Turnout construction-Flat-bottom rail

Discuss the prototype and how to model it.
Tony Wilkins
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Turnout construction-Flat-bottom rail

Postby Tony Wilkins » Thu Mar 25, 2021 5:52 pm

PROTOTYPE CONSIDERATIONS.

Before looking at the construction techniques I used on the few Flat-bottom turnouts I have recently built for Brimsdown, perhaps we should consider a little of the history of Flat-bottom track in this country.
The evolution of Flat-bottom track seems to have been a series of lessons learned, forgotten, relearned and improved upon, which continues to this day.
Flat-bottom rail to BS standard sections have been around for considerably longer than is generally realised, but little used in this country apart from a few special situations until the LMS laid the first of several lengths of Main line using BS 110 Flat-bottom rail in 1936. Some lengths of the American 131 lb rail were also tried, but this was found to be too stiff and wasteful of metal for use in this country. The LNER followed suit in 1939 and in January 1944 laid the first Flat-bottom turnout in a main line. There were found to be some shortcomings with the BS 110 rail section and an improved standard rail section was developed, which weighed 113 lb per yard.
Following nationalisation, in February 1949 BR announced that it was to introduce a new standard of 109 lb per yard and a range of Point and Crossing work utilising it. In 1959 this was superseded by the 110A section rail for all new installations. This lasted until about 1967 when it was in turn superseded by the 113A section rail, which became the standard for a good many years. In model terms, at 4mm/foot, the difference between the three rail sections would barely be noticeable, assuming they were all available that is. It should however be noted that the 113 and 113A sections are different, the weight per yard being purely the result of the cross sectional area.
There are numerous differences in detail between turnouts built using each of the three rail sections and my methods include elements from all three designs thus being best described as a generic Flat-bottom even though they are supposed to depict mostly 109 design turnouts.
Rather than using Chairs to sit the rail in, Flat-bottom track uses Baseplates to hold the rail and Slide Baseplates for the switch blades.
Slide baseplates.jpg

The P Baseplate is used with both 109 and 110A rail, but the PX Baseplate is only used with 110A rail. Note that both Baseplates have a step and change of angle where the foot of the stock rail and switch blade meet. Those for use with the 113A rail where the rails are vertical, have one flat horizontal surface for both rails and are more practical in model terms.
Note also how the foot of the 109 switch rail is cut away to clear the foot of the stock rail, (a practice discontinued with the 110A rail) and clearly impractical in model terms.
Below is a table of standard switch dimensions for 109 and 110A switches except that it should be noted that the curved switch data only applies to 110A rail, from which it follows that with 109 rail, only semi-curved switches, with straight planing, were available in B to F types. A switches being unavailable due to the increased stiffness of the rail section in comparison with Bullhead rail.
Switch data.jpg

All but the two G switches are available as standard options within Templot.
I have very little data on 113A turnouts.
The introduction of 109 turnouts largely followed the geometry of Bullhead P&C (Point & Crossings) and switches were made both as undercut (shown in the Baseplate drawings) and straight cut patterns. With the introduction of the 110A rail, a third option became available as shown below.
Switch chamfered.jpg


The crossing vee is also more complex with the extra width of the foot to accommodate.
Vee 1 in 8.jpg

Needless to say that I don't quite make them like that, but note that the nose of the vee is 5/8" wide rather than 3/4" as with BH vees.

Rather than repeat the list of tools I use, please refer to my Bullhead construction Thread. viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5727
The main difference is that it is not possible to use the filing jigs as the foot of the rail will not fit into them, so it is back to first principles.

THE CROSSING VEE.

It will probably come as no surprise to learn that I am adapting the Brook Smith system of construction, as I am wedded to the soldering iron.
However fabricating the component parts is equally applicable to the use of functional baseplates. There are basically two types available that are suitable for FB P&C, either the C&L ST baseplates or the Peco Pandrol clips, which came later. Peco also make a passable slide baseplate. For Green Street, ST baseplates were used for all the Flat-bottomed track including the plain track in the main platform, as this was all that was available at the time.
So the first job is to prepare the timbering. The most recent versions of Templot have the ability to print FB rails with the foot as seen here.
DSCF0727.jpg

For this application I am using some Copper track rivets that I have in my collection. This choice was dictated by the difference in height between BH and FB rail. My C&L Flat-bottom is code 82 and Bullhead code 75. Since this is the rail height in Thousands of an inch the difference in height is 82 - 75 or 7 thou. The heads Copper rivets are 6 thou less than the current Brass ones and so allow for the difference. This has been discussed in my Brimsdown thread.

