Fast Tracks

Hey,

Hoping your father's day was as fun as mine, I broke out the switch fixtures Santa brought me for Christmas. Man, this is the best stuff since sliced bread... better.

The first z scale #6 R turnout was about six hours in the making. Don't laugh, I was trying to be methodical. Going slowly, I watched a step of the video and then performed the procedure--watch the video do a step. What fun, however; I was up until 3:00 am. Although I've had soldering classes in the Army, technique was more of the focus of the first switch.





The second one, a left, went better, but I still for got to file the first wing rail before it was laid down. Not too shabby and a whole lotta fun.

By the third one, I had the hang of using the fixture. I also did better at bending the guard rails and diverging rail. the wing rails went better too as the Z fixture doesn't have the tic marks for the location of the "nip" of rail to remove for the wing rail formation.



(that's the tip of my $7 radio shack iron)

On this construction I did push the wing rails outboard as Tim says in the video, and the guard rails too. I didn't , however; insert the frog deep enough (that's what she said) and it can be seen clearly in the super macro photo.



Well, let's see what kinda damage I can do this weekend...

FT

_________________
~Its your train Jesse, rob it how ya want~

Looking good!

Keep us posted on your progress...

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Cheers!

Tim Warris
Fast Tracks
http://www.fast-tracks.net
service@fast-tracks.net

Thanks for posting the pictures of your turnouts. I see that you are checking using a 2 axle truck. I did the same thing on the first couple of turnouts I built in N Scale. I found out that the 2 axle truck was just not spec wise tight enough to show up some of my shortcomings on my first turnouts. After the first turnout I progressed to 3 axle truck and finally started using a stripped down(I took all the gearing and side rods off so wheels would turn freely), old 2-8-2 steam engine for checking my work. That did help me to improve my work somewhat. At least I could get most of my locos through the turnouts without bobbles and/or derails. On about turnout number 4 I religiously started using the NMRA N Scale gauge to check my work as I progressed through the assembly steps on my turnouts. This in conjunction with the longer base wheel sets really helped me to build turnouts that really worked smooth with my locos that had longer wheel bases. I have some articulated steam engines and they just would not go through some of my turnouts until I started checking my assembly steps with the NMRA gauge and a long wheel base truck.

I really admire your soldering techniques on something that small. Looks good.

Inprinter

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If the light at the end of the tunnel doesn't stay at the end of the tunnel, then it is time to beat a path in the opposite direction.

Many Happy Thank Yous Gentlemen,

And thanks for the helpful tips too. (wishing I had some heavy MOW equipment)

Thanks again, and HAPPY Independence Day.

FT

_________________
~Its your train Jesse, rob it how ya want~