Fast Tracks

01-Settinp up the scheme for the crossing. I first put down the toprail and after that lined up a 1:9 point template over the lines


02-One step is skipped here, namely the placing of the full point templates. This was done prior to this. After I had lined up the point templates I removed them and cut them to size to just no overlap


03-I sprayed the template with 3M "Post-it" glue on a copy of the original template. Use a sheet of paper next to the crossing template to catch the overspray. Otherwise you will be working constantly with your hands sticking to the paper


04-The left half of the sleepers in place


05-The right side still needs doing. The darker marked sleepers are additional sleeper. Those are missing on the 1:9 point as well. Given the thin rails I prefer to have a bit more body at those locations


06-The template provided with slepers


07-For ease of builing and lining up I put down a through going rail at first, this will later be replaced


08-I used the 1:9 point jig for the various bends. In the jig it is easier to rightly align the rail. FT advices to remove the feet of the rail. This might be usefull in scale bigger then N, but in N the feet of the rail is 1,2 mm wide, so I have found no need for thinning the railfoot


09-Detailed shoot of the bend rail


10-Everything kept in place with various jigs. The FastTrack filing aids are great for weighing down

_________________
Paul Bender

Everybody can shovel, firing is an art


Firing this train was more fun then hard labor © R. de Water

11-The first (straight) rail on its final place


12-The crossing rail on its place


13-Not the best picture but building is more important / fun then taking pictures. The first frog


14-The various bits kept in place with various jigs


15-Stage 1 done. The frog can assist in putting the toprail in its final position after removing


16-The first inner rail in its place with jigs


17-And fixed in position


18-The toprail taken out, it has performed its function.


19-Again not the best picture, but the bend toprail and kept in position with jigs


20-Thanks to Facebook for turning this picture but you can see the intention. The "Stock-aid" performs as a jig for keeping the crossing rail straight during soldering

_________________
Paul Bender

Everybody can shovel, firing is an art


Firing this train was more fun then hard labor © R. de Water

21-Both outer rails of the crossing in place


22-A close up of the top rail


23-The second (left) innerrail ready for soldering


24-Leftside done (except for the guardrails)


25-Continiuing on the right side


26-The righthand frog ready to be put in place


27-The various jigs to keep the frograil in place


28-With this as result


29-The righthand inner rails


30-The first rail in place

_________________
Paul Bender

Everybody can shovel, firing is an art


Firing this train was more fun then hard labor © R. de Water

31-Again thanks to FB for turning this picture, but the righthandside is done as well


32-the first try to get the flange opening to the required width. From the 1:6 half slip I know that was not likely to going to work. However for minimal alteration this is an easy way of getting the required width. The blades of a junior saw are just 0.7 mm over the teeth or exactly the required NMRA width for N-scale


33-All guardrails prepared


34-Lefthand guardrails in place. Oops, I have beveled the guardrail on the frog the wrong way around


35-Righthand guardrails in place


36-Center guardrails in place


37-And the crossing is almost done, or at least can be taken from the template


38-The crossing taken from the template. This is very simple with the 3M "Post-it" sprayed on the template. The glue is firm enough to keep the ties in place during the builiding proces. I have not yet tried if the template is even reuseable, even if it aint .......


39-The ties cut to length


40-close-up of the left side of the crossing

_________________
Paul Bender

Everybody can shovel, firing is an art


Firing this train was more fun then hard labor © R. de Water

41-Close-up of the crossingcentre


42-Close-up of the righthandside. Als not in focus, but so be it for now


43-The two points are build with the FT jig and my first freehand build bit of track: a 1:9 crossing. I have not paid to much attention to the fine details. The main question was: can it be done and will it be a runner. The answer to both question is YES

The next BIG question is.............. Am I going to build a half slip in 1:9? by the looks of it FT does not have a jig for that

Watch this space

_________________
Paul Bender

Everybody can shovel, firing is an art


Firing this train was more fun then hard labor © R. de Water

Greetings,
What a nice piece of work!
Christopher