First of all I must stress that I do not profess to be an expert in constructing turnouts. What I can do, however, is to take the reader through a series of easy, logical steps that will result in a sturdy, working turnout for a minimum outlay. Once mastered, a variety of different turnouts can be constructed, including curved and three-way, using the same basic techniques.
To begin we need a plan or drawing. At this stage it is best to use a ready made one such as the Peco drawing or the CAD files from Dave Watkins website. I used drawings for a different scale and simply enlarged it on a photocopier to the right size. I also covered mine in clear self-adhesive film to make it a little more robust for multiple use and taped it to an old desk lid.
Once we have the drawing we can begin construction. Take some 12mm wide printed circuit board (PCB) and measure and cut lengths for each of the sleepers. This can be quite rough and ready – I simply mark off direct from the drawing and use some old tin snips to cut the PCB. Lay each piece on the board in turn and use a drawing pin at each end to keep in place. When you get towards the ‘toe’ of the turnout (the thinner end) you will need to put in two extra long sleepers for the tie-rod and point lever. Space these two apart sufficiently so that a strip of thin brass (mine was half an inch wide) will slide freely between them. This will eventually form the tie-rod. Once all the sleepers are in place and pinned down, gently polish the copper surface of the sleepers with wire wool.
Ok, now to the rails. The two outermost rails, in this case one straight and one curved, are the ‘stock rails’, forming the basis of the turnout. The stock rails are always the first two rails to be installed and everything else is then installed using the stock rails as references. Starting with the long straight stock rail, cut to length according to your drawing, then lay in position and mark where the recess occurs that allows the tip of the switch blade (the moving rail) to sit tightly against the stock rail. File this recess, taking away half the thickness of rail and tapering off towards the ‘heel’ or wider end of the turnout. It is important to make the taper gradual to ensure sufficient material is removed from the stock rail to allow the switch to sit snugly alongside. Now a note here about filing: The rail sections that we use are quite substantial and there is nothing worse than spending hours chewing away with an inadequate file. There was an old motto in the fitting shop where I spent some of my youth: ‘Don’t force it – get a bigger hammer’. Invest in a decent sized file and suitable vice and working with rail section will become a joy, just work carefully and check regularly.
Having filed the recess and removed all the burrs, polish the underside of the rail with wire wool and then lay in position on the sleepers (ensure that the recess is in the correct place!). Solder the rail to the centre sleeper first, then solder alternate sleepers either side until you reach the ends. Remember to solder from the OUTSIDE of the rail to maintain full clearance inside the gauge. Check the rail with a straight edge before soldering the rail to the remaining sleepers. It is best to use a decent sized soldering iron for this job (I use my elderly but trusty 40w Weller) and don’t linger too long or the heat may cause the copper film on the sleepers to part company from the resin base!
We then turn our attention to the curved stock rail. It is best to get virtually the right curve into the rail before we file the recess, otherwise the sharp corner of the recess will form a weak point and the rail could end up kinked (oo-er, missus)! When curving rail section, bear in mind that the rail is not symmetrical and will therefore take the line of least resistance when bent. This can result in a very weird curve, handy for going up steep gradients but not much use for anything else! Try gently curving on a flat surface, a little bit at a time, checking constantly against your drawing. Once happy that the curve is somewhere near, place in position and mark the location of the recess as per the straight stock rail. File recess and de-burr.
Place the curved stock rail in position (check that the recess is in the correct place) and fit roller gauge over the toe end of the turnout. Solder the rail to the end sleeper, before moving gauge an inch or so along the rail and then solder rail to second sleeper. Leaving the gauge where it is, move along the rail soldering alternate sleepers and gently bending the rail where necessary to achieve the desired curve. Once satisfied, solder the remaining sleeper joints. You now have the basis of the turnout installed - everything else will be constructed using these two stock rails as reference.
The next stage is to construct the crossing vee at the heel of the turnout, where the inner rails converge to a point. I try to do this as simply as possible, using two rails and a bit of careful filing. This is where all those odd off-cuts of rail come in useful! Start with the straight rail: lay a short length in position and mark the angle that the second curved rail meets and cuts across it. File this angle, checking carefully against the drawing. De-burr and polish bottom (the rail’s, not yours)! We are now going to tack solder this rail into position. Place in approximate position according to the drawing. Use the roller gauge to set at the correct distance from the stock rail and then using verniers, or a rule, slide the rail until the angled end is 32mm from the curved stock rail (see attached pic). Tack rail to sleepers with a spot of solder.
Next, take a second short length of rail and gently bend in fingers to suit the curve on the drawing. Lay in position and mark the angle at which it will butt up against the rail that you have just tacked in place. File this angle, checking carefully against the rail in situ, then de-burr and polish. Place in position, butted up against the first rail and tack into position (see attached pic). Now carefully check that this vee section is correct, otherwise you will have no end of problems with it! Check that the gauge is right along the full length of each rail and ensure that there is a smooth transition where one rail meets the other. Once completely satisfied, solder fully in position and reinforce the joint between the rails and the gusset of the vee with solder. Leave to cool then file the joint smooth and level with the stock rails.
