Black Hawk & Ironwood - Hon30 Mini Southwest Layout

[Hawghead]

Dave for the few turnouts this layout is going to have, why not just hand lay them.  Get the paper templates from Fast Tracks and a small package of the copper ties.

Scott

[timwatson]

Which turnout is the insulated frog one?

3 turnouts is correct.
1. OO9 Hon30 Peco (which is what I think Chris linked)
2. N scale Peco turnout small radius. Exact same rail as the above.
3. The larger radius OO9 metal frog turnout. I can look at the part numbers tonight.

If you want a cheaper alternative to the OO9 turnouts I was beginning to cut the ties off the N scale Peco turnout and use it for hon30. It’s ties are closer to the pc board tie width and should match better than the Peco OO9 turnouts. I haven’t soldered new ties on to yet however. So that the weirdness you are seeing on the middle turnout.

I did experience more stalling on the 2 isolated frog turnouts but that was on locos with poor pickup. So mileage may vary on the isolated frogs.

[timwatson]

Dave for the few turnouts this layout is going to have, why not just hand lay them.  Get the paper templates from Fast Tracks and a small package of the copper ties.

Scott

Thanks for the message Scott I am hand laying some of the turnouts on this threads layout. See above a few messages for the 3d printed jig I made. You might be thinking this is Dave’s Hon30 layout thread. We are co-oping info so it’s understandable.

[timwatson]

I should probably post current state of things. Hand laid turnout included. Looking for any and all tips to making the wiring of the powered frog more simple.

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[Chris333]

I don't know how access is under the layout. But using a simple slide switch will lock the points into place and direct power to the frog. Also like these:  https://handlaidtrack.com/shop/?wpf_filter_cat_0=1473&wpf_filter_cat_list_0=1473&v=7516fd43adaa

[timwatson]

The access is fine directly under but I have to go through 8” of foam to reach the roadbed. So I don’t think I can get a bull frog system in there like that. I could use the brass tube through the foam and have it turn side to side to switch the turnout. I’m not as crazy about that way. I could also put everything topside and embed the switch in the cork on top. That was what I was planning on doing but crowdsourcing simpler wiring I am all about. The switch embedded is the most troublesome and picky to wire. The switch underneath would be by far more easy.

Hmm what to do.

[Lemosteam]

Adding a DPDT slide switch to the turnout can be really clean.  No need for a long frog power wire to pass through the foam, just dig a small trench from the switch center poles to the frog.

The DPDT throw distance is perfect for the point travel and holds the points agianst the rails well.  No point picking here.

In this case I had to drill up away from the DPDT to get the power to the DPDT (long trough) and then from the DPDT center poles back to the frog (short trough).  I have a support cabinet directly below that switch.  After confirming functional reliability and proper polarity, I just caulked it into the foam and later covered over that with a thin WS foam layer to avoid wasting ground cover.



Here is how they are mounted- you could print the switch cradle to fit your turnout easily.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=39990.msg491084#msg491084

[Chris333]

Here you can see 3 turnout linkages above the layout:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/d9iSh4EWNKwpH1mUA

One was hidden in a hill a used a rod for me to throw it. Can't see it but:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wYfWnL8foibBT66m7

One is hidden under the roof of this freight depot:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LikxcqEboCp3WP8a6

The last is inside this old boxcar shack:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xYQZ5vsA1HEBkmFf8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9ft3mULq4dvm1Er76

It was all planned ahead of time 


Also did mini switches like this:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VVZaARUABMPHcodw5

There is another way that I have done a bunch that uses a 1/8" brass tube with another rod inside of it. A little hook solders on to the top to connect to the throwbar. The slide switch then goes under the layout. It will work with thick foam base. Just poke a hole with a small round file in a drill. Looking for the pics..... EDIT here it is. Made about 100 of these:
https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?media/mr-scan.22249/

[Hawghead]

Thanks for the message Scott I am hand laying some of the turnouts on this threads layout. See above a few messages for the 3d printed jig I made. You might be thinking this is Dave’s Hon30 layout thread. We are co-oping info so it’s understandable.

