Modelling stub switches

[Todd A Ferguson]

Jeff,

You may want to take a look at the new Rapido switch motors as they are designed to rotate the switch stand flag.

Might be and easier way to go if you want the targets to turn....

Best,

Todd Ferguson

Harrisburg, NC

Sent from my Wacked and Cracked iPad III, OUCH!!!

On Sep 4, 2015, at 1:37 PM, Jeff Young [via C&Sn3 Discussion Forum] <[hidden email]> wrote:

Having discovered that the 0.025" piano wire supplied with Tortoises is in no way able to throw a non-hinged switch, I've had to put the switch on the back-burner while I await larger piano wire.

So I went on to the switch stand.  I'm using C&S Elliot stands that Rick Steele cast for me:



Getting the target to rotate in HOn3 scale is a tricky business.  First off, there must be almost no slop in the holes you drill in the switch stand.  0.026" holes for 0.025" rod work well, 0.028" holes not so well.  (You will have to file off any burrs/elongation from the end of the rod to get it through a 0.026" hole.)

The crank offset is also critical.  With a 1.6mm offset I wasn't getting much rotation of the target rod, while a 1.3mm offset gave me binding issues.  1.4mm gives me nearly 90° rotation of the target, so we'll have to call that good enough.







Cheers,
Jeff.

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[Jeff Young]

> You may want to take a look at the new Rapido switch motors….

Cool product!  They should add a bracket for mounting it to the side of spline roadbed (their instructions sheet make it look like they’re mainly thinking about foam board).

Cheers,
Jeff.

[Todd A Ferguson]

Jeff,

I may get one just to play and experiment with some. I have used the SwitchMasters on my buddy's HO layout, 90 so far.  I have used those and the Tortoise on my own projects.  The Tortoise are a bit noisy with gear grinding, but I do like the built in contacts.  The SwitchMasters are a bit more work and lack contacts, so I have to add those for my powered frogs. 

What I really like ate the Mole machines from Proto87Stores. They are cheaper, small and relatively quiet, still add a relay for the frogs and you have to do a bit of assembly.  Probably my new favorite right now.  The Rapido looks like it is worth investigating if one wants working switch stand targets. One might be able to rig something similar with the SwitchMaster but it would involve some work.

Best,

Todd Ferguson

Harrisburg, NC

Sent from my Wacked and Cracked iPad III, OUCH!!!

On Sep 4, 2015, at 6:22 PM, Jeff Young [via C&Sn3 Discussion Forum] <[hidden email]> wrote:

> You may want to take a look at the new Rapido switch motors….

Cool product!  They should add a bracket for mounting it to the side of spline roadbed (their instructions sheet make it look like they’re mainly thinking about foam board).

Cheers,
Jeff.

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[Todd A Ferguson]

Jeff,

I really like what you have done with the turnout and functional targets on the switch stands is very cool.
The only turnoff for me personally, and this is not an attack on your work, is the large size of the spikeheads.

You mentioned you had tried smaller spikes and had issues with them. I have found a couple keys in working with the smaller spikes. First I use an Optivisor with a #7 lens most of the time. Second I try to use basswood ties. Third I use high quality 4 1/2" total length knurled jaw pliers to grip the spike head and twist it off the fret. Last I prefer to build my turnouts at the workbench rather than leaning over a layout. Maybe that is just a preference of getting older.

Have you thought about using some PC ties and soldering the rails in place? Here in NC we have the Sipping and Switching Society and one of the longest term members builds all sorts of standard, narrow and dual gauge track and he solders it all.  Of course he paints the track after it is laid and tested. He uses code 55 for mainline track and code 40 for anything else.

Any, congrats on some great work you have accomplished.

Best,
Todd Ferguson
Harrisburg, NC

[Jeff Young]

Yeah, I hear you Todd.  The ME small spikes are massively over-scale.

So I’ve been thinking about it for the last 24 hours, and whether or not I wanted to try one of the micro spike options again.  Bottom line is that I’m quite enjoying laying track with the small spikes, and I’ve made my peace with the way they look.

I have toyed with the idea of doing some soldered track.  I don’t like painted ties, and the PC-boards are much harder to distress, and I like doing things the prototype way where possible — all reasons against it.  But I figure it’s really the only viable way to use code 40 rail (other than as bridge and trestle guard rails where flange clearance isn’t an issue).

I have a fictional Whitepine branch coming off the D&RGW Marshall Pass line that I might try it out on.  But I figure I’ve got 2 or 3 years before I get over there, so lots of time to make up my mind. ;)

Cheers,
Jeff.

[Jeff Young]

Some larger spring wire arrived in the post.  (I ordered both 0.032" and 0.039" just to be safe.)