We now come to the slightly more complex part of the turnout, but we will take it step by step to try to make it as easy as possible. We are going to produce the ‘frog’ which consists of the check rails either side of the vee, plus the fixed rails that lead into the moveable switch rails. Some people construct this ‘frog’ as four separate pieces but I find that just two rails, carefully bent to shape, works fine.
Let’s start with the straight road first: the rail runs from the switch as a straight section, then bends sharply and follows the curve of the vee crossing, before ending as another short bend. This provides part of the check rail that helps direct the wheels through the heel of the turnout. Take a straight length of rail and bend sharply, but not too far, about three inches from the end. I always bend these sections too much so don’t be put off if you do the same! Check against the drawing and adjust the angle until satisfied. Next, gently bend the three inch section into a curve that follows the curved vee rail already in position, working carefully with the fingers.
Once happy with the shape of this rail, place it back in position and use the gauge to position correctly from the straight stock rail. Slide the rail along until a gap similar to the width of the rail head exists between the vee crossing rail and the new check rail. If the check rail appears to be too long mark the excess and saw off to suit. Also mark where the rail butts up to the switch rail on the drawing and saw off to suit. Once satisfied with the length of the rail, remove and bend the short angle that leads into the check rail being careful not to alter the existing curved or bend section! Where the sharp bends have been made you may notice that little humps appear on the running surface and the rail bottom. File these distortions level, then install using the roller gauge and verniers, ensuring sufficient clearance exists between the vee rail and the check rail. Only solder tack into position at this stage.
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
To begin we need a plan or drawing. At this stage it is best to use a ready made one such as the Peco drawing or the CAD files from Dave Watkins website. I used drawings for a different scale and simply enlarged it on a photocopier to the right size. I also covered mine in clear self-adhesive film to make it a little more robust for multiple use and taped it to an old desk lid.
Once we have the drawing we can begin construction. Take some 12mm wide printed circuit board (PCB) and measure and cut lengths for each of the sleepers. This can be quite rough and ready – I simply mark off direct from the drawing and use some old tin snips to cut the PCB. Lay each piece on the board in turn and use a drawing pin at each end to keep in place. When you get towards the ‘toe’ of the turnout (the thinner end) you will need to put in two extra long sleepers for the tie-rod and point lever. Space these two apart sufficiently so that a strip of thin brass (mine was half an inch wide) will slide freely between them. This will eventually form the tie-rod. Once all the sleepers are in place and pinned down, gently polish the copper surface of the sleepers with wire wool.
Ok, now to the rails. The two outermost rails, in this case one straight and one curved, are the ‘stock rails’, forming the basis of the turnout. The stock rails are always the first two rails to be installed and everything else is then installed using the stock rails as references. Starting with the long straight stock rail, cut to length according to your drawing, then lay in position and mark where the recess occurs that allows the tip of the switch blade (the moving rail) to sit tightly against the stock rail. File this recess, taking away half the thickness of rail and tapering off towards the ‘heel’ or wider end of the turnout. It is important to make the taper gradual to ensure sufficient material is removed from the stock rail to allow the switch to sit snugly alongside. Now a note here about filing: The rail sections that we use are quite substantial and there is nothing worse than spending hours chewing away with an inadequate file. There was an old motto in the fitting shop where I spent some of my youth: ‘Don’t force it – get a bigger hammer’. Invest in a decent sized file and suitable vice and working with rail section will become a joy, just work carefully and check regularly.
Having filed the recess and removed all the burrs, polish the underside of the rail with wire wool and then lay in position on the sleepers (ensure that the recess is in the correct place!). Solder the rail to the centre sleeper first, then solder alternate sleepers either side until you reach the ends. Remember to solder from the OUTSIDE of the rail to maintain full clearance inside the gauge. Check the rail with a straight edge before soldering the rail to the remaining sleepers. It is best to use a decent sized soldering iron for this job (I use my elderly but trusty 40w Weller) and don’t linger too long or the heat may cause the copper film on the sleepers to part company from the resin base!
We then turn our attention to the curved stock rail. It is best to get virtually the right curve into the rail before we file the recess, otherwise the sharp corner of the recess will form a weak point and the rail could end up kinked (oo-er, missus)! When curving rail section, bear in mind that the rail is not symmetrical and will therefore take the line of least resistance when bent. This can result in a very weird curve, handy for going up steep gradients but not much use for anything else! Try gently curving on a flat surface, a little bit at a time, checking constantly against your drawing. Once happy that the curve is somewhere near, place in position and mark the location of the recess as per the straight stock rail. File recess and de-burr.
Place the curved stock rail in position (check that the recess is in the correct place) and fit roller gauge over the toe end of the turnout. Solder the rail to the end sleeper, before moving gauge an inch or so along the rail and then solder rail to second sleeper. Leaving the gauge where it is, move along the rail soldering alternate sleepers and gently bending the rail where necessary to achieve the desired curve. Once satisfied, solder the remaining sleeper joints. You now have the basis of the turnout installed - everything else will be constructed using these two stock rails as reference.
