A variation on 00 Finescale

[polybear]

Hi All,

I posted this on RMWeb a few days ago but thought it might be of interest here too:

I was fortunate enough to spend last weekend at Missenden Abbey, learning track making techniques from Norman Solomon.
Now Little Bytham (Tony Wright's layout) has always intrigued me because it caters for both kit built and RTR wheels without any signs of compromise when it comes to running qualities (especially wheel drop at the crossings) - something that I've always understood should be impossible without adopting 00 Finescale track standards (= 1.0mm Crossing Flangeway & Check Rail Gap) AND a minimum 14.8mm wheel back to back. However, I can never recall Tony mentioning having to adjust B2B's on RTR Locos etc. when running them.

So I thought I'd take the opportunity to ask Norman just what the secret is.....

It seems that the track has been laid to "sort of" 00 Finescale standards in that the Crossing Flangeway is to the usual 1.0mm dimension, but the Check Rail Gap is actually 1.5mm** - which is both larger than the 00 Finescale standard (1.0mm) but also the 00 Intermediate standard of 1.2mm as well.

(**Norman simply uses the thickness of C&L thick plastic sleepers to set the gap).

So now I know.....

Brian

 

[Phil O]

Hi Brian,

I must have seen you last weekend, without realizing it. I attended his last track-laying talk and the cutting of the cake, to celebrate his retirement.

 

[Martin Wynne]

It seems that the track has been laid to "sort of" 00 Finescale standards in that the Crossing Flangeway is to the usual 1.0mm dimension, but the Check Rail Gap is actually 1.5mm** - which is both larger than the 00 Finescale standard (1.0mm) but also the 00 Intermediate standard of 1.2mm as well.

@polybear

hi brian,

if the check rail gap differs from the crossing flangeway gap it is impossible to build complex formations such as tandem turnouts, scissors crossovers etc.

with 16.5mm track gauge and 1.5mm check rail gap, the check gauge is 15.0mm.

for most 00 standards it would be 15.2mm. this is the most important dimension.

at 15.0mm and RTR wheels (having 0.8mm thick flanges) the maximum back-to-back for guaranteed reliable running is 14.2mm. many RTR wheels will comply with this. some don't, and the result is possible flange contact with the vee nose. if the nose is nicely rounded that probably won't be noticed, but the running won't be as smooth as it could be with proper matched dimensions.

(**Norman simply uses the thickness of C&L thick plastic sleepers to set the gap).

i won't be adding any of this stuff to templot.

someone who uses a spacer to set check rails instead of a check gauge tool, or fails to specify what check gauge dimension they are working to, is not on the same page as me.

for anyone who wants to build properly dimensioned railway track for 00 models i recommend any of these below, which are available in templot and can be built in plug track as easily as any other because no gauge tools are needed.

these will accept a mix of kit wheels and RTR wheels. as you go down this list, the running quality of kit wheels decreases, but there is more tolerance on varying RTR back-to-backs:

00-SF

00-MF

00-IF

00-BF if only RTR wheels are used.

for all of those the check gauge is 15.2mm, and check gauge tools for the purpose are available from C&L and DCC Concepts. (not needed for plug track.)

all these can be mixed on the same layout because the check gauge for all them is the same - 15.2mm.

it would be a useful idea to to use a lower standard for a fiddle yard than for scenic areas.

did i mention the importance of check gauge? if someone tells you about their track standards, ask them what check gauge they are using.

and with that bee in my bonnet, i must stop typing because i've reached my limit for an hour or two.

martin.

 

[AndyB]

I could have warned him