Construction . . . Part II

Picture E

The L.H. frog wing rail, curved closure rail and point blade are made from one rail. First the planed flare on the wing rail is made by filing in the rail jig (no need to file right down to the flat bottom of the rail). A compromise has to be made here (for standard HO) as the larger clearance for the wheelsets means the prototype heel length (7'-11'' in a #8) cannot be followed without spoiling the appearance somewhat. I settle for a length of a scale 9'-3''. This is marked with the pen, then the flat bottom of the rail on the inside of the angle is cut with a piecing saw and the bend produced while holding the rail at this postion in a pair of flat pliers. The cut helps to make a sharper angle. Offer the rail up to the vee and rebend slightly until the angle is correct.

Now curve the closure rail by drawing through the fingers and place in position using your gauges......the NMRA flangeway gauge is very useful here. When correct mark off the position of the end of the point blade (AKA switch rail).....it should just fit to the end of the undercut made in the stock rail earlier.

Picture E

Picture F

File the point blade to a fine taper in the rail jig. You'll still have a piece of rail attached but it will be removed shortly. The taper required is something that gets better with practice.........you're aiming to produce a taper that goes back almost to the heel......taking off as much metal as possible without going through the web at the point of the blade. Beginners are prone to taking off insufficient metal.....but practice should improve this. Offer up the blade again, check for gauge accuracy at the frog vee, then mark off the end of the point blade and cut off the excess rail with a pair of sharp scissors.....they should have no difficulty in cutting through the thin amount of metal in the taper. Now lay the blade in the jig and carefully file the running side of the point blade using a needle file............. aim for the finest point you can achieve on the head of the rail but don't file the web away. Round off the point of the blade with fine emery paper, it should fit snugly into the undercut on the stock rail so that any wheel will glide smoothly across.

Now another compromise for standard HO comes at the heel. I make the heel for the #8 point at 21' instead of the prototype 16'-6'' to allow the wheelsets to run through. Cut through the head and the flatbottom with the piercing saw, but not through the web. Now, using your gauges lay the rail in place and solder in postion up to the heel. Check by eye as well ......for all rails you lay.

Picture F

Picture G

Now make the curved stock rail using the same method as before. Using your gauges, solder into postion. If everything is O.K. a test truck will now roll right through the curved section of the turnout. If it doesn't.....it is fairly easy to adjust rails using copper clad construction, especially if the rails are lightly soldered. Continually check your work with a combination of gauges, careful observation and testing with a truck.

Picture G

Picture H

Next, the straight closure rail is made (below) and laid in place. It is very advisable to use the NMRA flangeway clearance gauge as shown here (picture H) to get this important gap at the crossing vee correct.

Picture H

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