The next stage is to construct the crossing vee at the heel of the turnout, where the inner rails converge to a point. I try to do this as simply as possible, using two rails and a bit of careful filing. This is where all those odd off-cuts of rail come in useful! Start with the straight rail: lay a short length in position and mark the angle that the second curved rail meets and cuts across it. File this angle, checking carefully against the drawing. De-burr and polish bottom (the rail’s, not yours)! We are now going to tack solder this rail into position. Place in approximate position according to the drawing. Use the roller gauge to set at the correct distance from the stock rail and then using verniers, or a rule, slide the rail until the angled end is 32mm from the curved stock rail (see attached pic). Tack rail to sleepers with a spot of solder.
Next, take a second short length of rail and gently bend in fingers to suit the curve on the drawing. Lay in position and mark the angle at which it will butt up against the rail that you have just tacked in place. File this angle, checking carefully against the rail in situ, then de-burr and polish. Place in position, butted up against the first rail and tack into position (see attached pic). Now carefully check that this vee section is correct, otherwise you will have no end of problems with it! Check that the gauge is right along the full length of each rail and ensure that there is a smooth transition where one rail meets the other. Once completely satisfied, solder fully in position and reinforce the joint between the rails and the gusset of the vee with solder. Leave to cool then file the joint smooth and level with the stock rails.
We now come to the slightly more complex part of the turnout, but we will take it step by step to try to make it as easy as possible. We are going to produce the ‘frog’ which consists of the check rails either side of the vee, plus the fixed rails that lead into the moveable switch rails. Some people construct this ‘frog’ as four separate pieces but I find that just two rails, carefully bent to shape, works fine.
Let’s start with the straight road first: the rail runs from the switch as a straight section, then bends sharply and follows the curve of the vee crossing, before ending as another short bend. This provides part of the check rail that helps direct the wheels through the heel of the turnout. Take a straight length of rail and bend sharply, but not too far, about three inches from the end. I always bend these sections too much so don’t be put off if you do the same! Check against the drawing and adjust the angle until satisfied. Next, gently bend the three inch section into a curve that follows the curved vee rail already in position, working carefully with the fingers.
Once happy with the shape of this rail, place it back in position and use the gauge to position correctly from the straight stock rail. Slide the rail along until a gap similar to the width of the rail head exists between the vee crossing rail and the new check rail. If the check rail appears to be too long mark the excess and saw off to suit. Also mark where the rail butts up to the switch rail on the drawing and saw off to suit. Once satisfied with the length of the rail, remove and bend the short angle that leads into the check rail being careful not to alter the existing curved or bend section! Where the sharp bends have been made you may notice that little humps appear on the running surface and the rail bottom. File these distortions level, then install using the roller gauge and verniers, ensuring sufficient clearance exists between the vee rail and the check rail. Only solder tack into position at this stage.
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
Ok, now to the rails. The two outermost rails, in this case one straight and one curved, are the ‘stock rails’, forming the basis of the turnout. The stock rails are always the first two rails to be installed and everything else is then installed using the stock rails as references. Starting with the long straight stock rail, cut to length according to your drawing, then lay in position and mark where the recess occurs that allows the tip of the switch blade (the moving rail) to sit tightly against the stock rail. File this recess, taking away half the thickness of rail and tapering off towards the ‘heel’ or wider end of the turnout. It is important to make the taper gradual to ensure sufficient material is removed from the stock rail to allow the switch to sit snugly alongside. Now a note here about filing: The rail sections that we use are quite substantial and there is nothing worse than spending hours chewing away with an inadequate file. There was an old motto in the fitting shop where I spent some of my youth: ‘Don’t force it – get a bigger hammer’. Invest in a decent sized file and suitable vice and working with rail section will become a joy, just work carefully and check regularly.
Having filed the recess and removed all the burrs, polish the underside of the rail with wire wool and then lay in position on the sleepers (ensure that the recess is in the correct place!). Solder the rail to the centre sleeper first, then solder alternate sleepers either side until you reach the ends. Remember to solder from the OUTSIDE of the rail to maintain full clearance inside the gauge. Check the rail with a straight edge before soldering the rail to the remaining sleepers. It is best to use a decent sized soldering iron for this job (I use my elderly but trusty 40w Weller) and don’t linger too long or the heat may cause the copper film on the sleepers to part company from the resin base!
We then turn our attention to the curved stock rail. It is best to get virtually the right curve into the rail before we file the recess, otherwise the sharp corner of the recess will form a weak point and the rail could end up kinked (oo-er, missus)! When curving rail section, bear in mind that the rail is not symmetrical and will therefore take the line of least resistance when bent. This can result in a very weird curve, handy for going up steep gradients but not much use for anything else! Try gently curving on a flat surface, a little bit at a time, checking constantly against your drawing. Once happy that the curve is somewhere near, place in position and mark the location of the recess as per the straight stock rail. File recess and de-burr.
Place the curved stock rail in position (check that the recess is in the correct place) and fit roller gauge over the toe end of the turnout. Solder the rail to the end sleeper, before moving gauge an inch or so along the rail and then solder rail to second sleeper. Leaving the gauge where it is, move along the rail soldering alternate sleepers and gently bending the rail where necessary to achieve the desired curve. Once satisfied, solder the remaining sleeper joints. You now have the basis of the turnout installed - everything else will be constructed using these two stock rails as reference.