To work. Much of what follows is similar to working with BH rail, but there is the greater foot width to contend with and I should warn you right from the start that you will be spending a lot of your time removing the rail foot where it will not be wanted. Therefore I do not intend to go into minute detail except where the procedure differs greatly from that for Bullhead rail. It does though have some benefits as the foot is easier to hold in a vice.
So starting with the point rail and depending on the hand of the vee, file an angle slightly less than the vee angle into the center of the rail. This particular vee is 1:8.
DSCF0728.jpg

Turn the rail upside down in the vice and bend the rail to restore the running face to a straight line.
DSCF0729.jpg

This needs to be cleaned up with a file and the bend in the foot also needs to be filed down
DSCF0730.jpg

to restore it to its original alignment.
DSCF0731.jpg

The next job is to file the reverse side to obtain the desired angle.
DSCF0732.jpg

This is done by part filing the vee and then checking the result against a vee angle jig and adjusting the filing angle to correct for any errors. This is often easier to see with the rail upside down in the vee jig.
DSCF0733.jpg

Repeat for the splice rail remembering that it is of the opposite hand to the point rail
DSCF0736.jpg

DSCF0734.jpg

and needs to be bent the opposite way too.
DSCF0735.jpg

Clean up the filed face of the splice rail is then turned it over in the vice to file the back to the required angle.
DSCF0737.jpg

This is again done in stages checking against the vee angle jig and shows all to clearly the problems of judging the angle against the jig with the foot of the rail holding the head away from the sides of the jig.
DSCF0738.jpg

Placing the rail in the jig head down makes things much easier to see assuming you have filed the foot to the same angle as the head. This is a different piece of rail, but demonstrates the principle.
DSCF0802.jpg

Finally.
DSCF0739.jpg

However we are not done yet as the feet of the two rails will clash.
DSCF0740.jpg

Bring the point and splice rail together and mark the head of the point rail at the place where the foot of the splice rail meets the foot of the point rail.
DSCF0741.jpg

Remove sufficient of the point rail foot to allow the two rails to butt together flush. Trying to cut away just enough of the foot to match the prototype shaping is in my view way too much hassle.
DSCF0742.jpg

Place the two rails in the vee assembly jig and carefully check the fit. This operation I found particularly challenging as the rail's foot is in contact with the sides of the jig and any inward pressure on the foot tends to push the heads apart, unlike Bullhead rail where the foot and head are the same width.
DSCF0743.jpg

A pair of stainless steel tweezers are useful to hold things together when soldering the vee.
DSCF0744.jpg

At first the splice rail appears to be too far behind the point rail's planing, and I initially thought I may have to dismantle it and have another try, but after further thinning of the splice rail and when cleaned up looks a lot better.
DSCF0745.jpg

As with BH rail the top edges of the vee are deburred by draw filing to restore the corner radii and taper the top of the vee nose down slightly toward the nose.
The vee then needs to be cut to length. I use Xuron rail cutters for this, but unlike BH rail where I cut it from side to side, with FB rail it is preferable to cut it vertically as it causes less distortion of the rail end, at least on the flat side of the blades. The ends still need to be cleaned up with a file. The vee is then soldered into place beginning with the nose of the vee, but then solder both rails to the last timber that supports both rails. It is important to check the alignment of the vee at this stage as it is relatively easy to adjust with only 3 joints soldered. Only when happy solder the rest.
DSCF0746.jpg

Now the fun really begins.

THE WING RAILS.