Yeah sorry Tim,

As the two threads are dealing with much the same subject I must have forgotten which was which 

Scott

[JeffB]

Been awhile since I have gotten to work on this lil guy.

I ended up doing just that I created a 3d printed turnout template for no 2.5 turnout. I have unsoldered the old track and am moving in the new turnouts.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)

NICE!!!  I like the taper down into the PC tie slots...  I designed and printed something similar earlier this year as well (a fixture for an HOn3/Sn2 #6.5 turnout).  I had to do mine in two pieces, because the print area of my printers was too short for the fixture in one piece.

Also designed and printed fixtures for holding the Code 70 rail in the vise of my milling machine, for milling the frog point rails, switch rails and soldering the frog rails together (makes assembling the turnout easier if the frog rails are pre-assembled). 

All the fixtures worked out really well, at least after a few tweaks.  Milling the rails to the proper angle made for really tight fitting joints (the frog) and the point rails fit very precisely onto the stock rails.

Jeff

[timwatson]

Making rail jigs is what I should be doing Jeff but I didn’t yet. Sounds like it’s worth the time.
I’d love to see your design if you get a chance always looking for more inspiration.

[timwatson]

Here you can see 3 turnout linkages above the layout:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/d9iSh4EWNKwpH1mUA

One was hidden in a hill a used a rod for me to throw it. Can't see it but:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/wYfWnL8foibBT66m7

One is hidden under the roof of this freight depot:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/LikxcqEboCp3WP8a6

The last is inside this old boxcar shack:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/xYQZ5vsA1HEBkmFf8
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9ft3mULq4dvm1Er76

It was all planned ahead of time 


Also did mini switches like this:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VVZaARUABMPHcodw5

There is another way that I have done a bunch that uses a 1/8" brass tube with another rod inside of it. A little hook solders on to the top to connect to the throwbar. The slide switch then goes under the layout. It will work with thick foam base. Just poke a hole with a small round file in a drill. Looking for the pics..... EDIT here it is. Made about 100 of these:
https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?media/mr-scan.22249/

That last version might be the winner with the tube. I had that style on my last layout. Thanks for showing me what’s possible @Chris333

@Lemosteam might have the runner up. I was intending to do it that way but it feels like servicing is more painful buried in scenery.

Closeup image.
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Also current state. I finally decided to use the Peco metal frog turnouts instead of hand laying another. I only had 2 hand laid.
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This is the only bit left before I can run a train. Getting excited.
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[Dave V]

Dave for the few turnouts this layout is going to have, why not just hand lay them.  Get the paper templates from Fast Tracks and a small package of the copper ties.

Scott

For the simple reason that I don’t want to.

No worries; I obtained 5 of the electrofrog 12” radius HOn30 turnouts from a US source already.

[timwatson]

Learn from my mistakes @Dave V make sure to cut the gaps under the turnouts. Your plan might be ready for the power routing but mine is shorting because I didn’t snip the parts Peco says to.

[Dave V]

Learn from my mistakes @Dave V make sure to cut the gaps under the turnouts. Your plan might be ready for the power routing but mine is shorting because I didn’t snip the parts Peco says to.

Thanks for the tip! I’ve used Peco code 55 and 80 turnouts in N and code 70 in HOn3 and haven’t had a problem yet, but I’ve never used their HOn30/OO9 line. I’ll definitely check out the Peco documentation. I always use insulated joiners when electrofrogs go frog-to-frog which they all do in my plan.

And to address the Fast Tracks comment again, there’s also cost. For 5 turnouts (one of which is a wye, so that would be two templates), the templates and supplies would vastly out-cost 5 commercial turnouts. Even if I chose to only do straight turnouts (no wye), I’d be paying quite a bit more and still have to find hours of hobby time to build them.

EDIT: Sorry @timwatson for hijacking your thread! Now back to you awesome build that inspired me to do the same!