OK…so this is my proposed 30 x 42 tabletop layout…with a double crossover! I realize that a double crossover isn’t that prototypical, being typically used on light rail and commuter train lines where space is tight, but after looking at my plan options, it seemed like this offered the best operational options…. This is planned around Rokuhan track. It’s supposed to be a West Coast route, Southern Pacific/Union Pacific…Got my order in for Rokuhan track and have been planning on how best to make this work….or have a costly lesson on how to ruin 4 switches. The intent was to place 2 LH and 2 RH switches together and splice together a crossover. Unfortunately, upon receiving the Rokuhan pieces (Thanks, Anthony!), I realized that the actuating mechanism occupies pretty much the entire switch, so cutting out big hunks is a no go. Back to the drawing board…. Revised double crossover; used the 110mm straight sections as the diagonal crossing pieces with a shortened 110 piece for connecting the switches on the straight sections. This is what the in-progress work looks like The overall track plan was revised to this More in the next post.
Day 1 and 2 were spent cutting and cajoling the crossover into shape. Filler pieces were made from 0.40 styrene with all loose pieces secured with cyanoacrylate. The rest of the track was pieced together, thanks to David K. Smith's tutorials. Day 3 established the base elevations and tested out the basic layout. Still needs some fine tuning. Both crossovers work when you push a pair of AZL metal wheeled cars over them. Powered, however, only one of the crossovers is working....video at http://youtu.be/C_3wO5taOUA ....at low speeds, the loco tends to stall out as the gaps through the crossing are significant, but at a medium speed, everything seems to work OK. Note that this engine (AZL GP-38) only has about 5 minutes running time on it. Another issue is the connection of 4 switches to a master controller using 3 of the Rokuhan splitter wires; right now, only two of the switches are throwing reliably; the other two twitch but do not switch. Gotta trouble shoot these. Out of town for the next week...time for landscaping and trying to smooth out the other crossover path next weekend. Michael
Michael, It looks like you did a good job and I'm sure you'll be able to get it all to work well. I was on the Rokuhan site today and they're planning a double-slip switch in the near future. You probably already know this though...
yes, good catch. but it becomes 5 track units long instead of 3...probably should have gone this way!
Thanks, David...just put in my order to Anthony for the crossing...but the nice symmetry of a traditional double crossover is lost...I guess we have to sacrifice some things for functionality.
I like your suggestion, but the intent of the crossover was to create a large figure 8 type loop folded on itself.
OK...an update to my setup. 30x42, built on a 1/2" gatorboard base. 3/16" foamcore place on top of the gatorboard Rokuhan track laid out on foamcore; foamcore cut and shimmed to desired elevation; test run, everything works. Urethane foam insulation (3 cans worth) used to set up basic topography Track painted brown. Micronart Pratt bridge built Current status: track cleaned, about to plaster foam base; waiting to cut track and splice in bridge. First photo shows the original scratch built crossover followed by current crossover.
This is looking very nice. Interesting track configuration. Now, the scenery possibilities look promising too. We will be following your progress with great interest. Go man go.
Boy, painting the rails may be good in the long run, but it's proving to be a major pain in the you know what. Will try ballasting next, but will have to be careful about the area around the switches as David Smith found out the mechanisms will corrode if you flood the ballast with glue. I may try to do a paint and wipe using a gray acrylic paint to fill in the area between the ties. Meanwhile, the ties themselves don't stand up much from the plastic roadbed, so brushing off the ballast before gluing is somewhat painstaking. Here's a shot of some track with unsecured ballast. The ballast is homemade...plaster with a small amount of black paint then ground and sifted....feel like a prisoner breaking rocks here. I think it will have the desired effect, but boy, this is going to take some time! Going out of town for the next 2 weeks, so will report back then.