One of the radical departures from earlier practice is with the wing and check rail ends. Whilst earlier turnout designs bent the ends out to produce the entry flare, BR practice changed to a straight rail with the business area planed instead. This was to reduce the number of different types of baseplate required.
Vee crossing.jpg

Looking at the picture, it can be seen that this consists of two parts. First the inside half of the rail head is removed back to the web of the rail and then the remaining head of the rail is planed at an angle to further widen the entry gap and produce what is in effect a double taper. We have to recreate this. The ST type baseplates and fixings can also be seen.
Prepare a suitable length of rail and line it up with the end of wing rail as shown on the printout. Now mark where the knuckle bend needs to be. It can help if the timber is temporarily removed as shown.
DSCF0747.jpg

This is where you discover just how much stiffer FB rails is compared to BH. Form the bend, I ended up doing it with my fingers rather than the vice.
DSCF0748.jpg

In order to position the wing rail close enough to the vee with the correct flangeway spacing, bearing in mind that I am using S4 dimensions rather than P4, some of the foot of the wing rail needs to be removed, but only from the nose of the vee to the end. Note also that I have removed some of the foot at the bend as otherwise the two wing rails will be clash here as well.
DSCF0749.jpg

Next we need to produce the flared entry, which is done in two stages.
1:
DSCF0750.jpg

2:
DSCF0751.jpg

The first wing rail can now be trimmed to length and soldered to the end rivet. The silver strip is the S4 Crossing Flangeway gauge and the black strip is the P4 one, which I find useful as a check sometimes. If it goes in the gap I have got it too wide. Of course, if you are working to P4 dimensions, you don't have that option.
DSCF0752.jpg

As for BH track the wing rail is able to pivot on the end rivet before soldering at the nose with the CF gauge for reference.
As usual check and adjust until happy before soldering the remaining joints.
DSCF0753.jpg

Producing the second wing rail is a similar procedure, just the opposite hand. The second mark shows where to remove the foot from. I did the same with the first wing rail but it had almost worn off by the time I photographed it.
DSCF0754.jpg

DSCF0755.jpg

I ended up extending the foot removal due to the proximity of other rails.
DSCF0756.jpg

Fit the second wing rail as per the first.
DSCF0757.jpg

A close up shot revels why the feet have to be filed back at the knuckle.
DSCF0758.jpg
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Last edited by Tony Wilkins on Fri Oct 27, 2023 5:25 pm, edited 5 times in total.
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Re: Turnout construction-Flat-bottom rail

Postby Tony Wilkins » Thu Mar 25, 2021 11:12 pm

THE STOCK RAILS.

The next rails to tackle are the stock rails. This is a C:8 turnout and because of the overall length I have chosen to split the stock rails at the end of the switch pairs, as marked on the template, into two prototypical parts. This means that I have the only two lengths of rail that do not need much filing apart from tidying up the cut ends.
DSCF0759.jpg

The stock rails are positioned using two track gauges.
DSCF0760.jpg

However it is not as straight forward as this. 109 rail has a head width of 2.75" which scales at 0.92mm. The C&L code 82 rail section that I have has a head width of only 0.76mm or 0.16mm under scale. This means that the rail is a loose fit in the jaws of the track gauge, however the cumulative effect of both rails means that the gauge can be up to 0.32mm over if both rails are at their maximum separation. It is thus important to make sure that the rails are pushed inward against the gauge faces when soldering and it is advisable to check them against a type of track gauge with faces that only contact the running rail faces. This will be demonstrated later on.

This issue also affects plain track assembled using flexitrack bases. Since the rails are held by the foot, and the FB rail is a firm fit in the Exactoscale concrete sleeper base, the rail is held at the correct center spacing. If the rail heads are narrow, the gauge is going to be over-width by the same amount as the rail head is under-width. For curved track this produces an unintended gauge widening that may be beneficial, but for straight track this may not be so desirable.

Referring once again to these drawings it should be noted that the P slide baseplate as shown when used with 109 section rail, the foot of the switch rail has the bottom planed away to clear the foot of the stock rail. This relies on the stock rail being inclined at 1 in 20 reducing the amount of metal needing to be removed. However it is notable that with the introduction of the 110A section BR discontinued this practice as the foot of the new section was thicker than previously and it was felt that it would weaken the switch rail to an undesirable extent, thus the design shown with the PX baseplate was adopted still using an inclined stock rail.
Slide baseplates.jpg

I have always considered trying to emulate the 109 pattern switch a non-starter, particularly as with soldered track the rail will invariably be vertical. However see viewtopic.php?f=37&p=83479#p83479