The next stage is to construct the crossing vee at the heel of the turnout, where the inner rails converge to a point. I try to do this as simply as possible, using two rails and a bit of careful filing. This is where all those odd off-cuts of rail come in useful! Start with the straight rail: lay a short length in position and mark the angle that the second curved rail meets and cuts across it. File this angle, checking carefully against the drawing. De-burr and polish bottom (the rail’s, not yours)! We are now going to tack solder this rail into position. Place in approximate position according to the drawing. Use the roller gauge to set at the correct distance from the stock rail and then using verniers, or a rule, slide the rail until the angled end is 32mm from the curved stock rail (see attached pic). Tack rail to sleepers with a spot of solder.
Next, take a second short length of rail and gently bend in fingers to suit the curve on the drawing. Lay in position and mark the angle at which it will butt up against the rail that you have just tacked in place. File this angle, checking carefully against the rail in situ, then de-burr and polish. Place in position, butted up against the first rail and tack into position (see attached pic). Now carefully check that this vee section is correct, otherwise you will have no end of problems with it! Check that the gauge is right along the full length of each rail and ensure that there is a smooth transition where one rail meets the other. Once completely satisfied, solder fully in position and reinforce the joint between the rails and the gusset of the vee with solder. Leave to cool then file the joint smooth and level with the stock rails.
We now come to the slightly more complex part of the turnout, but we will take it step by step to try to make it as easy as possible. We are going to produce the ‘frog’ which consists of the check rails either side of the vee, plus the fixed rails that lead into the moveable switch rails. Some people construct this ‘frog’ as four separate pieces but I find that just two rails, carefully bent to shape, works fine.
Let’s start with the straight road first: the rail runs from the switch as a straight section, then bends sharply and follows the curve of the vee crossing, before ending as another short bend. This provides part of the check rail that helps direct the wheels through the heel of the turnout. Take a straight length of rail and bend sharply, but not too far, about three inches from the end. I always bend these sections too much so don’t be put off if you do the same! Check against the drawing and adjust the angle until satisfied. Next, gently bend the three inch section into a curve that follows the curved vee rail already in position, working carefully with the fingers.
Once happy with the shape of this rail, place it back in position and use the gauge to position correctly from the straight stock rail. Slide the rail along until a gap similar to the width of the rail head exists between the vee crossing rail and the new check rail. If the check rail appears to be too long mark the excess and saw off to suit. Also mark where the rail butts up to the switch rail on the drawing and saw off to suit. Once satisfied with the length of the rail, remove and bend the short angle that leads into the check rail being careful not to alter the existing curved or bend section! Where the sharp bends have been made you may notice that little humps appear on the running surface and the rail bottom. File these distortions level, then install using the roller gauge and verniers, ensuring sufficient clearance exists between the vee rail and the check rail. Only solder tack into position at this stage.
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
Having filed the recess and removed all the burrs, polish the underside of the rail with wire wool and then lay in position on the sleepers (ensure that the recess is in the correct place!). Solder the rail to the centre sleeper first, then solder alternate sleepers either side until you reach the ends. Remember to solder from the OUTSIDE of the rail to maintain full clearance inside the gauge. Check the rail with a straight edge before soldering the rail to the remaining sleepers. It is best to use a decent sized soldering iron for this job (I use my elderly but trusty 40w Weller) and don’t linger too long or the heat may cause the copper film on the sleepers to part company from the resin base!
We then turn our attention to the curved stock rail. It is best to get virtually the right curve into the rail before we file the recess, otherwise the sharp corner of the recess will form a weak point and the rail could end up kinked (oo-er, missus)! When curving rail section, bear in mind that the rail is not symmetrical and will therefore take the line of least resistance when bent. This can result in a very weird curve, handy for going up steep gradients but not much use for anything else! Try gently curving on a flat surface, a little bit at a time, checking constantly against your drawing. Once happy that the curve is somewhere near, place in position and mark the location of the recess as per the straight stock rail. File recess and de-burr.
Place the curved stock rail in position (check that the recess is in the correct place) and fit roller gauge over the toe end of the turnout. Solder the rail to the end sleeper, before moving gauge an inch or so along the rail and then solder rail to second sleeper. Leaving the gauge where it is, move along the rail soldering alternate sleepers and gently bending the rail where necessary to achieve the desired curve. Once satisfied, solder the remaining sleeper joints. You now have the basis of the turnout installed - everything else will be constructed using these two stock rails as reference.
The next stage is to construct the crossing vee at the heel of the turnout, where the inner rails converge to a point. I try to do this as simply as possible, using two rails and a bit of careful filing. This is where all those odd off-cuts of rail come in useful! Start with the straight rail: lay a short length in position and mark the angle that the second curved rail meets and cuts across it. File this angle, checking carefully against the drawing. De-burr and polish bottom (the rail’s, not yours)! We are now going to tack solder this rail into position. Place in approximate position according to the drawing. Use the roller gauge to set at the correct distance from the stock rail and then using verniers, or a rule, slide the rail until the angled end is 32mm from the curved stock rail (see attached pic). Tack rail to sleepers with a spot of solder.
