Lapped Turnout

Oh Boy! More Trackwork…

I’m finishing up the final pieces of trackwork, bringing them all up to the same standards and techniques which involves hinging the switch points and adding in the missing PC board ties. Last evening I plugged away a bit on the nifty triple lapped turnout that leads into the engine house.

This is the piece of track that had portable bars added across the top of the turnouts so the locomotive can drive over another turnout to get into the engine house.

This time, instead of laser cutting a cardboard jig to align the ties, I simply printed out a full size template and worked on top of it. (I didn’t feel like walking out to the shop to cut one out, this works almost as well, just a bit slower). The completed section of trackwork was taped in place while I slid the missing ties under the rail, using the template as a guide.

I soldered the ties in place trying to duplicate their location as close as possible using prototype picture I had on hand. I think I have come up with a way to actually model the use of the removable rails. Will have to give it a bit more thought, but it would cool to actually simulate this operation.

BTW, Phil Goldstein has a great site dealing with all things New York railroad. He recently added a page about the Bronx Terminal with some great images and descriptions of the removable rail at this location. Here is a link.

-T.

On to Next Section…

About the Author:

I'm your host, Tim Warris, a product developer in Port Dover, Ontario. Since March of 2007 I have been documenting the construction of the former CNJ Bronx Terminal in HO scale. For my day job, I design track building tools for Fast Tracks, a small company I own and operate. Fast Tracks makes it fast and easy to hand lay your own trackwork. Stop by our website to learn more!

Posted by: Tim | 04-20-2009 | 11:04 AM
Posted in: Latest Posts | Track Construction | Comments Off on Lapped Turnout

Part 8 Completed

Ready to install

I managed to get Part 8 completed over the weekend. It is fully complete, gapped, tested and ready to install. This leaves only 1 turnout left to build for the terminal, which I will be tackling shortly.

After so much specialized trackwork, I have honed all the techniques I need for construction. Some of the earlier pieces were built using a different approach, so they will require a bit of re-work, but nothing serious.

This piece of trackwork leads into the wye, shown above. This is the only reverse loop on the layout and will require an automatic reverser installed. Other than this reverse loop, the rest of the layout is pretty much simple wiring.

The next step is to finally start cutting the rail gaps in all the track sections and preparing to install the trackwork onto the layout.

-T.

On to Next Section…

Posted by: Tim | 04-06-2009 | 08:04 AM
Posted in: Latest Posts | Track Construction | Comments (2)

Part 8

Closing in on the final pieces

My goal is to get this damn thing running. Preferably before the next major show, the NMRA Train Show in Hartford this July where the layout will be set up right in our Fast Tracks booth.

To that end, I am working on one of the last sections of trackwork with turnouts. Part 8 consists of 3 #2.75 constant radius turnouts (don’t forget, these are all scaled directly from the prototype)

These turnouts lead into some of the team tracks, and into the wye.