11-26-2010, 11:54 AM
Once you learn how to make a turnout using Fast Tracks method, you can easily figure out how to make most anything you'll ever need. I was doing fine with the six FT #8 turnouts (which I love and will never do without as long as I have the room), and with one of their #6 double-slips, but when it came time to close my folded loop in two places, the usual and cumulative errors reared up their ugly heads and I was faced with two turnout loop-closing problems...neither one was available commercially. Well, I says, I do know how to make turnouts, and these I need are just turnouts, so....
The result was a curved #9-ish and a curved two-way, or wye, turnout. The curved wye won't be retrieved when I move on...I can do better now, but the curved #9-ish is salvageable and works well at speed on my main.
I don't know what a great how-to clinic would cost with the materials thrown in, but when you think about all Tim Warris makes available to you on his site, plus the cost of a jig for the rails and another for the points and the frog points (one jig provides channels for both rail types), the cost is close to what a giant in the hobby would charge to run such a clinic for 20 people for an entire day.
If you just can't wrap yourself around hand-laying, I would strongly urge you to use the Peco Streamline Code 83 #6 turnouts. They are wonderful...if pricey.
Crandell
The result was a curved #9-ish and a curved two-way, or wye, turnout. The curved wye won't be retrieved when I move on...I can do better now, but the curved #9-ish is salvageable and works well at speed on my main.
I don't know what a great how-to clinic would cost with the materials thrown in, but when you think about all Tim Warris makes available to you on his site, plus the cost of a jig for the rails and another for the points and the frog points (one jig provides channels for both rail types), the cost is close to what a giant in the hobby would charge to run such a clinic for 20 people for an entire day.
If you just can't wrap yourself around hand-laying, I would strongly urge you to use the Peco Streamline Code 83 #6 turnouts. They are wonderful...if pricey.
Crandell