My adopted solution has more in keeping with 113A practice, but using 109 geometry.
The next part of the stock rail contains the area that the switch rail butts up against.
This needs to be marked (A) midway between the tip of the switch rail and the next timber typically numbered 2 and 3.
It also needs to be marked (B) where the switch rail foot regains its full width and (C) where the feet of both rails clear each other on the template.
Between A and B the inside foot needs to be removed until it is less wide than the head of the rail. This will need to be done in two stages due to the restricted width of the vice jaws.
This shows mark A.
DSCF0761.jpg

Tilt the file up slightly and away from the head as one needs to be as careful as possible not to catch and thus mark the rail head whilst filing away the foot and I would say that it is very easy to under do the foot removal only to find that the switchblade will not fit properly later on, so over do rather than under.
Stock rail with from left to right, marks A, B and C, showing the desired shape although there are a couple of areas where further metal needs to be removed.
DSCF0762.jpg

and similarly for the opposite rail, which is much better.
DSCF0763.jpg

The next job is to form the set in the diverging stock rail 1.5 mm before the tip of the switch blade.
These parts of the stock rail can then be installed.
DSCF0764.jpg
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Re: Turnout construction-Flat-bottom rail

Postby Tony Wilkins » Sat Mar 27, 2021 2:07 pm

THE SWITCH BLADES.

Cut two pieces of rail slightly longer than the required length for your switchblades. I usually include the length of the closure rail as one piece for added strength.
Take the first length (usually for the straight switch rail) and mark the required planing length (in this case 37mm approx for a C switch) on both sides of the rail.
DSCF0768.jpg

Place and hold the rail in the vice by the foot with the gauge face uppermost and proceed to file down the inside face of the rail head and into the web leaving the foot intact.
DSCF0765.jpg

Try to produce an even taper going from the web of the rail at the tip to full form just before the mark.
DSCF0767.jpg

Remove the rail from the vice and de-burr it before attempting to bend the rail back to a straight line at the end of your filing on the gauge face.
Then turn it over and place in the vice to file down the reverse side, which will have to be done in two stages, unless your vice jaws are long enough.
Holding the file horizontal, first file both the head and foot an even taper so that the head planing runs out at the mark.
DSCF0769.jpg

Now move the rail down in the vice
DSCF0770.jpg

as the remaining taper of the foot needs to be done.
DSCF0771.jpg

This needs to be done carefully paying attention to the width of the foot. This must not be too wide, or the switch rail may not sit properly against the stock rail. It also helps to draw file the the bottom corner of the rail to remove any square corners and sharp bits.
As with BH rail the top surface needs to be tapered down over the planing length to reduce the height at the tip by about 10 thou or 0.25mm and the tip rounded off.
DSCF0772.jpg

The top inside edge is then filed at an angle to produce an approximate 1 in 4 taper. This is different to BH rail where it was 1 in 5.
DSCF0773.jpg

Finally draw file the top corner radius of the switch rail and remove any remaining burrs before trimming to length and test fit.
It will be necessary to check for and remove any excess solder on the inside of the stock rail / rivet interface where the slide baseplates will go.

Now is perhaps a good place to consider the baseplates used with FB turnouts. Because of the increased stiffness of FB rail in comparison with BH rail, it has already been noted that, at least for 109 section rail, A switches do not exist, but for B, C and D switches 10 slide baseplates (of three different lengths) are required to give the desired degree of flexibility. Longer switches require more. E 12 and F 14. The situation for 110A section rail is more complex with a greater number of different slide baseplates.

Any problems should be addressed before proceeding. It is also possible to remove further material from the foot of the rail in order to obtain a close fit as the switch rail will sit upright upon the remaining foot.
The additional track gauge is one of the Exactoscale set intended for use with their functional chairs, but serves the purpose here, which is to make sure the switch rail is soldered at the correct distance from the opposite stock rail. i.e to gauge.
DSCF0774.jpg


It is the same procedure for the second switch rail but of the opposite hand
DSCF0775.jpg

and curved. The second Exactoscale track gauge, in the center of the picture, with the single central groove is the first stage (minimum) of gauge widening and can be used on the middle section of the curved closure rail only.
DSCF0776.jpg
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Re: Turnout construction-Flat-bottom rail

Postby Tony Wilkins » Sat Mar 27, 2021 8:56 pm

This of course just leaves

THE CHECK RAILS.

