: are you using code 100 rail? It used to be the NMRA standard that if you placed code 100 rail with the rail bases touching, they provided the NMRA flangeway width.

 

[baldwinjl]

Thanks Sumpter250,
I've just made another two points, left and right used both sides of Fastracks jig at once, took just over 3 half hours .
But spent some time thinking this time, I left the frog point till after I soldered the straight and curved outside rails and the diverging and straight moving rails inside.
This let me position the "pointy" frog really deep into the triangular gap between the closure rails, think this is better than the suggested method of do the frog first then solder it in last.
Also next time I'm going to remove the slight thickness of aluminium between the "guard rails" and the outside rails, this will let me get the guard rails right up to the outside rails so the flanges of the wheels are kept away from the frog point.
Has anyone tried that before?????
Any comments, do you think that would work????

One day I'll get around to trying the 14 degreess crossing I also brought, but not for a while, its too complicated

This is for N scale turnouts, so take it with a grain of salt....
I find that I want to have the guard rails as far from the stock rails as they will go, when held up to the light I like to see a sliver of light between them. Any closer and the flage rides up the guard rail and bad things happen.

 

[conrod]

Rail size

60103
Think so. I'm using flexi track lengths that I buy at the local hobby shop, its 100 thou high and the flange width is 90 thou.
Are they correct dimensions??

 

[conrod]

crossing

Just knocked up a 14 degree crossing, made one last night but not happy with it so unsoldered this morning and started again.
Things I learnt...always use your rail gauge to check rail spacing and flange ways on each piece of track before and after you solder it in!!!!
Crossings are REALLY FIDDLEY have to fit each bit in, will be better next one

 

[Nomad]

Just knocked up a 14 degree crossing, made one last night but not happy with it so unsoldered this morning and started again.
Things I learnt...always use your rail gauge to check rail spacing and flange ways on each piece of track before and after you solder it in!!!!
Crossings are REALLY FIDDLEY have to fit each bit in, will be better next one

Conrad, that crossing looks great. But, I thought the fasttrack jigs held the rail in gauge during assembly. Were you just checking or did you have problems with the jig? I ask because I have been considering buying one of there jigs for turnouts.

Loren

 

[conrod]

Hi Nomad
Yes Fastracks holds gauge when you use the track its built for, my rails are too wide on the base, but they are cheap.
So I just run a file down each side a few times until it fits in the groove and I check before soldering.

 

[Greg Elems]

Loren,

When you get the jig, be sure to tell them what rail you will be using. I have a supply of ME rail and can easily get it at the LHS so the rail fits nice and the gauge is right on. As for the guard rails, the jig works fine for my NWSL wheel sets and higher quality items. The lower end equipment will get the NWSL wheel sets but in the mean time the scale wheels on the lower end equipment are a bit too fat on the flange. The turnout jig wasn't at fault and my intention was replacing the wheel sets regardless of my switches. A friend of mine has the On30 turnout jig and the jig is right on for his standards. I can't say enough about the jigs I used and seen. The turnouts are superior to the ones I can buy in S scale which need some tweaking usually. I actually like building turnouts now.

Greg

 

[tetters]

Glad you like the Fast Tracks stuff conrod!

I have a code 83 HO # 5 turnout jig already with a # 6 curved turnout jig on order. So far I've built over a dozen turnouts using the jig. I love it. I usually crank out one in an hour.

I like to pre-cut, file and prep everything first. Not one thing at a time as the video suggests...however if you are learning...its a good tutorial. Once I get everything prepped...I solder everything together all at once. Works good this way...feels more like an assembly line and the work flows better. Sometimes, my work requires a bit of tweeking. However, I'm pretty confident that once I start laying down track, they are going to look good and work perfectly.

 

[Nomad]

Guys, thanks for the input. I really need to save my pennies now.
Conrad, I am sorry if I stole your thread for awhile.

Loren

 

[conrod]

Afternoon everyone
Just spent a few hours putting my points and crossings down on a board.
Its 8 foot long 1 foot wide, what fits comfortably above my bench.
The domestic goddess doesnt know it yet but an 8 foot by 4 foot will be next, but that will take a lot of chocolates and flowers.
Its based on a layout from "The model railway Design Manual" by C J Freezerlayout 3 "Widdecombe" but I will be installing another two points to give a run around loop for the loco.
Nomad,,,no need to apologise, I dont think of it as MY thread,, rather OURS