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    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 track components from DCC Concepts

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Martin Wynne

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DCC Concepts have just announced some new track components:

Etched 00 sleepers. Cast brass bridge chairs.

See: https://mailchi.mp/dccconcepts/legacy_track_1-5126186

Why they are building plain track with bridge chairs is a bit of mystery. When bridge chairs are used on plain track it is normally on waybeams not sleepers (for use on bridges):

lichfield1_1990_1280x800.jpg


Coming after their weird 6-bolt fishplates it is all a bit puzzling. They are promising a range of pointwork parts and slips etc. Lets hope they do look at the prototype at some stage.

The etched sleepers are 32mm long, so suitable for 00 only.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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Hi Martin,
Talking to DCC Concepts a few years back they said they were working on 4mm scale BRASS chairs to go with the pre gapped sleepers they had just introduced. I pointed out the normal use of brass chairs in model trackwork and the reply was that they would be as a replacement for C&L plastic ones. I asked about the likely price but there was no positive reply other than to wait and see but they would be competitive with current products. So what do we now have - the wrong chairs at a price 2.5x of Exactoscale plastic ones:( Strange.....

Rob
 
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Why start with bridge chairs ? The cast common and obtuse Crossing chairs look interesting,and could make building a common crossing interesting
 
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I’ve just had a look at the range and as is common with DCC Concepts, it’s technically well executed but at a price. The price is fair enough for the apparent quality, but yes, why start with bridge chairs? I’m not quite sure why they’re calling it a legacy range though if it’s all new. To me, that means is old product they’re continuing to sell, a bit like Airfix’s “Vintage Classics” range.
 
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I wonder how long it’ll be before we see beautiful hand made track carefully built using only bridge chairs! They do look really nice, nonetheless, and if nothing else it may encourage more people to give it a go.
 
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I’m not quite sure why they’re calling it a legacy range though if it’s all new. To me, that means is old product they’re continuing to sell, a bit like Airfix’s “Vintage Classics” range.
Hi Paul,

I think "Legacy" applies to the prototype, not the model product. i.e. it means traditional bullhead track, as opposed to modern flat-bottom.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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I wonder how long it’ll be before we see beautiful hand made track carefully built using only bridge chairs! They do look really nice, nonetheless, and if nothing else it may encourage more people to give it a go.

Hi Paul,

How practical are fully functional cast chairs? Given the typical casting tolerances, they would need to be designed as a loose fit on the rail to ensure every one will fit all model rail. Presumably you then flash a smear of solder cream into the chair to create a firm rail fixing? That's made a bit tricky by DCC Concepts choice of stainless steel for their rail.

As far as I know currently the only cast chairs available are slide chairs (?), where the rail fit needs to be on one side only.

cheers,

Martin.
 
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How practical are fully functional cast chairs? Given the typical casting tolerances, they would need to be designed as a loose fit on the rail to ensure every one will fit all model rail. Presumably you then flash a smear of solder cream into the chair to create a firm rail fixing? That's made a bit tricky by DCC Concepts choice of stainless steel for their rail.

As far as I know currently the only cast chairs available are slide chairs (?), where the rail fit needs to be on one side only.

C&L used to, maybe still do, sell cast chairs which I've used in the past - they're great for baseboard joints in conjunction with copper-clad sleepers. I think they were just lost wax castings of their plastic chairs as the sprue shape was identical. They actually worked quite well - I don't remember problems with either getting the rail in or excessive slop, although any slop would have been taken up with the solder. I've never used them with stainless steel rail though, and nor have I investigated how DCC Concepts suggest you join wires to their rail!

Cheers,
Paul
 
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An interesting point about the normal L1 bridge chairs for plain track -- they are 11" wide and don't actually fit on ordinary 10" sleepers. They are used on 12" pointwork timbers or on waybeams.

Also about bridge chairs on the GWR:

The original bridge chairs for GWR "00" rails had 4-hole fixings like other companies. A note on the drawing says "also used for BS-95 rails".

When the GWR adopted BS-95R rail after nationalisation, they created a new range of matching 2-hole chairs for it. Including their own version of the L1 bridge chair.

This means that if using the new 4-hole chairs for later GWR track, it will be necessary to file off one of the bolt* heads on each side. It's important to get the correct one -- looking towards the rail, the remaining bolt head is on the right.

The GWR L1 chairs are the same size as REA L1 -- 11" wide (along rail) by 10.5" long.

The GWR "00" bridge chairs are bigger -- 11" wide (along rail) by 12" long.

It will be interesting to measure the new DCC Concepts chairs and see which prototype they are based on, and how well they fit on the sleepers. DCCC haven't actually called them L1 -- they may in fact be the smaller M1 chairs (10" wide x 8.75" long), but those are fairly rare on the prototype.

*GWR used through-bolts for plain track, and chair screws for pointwork. The bolt "heads" are in fact nuts.

Martin.
 
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How practical are fully functional cast chairs? Given the typical casting tolerances, they would need to be designed as a loose fit on the rail to ensure every one will fit all model rail.

Following on from what Paul said, in the S Scale Society we produced brass chairs by using the sprues of our plastic chairs to make moulds and which were burnt out for lost wax casting. They were very accurate and fitted out Code 87 rail very well. I think I only got one report of them being a bit tight. But the difference in price was 30p for a plastic sprue of ten chairs and £2.50 for the brass version.

Jim.
 
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C&L still sell cast brass chairs, cost £10 for 10 chairs, made as above. The bulk packs do show a reduction in price, but a turnout (when the other parts are available) would be very expensive. The additional (special chairs) mentioned could be quite interesting and may offer some alternative building options

I believe Phil at C&L is thinking about brass casting his new chair sprues, no idea about time scales or costs
 
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