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!
Another trackwork construction video showing how I make hinged switch points for a turnout that has very short points. The technique I am using was shown in a previous post here, to put the video in context it might be worth while to look over the post. This is a video version of this process being applied to the turnout I was working on in the last video.
This turnout is part of a section of trackwork that has 4 #3 three way curved turnouts and is based on very sharp, 14″ radius track. Due to these sharp radii, the switchpoints have to be very short, slightly over 1″ long and therefore have to be hinged in order to pivot freely. Also, the amount of space on an open point has to be wider than normal to accommodate wheels traversing this sharp curve. If they are not opened enough, the wheels will pick the switchpoints which will lead to cursing.
Hopefully these videos aren’t too dull to sit through, let me know if you like them, if so I can make more as I work on the layout. Again, watch it in HQ if you can.
-T.
This is the most recent construction related post.
Check back soon for an update! In the meantime, the category links to the right are full of interesting content.
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!
A riveting few minutes of watching trackwork being built. I completed most of the trackwork sections for the Bronx Terminal in 2007 using a minimal number of PC board ties. Since then I have decided to fill in all the additional ties with PC board as well. The original idea was to use wood ties cut on the laser, similar to our QuickSticks, but not wanting to have to draw all the QuickSticks for this project I decided to just use PC board ties for the remaining area. The advantage of this is that the completed trackwork is very solid and will withstand years of use. The downside is it is tedious and time consuming to do. I can finish off about 2 turnouts in an evening, and with 27 turnouts, well you do the math.
Shown in the video above is the process. Here, using a simple alignment jig cut on the laser from cardboard, I file, gap, cut to size and solder on five ties. The laser cut jig helps keep everything in place while I solder, the same could be done with a printed diagram of the tie pattern, but I would have to solder each tie after it was placed. Repeat this procedure a few hundred mind numbing times and you get the idea of the job at hand. After the ties are soldered in place I use a dental tool to scrape the excess solder from the sides of the rail, then clean the ties with a wire brush.
I also spend time forming throwbar and switch points, which isn’t shown on this video, but I do show the completed points near the end, and how they work.
BTW, that is the CBC playing in the background, with the occasional “I’m over here” bark from Bryn.
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!
