12-19-2010, 11:44 AM
Lester, when I am hand laying my track, I just let the stock rail run right through the turnout. I solder all rail joints as I am spiking down rail (that promotes flowing transitions into curves) and I cut my gaps later with a cut-off wheel in a 90° adapter in my old Dremel 270.
I agree, keep those rail gaps away from the points!
As far as drawings and instructions, there have been several such animals published in the model railroad press. When I took the plunge, it was after reading a "how-to" by Tony Koester three times and having it open on the benchwork beside me to refer to for bout the first 15 or 20 minutes. After that, I closed it up and put it away ... it's not rocket science! I can tell you from first-hand experience, it's a lot easier than rebuilding a double-hung window in the middle of a cold Pennsylvania February, when all you have is two good wooden sashes with good glass in them and everything else around the opening in the wall is rotten and crumbly!!!!
hock: 
I'll look for one of the articles and post where they can be found (after I scan and email some info on Time/Distance, Schedules and Graphing Train Movements to the guy in our club charged with developing the "Operations" stuff, since the trackwork is now at a point where we can think about doing that. Someone has borrowed the Bruce Chubb book on the subject of Operation and the information is needed at the club.)
I agree, keep those rail gaps away from the points!
As far as drawings and instructions, there have been several such animals published in the model railroad press. When I took the plunge, it was after reading a "how-to" by Tony Koester three times and having it open on the benchwork beside me to refer to for bout the first 15 or 20 minutes. After that, I closed it up and put it away ... it's not rocket science! I can tell you from first-hand experience, it's a lot easier than rebuilding a double-hung window in the middle of a cold Pennsylvania February, when all you have is two good wooden sashes with good glass in them and everything else around the opening in the wall is rotten and crumbly!!!!
hock: I'll look for one of the articles and post where they can be found (after I scan and email some info on Time/Distance, Schedules and Graphing Train Movements to the guy in our club charged with developing the "Operations" stuff, since the trackwork is now at a point where we can think about doing that. Someone has borrowed the Bruce Chubb book on the subject of Operation and the information is needed at the club.)
biL
Lehigh Susquehanna & Western
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln
Lehigh Susquehanna & Western
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln