Building a 5' 3" P87 HO model railway layout of Yea - Victoria. The period modelled is the 1960s & 1970s.

Thursday 14 March 2013

VR Track

I've been working on constructing 2 VR turnouts in HO Scale 5'3". A different approach was tried this time.
The VR turnout were drawn off Mark Bau's web site - VR 600 feet turnout.  In HO they are 380mm long. Though the blades of the turnout don't start for approx 40mm.
The turnout plan is attached to a glass plate with watered down  PVA (at least 50%), so I have a solid base to work with. PCB Boards are then glued onto the turnout plan also using watered down PVA. The PCB is glued to the plan between the timber sleepers.




Once the track is soldered to the PCB board, I mill down the PCB by about 0.80 of a mm, so the PCB Board is hidden in the ballast (see below).



5 comments:

  1. Hi Damian,

    That's very interesting what you are doing with the PCB strips. I presume the idea is the PCB provides the strength, but you then place the cosmetic timbers in place to get the grain etc. Great idea!

    Will have to give that a go.

    Cheers,

    Ian

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  2. Hi Ian,
    Good to hear from you. You are a busy man Liverpoolrange. Yep, I thought is worth a try - lining up wing rails, frog, tracks etc for P87 is always a challenge. Always looking for a better way to do things. I'd be interested to see how you go. I'll try a post a couple of better photos in the next few days
    Cheers
    Damian

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  3. Aha! Great idea. Are you milling with a flat file?

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  4. Great job I have always wanted to make turnouts I might give that go Would the line to Yea be laid to 60lbs or more, also I would think a turnout of 600ft = 9 chain curve a 800ft = 12 chain curve and a 1000ft=15chain as Springhurst is mainline 94lbs would longer radius be more in keeping with the bigger steamengines. regards Malcolm Aldridge

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    Replies
    1. Hi Malcolm,
      Thanks for the compliment. Yes Yea had both 600ft and 800ft turnouts - not sure if I will be able to fit the 800ft one on my layout. The main line were 800 feet.
      Regards
      Damian

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