Next, take a second short length of rail and gently bend in fingers to suit the curve on the drawing. Lay in position and mark the angle at which it will butt up against the rail that you have just tacked in place. File this angle, checking carefully against the rail in situ, then de-burr and polish. Place in position, butted up against the first rail and tack into position (see attached pic). Now carefully check that this vee section is correct, otherwise you will have no end of problems with it! Check that the gauge is right along the full length of each rail and ensure that there is a smooth transition where one rail meets the other. Once completely satisfied, solder fully in position and reinforce the joint between the rails and the gusset of the vee with solder. Leave to cool then file the joint smooth and level with the stock rails.
We now come to the slightly more complex part of the turnout, but we will take it step by step to try to make it as easy as possible. We are going to produce the ‘frog’ which consists of the check rails either side of the vee, plus the fixed rails that lead into the moveable switch rails. Some people construct this ‘frog’ as four separate pieces but I find that just two rails, carefully bent to shape, works fine.
Let’s start with the straight road first: the rail runs from the switch as a straight section, then bends sharply and follows the curve of the vee crossing, before ending as another short bend. This provides part of the check rail that helps direct the wheels through the heel of the turnout. Take a straight length of rail and bend sharply, but not too far, about three inches from the end. I always bend these sections too much so don’t be put off if you do the same! Check against the drawing and adjust the angle until satisfied. Next, gently bend the three inch section into a curve that follows the curved vee rail already in position, working carefully with the fingers.
Once happy with the shape of this rail, place it back in position and use the gauge to position correctly from the straight stock rail. Slide the rail along until a gap similar to the width of the rail head exists between the vee crossing rail and the new check rail. If the check rail appears to be too long mark the excess and saw off to suit. Also mark where the rail butts up to the switch rail on the drawing and saw off to suit. Once satisfied with the length of the rail, remove and bend the short angle that leads into the check rail being careful not to alter the existing curved or bend section! Where the sharp bends have been made you may notice that little humps appear on the running surface and the rail bottom. File these distortions level, then install using the roller gauge and verniers, ensuring sufficient clearance exists between the vee rail and the check rail. Only solder tack into position at this stage.
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
We then turn our attention to the curved stock rail. It is best to get virtually the right curve into the rail before we file the recess, otherwise the sharp corner of the recess will form a weak point and the rail could end up kinked (oo-er, missus)! When curving rail section, bear in mind that the rail is not symmetrical and will therefore take the line of least resistance when bent. This can result in a very weird curve, handy for going up steep gradients but not much use for anything else! Try gently curving on a flat surface, a little bit at a time, checking constantly against your drawing. Once happy that the curve is somewhere near, place in position and mark the location of the recess as per the straight stock rail. File recess and de-burr.
Place the curved stock rail in position (check that the recess is in the correct place) and fit roller gauge over the toe end of the turnout. Solder the rail to the end sleeper, before moving gauge an inch or so along the rail and then solder rail to second sleeper. Leaving the gauge where it is, move along the rail soldering alternate sleepers and gently bending the rail where necessary to achieve the desired curve. Once satisfied, solder the remaining sleeper joints. You now have the basis of the turnout installed - everything else will be constructed using these two stock rails as reference.
The next stage is to construct the crossing vee at the heel of the turnout, where the inner rails converge to a point. I try to do this as simply as possible, using two rails and a bit of careful filing. This is where all those odd off-cuts of rail come in useful! Start with the straight rail: lay a short length in position and mark the angle that the second curved rail meets and cuts across it. File this angle, checking carefully against the drawing. De-burr and polish bottom (the rail’s, not yours)! We are now going to tack solder this rail into position. Place in approximate position according to the drawing. Use the roller gauge to set at the correct distance from the stock rail and then using verniers, or a rule, slide the rail until the angled end is 32mm from the curved stock rail (see attached pic). Tack rail to sleepers with a spot of solder.
Next, take a second short length of rail and gently bend in fingers to suit the curve on the drawing. Lay in position and mark the angle at which it will butt up against the rail that you have just tacked in place. File this angle, checking carefully against the rail in situ, then de-burr and polish. Place in position, butted up against the first rail and tack into position (see attached pic). Now carefully check that this vee section is correct, otherwise you will have no end of problems with it! Check that the gauge is right along the full length of each rail and ensure that there is a smooth transition where one rail meets the other. Once completely satisfied, solder fully in position and reinforce the joint between the rails and the gusset of the vee with solder. Leave to cool then file the joint smooth and level with the stock rails.
We now come to the slightly more complex part of the turnout, but we will take it step by step to try to make it as easy as possible. We are going to produce the ‘frog’ which consists of the check rails either side of the vee, plus the fixed rails that lead into the moveable switch rails. Some people construct this ‘frog’ as four separate pieces but I find that just two rails, carefully bent to shape, works fine.
Let’s start with the straight road first: the rail runs from the switch as a straight section, then bends sharply and follows the curve of the vee crossing, before ending as another short bend. This provides part of the check rail that helps direct the wheels through the heel of the turnout. Take a straight length of rail and bend sharply, but not too far, about three inches from the end. I always bend these sections too much so don’t be put off if you do the same! Check against the drawing and adjust the angle until satisfied. Next, gently bend the three inch section into a curve that follows the curved vee rail already in position, working carefully with the fingers.
