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  • 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 Some of the earlier pages of this topic are now out-of-date.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.

Rail breaks in a crossing

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Hayfield

Member
Location
Essex
When building a facing or trailing crossing its quite usual to extend the number of timbers after the common crossing, due to the close proximity of the second turnout. On the template the length of the Vee rails remains the same, where as you may have added 3 or 4 extra timbers. You then get another rail joint where the sleepers start

Is this correct in having a very short rail between the common crossing and the plain track
Or should the rail joint be moved to the end of the timbers?

If it is the latter, what happens with the stock rail where it exceeds 60'

Thanks

John
 
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Is this correct in having a very short rail between the common crossing and the plain track
Or should the rail joint be moved to the end of the timbers?

If it is the latter, what happens with the stock rail where it exceeds 60'

Hi John,

This is a typical prototype arrangement at a crossover. The vee rails are not modified from their standard length. In a short-angle crossover that's likely to mean that the stock rail joints are behind the check rails:

2_091654_040000000.png


If the stock rail would exceed 60ft from the switch heel joint (only likely on longer turnouts) there would be another joint in the stock rail somewhere in the middle of the turnout (with timbering closed up for it).

But practice differs between railway companies. The vee rails might be shortened from the standard length, and the timbering might be altered to provide closer spacing at the joint. The vee rails are unlikely to be lengthened, as that would mean a special order from the p.w. crossing shop.

On a model you have the additional complication of providing isolation gaps around V-crossings, and not bridging the gaps with the check rails if using soldered construction.

In Templot currently the joint in the stock rail is omitted from the templates, so that you can mark them up manually as required in each case.

However, I have done a lot of work on this in the next program update, 227a. Here is a bit of scruff video showing that:

https://flashbackconnect.com/Default.aspx?id=HKcLtnVOsx2_-aQm9v1-KA2

and more about all this at:

https://85a.co.uk/forum/view_topic.php?id=3718&forum_id=1

In fact the 227a update now includes a lot more than that -- a complete new function to add dropper marks, isolation gaps and rail joint marks anywhere you like on the templates.

The snag is that you find me in something of a bind -- there is a mass of new stuff in 227a, but try as I might I just can't seem to get it finished and released. Something else keeps cropping up to take up my time. There has been a need to get this new Templot Club forum up and running, and at present I'm tied up in creating a searchable archive of all the old stuff -- that's over 3,600 topics and 30,000 posts, working links between them, and all the gallery images and file attachments.

As you can see from the date on the above link, it's many months since the last update, but at present I'm sorry, I can't say when the next one will finally be ready.

For plain track joints at turnout exits, there is more discussion here:

https://85a.co.uk/forum/view_topic.php?id=157&forum_id=1#p30248

2_080826_590000000.png


cheers,

Martin.
 
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Martin

Thanks I see its a mine field, but I can adjust these stock rail lengths manually if necessary

I am being a bit thick on this one. If I extended the number of full length timbers by two each side, would the length of the Vee rails stay the same, if so is there a short length of rain inserted or does it become part of the next track panel ?
 
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message ref: 230
Thanks I see its a mine field, but I can adjust these stock rail lengths manually if necessary

I am being a bit thick on this one. If I extended the number of full length timbers by two each side, would the length of the Vee rails stay the same, if so is there a short length of rain inserted or does it become part of the next track panel ?

Hi John,

You need a photo of the actual prototype turnout to be sure. :)

But generally:

The length of the vee rails stays the same.

The long timbers become part of the next 60ft track panel, so that instead of say 24 ordinary sleepers it will have only 22 sleepers to the next 60ft rail joint. But possibly 23 if they are shoved around a bit to fit.

Short bits of fill-in rail are never used. I can't believe I just wrote "never" -- someone will know different. :)

cheers,

Martin.
 
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message ref: 232
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