I don't usually post things myself, being more of a "reader" and "liker" of articles from other more knowledgeable forum members, but in this present "Coronavirus" environment, I want to share what I have been doing with my time, while being forced into "isolation" here on the fabulous Gold Coast in sunny Queensland, Australia (Ha Ha Ha!!!!)
Anyway, as my forum name suggests, I collect and run Buco Swiss-made 3 rail O gauge tinplate trains that were manufactured back in the late 1940's and up to the mid 1950's by a company (Burcherer) in Switzerland, before they went into liquidation. I think these tinplate trains are incredibly well made, some are older than me, and sometimes they run better than me. Anyway, because they are no longer manufactured in ernest, finding track sections is becoming harder and harder, and is restricted mainly to auction sites in Switzerland. Coming from "the land down under", it is getting harder and harder to get more second-hand track to extend my layout.
The original track is "high rail" bullhead profile brass, attached to beech timber sleepers (ties), with tiny brass rail spikes, and rail end connecting "sleeves". In my travels I found a hobby shop in Wetzikon, Switzerland that still had left-over spare Buco parts including rails, sleepers (ties), spikes, and brass connector sleeves from the original production run, and was selling them separately. I was instantly in heaven, so over the last couple of years I have been buying up some of their stock, and having it posted to me here in Australia......yeh, that's right....I've been hoarding it like toilet paper!!!!!
So, now with all of this spare time on my hands, I ventured into my little workshop (back of the garage) and have started making new track sections from the spare material I've been hoarding. I can only make straight sections at the moment, but have replicated the two most common sections made back at the time.....260cm long & 320cm long (10 & 1/4 inches and 12 & 19/32 inches long). Some years ago I also purchased the special hand tools needed to drive the brass spikes into the sleepers (ties), and to clamp the brass rails to the spike heads, after the spikes have first been driven into the sleepers (ties).
I have attached some photos showing the process, starting with the bare 1m long (3ft) lengths of brass rail, right through to finishing a section of new 260cm long track, complete with the joining sleeves, and the underside of the end sleeper (tie) identified with the original "BUCO - Made In Switzerland" brand, using a stamp I had especially made-up for this purpose. (original Buco stamped sleepers are no longer available)
Hope you guys enjoy the photos as much as I do making the new rail sections.
Peter.......Buco Australia.