First cut and prepare two lengths of rail to suit.
DSCF0777.jpg

Remove the foot from one side of both. Note the burr curling up toward the right hand end, which will need to be removed.
DSCF0778.jpg

Mark the required length of the flare both ends, I chose 10mm.
DSCF0779.jpg

Then file the first stage of the flare on the side sans foot
DSCF0780.jpg

and the second stage.
DSCF0781.jpg

Repeat for the other end.
DSCF0782.jpg

Now repeat the process for the second check rail.

Fitting the check rails needs to be done with care, as due to the under width rail head, unless the check rails are positioned correctly the check settings will be wrong.
DSCF0783.jpg

The crucial dimension is between the gauge face of the crossing vee and the far side of the check rail. In other words as viewed in the picture, the Check rail gauge needs to be pulled against the vee whilst simultaneously pushing the check rail outward against the far side of its slot in the check rail gauge and soldered. How many hands have you got?
Both check rails in place
DSCF0784.jpg

and the complete turnout ready for testing.
DSCF0785.jpg

If you have got this far you will definitely need to give your fingers a rest from filing for a while.

Next I shall be looking at how I did the single slip and the problems this throws up.
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Re: Turnout construction-Flat-bottom rail

Postby Tony Wilkins » Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:09 pm

THE SINGLE SLIP.

The geometry of prototype slips varies according to the rail section used and here we are only considering those with fixed obtuse crossings.
109 and 110A section rail slips were only available in angles of 1 in 7, 1 in 7 1/2 and 1 in 8, but there the similarity ends.
109 switch rails had straight planing similar to a B type switch whereas 110A switches had curved planing which varied according to the angle of the diamond resulting in a larger radius of the slip roads than the corresponding 109 slip road.
There are other differences that I shall try to explain as I go.
Needless to say I have followed 109 geometry and since this is the first and only Flat bottom slip I have built (the heading is accurate), it has been a bit of a 'seat of the pants' job.

As before the timbering was prepared.
DSCF1178.jpg

The three crossing vees were made and fitted.
DSCF0786.jpg

First problem, although the vee nose must be accurately positioned, due to the narrow rail head the splice rails cannot be exactly centered on the template if true gauge is to be maintained through the crossover road. You can see the end of the lower splice rail is drifting out of line. The last three rivets have not yet been soldered.
DSCF0788.jpg

The wing rails are made and fitted and the remaining splice rail rivets soldered while the rails were held to gauge.
You may notice that on this occasion I have chosen to put the rail breaks partway down the check rail. That means planning ahead to avoid shorts later on and you will see that I have cut back the remaining check rail rivets to ensure a gap. The underside of these timbers needs similar attention to avoid a hidden short underneath. I must remember to meter test this before I lay it.
DSCF0789.jpg

The next job is to make the long curved stock / slip rail along the bottom. I chose to split this into two parts.
As with turnouts this needs to have the foot removed to accommodate the switch rail, but on this occasion extending to the very end to avoid touching either the check rail or its rivets.
DSCF1181.jpg

This rail then needs to have the set put in it and be curved from the end of the switch planing to match the template before fitting.
DSCF1182.jpg

Similarly the other half of the stock / slip rail is made, except that a) it is a mirror image, b) the switch blade rebate ends in the normal place just clear of the toe, and fitted, being carefully gauged from the crossing. Notice the two timbers removed to aid visibility of the obtuse crossing area.
DSCF1183.jpg


It has already been mentioned with turnouts that because of the increased stiffness of Flat bottom rail a minimum of 10 slide baseplates are required. Slips present a particular problem as there is insufficient length to accommodate more than eight. The prototype solution was to plain down the switch rail foot both sides so that the section resembles that of Bullhead rail over the length required to flex. I considered actually using a length of Bullhead rail for this, but soon rejected the idea. This meant a lot of filing and there were two options. Either remove both feet before profiling or as I went. I chose the latter as having the foot to hold the rail by while shaping it is so useful. So taking a piece of Flat bottom rail long enough to form both blades, begin as for a normal switch blade. Rather than a blow by blow account I shall illustrate each step in achieving the forming process.
1) The inside face of the blade after bending to straighten the running edge.
DSCF0790.jpg

