Plastic Rail

On 02/02/2005 11:51, Just zis Guy, you know? wrote,

I suppose the obvious questions to answer your question (!) are: why do you want plastic check rails, and why do you need to file down metal rails?

If we had a better idea of why you want to do this, maybe we can come up with a solution for you.

Cheers

Isn't there some in one of those Ratio detail kits.

?????

It's not clear why you need non-metal check rails, IOW it's not clear what you mean by check rails. If you mean the rails next to the running rails that are designed to hold the wheel set away from the frog point, there's no need for them to be plastic. Also, these don't need to be filed - you just bend about 5mm at each end at an angle of about 10 degrees, and that will creat the gather you need to bring the wheel sets into line.

OTOH, if you mean the rails that are sometimes used to help rolling stock negotiate very tight curves, or that are used at level crossings, etc, to create a flangeway, again, there's no need for them to be non-conducting.

So, just what are you making? Inquiring Minds Want To Know.

I want plastic because I can't be arsed to make isolating sections for the check rails as well as the running rails through the crossovers, and I file down the metal because check rail is flat on one side (or at least it is at Didcot Parkway). Flattening one side also makes it easier to fit at more or less the correct distance. A flat-sided rail positioned against the chairs gives about the same separation between check rail and running rail as you get on Peco points. I am working with predominantly ready-made track and points, using check rails for some home-made trackwork and across the joins in the lift-the-flap access bridges, because experience indicates that this is worth doing.

Guy

Dunno - I can't find them online. Bah! Google skills are atrophied! Note to self: check back pages of RM.

Guy

I picked up a couple of Ratio frets which I'm almost certain came from a Ratio grounded coach body. Lots of sleepers, buckets, drums, tools etc etc and a couple of 4-5" long pieces of rail on each one.

">>I suppose the obvious questions to answer your question (!) are: why do

But the check rail should be the same polarity as the running rail? So why islolate them?

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

[snip]

One good reason is to keep the prototypical rusty appearence. Track cleaning always rubs the paint off my carefully "rusted" wing and check rails. What I really want is a conductive rust-brown plastic rail that can be soldered!

Incidentally, I've had good results lately with "Sharpie" permanent markers. I use a black one, but the hard-to-get brown one would be even better. They are much quicker yo apply to most areas of rail, but the fiddlely bits in the toe of a point still need a fine paint brush.

fred.

I can't figure it out either. I think he's referring to isolating gaps. I guess he doesn't solder the check rails to the running rails, or something, so he risks having the wheels cause a short. I'm trying to figure out how he builds the checkrails. Or the whole crossover for that matter. Maybe he cuts li'l bits of rail, instead of building the whole thing solid and cutting the isolating gaps afterwards. If he's trying to make a visually prototypical crossover, he'd pretty well have to do it that way. Not like me - I prefer building everything in one solid piece, and cutting any needed electrical gaps afterwards.

Anyhow, for a crossover, you just need gaps in the rails between the frogs, and those don't have to be anywhere near the checkrails or wong rails. For a crossing, the easiest method is to cut gaps in the four sides bteween the frogs. If the checkrails are soldered to the running rails (as they should be IMO), you just cut through them too.

Sorry, still don't see the poblem. Maybe OP should describe how he builds a crossover.

"Wolf Kirchmeir"

[Snip].

Ditto here. I build everything solid, even to flooding the "frog" and check rails with soldier and the using a standard hacksaw blade to clean out the flange ways in both the "frog" and check (guard) rails. Then and only then do I cut the rail gaps.

The few times I use any abrasive to clean my track, which is very rare, I simply go back and repaint check (guard) rails and "frogs" a suitable rusty colour.

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

What the f*** is a 'frog', are you modelling pond life or the French ?...

Crossing 'V', if you don't mind !

":::Jerry::::"

You'll notice that "frog" was in quotation marks.

You'll also notice that I have a working model railway, with hand laid track to boot. You?

-- Cheers Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

":::Jerry::::" wrote

Crossing "nose" is, I believe, the correct expression.

John.

On 03/02/2005 16:26, John Turner wrote,

Just to be pedantic (me?), the nose refers to the actual sharp end of the Vee, which isn't actually sharp at all, but should be blunt. The whole assembly including the Vee and wing rails is called a common crossing. But whatever, it definitely isn't a "frog". A frog is a small green amphibian thingy that has no relevance to model or real railways.

Someone will now produce a document dated 1854 from XYZ Railway referring to the crossing as a frog...

Across the crossings there have to be little isolating bits attached to the ends of the running rails to prevent momentary shorts. These are a bore to make. But I quite like the idea of building the thing solid and then cutting the electrical gaps, so maybe I'll try that instead.

Guy

:)

Pete

To which I reply:

Smarta*se :-)

If you bothered to find a clue you will see that Crossing Vee is the correct PW terminology, mention 'frog' to a PW gang and they will either be totally baffled as to what you are talking about, think you *are talking about pond life or the French...

In the process of building a new one, after some years, but 15 - 20 years ago not only did I model to P4 standards [1] and build my own track I also was involved in the planning and laying of track on the 12inch to the foot scale.

[1] it was being involved in full size track that drove me to adopt the P4 standard, as I couldn't reconcile the look of the 'course' scale track that OO & EM use.

No, that is the nose of the 'V', the turnout component is the Crossing Vee.