Tehachapi, BC

[Sokramiketes]

I wonder if Andy would supply longer point rails.  The milling job looks fantastic.  But any hinge is just another point of lost conductivity or other trouble.  If he could mill longer sections of rail then you could use them to build continuous point rail turnouts.

[MichaelWinicki]

That one-piece frog is pretty slick Gary! 

That's a nice piece of machining.

I know you wanted to get away from the clunkiness of the Atlas switches, but those points and the various pieces-parts that go with them kind of brings some of that clunkiness. 

Seeing that point twist makes me wonder how normal model railroad "goodies" like ballast and stuff will affect things if it gets between the point and the tie.

[GaryHinshaw]

Mike, the points that Andy supplies are about 3.5" long so that they can be used in HO as well (but they're not long enough for continuous N turnouts).    I doubt there is any reason he couldn't make them longer though -- the machined portion is only the last ~2" of the rail.  But he seems like a purist who might squawk at the idea. 

The first Fast Tracks turnouts I made were continuous and I thought I would be sold on that approach, but I kind of like the look of the hinged ones now.  I'm going to play around a bit more with these for now.

Have faith Michael - these will look better when done!    I think some of the clunkiness comes from having a bunch of unpainted & unweathered parts (as well as the extreme close-ups of my solder blobs on a few of those shots).  This is still very much a work-in-progress.   If, in the end, I can't get satisfaction, I'll revert to Atlas, but now I'm bugged by how short their #10s are compared to these #10s.

Cheers,
Gary

P.S. Real turnouts look pretty complicated near the points too:





I might try out some rail braces (and of course an NZT switch machine) as well.

[Bsklarski]

P.S. Real turnouts look pretty complicated near the points too:



I might try out some rail braces (and of course an NZT switch machine) as well.

 

Where is that? We would have taken that out of service if I saw that!!!!!
That point is DESTROYED!!!!

[GaryHinshaw]

Good eye Brian.  This shot was from an NTSB report investigating a VRE derailment on a CSX line at Possum Point VA in 2006. (Fortunately only minor injuries.)  Not surprisingly, the cause was worn points, but they note that the biggest chip was caused by the derailment itself.  Ironically, a replacement point had been ordered and had arrived the day of the derailment.  CSX now keeps replacement points in stock.

-gfh

[kiwi_bnsf]

Hi Gary,

Thanks for continuing to post all the progress shots — it really keeps me motivated to continue working at my own N scale rendition of Tehachapi!

I've read your evaluation of turnout options with great interest, as I've been through a similar selection process. I started off with Peco Code 55, and then abandoned this due to the tie spacing, and the extra work involved with making them DCC friendly.

I then went for Atlas, but was not impressed with the way the points attached to the throw bar, and the overall tolerances were still a bit "loose" for FVM and BLMA wheels.

Finally I took the plunge on a Fast Tracks #8 jig after reading Daryl Kruse's Geneva Sub blog, and after listening to some presentations by Joe Fugate on how he is ripping out all his commercial turnouts (admittedly H0) after major operational issues.

I've never soldered anything in my life, let alone hand laid track, and I have to say the Fast Tracks system has exceeded my expectations. I've found the turnouts look great, and they are really easy to tune at the frog and points to get near-flawless operation with fine-scale wheels. I've cranked out a half dozed already, and they are really consistent. I'm now experimenting with ladders and crossovers for staging that use single continuous rails.

In my experience so far, the solid points really make for a stronger turnout with guaranteed electrical conductivity. Interestingly, I was also pretty paranoid about the throwbar solder connections on my first few turnouts, but I've been surprised how strong they are and they stand up to an amazing amount of "abuse" when I fine-tune them with a file. I've even destructively tested one botched turnout, and I was able to bend the rail before the solder joints failed, and I really think the turnouts should remain reliable.

I wasn't aware of the Proto:87 parts until I read your posts. Obviously it's a very personal choice, but I have to say that I prefer the look of the solid points on the Fast Tracks, and to my eye the milled point rails look slightly oversize due their 45 degree profile (even taking into account the fact that they are not yet painted). Operationally I'd be worried about the hinges — are you planning to solder feeders to the points? or rely on the hinges and contact with the stock rails for conductivity?

Anyway, thanks again for the great posts — I'm learning lots.

Cheers

Tim Benson

[Coxy]

Gary, here are some reference shots I took of mainline crossover switch at Pinole CA on UP's Martinez Sub along the shores of San Pablo Bay.


Note the clear kink in the curved stock rail and how the left hand point nestles into the angled portion of the stock rail.











There's more shots around the interlocking here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/coxsj/sets/72157603697477646/ including some shots of the CTC cantilever signal bridge and a flange oiler plus it's new replacement. You can open much larger images on flicker if you want to get a closer look at something.

Cheers,
Coxy

[DKS]

Those turnouts look virtually identical (although longer) to some I shot at the other end of the country: https://picasaweb.google.com/dks2855/WestTrentonNewJersey

[Coxy]

...and here's a few shots of east switch Bena. (It's a monster!!!)











More pix here as well as larger views of the above: http://www.flickr.com/photos/coxsj/sets/72157603803168248/

Cheers,
Coxy

[DKS]

^^^ Look at the length of those points! Three throwbars and enough linkage to sink a ship. And that's the first time I've seen a movable-point frog like that. I've seen others in the east, which are totally different, essentially inside-out.

[Coxy]

If the scale on Google satellite view is correct, the switch at east Bena is about 120m or ~360' long.

https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=bena+california&hl=en&ll=35.325651,-118.734285&spn=0.000729,0.001674&sll=43.599696,-79.89263&sspn=0.662344,1.713867&hq=bena&hnear=California,+United+States&t=h&fll=35.325751,-118.734179&fspn=0.000729,0.001674&z=20

[C855B]

That switch is designed for high track speeds and/or high tonnage. Bena is not a high-speed location, and tonnage over Tehachapi is light, say, relative to the coal haul lines through Nebraska, where they use lots of those moveable-point frogs. I really have to wonder what the justification was for installing such an expensive, maintenance-intensive switch where it was severe overkill?

[Scottl]

That switch is really interesting, thanks for the photos.

[conrail98]

That switch is designed for high track speeds and/or high tonnage. Bena is not a high-speed location, and tonnage over Tehachapi is light, say, relative to the coal haul lines through Nebraska, where they use lots of those moveable-point frogs. I really have to wonder what the justification was for installing such an expensive, maintenance-intensive switch where it was severe overkill?

High speed passenger rail potential?

Phil

[C855B]

No. Bena is at the west (RR north) end of the spaghetti-bowl snarl of Tehachapi, and between two significant curves. Nobody's going very fast through there. Anyway, the HSR plan that was just approved by the California Legislature bypasses all that mess with very long tunnels.