Garden Railway Forum

Sorry about your check-rail woes, but I reckon they'll be worth it in the end, the trestle looks superb, as does that lovely curve into the bank...

Firstly preserving the wood. I am using wood preservative which Screwfix sell. For the track I am soaking the drilled sleepers in it overnight and then drying them over the Rayburn.

For the viaduct I intend to use the same stuff - but I was going to spray it using the compressor and either a proper spray gun, or perhaps the device I have for injecting wax oil into a chassis. Experiments to take place soon! Either way I am not intending to add any colour - just let it weather. Just need another spell of dry weather with light winds.

I have "cut and shut" those check rail chairs on the point. I used 2.3mm drills as spacers and clamped the rails up to the spacers as in the following photo. I did drill out the false bolt heads and glued and pinned the chairs down in their new position:
and finally a photo of the finished point:
The gap between the check rail and running rail ended up being a pretty even gap of between 2.45mm and 2.5mm - which seems perfect to me. Of course the final test was with a wagon and coach - nothing attempted to climb the frog - so I think that is a success.

Trevor

That point (and trestle) has come out very nicely. Nice robust throw, too.
Drill bits make great precision spacers, I use 1.5mm bits between the wheels and frames of Roundhouse locos when setting for 45mm gauge.

Old Man Aaron wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 7:02 am That point (and trestle) has come out very nicely. Nice robust throw, too.
Drill bits make great precision spacers, I use 1.5mm bits between the wheels and frames of Roundhouse locos when setting for 45mm gauge.

Thanks chaps for a really handy tip. Not thought of using drill bits as precision chunky feeler gauges or spacers.

Rik

They can also be used as bore gauges - assuming you have a variety of closely spaced sizes. If the drill just fits into a hole then you can get a pretty good idea of the hole size by measuring the drill diameter. Just be aware that drills are often less than the nominal diameter.

Trevor

Trevor Thompson wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 2:37 pm They can also be used as bore gauges - assuming you have a variety of closely spaced sizes. If the drill just fits into a hole then you can get a pretty good idea of the hole size by measuring the drill diameter. Just be aware that drills are often less than the nominal diameter.

Trevor

Do you use the shank or the pointy end?

Rik

The shank end

Trevor

Trevor Thompson wrote: ↑Tue Oct 19, 2021 4:42 pm The shank end

Trevor

But make sure it has no burrs where it may have spun in a chuck

It has been raining here for the best part of the week - which has slowed progress down a bit. I have however managed to lay track into the passing loop at Dduallt station:
The photo was taken before the track was fixed down - which I hope explains the kink in the near track!

Trevor

There's nothing like a shot of freshly laid trackwork to start off the day, to my mind ......

Rik

The passing loop is complete, and I will now be able to run trains up the line to the new station. It isn't finished but this should give you an idea of what things will be like: The station building and signs are not permanent yet, and the landscaping into the bank behind the station needs completing - or I will end up with grass everywhere again.

The weather is deteriorating here in West Wales (we have had a week of rain and wind) so I don't know how much further I will get before the spring. However I hope to at least get track laid as far as the steps:
And for next year further extension towards and through the hedge into the vegetable garden.

Trevor

Trevor, I live in West Wales too and the weather here has not been anywhere near good enough to accomplish what you have, so well done! Not only is it wet and windy but very slippery underfoot too, especially on sloping ground similar you yours. Top marks for sheer determination.

Thanks Peter.

It is getting slippery and that is what is about to force me to give up. Still as you say progress is being made.

Trevor

Wonderful flowing trackwork is always nice to look at. You've already really captured the FR feel. Shame about the weather changing, time to focus on the mechanical side of things eh?

Old Man Aaron wrote: ↑Sat Oct 30, 2021 2:07 am Wonderful flowing trackwork is always nice to look at. You've already really captured the FR feel. Shame about the weather changing, time to focus on the mechanical side of things eh?

Yes can't put off cleaning the lathe much longer! I am thinking about painting Linda, and getting back to K1.

Trevor

I do enjoy seeing newly laid track - it is a foretaste of what is to come .....

Rik

Have really enjoyed reading through this Trevor, and your point building has given me the confidence to have a go (I'm using Cliff Barker track) - I've had a few copies of the 16mm association point plans printed for a year or so but only just ordered chairs from Cliff, I'll be using a mix of the extended sleepers he supplies and some homemade plastic ones.

Andrew

Red Star wrote: ↑Thu Nov 04, 2021 4:19 pm Have really enjoyed reading through this Trevor, and your point building has given me the confidence to have a go (I'm using Cliff Barker track) - I've had a few copies of the 16mm association point plans printed for a year or so but only just ordered chairs from Cliff, I'll be using a mix of the extended sleepers he supplies and some homemade plastic ones.

Andrew

I'm glad that it has been of interest.

Don't be frightened of making points - it isn't difficult as long as you can hacksaw, and file you will be fine.

I have roller gauges which I made on the lathe, but track gauges are available to buy as well. The only points I would make are that I don't use the slide chairs which only hold the outside of the rail, and that check rail chairs give the wrong gap for 16mm scale.

Trevor

I'm starting to realise it's more simple than it appears, partly it was the soldering of the stainless steel rail to copper clad fibreglass strip (I do have some of the stainless steel flux, but my soldering isn't great at the best of times - good enough for basic electrics though), and partly the apparent complexity of points.

I'm using track gauges assembled from thick plastic sheeting (basic but they do the job). I've stuck to the standard slide on chairs and the check chairs (don't mind that the gap isn't to scale, can't see any issues with it)

Andrew

I’ve only just spotted this - sorry.

The issue with the check rail on points is that the wrong gap can allow stock to derail. Even in our scale the check rail is guiding the wheels away from the frog. If the gap is too wide the wheel can climb the frog and cause derailments.

On a long curve it isn’t so critical. Yes it would stop the other wheel climbing the outer rail if it were correct but is unlikely to actually be needed.

It has been suggested to me that on the viaduct real narrow gauge practice might have been to impose a speed limit rather than a check rail. That is just as valid an argument in the scale model.