SM32 point manufacturers
Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2026 7:00 pm
I'm having a bad week... Apart from the searing temperatures, I'm have a serious problem with the railway tracklaying.
Plan A was to use PECO points and flexitrack for my line. However, when I laid the points and some lengths for the first station out loosely in the garden, I realised that PECO's 'medium radius' points have a very shallow divergence and '1524mm radius' is actually the minimum. Taking the point as a whole, including the straight bits at each end, the overall radius is more like 2413mm radius. Not what I'm used to from their 4mm scale points ... I have used Setrack points (965mm radius) on my shunting plank and they do save space but are a bit small for what I wanted on the main line outside. I wanted something in between, ideally around five foot radius (as PECO describe their medium as) but with more divergence and less straight bits.
Plan B ... ask Cliff Barker to make me some bespoke points to 1500mm radius. All appeared to go well - UPS were their usual moronic selves delivering the parcel but that's another story - and on unwrapping, the points looked fine. However, when I tried running a wagon through one laid on the desk, it derailed. Some experimentation and much foul language later, I found that wasn't a random problem. All the vehicles I've tried derail in the facing direction at least 75% of the time, the leading flange rides up on the frogs. Locos don't derail but do lurch up and crash their way through. I have emailed Cliff B and really hope this can be fixed.
But if it can't...? I'm not happy using either of PECO's options and if Cliff B's points can't be used either - where do I go from here? Looking round online, I see GRS do points in code 250, four foot radius. Are they any good?
Does anyone else do points around the 4'-6' radius mark in SM32? I know Piko and LGB do 45mm points and my stock is nearly all convertible - but I wanted to build in SM32. Not least as all but one of our local group use this and going 45mm would limit what they can [easily] run here.
I don't want to give it all up and take up needlework or teddy bear collecting instead. But this has been a very frustrating week. Can any of you offer any ideas or information?
Plan A was to use PECO points and flexitrack for my line. However, when I laid the points and some lengths for the first station out loosely in the garden, I realised that PECO's 'medium radius' points have a very shallow divergence and '1524mm radius' is actually the minimum. Taking the point as a whole, including the straight bits at each end, the overall radius is more like 2413mm radius. Not what I'm used to from their 4mm scale points ... I have used Setrack points (965mm radius) on my shunting plank and they do save space but are a bit small for what I wanted on the main line outside. I wanted something in between, ideally around five foot radius (as PECO describe their medium as) but with more divergence and less straight bits.
Plan B ... ask Cliff Barker to make me some bespoke points to 1500mm radius. All appeared to go well - UPS were their usual moronic selves delivering the parcel but that's another story - and on unwrapping, the points looked fine. However, when I tried running a wagon through one laid on the desk, it derailed. Some experimentation and much foul language later, I found that wasn't a random problem. All the vehicles I've tried derail in the facing direction at least 75% of the time, the leading flange rides up on the frogs. Locos don't derail but do lurch up and crash their way through. I have emailed Cliff B and really hope this can be fixed.
But if it can't...? I'm not happy using either of PECO's options and if Cliff B's points can't be used either - where do I go from here? Looking round online, I see GRS do points in code 250, four foot radius. Are they any good?
Does anyone else do points around the 4'-6' radius mark in SM32? I know Piko and LGB do 45mm points and my stock is nearly all convertible - but I wanted to build in SM32. Not least as all but one of our local group use this and going 45mm would limit what they can [easily] run here.
I don't want to give it all up and take up needlework or teddy bear collecting instead. But this has been a very frustrating week. Can any of you offer any ideas or information?