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 Some of the earlier pages of this topic are now out-of-date.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

Track laid on my finescale narrow gauge layout, at last!

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Well, after spending what seemed like ages building sections of track, boards, electronics etc, suddenly almost all the flat-bottom sections of track have been laid and rolling stock, well, rolled along it. Right now the track is only suitable for clockwork or live steam locos though!

The bridge at the far left is not yet fixed, nor is the track over it. A very late decision means that that section now leads to a 90 degree corner board (Grainge & Hodder) which has only just arrived and been built.

As a reminder, the layout is 4mm scale based on, but not a model of, the Festiniog Railway. Track gauge is 7.83mm and apart from the gauge is built to 2mm Scale Association standards. The section in the first photo is 2.1m long.

Edit - see my 1st April post - I'm now building this to 4n27.

The remainder of the track, mostly bottom right, will be bullhead. Oh, and I’ve still not really decided on a name! I have a working name for the layout but I’m not really happy with it.

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Hi Paul,

It's not often you come across 4mm finescale narrow gauge, I look forward to seeing progress on your project.
 
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Hi Paul,
Also following as I am starting out on a 7.83mm gauge journey too - see https://85a.uk/templot/club/index.php?threads/narrow-gauge-advice.165/. How did you go about your track work, did you create roller gauges or use a digital vernier? I am thinking of the latter, with some wooden spacer blocks to assist on the straight sections?

Rich
Hi Rich

Welcome to the mad world of finescale narrow gauge! I'll drop a reply onto your other thread as that would seem a better place for it.

Cheers,
Paul
 
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I seem to have found some mojo under the Christmas tree! Over the last few days I’ve been building up the centre section of the 3-way stub point. This uses code 60 bullhead and chairs from the 3mm Scale Association. This has all been built on a build template and is now ready for fitting to the prepared base. The observant will notice a missing insulation gap - that will be cut in situ. I’m pretty sure that no-one would notice if I had the rail upside down, but even so I was peering at it through a loupe to try to work out which is the top. I’m still not entirely convinced this particular rail has a top and a bottom!
 

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That's the 3-way crossing assembly more or less completed - there's still some cosmetic chairs to go on as well as the stub end chairs, not to mention a few insulation cuts. The cuts will be made by drilling a hole through the base and using a piercing saw. The plastic timbers are glued to the black plastic base through slots cut in the paper template, and the template will later be removed. Where I've used copper-clad timbers, these have been spaced up with thin plastic strip. I have a chassis with accurately maintained wheels for testing these sorts of things, and it runs through all the roads perfectly.

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Some time ago I came across a rusty old press for a fiver in an antiques centre and saw its potential for pressing wheelsets supplied by the 2mm Scale Association a bit further onto the axles for S4n2. It cleaned up nicely, and five pairs of anvils later (for the five axle lengths) it's in use! The anvils are turned from brass, with a steel insert to take the axle. I aimed to set the depth to make the B-B just a smidgen tight, and will insert a B-B gauge during the actual pressing. That'll take into account any tolerances on the axle length, or any wear on the anvil.

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Cheers,
Paul
 
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This seems to work well! The 3-way stub point will be driven by two servos driving the tie bar through the brass rocker. Everything is nice and snug to minimise free play. The moving ends of the tie bar have 1mm nickel-silver droppers, threaded 14BA, so that everything is rigid - the tie bar also has to prevent the blades lifting. The length of the operating mechanism is so that the adjusters sit under a convenient building which will be removeable for access. This is getting dangerously close to being installed onto the layout - just electrical droppers to attach!
 

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I’ve been beavering away on this layout, although a lot of effort has been put into the electronics side of things for a little while. The layout will be DCC controlled and operated via MERG’s CBUS - not because it’s strictly necessary but because electronics is also an interest of mine.

Anyway, this is how I do my planning! Full size prints which include detailed baseboard drawings as well as Google Maps overlays. Street View is also very useful. This method works for me and ensures things like baseboard frames can be avoided, as well as giving me a much better idea of how things will look or fit than by staring at a screen!

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Following on from my "mid-life crisis" topic earlier, progress has been made on the switch to 4n27. To recap, 9mm gauge, 0.8mm flangeways, 7.6mm back to back, not 009. RTR 009 will mostly trip over the check rails. This meant those chassis already built to S4n2 would need to be rebuilt, and the one that worried me the most was the DHR Garratt. This was originally built split frame with CSB suspension and nearly broke me when I built this an astonishing 14 years ago! The first photo shows both chassis completely dismantled - what have I done?!?!?

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A bit later, a pair of rolling chassis. Because of the previous work done to the frames, this was quite awkward to do. So far, both pass the "rolling on glass" test. The kit wheels, which I'd kept, needed turning down in width from 2.6mm to 2.0mm. New frame spacers were made from brass and new wheel bearings fitted. The worm goes in much later, but has been trial fitted.

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Track:- firstly, a major error was that as originally designed with a 90 degree corner, the layout wouldn't fit where it was intended to be put up! More careful measuring resulted in one of Grainge and Hodder's 60 degree corner boards being ordered - visible in the background of one of the photos below. I also ordered one of their 400mm x 400mm boards to give a longer approach, and this time physically laid all the boards in place to check they would fit, and that I could still get to my kitchen and my chair! The layout cannot be permanently erected so the design will allow relatively quick assembly/disassembly. I hope. I also discovered that the 60 degree corner meant I could have a longer station area so the 900mm board was replaced with a 1200mm board. (Still on order, but I used the one I already have twice to check for fit!)

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The trial turnout was built without the aid of gauges, apart from 0.8mm feeler gauges. A Vernier caliper was used elsewhere. A first job was to turn some gauges, and in case anyone else is daft enough to do this, I've attached a copy of the drawing. The gauges were subsequently used to check the turnout and I was pleased that they fitted without having to do any tweaking!

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A full size template of the entire approach section was printed out on A3 paper and very, very carefully taped together with the aid of a 1m rule and an 18" rule to ensure accurate alignment. The turnout section had already been built as a trial piece and this was stuck in place, then the next section of track to its left built. In the photo below, that section has been built, and the turnout removed. The template was then moved along section by section.

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The next photo shows the three sections built and cleaned up, confident that they'll flow smoothly from one to the other when laid. This was all built whilst sitting/squatting on the floor, and I now have a back ache!

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So that's where I am! I think it's clear that I'm committed to the change of gauge, and I feel a new enthusiasm for getting my Backwoods Miniatures kits built without the faff of building them to S4n2!
 

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After a bit of a hiatus whilst I got on with other things, work is progressing again with more sections of track built and laid. (9mm gauge instead of 7.83mm)
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This shows that I’ve crossed another board joint so the two boards are clamped together for this bit. The templates are removed as I go along, with separate build templates used.

At the board joint, the nearest sleepers are pinned through and glued with standard Araldite. Track sections are pre-wired, and the sections are glued with Gorilla contact adhesive, with either insulating or plain Peco fishplates joining to the previous section, as appropriate. The white sleepers are 0.040” x 0.125” Evergreen strip, gooved to accommodate the fishplates. In this photo, the Araldite is being left to cure overnight before the rails are cut with a razor saw.

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The next section has a couple of turnouts to build!
 
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