2) the rear of the blade, showing the mark for the end of the switch planing and the second mark where the flexing ends.
DSCF0791.jpg

3) The foot needs to be thinned to just less than the head.
DSCF0792.jpg

4) The inside face needs similar treatment but note how the remaining foot widens toward the toe.
DSCF0793.jpg

There are occasions where I wish I had taken just a few more pictures than I did and this is one of them as it would have made things easier to explain, but the next steps are very similar to how I did this rail for the Bullhead rail Slip, so can be cross referenced.
Place the switch rail in position against the stock rail and mark the position of the bend for the obtuse crossing. The tricky bit now is that unlike BH rail, which can be held in the vice head uppermost with the mark visible, FB rail has to be held head down with the mark difficult to see. However if the side of the rail is also marked, this becomes a little easier as part of the mark should be visible. The position of this bend needs to be accurately made relative to the toe of the switch blade or it will be difficult to align the obtuse crossing correctly, although there is a small degree of tolerance at the switch toe for adjustment. The minimum radius of the bend formed will be limited by the width of the rail foot adding to the stiffness of the rail. The next job is to mark the overall length of the switch rail for the second toe and carefully cut to length. Measure at least twice before cutting.
It is then a matter of forming the second switch blade in a similar manner to the first one except that it is of the opposite hand.
Some final adjustment may be needed to achieve a good fit.
DSCF1184.jpg

If you zoom in on the image by clicking the mouse on it twice you can see how I have shaped the rail foot as it is still full section for the center part and that I have only temporarily soldered three rivets so removal is still possible.
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Re: Turnout construction-Flat-bottom rail

Postby Tony Wilkins » Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:52 pm

The next job is to make the opposite running rail and I typically make this in two parts as well with the break diagonally opposed to that in the first slip rail.
This is bent in a similar manner to the knuckle rail and it is important to get the bends directly opposite one another. At this stage I only solder the rivet under the knuckle bend and use a track gauge to temporarily hold the rail to gauge at the vee end.
DSCF1187.jpg

What I am doing here is swapping the gauge at right angles between the gauge faces of the both roads to check they are correctly to gauge. If one is tight and the other loose, then the bends are not exactly opposite one another and the rail needs adjusting.
DSCF1188.jpg

It is important to get this right before soldering further rivets. Only three are soldered in this picture but a few more are soldered at the vee end.
DSCF1189.jpg

Then the other piece of this rail is prepared and fitted.
DSCF1190.jpg

The small numbers written against the end of the timbers are where the slide baseplates go so I didn't rivet the wrong ones.
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Re: Turnout construction-Flat-bottom rail

Postby Tony Wilkins » Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:57 am

THE OBTUSE CROSSING.

This is the next stage of construction and does not differ greatly from a Bullhead one, but there are some subtle differences. Mostly foot related.
Here is the first combined stock
DSCF0794.jpg

and point rail.
DSCF0795.jpg

The various steps required to make it are as follows.
Begin as if making a point rail for a crossing vee taking note of the handing, file into the web of the rail.
DSCF0796.jpg

Bend straight, if that makes sense
DSCF0797.jpg

to produce this
DSCF0798.jpg

and clean up the running face.
DSCF0799.jpg

Then straighten up the edge of the foot with a file.
DSCF0800.jpg

We now need to reproduce the Obtuse crossing angle on the back of this rail checking the angle against the vee jig as we go.
DSCF0801.jpg

It was at this point that I discovered how much easier it is to see with the rail upside down and have used the picture to illustrate this before.
This shows the angle is a fraction too wide and needs sharpening.
DSCF0802.jpg

That's better.
DSCF0803.jpg

So now we have this, but there is a bit more work to do on it yet.
DSCF0804.jpg

Obtuse crossing point rails for BH track had the blunt nose generally, but not universally made 3/4" wide. Those for 109 and 110A FB were made 1/2" wide in order to reduce as much as possible the length of the gap between the point rails. So this means the blunt nose will be that bit finer. 7 thou instead of 10. Also remember to round off the top of the nose very slightly.
DSCF0805.jpg