Once happy with the shape of this rail, place it back in position and use the gauge to position correctly from the straight stock rail. Slide the rail along until a gap similar to the width of the rail head exists between the vee crossing rail and the new check rail. If the check rail appears to be too long mark the excess and saw off to suit. Also mark where the rail butts up to the switch rail on the drawing and saw off to suit. Once satisfied with the length of the rail, remove and bend the short angle that leads into the check rail being careful not to alter the existing curved or bend section! Where the sharp bends have been made you may notice that little humps appear on the running surface and the rail bottom. File these distortions level, then install using the roller gauge and verniers, ensuring sufficient clearance exists between the vee rail and the check rail. Only solder tack into position at this stage.
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
Place the curved stock rail in position (check that the recess is in the correct place) and fit roller gauge over the toe end of the turnout. Solder the rail to the end sleeper, before moving gauge an inch or so along the rail and then solder rail to second sleeper. Leaving the gauge where it is, move along the rail soldering alternate sleepers and gently bending the rail where necessary to achieve the desired curve. Once satisfied, solder the remaining sleeper joints. You now have the basis of the turnout installed - everything else will be constructed using these two stock rails as reference.
The next stage is to construct the crossing vee at the heel of the turnout, where the inner rails converge to a point. I try to do this as simply as possible, using two rails and a bit of careful filing. This is where all those odd off-cuts of rail come in useful! Start with the straight rail: lay a short length in position and mark the angle that the second curved rail meets and cuts across it. File this angle, checking carefully against the drawing. De-burr and polish bottom (the rail’s, not yours)! We are now going to tack solder this rail into position. Place in approximate position according to the drawing. Use the roller gauge to set at the correct distance from the stock rail and then using verniers, or a rule, slide the rail until the angled end is 32mm from the curved stock rail (see attached pic). Tack rail to sleepers with a spot of solder.
Next, take a second short length of rail and gently bend in fingers to suit the curve on the drawing. Lay in position and mark the angle at which it will butt up against the rail that you have just tacked in place. File this angle, checking carefully against the rail in situ, then de-burr and polish. Place in position, butted up against the first rail and tack into position (see attached pic). Now carefully check that this vee section is correct, otherwise you will have no end of problems with it! Check that the gauge is right along the full length of each rail and ensure that there is a smooth transition where one rail meets the other. Once completely satisfied, solder fully in position and reinforce the joint between the rails and the gusset of the vee with solder. Leave to cool then file the joint smooth and level with the stock rails.
We now come to the slightly more complex part of the turnout, but we will take it step by step to try to make it as easy as possible. We are going to produce the ‘frog’ which consists of the check rails either side of the vee, plus the fixed rails that lead into the moveable switch rails. Some people construct this ‘frog’ as four separate pieces but I find that just two rails, carefully bent to shape, works fine.
Let’s start with the straight road first: the rail runs from the switch as a straight section, then bends sharply and follows the curve of the vee crossing, before ending as another short bend. This provides part of the check rail that helps direct the wheels through the heel of the turnout. Take a straight length of rail and bend sharply, but not too far, about three inches from the end. I always bend these sections too much so don’t be put off if you do the same! Check against the drawing and adjust the angle until satisfied. Next, gently bend the three inch section into a curve that follows the curved vee rail already in position, working carefully with the fingers.
Once happy with the shape of this rail, place it back in position and use the gauge to position correctly from the straight stock rail. Slide the rail along until a gap similar to the width of the rail head exists between the vee crossing rail and the new check rail. If the check rail appears to be too long mark the excess and saw off to suit. Also mark where the rail butts up to the switch rail on the drawing and saw off to suit. Once satisfied with the length of the rail, remove and bend the short angle that leads into the check rail being careful not to alter the existing curved or bend section! Where the sharp bends have been made you may notice that little humps appear on the running surface and the rail bottom. File these distortions level, then install using the roller gauge and verniers, ensuring sufficient clearance exists between the vee rail and the check rail. Only solder tack into position at this stage.
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
The next stage is to construct the crossing vee at the heel of the turnout, where the inner rails converge to a point. I try to do this as simply as possible, using two rails and a bit of careful filing. This is where all those odd off-cuts of rail come in useful! Start with the straight rail: lay a short length in position and mark the angle that the second curved rail meets and cuts across it. File this angle, checking carefully against the drawing. De-burr and polish bottom (the rail’s, not yours)! We are now going to tack solder this rail into position. Place in approximate position according to the drawing. Use the roller gauge to set at the correct distance from the stock rail and then using verniers, or a rule, slide the rail until the angled end is 32mm from the curved stock rail (see attached pic). Tack rail to sleepers with a spot of solder.
