Superior & Seattle Railroad Build

[ACL1504]

Tim...

Do you mean???

The hurrier I go...  The be hinder I get.

See ya
Bob

Yea, I think that is the one!

Tom

[ACL1504]

I spent most of the day yesterday running trains and evaluating the track work on the layout. I found three areas where I need to do some work before we can start adding ballast to the track. In all three cases I tried to make straight turnouts work where the geometry really was calling for curved turnouts. The order for new curved turnouts was made and the adjustments to the budget was made. The price of track has gone through the roof!

John,

I've done the same thing on the old layout. Tried to cram a straight when it really needed a curved one. I was at Howards Zane's home one day and I asked him where he got the large radius curved turnout. He said it was a Walthers #10 straight turnout. He cut every other tie on the bottom of the turnout and gently curved it to meet his need. He said he never had a problem with it. It looked like a #10 curved turnout, he said the raidius was 40" outside and inside was 36"! I had a couple of #10's but was to chicken to try what he did. Last I looked Walthers stuff was close to $55+ for a large curved turnout.

Tom

[S&S RR]

I spent most of the day yesterday running trains and evaluating the track work on the layout. I found three areas where I need to do some work before we can start adding ballast to the track. In all three cases I tried to make straight turnouts work where the geometry really was calling for curved turnouts. The order for new curved turnouts was made and the adjustments to the budget was made. The price of track has gone through the roof!

John,

I've done the same thing on the old layout. Tried to cram a straight when it really needed a curved one. I was at Howards on day and I asked him where her got the large radius curved turnout. He said it was a Walthers #10 straight turnout. He cut every other tie on the bottom of the turnout and gently curved it to meet his need. He said he never had a problem with it. It looked like a #10 curved turnout, he said the raidius was 40" outside and inside was 36"! I had a couple of #10's but was to chicken to try what he did. Last I looked Walthers stuff was close to $55+ for a large curved turnout.

Tom  

Tom
Thanks for the tip.
If I need another curved turnout I will give it a try - I'm sure I will. You are correct about the price of turnouts and finding someone who has them in stock is a challenge.  Walthers has very few left in stock and I here the are going way up in price again when they can supply them.

[jlgrove]

..I have heard of that turnout tip for any straight turnouts....I did it with an Atlas #4 for a little section of my logging line, and it worked great....I even know of guys that have done it with PECO's both in HO and On30 for unique turnouts without the expense of curved ones, and if you don't lay your own track, it works fine....great tip Tom!!!

[bparrish]

I've fallen prey to needing to bend the rails coming away from the frog but overall I've managed too leave the switch point area alone.

Great tip.

thanx
Bob

[S&S RR]

I've fallen prey to needing to bend the rails coming away from the frog but overall I've managed too leave the switch point area alone.

Great tip.

thanx
Bob

We all may have to start building our own turnouts - it looks like the supply train from China is off the tracks. I have turnouts coming from three different places  to get what I needed. Every shop I talked to said they don't know if or when more will be available. I use Micro Engineering for flex track and straight turnouts - made in the USA - but they haven't got into the special shape business. I hope to talk to them about this at the Narrow Gauge convention. I use code 83 for my main lines and code 70 and 55 for branch lines and sidings.


I think I have what I need for now but when I get to the two planned expansions to the layout I will have to come up with a solution.

[deemery]

Peco track is expensive, but it's good quality.  I think it's still made in the UK (but I'm not sure about that.)


dave

[bparrish]

Dave............

As far as I know Peco is still made in England. 

John....... If you are going short put out a call for all here to put in an under the bench search and destroy and see who comes up with how many.

I've got one Mark II riveted switch point #4 that doesn't have a lot of miles on it and a few new in the box Shinohara but all are code 100.

Let me know what you need.

see ya
Bob

[S&S RR]

Peco track is expensive, but it's good quality.  I think it's still made in the UK (but I'm not sure about that.)


dave

Dave

Your are correct make in UK - last time I looked into it they didn't offer curved turnouts in code 83 but I just found a source that has them. Thanks for the post - it got me to take another look at Peco.

[S&S RR]

Dave............

As far as I know Peco is still made in England. 

John....... If you are going short put out a call for all here to put in an under the bench search and destroy and see who comes up with how many.

I've got one Mark II riveted switch point #4 that doesn't have a lot of miles on it and a few new in the box Shinohara but all are code 100.

Let me know what you need.

see ya
Bob

Bob

Thanks for the offer - right now I think I will have enough if everything I ordered comes in. Thanks to Dave's post I also have another possible source in Peco - they now offer curved turnouts in code 83.  It has been many years since I looked at their line of flex track.

[deemery]

If you're ordering a quantity of PECO products, it's worth checking UK prices.  When I did my big PECO order, I ordered from here:  http://www.hattons.co.uk  The savings in VAT by shipping overseas paid for the shipping itself.  (But for some reason the hattons website isn't responding today.)   edit Helps if I get the URL right http://www.ehattons.com


dave

[S&S RR]

If you're ordering a quantity of PECO products, it's worth checking UK prices.  When I did my big PECO order, I ordered from here:  http://www.hattons.co.uk  The savings in VAT by shipping overseas paid for the shipping itself.  (But for some reason the hattons website isn't responding today.)   edit Helps if I get the URL right http://www.ehattons.com


dave

Thanks will check it out.

[S&S RR]

Today we spent the day testing the track and fixing the rough spots. Two areas that need some rework and I think we will have the lower main operational. It sure is nice to see trains running on the layout!

[gnatshop]

Congratulations!!! 

[S&S RR]

Congratulations!!! 

Thanks!