Rokuhan Switch to Code 40 Flex Tie Adapters

[narrowminded]

FWIW, this is my track-painting routine. First, I spray-bomb (rattle can) all track with ruddy brown primer--this is mostly for the sake of the rail. Then I randomly brush on white acrylic paint and India Ink washes (thinned with alcohol) on the ties individually or in small bunches. Given that yours is a different type of railroad, however, this approach may not be appropriate. As always, YMMV.

Thanks.  Looking at some prototype pictures that does have merit.  For this go, being a test track, I don't have a hard and fast look that I'm after but do need the practice as this is another thing I've never done.  I'm pretty sure I'll want to mix some black in with the ballast for a coal mine and a lot of times, a dirt look in the ballast and maybe with some weeds.  I don't no where to start on the dirt look but have actually dug up some dirt outside, baked for any little critters, but am not necessarily envisioning that working.  It's not my forte but if I get something that works or gets close I'll be able to adjust it or repeat it just fine.  Me needs some practice.   This will all be part of the benefit of this exercise.

Sooo, ideas for ballast that's more dirt than ballast?  And maybe something available commercially?  East coast, Appalachians especially.

Edit add: Just saw pictures in a ballast thread where @Dave V seems to have hit the range I'd be likely to want on his recent layout.   Always nice, Dave.

[narrowminded]

While the glue is drying I need to finish the rail bending tool I started some weeks ago.  That's next!

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[peteski]

Pete, did it occur to you that maybe I used those turnouts just to make my track look better? 

That sounds like an April Fools joke. Um, wait  . . . 
Your track doesn't need some really bad track example to shhow how good it is - it stands on its own just fine.

Next question will be track paint colors.  I have Rail Tie Brown and Grimy black and am inclined to use them since this is a test board only.  And that could be its own test, colors.  I am inclined to air brush the whole thing with Grimy Black and then Tie Brown on just the ties.  Manual brush detailing could be practiced too.  I want to use them because it's what I have but wonder if they'll be unsightly wrong.   Besides, I don't know where to get paisley paint.

I haven't done any track weathering for some time, but IIRC, on my friend's layout we airbrushed Floquil Rail Brown (a slightly greenish weathered brown) on the rail with overspray hitting the ties and  ballast.  I think we also used some washes afterwards, but I don't recall what.  Of course that paint has long been discontinued, so that tells you that I haven't weathered rails for quite some time.  But as DKS said, there is not  a single solution to this -  the colors might vary depending on what geographic area or rail traffic you are modeling.

[narrowminded]

A little off topic but not really.  In the past I had recommended the Proxxon mill to those interested in purchasing a home hobby machine and had also recommended some mods but never showed them at work.  Well, making my rail bending tool I had to machine some pieces and it occurred to me to make a  video of the machine in action.  A simple cut but demonstrating the vacuum adapter, digital readouts, and power table feed that I cobbled together for it.  A video does in a few minutes what you couldn't describe in hours.  This is the machine (plus lathe) that I made the miniature handwheel for @mmagliaro and recommended to @jdcolombo for general hobby use, especially his sound installs.  Hopefully this will make more clear what I was trying to describe.  The thing is pretty ideal for my purposes.  And that's a 1/8" 4 flute end mill running at 20,000 RPM.  Enjoy.

[peteski]

Very cool! Simple solution that works well!

[rodsup9000]

 Nice video and I like you chip management. Small Paxxon mills like yours is real easy to convert to CNC for under $100 too. 

[jdcolombo]

As Mark pointed out, I bought the Proxxon on his recommendation and it has been absolutely perfect for what I primarily do: mill frames for sound installations.  It's even been fine for doing that same work in HO, although in that scale I wish I had a 1/4" maximum mill size instead of 1/8".  Milling those big honkin' weights in HO takes a while with a 1/8" end mill, but it still gets the job done nicely - it just takes twice as many cuts.

And I've found a ton of other uses for it.  Because it will hold 1/8" shafts, you can use anything you use with your Dremel on the milling machine.  If I need to thin the walls of a shell, I put in the 1/4" dremel sanding drum, turn the speed down to as low as it will go, and the mill gives me the control to precisely mill .1mm off the sides of the shell.  No more hand-holding the shell and praying.

And with a 1/64" end mill, I cut gaps in PC board to make simple circuits for holding LEDs and resistors.

