tracklaying: turnouts

Discuss the prototype and how to model it.
User avatar
jon price
Posts: 641
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 2:34 pm

tracklaying: turnouts

Postby jon price » Wed Sep 16, 2020 6:31 am

This ia a US example of installing/replacing a turnout. The video is 42 minutes. It condenses four days of crew on site. How does our own turnout installation compare?

Points that ocurr to me are that this uses a pre-assembled unit, but it looks a lot more drable than most pre-assembled turnouts of which I am aware. Assuming we can actually work a lot faster than full sized thanks to scaling factors I'm guessing that constructing and installing a turnout will fall somewhere between the 42 minutes of the video and the four days of the real thing. Any comments (not of the how fast can you do it as a competition, but how long does it take us.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=315&v=qXulPkh0vlA&feature=emb_title
Connah's Quay Workshop threads: viewforum.php?f=125

User avatar
Julian Roberts
Posts: 1389
Joined: Sat Jan 09, 2010 11:33 pm

Re: tracklaying: turnouts

Postby Julian Roberts » Fri Sep 18, 2020 1:19 pm

This took me 4 and a half days. ;) Chairs are not all on yet, no tiebars, not installed on as yet imaginary baseboard, but it does work! viewtopic.php?t=7028
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

CeeJay60
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 3:00 am

Re: tracklaying: turnouts

Postby CeeJay60 » Mon Sep 21, 2020 10:43 am

I haven't taken the time to watch the video, but thought I would share my own experience.

When I was laying (a lot of!) A6 points in my Fiddle Yard, I challenged myself to record the time it took me and decide whether point kits from Exactoscale or C&L were worth my money.

I should make it clear that there are no rivets in my construction, just plastic chairs stuck to sleepers, and some bits of copper clad where required for electrical continuity. I had all the required bits in stock, and used all the time saving jigs available from stores.

IMG_2004.JPG


With practice, I got it down to about 12 hours of intense concentrated effort to complete an A6 point from basic components (paper template, ply sleepers, plain steel bullhead rail, plastic chairs etc.) to the stage where it could be operated and a vehicle rolled through it.

Pre-made commercial sleeper bases, crossings and switch rail assemblies could save me up to 6 hours against this time - i.e. about half. So the cost (at that time) of 50-odd quid for an Exactoscale kit was worth it for the time they saved me, and I've still got quite a few to do. You'll note that the photo shows points from Exactoscale kits!

12 hours (or 6 hours) of working time does not include for example the time it takes glue to dry, so actual elapsed times are significantly longer - two days is about as fast as I would suggest is practicable for a build time, allowing glue to dry overnight. However, I would advise taking a bit longer to enjoy the process and get each step right before moving on to the next - I certainly take longer over point work on the scenic side of the layout, to try to make it look nice! (Not that I always succeed ... )

And of course there's still lots to do in terms of making it move, wiring it up, painting, detailing, ballasting, etc. etc.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Cheers,
Colin

I promise I'll get some of it right some of the time!


Return to “Track and Turnouts”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: AhrefsBot, ClaudeBot and 1 guest