[Chinahand]

Hi Chris and welcome to the MRF from a fellow N Gauger who recently returned to the hobby after a similar period in the wilderness.

It certainly sounds as though the trackwork could do with being modernised but you don't say how big your layout is or how much track you are setting about re-laying so I'm not sure how big a task you are undertaking.

However, provided your locos and rolling stock are either new or of reasonably modern vintage, and if you are going to replace all the track, I would recommend going for the Peco Code 55 Track which, once painted up and ballasted does look very fine. The trick is how Peco make it with almost half the rail depth buried in the sleepers/webbing. Although you only 'see' a Code 55 track, it is actually Code 80 which gives it the extra strength to withstand the odd knock or two. I put in the proviso about the age of your rolling stock as some older items, which have much coarser wheel flanges, will bounce along the sleepers rather than run on the rails. It not too many items are of this type they can be easily re-wheeled with finer flanges.

As regards points, I would, with the same proviso, again recommend going for the Peco Code 55 (they call it fine scale) points which are, with the exception I think of a small crossing unit, all of the Electrofrog type. As regards points radius the old maxim of 'bigger is better' applies. i.e. the larger the radius of points the smoother and more reliable will be the running.

One thing you don't mention is how the layout is presently wired up and if you are going the DCC route or not.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures of your acquisition and your progress in its modernisation. One way to post pictures is to place them on a web based site such as Photobucket and then post their html address into the thread using the 'Insert Image' icon at the top of the page.

Good luck with the modelling and glad to have you aboard.

 

[Chinahand]

QUOTE (ChrisjA @ 3 Mar 2009, 03:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I have noticed that some of the locos "jerk" over the points, if they don't instantly de-rail, as if the flanges are riding up over the "inter frog/rail bits" ?.

Hi Chris.

Do you happen to know if the existing points are Insulfrog or Electrofrog ? I suspect that, as the trackwork is Settrack, the points will be of the Insulfrog type which would account for the 'jerking' because the frog is, as the name suggests, not connected to the power supply and the locos therefore have to rely on picking up power from either side of the frog.

If there are only 4 contacts on a loco, or if some of the contacts are not absolutely clean, then when the loco 'bridges' across the frog it can cause a momentary break in the power supply to the loco. Hence the 'jerking'.

Installing properly wired Electrofrog points should resolve this problem.

 

[Chinahand]

Hi Chris,

It sounds to me as though it could be one of two problems.

Either the back to back wheel spacing is out (It should be 8.5mm) though I doubt this would be the case on all of your locos. Alternatively it could be that the check rail on the point is distorted and the wheel flange is riding up on the check rail rather than staying on the rail itself.

You say you have all your track now. What exactly did you get, particularly in the way of points ? I can't stress enough just how much the running through points is improved, particularly slow running & shunting, if you install Electrofrog points.

 

[Chinahand]

Hi db ice 3.

There is an alternative to using the Peco point motor + polarity switch which is to use the Peco point with a Seep PM1 motor. This, rather like the Fleischman, has the frog polarity change built into it and, when used with the Masterswitch V2 from Richard at DCC Concepts is a doddle to wire up.

 

[Chinahand]

Hi Chris,

Personally, and provided they are still un-used and in their boxes, I would take the Insulfrog points back to the shop where you bought them and exchange them for Electrofrog. Electrofrog points are not complicated, they just need a little extra wiring, and the guy who thought he was doing you a favour has in fact done you a disfavour, particularly with the Set-track ones.

Longer locos should bridge the gap PROVIDED they have a sufficient number of pick-ups and both the wheels and the track are absolutely clean.

When you say you are running locos do you mean on the old track or the newly installed track ?? Also, what type of control are you using ??

Is it possible to post a diagram of the troublesome section showing where you have installed power feeds and which type of points it is that are giving trouble ??

 

[Chinahand]

Hi Chris,

I think you have linked back to a thumb-nail rather than the full-sized picture.

 

[Chinahand]

Hi Chris.

There is a knack to posting pictures.

Once you have identified the URL of the picture you want to post you have to use the 'Insert Image' icon - (4th icon from the right below the font setup line)

When you click that icon it should open up a separate small window. Paste the URL into the http line in this window. Click OK and that SHOULD copy the picture into the thread at the point where you have parked the cursor.

Depending on your Windows settings you may get a 'bleep' when you first try to use the 'Insert Image' icon and a message line will flash up at the top of the screen telling you that 'this website is using a scripted window' and asking to 'click here if you want to allow scripted windows'. Click the message line to accept and then try the 'Insert Image' icon again.

Good luck.

 

[Chinahand]

You've really got me stumped now. All I can suggest is to try Photobucket instead of Fotopic. There may be something about the way Fotopic works that is causing the problem.