For two of the point rails this completes the work, but for the other two as shown in the first picture in this post, they will need to have the foot removed too accept the switch blades of the second slip rail. This is done in much the same way as for the previous stock rails and I see no point in duplicating the process here.
So as I did with my BH slips, trim and tack fit two of the point rails. Only one rivet at either end is soldered.
DSCF1191.jpg

It is now a case of checking the alignment of the crossing with the test bogie and adjusting until smooth running is achieved, then the other two point rails can be added followed by further testing and adjusting. I had to remove and shorten all of the point rails in turn to achieve this, but it is better to start with them a little too long than not long enough. When happy, the removed timbers can be replaced and further rivets soldered starting with the obtuse crossing area, testing frequently. Unfortunately, I am missing some of the pictures for this stage and I cannot retake them. The next set of pictures were well out of focus and so I had to make a surplus obtuse crossing check rail to document the process.
First cut two check rails to length. Those for all 109 slips are 13' or 52mm long, as they also are for 110A 1 in 7 1/2 and 1 in 8 angles, but those for 110A 1 in 7 are 11' 10". remove the foot from one side.
DSCF0806.jpg

Next mark 10mm from each end and the center
DSCF0807.jpg

and file the entry flares both ends.
DSCF0808.jpg

Now the rail needs to be bent, foot on the inside, at the center to match the angle of the crossing.
DSCF0809.jpg

DSCF0811.jpg

DSCF0810.jpg

These can then be fitted making sure they are correctly centered, noting the gauging problems encountered when fitting the check rails to turnouts also applies here.
DSCF1195.jpg

We now need another slip rail. This is produced in a similar way to the switches already made for this slip, but this rail is double ended.
DSCF1196a.jpg

A close up of one half foot uppermost. The center section is full width.
DSCF1197.jpg

When happy with the fit against the stock rails this can be fitted again paying close attention to the track gauge.


The remaining check rails need to be fitted. Remembering that in this example the rail and isolation breaks are part way down the check rails and I had to remove a short length of the foot from the end of the turnout's curved stock rail to ensure no shorts occurred here.
DSCF1196b.jpg

Similarly the foot of both check rails will need to be cut well back in these areas.
While on the subject of check rails it may be noted that all the check rails for this formation are 13' long as they are 1 in 8s.
The common crossing check rails for 1 in 7 and 1 in 7 1/2 slips are 10' 6" long.

The end product.
DSCF1198.jpg

DSCF1199.jpg


Please remember to ask any questions here.viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5728
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Inspiration from the past. Dreams for the future.

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grovenor-2685
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Re: Turnout construction-Flat-bottom rail

Postby grovenor-2685 » Thu Dec 07, 2023 5:27 pm

Some nice shots of Lea Valley traffic towards the end of this.
https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/36346/
Regards
Keith
Grovenor Sidings

Mark Tatlow
Posts: 897
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 11:24 pm

Re: Turnout construction-Flat-bottom rail

Postby Mark Tatlow » Thu Dec 07, 2023 6:19 pm

Personally, I love the "isn't it amazing and exciting this modern world" message of these type of videos when we generally now look on the buildings/infrastructure they were excited about in dread if indeed they are still there.

But what really caught my eye was the use of the Faller car system in 1961, which must be 50 years before it came out. Visible at 05:38 on the video!
Mark Tatlow

Tony Wilkins
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Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 3:57 pm

Re: Turnout construction-Flat-bottom rail

Postby Tony Wilkins » Fri Dec 08, 2023 6:47 pm

grovenor-2685 wrote:Some nice shots of Lea Valley traffic towards the end of this.
https://www.britishpathe.com/asset/36346/

Hi Kieth. Yes indeed and other places in the local.
The level crossing was at Ware on the Hertford branch and the Lea Valley Enterprise shots taken mostly at Broxbourne during its rebuilding..
Most of the flyover shots were at Barking. Some interesting wagons are also visible in the sidings.
Thanks for posting it.
Regards
Tony.
Inspiration from the past. Dreams for the future.


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