BR60103's 2010 EOY Chllenge (and 2011?)

[BR60103]

My project is to replace the turnouts/switches/pointwork at St Mary Ax with Peco finescale (code 75) electrofrog. The current turnouts are code 100 insulfrog of varying ages -- probably back to or before the 70s -- and varying coarse frog standards.
Right now the status is: I bought most of the replacement bits. I also bought a bag of microswitches and a pair of Caboose Industries ground throws with electrical contacts.
No photos yet.
I have begun: weathering rails on the turnouts.
I tried assembling the ground throws. I got up to the bit that holds the contacts in place and lost the first one (CI supplies a spare).
The project may include ballasting.

[BR60103]

Progress? none to show.
But I took some pix of the area to be done.
   
   

[Gary S]

That looks like a major project. I used Atlas turn-outs and I have to admit I worry about their longevity.

Looking forward to seeing you tear out the old turn-outs and replace them with new.

[BR60103]

I started to modify the Peco turnoutss to more robust electrical connections: wire points to stock rail, break connection with the frog, wires to the frog switch. Soldering a wire to the underside of the rails in between 2 ties was frustrating me (solder not working; ties melting) and it was suggested I needed a chisel tipped iron.
Dayle was getting frustrated when we got to the 4th hardware store with no suitable tip. So I went off on my own to the electronics specialty strip mall (yes, we have one) and found a shop stocking my iron and with and entire rack of assorted tips, including a pack for my iron!
Finally back home. Changed tips, gently tinned the tip, and the first wire went on beautifully. Finished 7 turnouts (first 2 wires only) by bedtime.



Photos to come??

[Gary S]

The proper tools can work wonders. Unfortunately, I all too often don't have the right ones....

[BR60103]

Pictures of what I've been doing.

   
The last switch on the left has an extra 1/2" of rail in; this separates the ties from the switch beside it. One of the other switches had to have a tie or two trimmed.
   

   

   
I didn't use the roller gauges for this -- I just held it upside down on the iron plate. The gauges would have held the rails id I'd gone and softened the ties.

[RobertInOntario]

It looks like it's going well but seems like a lot of work!

Is it really necessary, were the old, coarser points causing problems? Also, will your Hornby Dublo (and Triang) run OK on code 75?

On my current small layout (5' 8" long by about 3' 4" wide) I've used code 100 Hornby points, which are working well for m my older and newer locos. No real complaints at all (however, I had several problems with Atlas turnouts, mainly derailments).

Rob

[BR60103]

Rob:
I had planned that St Mary Ax would be accessible to the older trains but I've given up on that. The ancient points were beginning to offend my eye, and I wanted Electrofrogs. Anyway, most of the older stock is starting to run like your Princess.

[RobertInOntario]

Rob:
I had planned that St Mary Ax would be accessible to the older trains but I've given up on that. The ancient points were beginning to offend my eye, and I wanted Electrofrogs. Anyway, most of the older stock is starting to run like your Princess.

Guess what, my Princess has been running superbly for the past year or so ! It's sure been repaired a lot, it has a new chassis but its original motor. What really improved its running was adding some weights inside it -- once I did that, it runs really well. Unfortunately, it's a little noisy.

My Dublo locos run very well, almost as good as new locos. However, some of my Triang locos (from the early/mid-60s) are probably the most frustrating in that you can't run them slowly or smoothly.

Rob

[BR60103]

With a major distraction today (see Hobo Camp) I managed to add the frog wires. Look at the photos and imagine yellow wires sticking down from all the frogs!

[BR60103]

Progress???
I painted the rail sides. Started with a brown Sharpie but the colour that came out was more Oxblood (remember that show polish?) so I overdid it with Floquil Rail colour, which is a light rust but came out interestingly over the brown.
Then I started removing the old track. Not too bad until I found that the old turnouts were 1/4" shorter than the new ones. Who knew that nickle-silver would shrink that much over 30 years. and the short piece of rail I put in (shorter than a pair of rail joiners) was too long and going to be too-er long.

[BR60103]

Much progress over the last few days.
All the turnouts were installed and the plain track matched up.
   
   
   

[tetters]

Hooray!!! Nicely done sir!

[BR60103]

I posted more pictures that disappeared!
   
   
   
   
   

[BR60103]

The project now requires me to add a board cover to the switches. This will be glued to the switch and spiked to the homasote so that the switch can be adjusted (if needed).

I find that my soldering iron tip has developed a cavity, right along the chisel edge. That's the new tip I bought at the end of November. Shouldn't they be good for more than 100-200 joints?