SILVER CREEK project

[Wolfgang Dudler]

Next step – frog! I sanded the two frog rails with my sanding disk. Then I soldered the diverging rail with two spots. I checked the correct place with two (!) gauges, for standard and for narrow gauge.










If everything is all right, the second frog rail will be soldered.



Wolfgang

[Wolfgang Dudler]

Next step are the wing rails and closure rails with points. To simulate hinged points I cut the top of the rail with a fine saw and notched the base of the rail. This way you have ONE rail with no electric problems but with the look of hinged points.






The points are sanded also with my sanding disk.

[Wolfgang Dudler]

with the wing rails already in place you length the closure-point rails suitable.




I’ve added the second wing rail to the frog part. Next step soldering the narrow gauge rail. But at first again like the other rail I sanded the base of the rail at the point area.

[Wolfgang Dudler]

Now I added the second closure rail / point rail part. Soldering the three guard rails was the last step. Be careful to use the NMRA gauge for the correct distances!




This is the – for now – finished turnout. BTW, I had no narrow gauge NMRA gauge, I’ve ordered one. So I made my own gauge, in this pic the small brass part.



Next part: throw bar

You can simple solder the points to another PC board tie. But I wanted another solution, with more prototype look.

Wolfgang

[Wolfgang Dudler]

There’re different ways to make a throw bar.
A simple way you use a PC board tie and solder the points.
You can use the PROTO:87 throw bar like I did with my turnout at Diamond Valley.

I choose another way, an idea I had realised already decades ago. It’s a little bit more work but will give good results.

At first I drilled 0,5 mm holes. These holes you need with the PROTO87 throw bars too.





Under the turnout there’s another piece of PC board, here’s an old one:

[Wolfgang Dudler]

This piece will be the “throw bar” and glides under the turnout. For better gliding I used a pencil. Graphit is good. You see the two notches. These notches parte the two rails. Without you will get a short!



Two pieces of 0,5 mm wire are placed through the holes in the points...



And soldered at the “throw bar”.



This is what my points looks now.

[Wolfgang Dudler]

And now what I’ve learned form the PROTO7 throw bar. A small piece of paper, soaked with white glue is bent over the wires.



Next day, when the paper is dry and hard you can cut the paper down to the wire.

And the turnout ready for installation.





Wolfgang

[Wolfgang Dudler]

Don’t forget to make a cut at each tie. Otherwise you will get a short!



And painted...

[Wolfgang Dudler]

... and the rail heads cleaned






Now I can build the segments and install this turnout and others.

Wolfgang

[mikelhh]

All this is way beyond me, but it looks great! Congrats on a top job.

Mike