Hand Laying O scale Track video Part 3

Chris,

Very nice.  Waiting on the next installment to actually lay the switch! :-)  Kind of like those cooking shows.

Yeah I had to break up the videos, they would just end up being too long otherwise.  I am editing the next one currently.  Is there anything specific you guys would like to see? The next one is the laying of the switch but is there anything more specific?...Let me know.

Nice informative video Chris!  I handlaid probably 15 or so switches using Lou Cross components.  The process is not daunting for most builders.  I got my time down to about 2 hours to build a switch and it was well worth the realism.  You mention using the longer tie plates to span more than one rail.  I learned something observing my local prototype.  What I saw was a strap-like tie plate half the width that I could duplicate by taking (IIRC) .020 x .100 styrene and cut pieces 5/8" long. On the ends I drilled holes for my Micro Engineering small spikes and placed two of these side by side on a tie staggering them as on the prototype to engage each rail.  The actual prototype plates have a hook on one end to engage the base of the rail and a spike hole on the other end.  I hope you and others can visualize this otherwise I'll have to make a trip to get some pictures.

Phil

Thanks Phil, When I run out of the larger ones that is the way I am going to do the rest.  I actually like it better.

Great shots Patrick.  Thanks for posting those.

I am using them up under my frog and guard rails....

Thanks for making these available Chris, they are very informative, no non-sense tutorials!

Thanks for posting the pictures Patrick.  After I posted I was concerned that some might not be able to visualize the special plates.  After I observed the prototye I found this to be a great and easy solution, plus they're very easy to make.  I'd just take a strip of styrene, score it for final breakoff, drill all the holes, and then break them off.

Phil

Phil what are your thoughts on making the throw bars out of styrene...?

Chris, I take it this is the first one for you? I hope I'm not assuming. My first one had me a bit apprehensive but I found a couple things that helped.  There's some fudging and finagling in the process and getting every element it its proper place.  I would mostly use as a starting point having ready the points, closure rails, and the frog as an assembly. That I believe is the key.  Point to frog distance is first calculated from available tables.  In my case of building #6 switches that dimension was 11.5".  Then I would fit it between the outside stock rails of each route, and as I said, I would keep fudging until I had the right gage all around.  Then I'd randomly tack it with spikes (minus the plates for now) and then keep checking gage as I went along finishing it off spiking with plates. Gotta keep checking gage and with a small punch you can carefully knock rails into gage.  When my confidence increased I was able to use a #10 frog and long points to build a curved switch with 48" and 42" radius. It wasn't bad!  Hope this gives some insight for all.  Try it! Track is a model too! 

Chris, about the throw bars tying the points together?..........I wouldn't make them from styrene.  Use Lou's bars.  You'll have to insulate them of course and that's easy enough.  I found styrene too soft for the pressure a throw will put on them.  I used a piece of .125 square between the cast bars with a center hole drilled in it to throw the points from below.  That took some planning to bore a 1/2" hole in the roadbed.  Now if you're planning on using those large flat plates in the picture as a detail that would be fine.

Phil 

I use .100 square styrene strip for throwbars for the majority of my switches.  Points are attached with 00-90 screws.  Tortoise machines do the switch throwing.  The point force can be judged by the curve of the steel actuator wire in the photo.  I've used Lou's cast brass throw bars and they look great, but the styrene strip is very quick to make and install --- and cheap.

Charlie

Chris,

Will you have all of your track laying videos on your web site in one place?

BTW, you do a good job setting up the viewer with the basic terminology to have every one at the same starting point so we can follow along.  Thanks for making the effort to share what you have learned with all of us.

Larry

Hi Phil, no this isn't my first one...I think this is my tenth or so.  I am using Lou's castings including his throw bars and such.  I start of with the stock rail and then move into placing the frog....seems to work for me...  I was thinking for down the road if styrene would be a good substitute or not.  What I am laying now for the video is a #8...my layout is a mix of #8's and #10's.

Charlie that looks very good...I may go that route in the future on some.

Hi Larry, thank you very much.  Yes I will have them all on my blog which I have a link to in my signature here.  And I will put a link up to my youtube channel.