The 0.032" will throw the switch.  The shiny copper under the moving rails at the headblock was bothering me, so I hit it with a bit of Neolube to darken it.  This improved the throw of the switch as well, leading me to believe there wasn't a large margin of error in the 0.032" rod.

Making the lead rails longer will also decrease the torque required by the switch machine.  The prototype used a particular length to get a spiral easement into the switch.  For a #6, the lead rails should be a bit over 13'; for a #8 about 18'.  That works out to about 8 ties and 10 ties (assuming 22" tie spacing).

However, I don't think the spiral easement needs to be exact.  FastTracks, for instance, in their stub switch builder's guide, solders a #6 switch's lead rails a full 16 ties back.  While I think that's perhaps taking things too far away from the prototype, I experimented a bit with removing the last few spikes in my #6 turnout, and the switch machine clearly has an easier time with lead rails 9 or 10 ties long than with lead rails 8 ties long.  So I'm going to start spiking both #6 and #8 turnouts 10 ties back.

Cheers,
Jeff.

[Todd A Ferguson]

Jeff,

I definitely hear what you are saying.  Modeling is trade offs and compromise and it gets harder to scale things the smaller the scale. I am with you regarding the painting of PC ties, especially on narrow gauge western road modeling. It is a real challenge to get painted ties to blend with stained real wood ties. It is really challenging if you are going with the light bleached out tie look or new fresh wood untreated tie look. The one piece of advice I can give you is to look at the trackwork of Harry Brunk and also on the Mears Madness HOn3 layout. These layouts have track that blends into the overall scenery very well.

The other viable way to use small rail is to glue it in place with a very few occasional PC ties. Barge cement works well with small rail.  I have also experimented with some other techniques to applying small rail. If you are interested I will happily share with you or any others.

Best,
Todd Ferguson
Harrisburg, NC

[Robert McFarland]

Ya gotta watch out for those  painted toes-sometimes they come attached to a  beautiful woman(and sometimes they don't.)

[Todd A Ferguson]

Robert,

You are so correct about that...LOL!!!  A couple weeks ago my daughter even painted her Labrador's, Daisy, toes Carolina Blue.  Daisy didn't seem to care for it too much...but it lasted about 10 days...

I did see the error in the post but didn't see a way to edit and fix it...oh well.

Best,

Todd Ferguson

Harrisburg, NC

Sent from my Wacked and Cracked iPad III, OUCH!!!

On Sep 8, 2015, at 9:03 AM, Robert McFarland [via C&Sn3 Discussion Forum] <[hidden email]> wrote:

Ya gotta watch out for those  painted toes-sometimes they come attached to a  beautiful woman(and sometimes they don't.)

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[Chris Walker]

Todd,
 Edit feature is under More top right of post

[Todd A Ferguson]

Chris,

Thanks!  I fixed it up right now...

Best,
Todd Ferguson
Harrisburg, NC

[Chris Walker]

You're lucky it was your girl's pet.  A friend of mine, both his little daughters set about painting his toes while he snoozed one day.  Being on the nightshift he probably never noticed until swapping over his workboots after work.  He now goes by the nickname "Pinky"  

[Todd A Ferguson]

Yes, I concur Chris!

My son did have a girlfriend who painted his fingernails black and yellow for a few races when he races a Suzuki in Motocross.  But of course you wear gloves on the track. Didn't seem to hurt though, he did well.  Now he is a drag racer...

Best,

Todd Ferguson

Harrisburg, NC

Sent from my Wacked and Cracked iPad III, OUCH!!!

On Sep 8, 2015, at 7:52 PM, Chris Walker [via C&Sn3 Discussion Forum] <[hidden email]> wrote:

You're lucky it was your girl's pet.  A friend of mine, both his little daughters set about painting his toes while he snoozed one day.  Being on the nightshift he probably never noticed until swapping over his workboots after work.  He now goes by the nickname "Pinky"  

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[Don Gustavson II]

Jeff,
Just wanted to know how your turnouts are preforming now that they have been in for a while?
Have you made any modifications since the you installed them?

I will be building some also. Along with finishing off and updating others on the existing layout.
Thanks.

[Jeff Young]

Hi Don,

A couple of them need oiling now and again, but I’ve made no changes.  (That being said, I do a lot more building than operating, so I can’t say with certainty that they perform well over time.)

Cheers,
Jeff.

[Don Gustavson II]

Hehe..
I know the feeling.
It is nice when we have an open house.
It forces us to clean all the track and wheels. (and repeat).
And then just run trains.
"Oh hey... Look! We can actually run trains on this layout too."