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TEMPLOT 3D PLUG TRACK - To get up to speed with this experimental project click here.   To watch an introductory video click here.   See the User Guide at Bexhill West.

  • The Plug Track functions are experimental and still being developed. Some of the earlier pages of this topic are now out-of-date.

    For an updated overview of this project see this topic.   For some practical modelling aspects of using Plug Track see Building 3D Track.

    The assumption is that you have your own machines on which to experiment, or helpful friends with machines. Please do not send Templot files to commercial laser cutting or 3D printing firms while this project is still experimental, because the results are unpredictable and possibly wasteful.

    Some pages of this and other topics include contributions from members who are creating and posting their own CAD designs for 3D printing and laser-cutting. Do not confuse them with Templot's own exported CAD files. All files derived from Templot are © Martin Wynne.
  • The Plug Track functions are experimental and still being developed.

    For an updated overview of this project see this topic.   For some practical modelling aspects of using Plug Track see Building 3D Track.

    The assumption is that you have your own machines on which to experiment, or helpful friends with machines. Please do not send Templot files to commercial laser cutting or 3D printing firms while this project is still experimental, because the results are unpredictable and possibly wasteful.

    Some pages of this and other topics include contributions from members who are creating and posting their own CAD designs for 3D printing and laser-cutting. Do not confuse them with Templot's own exported CAD files. All files derived from Templot are © Martin Wynne.

New Martin Street

Quick reply >
This is something I have been pondering ever since I saw this photo on the front of Great Eastern in Town & Country book
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The plan is to have a cameo layout in EM gauge about 48" x 18" .I wanted a strong lightweight track bed as its on a viaduct and settled on a plastic soffit board. There are no detailed photos in the book, and behind left should be tenements (I think Adolf redeveloped this site in the early 40's) Its going to be my own interpretation of a docklands scene

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This is showing an early version on a card former, using Wills products to determine heights etc

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The exact orientation of the track bed is yet to be decided, as are the position and sizes of the warehouses I have and will need to buy. The warehouses are ones I brought on eBay at reasonable prices and are really scratch builders aide, but do come with windows, doors etc

I have already decided on something a bit different than shown in the bottom photo

I did think about making the track bed interchangeable with both an EM and 00 versions, but that may be beyond my baseboard building skills
 

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Hi Hayfield.
I would have thought it would be possible to design a set of baseboards for a small layout with the top surface screwed or bolted down to the sub-frame and thus interchangeable. It would need to have most of the electrics plug-able as well. Whether its worth the extra work is another matter.
Regards
Tony.
 
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Hi Hayfield.
I would have thought it would be possible to design a set of baseboards for a small layout with the top surface screwed or bolted down to the sub-frame and thus interchangeable. It would need to have most of the electrics plug-able as well. Whether its worth the extra work is another matter.
Regards
Tony.
Tony

My concern is either marrying the track bed into the Viaduct (my favoured option, or making the viaducts interchangeable without too many visual gaps
 
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I had cut the track bed to shape on Tuesday and stuck some old 1/16th thick cork to it

Today I have changed my build method by gluing the plan to the track bed, I will depart from my usual track building method by gluing the timbers to the track bed, usually I prefer to build templates on building boards rather than in situ. As the track bed is not attached to anything it might as well be a long building board

I have a can of Evo Stik impact spray adhesive, I used it as such to glue the cork to the track bed, by allowing both items to dry then impact them together. The plan I just sprayed the paper and laid it wet. I plan to do the same with the timbers by spraying the timber backs with Evo Stik and laying them whilst the glue is wet.

For plain track I will be using the Exactoscale 60' track bases again doing the same (spraying the backs)
 
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When I built the tandem on Pottery Quay, I fitted the timbering and then marked the rail positions on the timbering with a dab of paint from a paint pen and then ballasted the turnout before fitting the chairs and rail, I found it a lot quicker and easier than vice versa for in situ work. The rest of the track will be inset and so far not been covered with whatever I decide to use.

Merry Christmas.
 
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When I built the tandem on Pottery Quay, I fitted the timbering and then marked the rail positions on the timbering with a dab of paint from a paint pen and then ballasted the turnout before fitting the chairs and rail, I found it a lot quicker and easier than vice versa for in situ work. The rest of the track will be inset and so far not been covered with whatever I decide to use.

Merry Christmas.
Phil

That's a very good bit of advice,

I need to look very carefully at some other pictures as we can see walkways over the timbers and both boarded and inset cobbles, after that going south (left) is the start of the warehouse with its wagon turntables and wagon lift(s?), I am assuming it may be either inset or boarded tracks. I can see a capstan in the photo.

Going north to the main line I expect normal ballasting
 
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I have moved on a bit with the project, firstly I have bought a baseboard top, simply so I can find the best angle for the track bed, secondly started laying the sleepers and timbers

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Both the timbers for the turnouts and the Exactoscale track panels have been stuck down to the track bed

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Next up will be marking where the track bed goes, then mark and cut out access holes where the enclosed parts of the viaducts are, so I can gain access to the wiring and servos

I can now make a start on the track building whilst I consider how to build the backscene walls and framing for the baseboard
 
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I have started to build the track and have decided to use up spares I have built up over the years as much as I can, the rail is quite old nickelsilver of unknown origin which I cleaned up with a track rubber. The turnout timbers are Exactoscale and the track panels are also Exactoscale 8'6" long I think 26 sleeper 60', but each strip has 15 timbers with a 12" timber at one end, I assume you cut 2 sleepers off either from the 12" sleeper end or the other, depending on what configuration of sleepers you require

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I have plenty of old left over half chairs from the switch packs, as there are 16 inner chairs and 24 outer chairs and you usually use 8 and 12 (12 & 16 max) per the two turnouts the pack builds, you can end up with quite a few extras

On the plain tracks I will use whole chairs every 4th sleeper, for turnouts its more like every other chair will be a half chair

Next up I will be using a simplified system of building the common crossings
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The vee rails are filed up and formed in the societies rail filing jig

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On the underside of the tip I have soldered a piece of 0.6mm copperclad, which acts as a support for the tip

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A shot showing the Vee rails being fitted

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Followed by the stock rails
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I used a full chair every 4th timber on the stock rails, except where switch and check rail chairs go

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As can be seen further stock rails have been fitted


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Three chairs have been slid on to the wing rail. S1, L1 and checkrail chairs
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The check rail chair ( in this case a P4 one) is modified by cutting one end off

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Firstly the closer part of the wing rails are stuck in place

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Then using a wing rail gauge, the wing part of the rail is stuck in place

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This some may find a much easier way of making a common crossing, it does mean extra bonding wires are required, but this is a very much easier task for some
 
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