Next, take a second short length of rail and gently bend in fingers to suit the curve on the drawing. Lay in position and mark the angle at which it will butt up against the rail that you have just tacked in place. File this angle, checking carefully against the rail in situ, then de-burr and polish. Place in position, butted up against the first rail and tack into position (see attached pic). Now carefully check that this vee section is correct, otherwise you will have no end of problems with it! Check that the gauge is right along the full length of each rail and ensure that there is a smooth transition where one rail meets the other. Once completely satisfied, solder fully in position and reinforce the joint between the rails and the gusset of the vee with solder. Leave to cool then file the joint smooth and level with the stock rails.
We now come to the slightly more complex part of the turnout, but we will take it step by step to try to make it as easy as possible. We are going to produce the ‘frog’ which consists of the check rails either side of the vee, plus the fixed rails that lead into the moveable switch rails. Some people construct this ‘frog’ as four separate pieces but I find that just two rails, carefully bent to shape, works fine.
Let’s start with the straight road first: the rail runs from the switch as a straight section, then bends sharply and follows the curve of the vee crossing, before ending as another short bend. This provides part of the check rail that helps direct the wheels through the heel of the turnout. Take a straight length of rail and bend sharply, but not too far, about three inches from the end. I always bend these sections too much so don’t be put off if you do the same! Check against the drawing and adjust the angle until satisfied. Next, gently bend the three inch section into a curve that follows the curved vee rail already in position, working carefully with the fingers.
Once happy with the shape of this rail, place it back in position and use the gauge to position correctly from the straight stock rail. Slide the rail along until a gap similar to the width of the rail head exists between the vee crossing rail and the new check rail. If the check rail appears to be too long mark the excess and saw off to suit. Also mark where the rail butts up to the switch rail on the drawing and saw off to suit. Once satisfied with the length of the rail, remove and bend the short angle that leads into the check rail being careful not to alter the existing curved or bend section! Where the sharp bends have been made you may notice that little humps appear on the running surface and the rail bottom. File these distortions level, then install using the roller gauge and verniers, ensuring sufficient clearance exists between the vee rail and the check rail. Only solder tack into position at this stage.
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
Next, take a second short length of rail and gently bend in fingers to suit the curve on the drawing. Lay in position and mark the angle at which it will butt up against the rail that you have just tacked in place. File this angle, checking carefully against the rail in situ, then de-burr and polish. Place in position, butted up against the first rail and tack into position (see attached pic). Now carefully check that this vee section is correct, otherwise you will have no end of problems with it! Check that the gauge is right along the full length of each rail and ensure that there is a smooth transition where one rail meets the other. Once completely satisfied, solder fully in position and reinforce the joint between the rails and the gusset of the vee with solder. Leave to cool then file the joint smooth and level with the stock rails.
We now come to the slightly more complex part of the turnout, but we will take it step by step to try to make it as easy as possible. We are going to produce the ‘frog’ which consists of the check rails either side of the vee, plus the fixed rails that lead into the moveable switch rails. Some people construct this ‘frog’ as four separate pieces but I find that just two rails, carefully bent to shape, works fine.
Let’s start with the straight road first: the rail runs from the switch as a straight section, then bends sharply and follows the curve of the vee crossing, before ending as another short bend. This provides part of the check rail that helps direct the wheels through the heel of the turnout. Take a straight length of rail and bend sharply, but not too far, about three inches from the end. I always bend these sections too much so don’t be put off if you do the same! Check against the drawing and adjust the angle until satisfied. Next, gently bend the three inch section into a curve that follows the curved vee rail already in position, working carefully with the fingers.
Once happy with the shape of this rail, place it back in position and use the gauge to position correctly from the straight stock rail. Slide the rail along until a gap similar to the width of the rail head exists between the vee crossing rail and the new check rail. If the check rail appears to be too long mark the excess and saw off to suit. Also mark where the rail butts up to the switch rail on the drawing and saw off to suit. Once satisfied with the length of the rail, remove and bend the short angle that leads into the check rail being careful not to alter the existing curved or bend section! Where the sharp bends have been made you may notice that little humps appear on the running surface and the rail bottom. File these distortions level, then install using the roller gauge and verniers, ensuring sufficient clearance exists between the vee rail and the check rail. Only solder tack into position at this stage.
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
We now come to the slightly more complex part of the turnout, but we will take it step by step to try to make it as easy as possible. We are going to produce the ‘frog’ which consists of the check rails either side of the vee, plus the fixed rails that lead into the moveable switch rails. Some people construct this ‘frog’ as four separate pieces but I find that just two rails, carefully bent to shape, works fine.
Let’s start with the straight road first: the rail runs from the switch as a straight section, then bends sharply and follows the curve of the vee crossing, before ending as another short bend. This provides part of the check rail that helps direct the wheels through the heel of the turnout. Take a straight length of rail and bend sharply, but not too far, about three inches from the end. I always bend these sections too much so don’t be put off if you do the same! Check against the drawing and adjust the angle until satisfied. Next, gently bend the three inch section into a curve that follows the curved vee rail already in position, working carefully with the fingers.
