Hill side trackwork has a lot of challenges! Tough spot for a joint in the rail there right before the points on the downhill side of the switch. Interesting, Aaron, thanks!
Well that's frustrating. I started to hand lay turnouts on my model railroad and have problems from time to time. A lot of tweaking. Are you going to have a part two and show the fix ? But hey, that's railroadin !!!
Excellent, thanks for bringing us along. The grade up that hill looks steep, any guess as to how steep it will be? I have a property where I would like to build a railroad some day but the challenge is it has quite a bit of elevation change over the property.
Pretty nice copy of Montpellier & Barre switchback. Love it ! Wheels like to go in one direction. Change in grade, OR direction. Mixing both can be a source of problem. Lifting the track at switch location and before, just to make change in elevation smoother should improve a lot. That gentleman will have a real scenic line with that extension. A good learning lesson for Aaron. All earth move will have to be made with pick and shovel. Too narrow for machinery. Is there a lot of loose stones ? We can see that at one point, solid rock is above soil. Trees roots help to hold the ground in heavy storm. Drains and very solid subroadbed are mandatory here to avoid washouts and derailments "down the mountain" . Running in fall with wet leaves on track and winter snow will be quite a challenge. When track will be finished and well tested, it will be pure joy to ride that scenic track with that view. And a good learning on mountain track building.
Take a look back at 0:47 and watch the loco as it raises up when the wheels hit the switch. Something is causing a 'bump' in the track. What caused the bump? Also at the 2:40 mark, the 'flex' in the rail can cause the wheels to go between the points on the 2nd wheels. I'ld suggest making a cut in the main rail, so the switch rail can fit farther into the main rail. Otherwise, figure out a way to remove the flex of the diverging rail as the aluminum is to soft. Maybe change the switch rail material to steel for more rigidity, or add a bar under the rails, between the next set of ties, to connect the rail points to keep them rigid. As always, a great video 🙂
Nice work fellas! Nice to see someone using a point protector rail on the correct side! Awesome railway! Would love to see more sometime! Is it a dual gauge 7.25”-7.5” gauge?
It is still not good practice to have a rail joint that is near a switch point. Your answers are that he moved the tail track and everything worked, that is great but it would still be possible to use his original alignment and everything work if the rail joint were not there but moved a few feet from the point. The switch points would probably work better if a clip were made to attach to the base of the point and the throw-rod were then attached to it with a bolt like full-sized ones. For those who have similar situations of switch points contacting the outside rail in a curve, the full size has a small manganese block, tapered on the edges, which is attached to the rail just in front of the point that directs the flange over enough so the flange does not "pick" the point. This block is easily replaced when worn and is less expensive than the point.
first and cool video
you needed your track gauge at that junction
Hill side trackwork has a lot of challenges! Tough spot for a joint in the rail there right before the points on the downhill side of the switch. Interesting, Aaron, thanks!
Well that's frustrating. I started to hand lay turnouts on my model railroad and have problems from time to time. A lot of tweaking.
Are you going to have a part two and show the fix ?
But hey, that's railroadin !!!
Excellent, thanks for bringing us along. The grade up that hill looks steep, any guess as to how steep it will be? I have a property where I would like to build a railroad some day but the challenge is it has quite a bit of elevation change over the property.
Pretty nice copy of Montpellier & Barre switchback. Love it !
Wheels like to go in one direction. Change in grade, OR direction. Mixing both can be a source of problem. Lifting the track at switch location and before, just to make change in elevation smoother should improve a lot.
That gentleman will have a real scenic line with that extension. A good learning lesson for Aaron. All earth move will have to be made with pick and shovel. Too narrow for machinery. Is there a lot of loose stones ? We can see that at one point, solid rock is above soil. Trees roots help to hold the ground in heavy storm. Drains and very solid subroadbed are mandatory here to avoid washouts and derailments "down the mountain" . Running in fall with wet leaves on track and winter snow will be quite a challenge.
When track will be finished and well tested, it will be pure joy to ride that scenic track with that view. And a good learning on mountain track building.
Labor of love. That is going to be a lot of effort.
The turnout and the curve on the tip side must have the same slope, otherwise there will be an axle in nothing.
Take a look back at 0:47 and watch the loco as it raises up when the wheels hit the switch. Something is causing a 'bump' in the track. What caused the bump? Also at the 2:40 mark, the 'flex' in the rail can cause the wheels to go between the points on the 2nd wheels. I'ld suggest making a cut in the main rail, so the switch rail can fit farther into the main rail. Otherwise, figure out a way to remove the flex of the diverging rail as the aluminum is to soft. Maybe change the switch rail material to steel for more rigidity, or add a bar under the rails, between the next set of ties, to connect the rail points to keep them rigid. As always, a great video 🙂
Is that an Australian or New Zealand accent Tony has?
Nice work fellas! Nice to see someone using a point protector rail on the correct side! Awesome railway! Would love to see more sometime! Is it a dual gauge 7.25”-7.5” gauge?
It is still not good practice to have a rail joint that is near a switch point. Your answers are that he moved the tail track and everything worked, that is great but it would still be possible to use his original alignment and everything work if the rail joint were not there but moved a few feet from the point. The switch points would probably work better if a clip were made to attach to the base of the point and the throw-rod were then attached to it with a bolt like full-sized ones. For those who have similar situations of switch points contacting the outside rail in a curve, the full size has a small manganese block, tapered on the edges, which is attached to the rail just in front of the point that directs the flange over enough so the flange does not "pick" the point. This block is easily replaced when worn and is less expensive than the point.
Thanks
you need a gress plate under then moving punts
Where did you buy the railroad? I want to buy some like that