track and signals

It would be nice to get a layout running before I am completely in my dotage, so I do not scratch-build track. I have never seen a narrow gauge railway with 'crazy track' but fortunately it looks OK when set in ballast.

Turnouts are operated by Tortoise motors with polarity switching at County Gate Station and Glenthorne Harbour. Tortoise motors have two reliable internal polarity switches and the throw of the point can be adjusted in a second. The motors were supplied by C & L Finescale.

We did find that we needed stronger piano wire than that delivered with the motor, to overcome the stiffness of the Peco sprung blades.

Peco solenoid motors are used off-scene.

A new control panel was made at the same time. Clear Acrylic plastic sheets sandwich a printed panel. LEDs mark important junction point positions. Again, there are built in track sections to prevent any collisions. These are operated by the built-in micro switches of the Tortoise motors.

click on image to enlarge

track detailing

Our track is standard Peco 009 'Crazytrack'. It is laid on the 1/4" thick plywood trackbed being attached with 20 minute epoxy glue. This gives sufficient time to ensure alignment. Prior to fixing, small slots are cut through the plywood to allow the point motor rod to protrude through and pass through the point tiebars. 

The track is then sprayed with our 'rusty/mucky track acrylic colour, a dark brown/grey. Once dry, the rail surface is cleans using a Peco track rubber.

Once we are happy with operation, the track is ballasted using fine Woodland Scenics ballast. We tend to mix colours. The ballast is carefully brushed over the track and fixed with 50% diluted PVA with a few drops of detergent added. I then use weathering powers which are dropped off from a brush to simulate weathering. Once dry (overnight) any stray grains of ballast are scraped off using a dental pick, and any exposed shiny rail touched up with 'track muck paint'. Where needed, the track and ballast is further weathered using dilute paints.

The rail surface is then cleaned thoroughly with the track rubber and the rail top treated with Carrs nickel silver metal blackening (from C & L Finescale). This stuff is most foul and great care needed when using it. Very carefully, stroke it on to the rail top using a piece of thin felt mounted on a pad. Several applications are needed.

Once you are happy with the result, use another piece of felt soaked with soapy water to remove the product (if left on, it will make the rail porous) and finally clean with Carrs rail clean and allow to dry.

The unrealistic shiny surface is lost and the track really begins to look right. The treatment does not affect conductivity at all, although heavy use of track rubbers will remove the effect. Always use 'Carrs rail clean ' or equivalent. If the test sections are satisfactory over a period, the entire layout will be treated in this way.

Point rodding has been made with Plasticard strips and painted a 'galvanised' finish, dark at the rollers to represent old grease. The photo below shows the 'rusty track test section' as well as the point rodding. The effect is plain to see.

point rodding at County Gate station

Once correctly set, the track is epoxied onto the 1/4" plywood base. The track is spray painted and fine ballast is fixed with dilute PVA.. The finish is obtained using weathering powder. Many folks forget how really dirty steam railways were!

signals

signals first installed

The L & B was a 'main line' narrow gauge line, and signalling interlocked with the points was installed. The first signals were Ratio which were powered by Peco point motors. These operated a bellcrank made in Plasticard, fitted with end stops, actuating the signal with piano wire. 

signals - new installation

One never stops learning and a new friend, a real live signalling consultant for RailTrack (or whatever they call themselves this week) and an expert in L&B signalling made me realise how woefully inadequate my first efforts had been.

Our signals have worked well but were not really what one would have expected on the extension railway. They  operated in quite an unrealistic manner, being somewhat violent and noisy. A chat with Model Signal Engineering convinced me to bite the bullet and make a change.

The new signals by Model Signal Engineering have a fancy actuating system that simulates the real thing......including the 'bounce'. They are also much easier to automate with the Railroad and Co software package being installed on the layout. The signals and mechanism are also bloody expensive, so it was with some trepidation that I purchased a new set of five signals.

They are none too easy to put together either and rather reminded me of building Backwoods valve gear! The end result however is very good and for the first time there is realistic operation. One feature I very much like is that the motion of the signal can be very accurately controlled by adjusting two screws. Great care is needed to ensure the mechanisms do not jam up completely during painting. We used fast drying acrylic and continued to operate the signals during the drying process.

rail built home signal ready for painting and installation - click on image to enlarge

The 3 lattice signals. The existing gantry will remain and be remotored
 - click on image to enlarge

The signals installed and tested. There is still some making good to do on scenery - click on image to enlarge

traverser - the failure

The completed traverser. The lift-up scenery section is clearly visible

We built a traverser under the hotel section, thinking that it would be an excellent spot to hide rolling stock and change trains. Practice has not shown this to be the case. Firstly, on exhibition, visitors hated losing the view of the hotel when stock changes were taking place. The clincher was, however, that we built the traverser tray of 3/16th " aluminium. This moved sufficiently with temperature change to trip up rolling sock at the joints. It has now been removed. A wooden tray being left to hide 'bits and pieces at exhibition.

Track cleaning

Roco

Once the track has been painted and ballasted, a lot of care is needed to remove any ballast that will foul the wheel flanges. The scenic work is also very messy and considerable effort is needed to remove debris and spray products from the rail tops. For this we used a Peco track rubber which was pushed around with a 2 prong fork, to keep hands away from the delicate scenery. (Don't use your wife's silverware for this if you wish to live long and prosper)

Continued maintenance is needed and for this we have devised a track cleaning wagon based on the N gauge Roco track cleaning car (product number 25093).

This has a weighted rubber that is dragged along between a 4 wheel chassis. Quite a powerful loco is needed for this. We decided that it would be a good idea to produce a box car for the railcar. It was built from a Nine Lines L&B boxcar with one end section removed. Trusses were replaced using Plastic strip. Detail was sanded off from the Roco wagon to be able to slide it inside the Nine Lines body.

As usual, the wheels were dipped in Carrs metal blackening to bring them to a realistic colour.

The system works. The marks showing on the rubber are from 3 circuits of the main line. The wagon is used regularly during exhibitions to keep things running nicely. It does not seem to affect the test sections of 'rusty track'.

showing rubber. This is easily replaced

Tomix

Having heard a lot of praise for the Tomix 6421 track cleaner, we have purchased one for County Gate. We have fitted a Digitrax 123 chip to operate the motor. There is a mini vacuum cleaner, debris being deposited in the centre collector. It will such up loose bits of ballast if running flat out. There is also a sprung loaded rotating wheel which can be operated as a dry polisher or wet, cleaner can be added to a reservoir.

It is not powered itself for running. I wonder if it is that effective on DC as delivered power would depend on the tow loco settings but with DCC it will run to full capacity. We will of course be hiding it in yet another Nine Lines L&B boxcar and the couplings have to be changed.

as it comes  - click on image to enlarge