Would anyone have any of the old Peco 9" settrack elactrofrog points for sale ? Or recommend someone who could build 9" radius points please.
Thanks
Didn't Eames of Reading make copper clad 9" radius live frog points back in the good old 60's. There must be few of these lying in boxes somewhere waiting for a good home.
Would Marcway make some I wonder?
Without measuring the pair of Eames points that are in the Heritage collection I can't be sure but I think they are smaller than 9" radius, apart from being rare, as the 2 in the collection are the only 2 I can recall seeing in nearly 40 years of 009 modelling!
John, I have a full set of Keith Angus' 009 point templates that are based on Peco geometry and include 9" radius left and right (and Y iirc). If you would like a pdf copy drop me an e-mail via heritage@009society.com
Building track really isn't as hard as some might think it is. The easiest source of code 80 rail is by stripping it from Peco flexitrack (009 or N). Copperclad sleepers are less easy, but I've used those sold for TT (3mm scale) by 3mm Scale Model Railways - their 'standard' sleepers are slightly longer than the Peco ones but may be long enough to so a 9" radius point, but they also sell 'point timbering' that you can cut to length which may be the better option.
The track gauges I've used have been acquired 2nd hand over the years and include roller gauges (one an ancient Saltford models one, the other 2 unknown) and a pair of '3 point' gauges I (American made imported from Canada). DCC concepts (https://www.dccconcepts.com/product/roller-gauge-whandle-n-scale-standard-9mm-2-pack/) sell track gauges, but these may need a little modification to remove the handle and cut away some parts to clear rails when setting the crossing vee and point blades.
Hope that helps.
Quote from: JulienW on May 29, 2023, 21:57
Without measuring the pair of Eames points that are in the Heritage collection I can't be sure but I think they are smaller than 9" radius, apart from being rare, as the 2 in the collection are the only 2 I can recall seeing in nearly 40 years of 009 modelling!
Hope that helps.
Julien,
This thread has prompted me to look in the attic of forgotten dreams. I have 2 "Markway 009 Points" & 3 "Ravenscale" 009 points still hanging on decayed and yellowing sellotape to their original backing cards. These will be of the same vintage as the Eames points, ---- I will put them on one side for the Heritage Collection.
Garry
Many thanks Garry.
Coming back to making your own points this thread - https://www.009society.com/forum/index.php?topic=5270.0 - might be useful in listing other suppliers.
The old electrofrog 9-inch points do come up for sale from time to time via the Society Sales, and on e-bay. (There were two on e-bay a couple of weeks ago incorrectly described as N gauge in a lot with other N gauge points and track.)
As you may know they were only made from 1975 to 1979.
Production stopped because the moulding dies needed replacement.
At the time many 009 modellers wanted larger radius 009 points, and this also meant that Peco could use the same rails as in the N gauge points. (Peco never made an N gauge 9-inch electrofrog point.)
It should be noted that the exit angle of the 12-inch points is the same as the 9-inch points, the only difference is that the 12-inch points are longer. So you can have a 180 degree 9-inch curve with the 12-inch points at the ends with no added overall width.
It is also worth knowing that the old 9-inch Peco 009 points are longer than the set track points they make now, so they are not a direct replacement. (Again the exit angle is the same.)
There was also an issue with the very last production run of the 9-inch 009 electrofrog points where one of the moving blades was not properly electrical bonded to the frogs. However, this was not with all of them, only a few, and the faulty ones would have been quickly returned to Peco.
If the object is to save a bit of space there are a couple of other things that might help a bit in some circumstances.
Many years ago I obtained some Peco points from another modeller that included a pair that were effectively "cut and shut". Two points were joined and the toe of one was inset and largely replaced the heel of the other.
Another modification I've seen was shown at our local group Zoom meeting where a straight Peco point had some of its sleeper webbing cut which allowed it to take on a gentle curve in the manner of Flexitrack. How far this can be taken, I don't know. It is probably a matter of experimentation. There is one manufacturer of 009 (well HOe) track that produces or produced points like this. The webbing was not cut as in Peco Flexitrack but were concertina-like zig-zaps that provided a bit of give. It might have been Bemo or Roco.
Then there was someone who produced replacement metal frog blocks for converting N gauge or HOe dead from points to live ones. Trouble was, in order to fit them correctly access was needed to a milling machine. I'm not sure hacking away with a Dremel would do the job.