Once happy with the shape of this rail, place it back in position and use the gauge to position correctly from the straight stock rail. Slide the rail along until a gap similar to the width of the rail head exists between the vee crossing rail and the new check rail. If the check rail appears to be too long mark the excess and saw off to suit. Also mark where the rail butts up to the switch rail on the drawing and saw off to suit. Once satisfied with the length of the rail, remove and bend the short angle that leads into the check rail being careful not to alter the existing curved or bend section! Where the sharp bends have been made you may notice that little humps appear on the running surface and the rail bottom. File these distortions level, then install using the roller gauge and verniers, ensuring sufficient clearance exists between the vee rail and the check rail. Only solder tack into position at this stage.
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
Once happy with the shape of this rail, place it back in position and use the gauge to position correctly from the straight stock rail. Slide the rail along until a gap similar to the width of the rail head exists between the vee crossing rail and the new check rail. If the check rail appears to be too long mark the excess and saw off to suit. Also mark where the rail butts up to the switch rail on the drawing and saw off to suit. Once satisfied with the length of the rail, remove and bend the short angle that leads into the check rail being careful not to alter the existing curved or bend section! Where the sharp bends have been made you may notice that little humps appear on the running surface and the rail bottom. File these distortions level, then install using the roller gauge and verniers, ensuring sufficient clearance exists between the vee rail and the check rail. Only solder tack into position at this stage.
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
Move now to the second rail that makes up the ‘frog’. Take a length of rail and gently curve to match the drawing.
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
Once happy, bend about three inches from the end to form the check rail as per previous step. Cut length to suit and form short lead-in angle at end of check rail. Position using roller gauge and verniers and tack into place (see attached pic). Don’t worry if your rails do not exactly match the drawing, mine never do but they still work! However, do carefully check that the transition through both roads of the turnout is smooth – a visual ‘sight’ along the rails will quickly verify any problems. Ensure adequate clearance exists between check rails and the vee crossing and also check that there are no sections where the gauge is tight. Adjust any errors and finally solder up all joints to sleepers. We are nearly there!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
Switch rails come next, the tapered rails that move to ‘switch’ from one road to the next. First of all, slide a rail-joiner onto the stub ends of the frog rails, where the switch rails will be located. Slide the joiner on until about a third of its length remains showing. Tack the joiner in place with a spot of solder, then open out the protruding end slightly. This will give us a nice free ‘hinge’ into which the end of the switch rail is located. Cut two lengths of rail sufficient to slot into these joiners and reach across to the end of the recesses that we filed into the stock rails. Gently shape the curved switch rail, then nip each in turn in your vice and file the taper onto the side of the switch rail that will mate into the stock rail recess. It is easy to make the taper too sharp and short - make sure that the taper is long enough, otherwise the switch rail will not slide far enough across into its recess. Keep removing material until the end of the rail section is about half what it was. Fit switch rails into the hinge joiners and check that they will slide across into their recesses. Finally file a nice chamfer onto the other edge of each switch rail.
Next we need a tie-rod to control the switch rails. Dig out the piece of brass that we used right at the beginning of the project and check that it will still slide freely between the two extra long sleepers. Set the switch rails in approximate position, one hard against the stock rail, the other well clear (I leave a gap of about 6mm between switch and stock rails), and scribe onto the tie-rod. Remove the tie-rod and scribe another line centrally along its length, giving you the position to drill two holes through which a pivot will be formed for each switch rail. For the pivots I used the copper wire from some ‘twin and earth’ cabling, so a 1.5mm drill was selected. The pivots are simply two short lengths of wire with about 5mm bent at right angles.
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
Drill a hole at each marked position on the tie-rod, then slip the tie-rod back into position. Mark the location of each hole onto the subsequent switch rail (NOT the side that has been tapered) and then file a notch in the foot of each rail. This will allow the L-shaped piece of wire to be soldered into the web of the switch rail, with the ‘leg’ protruding straight downwards, through the tie-rod.
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
At this stage we need to release the turnout from its drawing pin bonds, to allow fitting of the switch rails and tie-rod. Slide each switch rail into its hinge, then turn the whole thing upside down. Slip the tie-rod over the copper legs protruding from each switch rail and then shorten the legs to about 10mm, before bending each one over firmly. You may find it easier to do each one in turn, holding the switch rail against its stock rail recess with pliers. Flip the whole turnout back the right way round and check that the switch rail/tie-rod assembly moves easily, adjusting until satisfied (see attached pic). Note that if laid onto a flat surface the tie-rod pivot assembly will project below the base of the sleepers. Slip some thin wood under a few of the sleepers to check. In use you will find that when connected up to plastic-sleepered Peco track, the turnout is slightly suspended, allowing the tie-rod to move freely. Ballasting will then make up for the slight difference.
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!
The two check rails at the heel of the turnout then need adding, making sure that sufficient clearance exists, not only between just the stock rail and check rail, but also between the check rails. The final job is to fit a point lever of choice and link to the tie-rod with a piece of copper wire bent into an ‘omega’ shape, to take up any difference in movement and reduce the strain placed on the turnout.
Now sit back and admire your handiwork and think about what you could buy with the money saved!
I hope that this series has been useful and tempted a few people to ‘have a go’. Believe you me it has been harder and taken longer to write these notes than it did to make the turnout! Have a look at some prototypes for inspiration and take heart from some of the crude contraptions that did the job, 12inch to 1 foot scale!