Handbuilding track

[Gollum]

I'm thinking of handbuilding some track.  Does anyone know if someone produces ready-cut and insulated copper-pax sleepers ready for use in a suitable size for 009 track?

thanx!

[detheridge]

I don't -others probably will- but you could always take the TR route of chopping standard gauge copper clad in half...
???

Dave.

[Richard Glover]

SMP produce a range of PCB sleepers, the TT point sleepering is ideal. They used to produce sleepers to your preferred length, when I built the current version of Pagham Harbour I ordered 1000 sleepers 3 mm wide by 20 mm long. I've still got a few left.

More recently I've picked up bundles of point sleepering at the larger exhibitions. There does not seem to be any shortage of such material. Would the OO9 Society consider making PCB sleepers available to its members? Most modelling societies provide such materials, why not us?

Richard

[alan]

Following Richard Glover's posting, I do recall that I was building layouts during the last century, I, too, was also using TT copperclad sleepers.

I've found this thay be of use: http://www.3smr.co.uk/track.html

[NMBell]

Richard Glover's suggestion of the Society possibly making appropriately sized co/pax sleepers available is a very good one.  I guess we'd be looking at sleepering similar to Lynton & Barnstaple in size?  Or would it be better to match it to the Peco size?

[JulienW]

Just how long is a sleeper? :D

This is a litle like the old 'Standards' debate.  Different lines with different gauges would have used different sleeper lengths, or even different lengths on the same line depending when they were laid, much like standard gauge lines using 9' then later 8' 6" sleeper lengths (and now concerete or pressed steel sleepers).

When making up a sleeper load for my rail lorry I went for the Welshpool standard lentgh - which was 6' at the start which were later replaced by 5' 6"(I think, it may have been 5' 6" then 5').

If the Society were to produce sleepers (chat to our TLO on that one), probably the best way to go would be to chose something which will match the soon-to-be-released HOe (aka "009 sensible track") from Peco, both in length, width and (most importantly) height so that hand made track can be linked to the Peco stuff without packing anything and not looking out of place.

I suspect that for those modeling other lines which are not 2' 3" gauge these will be too long or to short (depending which way from 2' 3" they have gone), but then I would imagin that if the prototype sleeper length was adapted (+ or -) to reflect the change in gauge the  proposed length would be about right.  If it isn't and you are bothered about it then it's probably better to cut them to length yourself, or considering using scale track gauge (and finer clearences to boot) so that you are getting it all right (to quote the S4 society strapline!). ;D

I think, though, that most people have used TT sleepers which would be about 27 mm (9') or 25.5 mm (8' 6") long cut down if needs be in the past, unless someone like SMP have ever produced an 009 version.

[invercloy]

Take a look at www.handlaidtrack.com they produce precut pcb and timber sleepers (some are even predrilled for actually spiking the rail!).  They are based in America so produce HON30 and HON3, HON2 etc, one of those ought to suit you.  I'm going to be ordering the timber ones for the trackwork on my next layout.

[rhydddu009]

does anyone know any more about this rmuour that peco crazy track might also be available with sleepers that are less crazy??

Colin

[stevefulljames]

does anyone know any more about this rmuour that peco crazy track might also be available with sleepers that are less crazy??

Yep, this is the HOe "sensible track" that Julien mentioned above. If you've seen the 12mm gauge HOm track it should look similar to that.

[JulienW]

Yep, this is the HOe "sensible track" that Julien mentioned above. If you've seen the 12mm gauge HOm track it should look similar to that.

Damm - I should have copyrighted that and sold the idea to Peco.  Could have paid for a few Windle specials ;D

Suposed release date for the plain flexitrack was ExpoNG(TM) this year, with points to follow later (Next year?)

[invercloy]

Be interesting to see it at ExpoNG then  :)