Like all good tools, it has become indispensable in my sound install work.

John C.

[Lemosteam]

And I've found a ton of other uses for it.  Because it will hold 1/8" shafts, you can use anything you use with your Dremel on the milling machine.  If I need to thin the walls of a shell, I put in the 1/4" dremel sanding drum, turn the speed down to as low as it will go, and the mill gives me the control to precisely mill .1mm off the sides of the shell.  No more hand-holding the shell and praying.

John C.

Dremel sells a solid carbide 1/8 helical cutter/grinder with about 3/4" of cutting lenght that slowed down would work perfect for this with less heat on the plastic and would also allow you to get much closer to end walls and obstructions inside the shell.

https://www.dremel.com/en_US/products/-/show-product/tools/9901-tungsten-carbide-cutter

[DKS]

Sooo, ideas for ballast that's more dirt than ballast?

I've found that applying a generous amount of earth-colored powdered chalk after the ballast is bonded is good for simulating this.

[jdcolombo]

Dremel sells a solid carbide 1/8 helical cutter/grinder with about 3/4" of cutting lenght that slowed down would work perfect for this with less heat on the plastic and would also allow you to get much closer to end walls and obstructions inside the shell.

https://www.dremel.com/en_US/products/-/show-product/tools/9901-tungsten-carbide-cutter

Thanks, John!  I'll have to get one of those and try it.

John C.

[narrowminded]

I finished the rail bending tool and bent the first few rails.  It works slick!  I'll try to get a short video later as it's part of how the whole system works.

I probably won't be getting much more done after today as I'm heading out of town for a little over a week.  I have to get all things ready.  Bachelors outing with antique motorcycles.  Antiques on antiques!

Here's the tool, maybe a video later.

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[narrowminded]

My camera operator just got a video of the rail bender in use.     It works slick! 

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[narrowminded]

And here is an example of those turnouts installed and ballasted.  This is my Nn3 Code 40 test track and as such is going to live as is with just some ground foam.  It's a 9" x 14" x 1/2" foam board with 2 1/2" and 3 1/2" radius turns especially for testing my mine locos and small Nn3 rolling stock but also anything developed for tight radius operation.  The track and ties have been painted (airbrushed), foam filler strips installed on each side to fill the void between the Rokuhan roadbed and the pocket wall, and then ballast carefully added outside the outer two rails.  The center was carefully painted with acrylics, a very fine brush, dotting, diluted at times to a wash viscosity, and just attempting to mimic the adjacent ballast.  It is surprisingly believable to the naked eye and even fairs OK in pictures.  The real giveaway is the code 60 rail top width but even that's tolerable when taking in the whole picture.

Overall, I'm really happy with the results of the whole new Nn3 Code 40 flex tie system.  Now to make actual Code 40 turnouts.   Really!

These are the adapters allowing liftout for servicing:
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And installed in a pocket cut to accomodate the tie bed in a direct to board track installation:
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And finally finish painted and ballasted:
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If these were to be installed with 1/8" cork roadbed the pocket cut into the surface wouldn't be needed.  The adapters would glue straight to the surface

[BAZ-man]

I preferred Roof Brown, a lighter, realistic rail (at least here in California UP rail. The Rail Brown for spurs, passing track.

But I just don't get the c40 retrofit as not only is it closer to scale (height) but smaller head. The Rokuhan, märklin and Peco are huge head, compared to MTL (and c40)

[narrowminded]

But I just don't get the c40 retrofit as not only is it closer to scale (height) but smaller head. The Rokuhan, märklin and Peco are huge head, compared to MTL (and c40)

Until I get around to making short Nn3 Code 40 turnouts, the only choices I'm aware of are, 1) adapt as this does, 2)homebuild, or 3) nothing.

The track is Nn3, not N, with 24" narrow gauge tie spacing following Z rail gauge.  Code 40 turnouts will follow but in the meantime there are no commercial Code 40 turnouts, none, in Nn3 or Z, and there is nothing nearly as tight for narrow gauge applications as the Rokuhan 55mm (26 deg) so this type transition adapter allows for the use of that existing but mismatched Rokuhan turnout with this Nn3 Code 40 Track.  And an adapter to Atlas Code 55 flex track for Z could be made if anybody wants them, for all of the same reasons.  If there's a need, send a note.