Spring Pass - my first layout

[Justin Phillips]

OK, so I have been working on my very first 009 layout (despite having dabbled with 009 about 30 years ago with a few items of stock and set track) and thought I would share my build. The name Spring Pass came about because one of the scenic aspects will be a small bridge over a small stream supplied by a natural spring eminating from the hill side.

The purpose of this is of course to enjoy the process, but also keeps things fairly simple and cheap, use it as a learning exercise to practice modelling, and be comfortable in making mistakes and learning. I have other future layout ideas so am building up to that. I also have a two year old boy so time, money and energy are at a premium!

The layout has the following criteria:

• Continuous running
• Basic level of operational scope
• Gradient
• A bridge
• Would like a tunnel but I might leave that out for the moment

I am not tied to an era or even a location, I want to be able to run what I fancy, as long as it is believable.

Anyway, the first step was to construct the baseboard. This was done using foam board and polystyrene. The layout size is 805 x 595mm or ~31" x ~23". You can see a more detailed post about it here: https://www.009society.com/forum/index.php?topic=4668.msg36814#msg36814

[Justin Phillips]

In terms of a track plan, I drew out some ideas on paper and had ideas in my head, but in reality I have just laid the track out until I was happy with what I saw. I have a passing loop, with a couple of sidings (one of which I have not fully decided how to layout), plus two gradients going around the "back" of the layout.

The gradient was constructed by cutting some polystyrene using a circular saw, then cutting into segments so the blocks could be laid out in the curves. All of these where PVA'ed in place. So a couple of mistakes here:

• Curves are a little tight, but given I am only going to run short wheel base, 4 axle wagons and locos I am happy the curves can be navigated
• The cutting was not spot on, despite using a spirit level as a fence for the saw, so I had to use a little Polyfiller to even out the gradient, but it worked out OK

[Justin Phillips]

Now onto the electrics, and I am using electro frog points. The wiring is simple, with the ability to feed the power into the layout from two sides depending on which way around I want to run the layout from on my worktop.

Power is fed into using this power connector from eBay, where I can quickly attach the power controller (the leads have ferrules on the ends that are clamped down on): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112552710276

Underneath, the wires are joined using these wire connectors from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071H7L3P3

[Justin Phillips]

Here is some more laid track, plus the start of forming the hill side, the "cove" and stream where the natural spring comes from.

[Justin Phillips]

Here is a better view of the current track plan. The siding off the run around loop will probably serve a small industry, but what that will be is TBD.

The track is a mixture of set track (that I had available so wanted to use) and flexi-track. I have stuck down some parts of the track using PVA, mostly where the flexi-track is to hold it in place, and have used track pins throughout. Once it all gets ballasted I may remove the pins for asthenic reasons.

I used some 2mm cork as a track base (as I had it spare anyway) and that will form a shoulder for the ballast. Again, all stuck down with PVA.

[B.Meldon]

This is looking good.
Personaly I am not a fan of 'soft' trackbeds, I use 1/4 (6mm) plywood cut to shape for the trackbed, I just find this is best for holding everything in place. But the rest of the surface made from polystyrene and foam board is a great idea. 
Did you insert the neecessary isolating fishplattes between the elecgrofrogs? I can not see from the photos if you have or not?
I would also recommend some form of frog polarity switching as the blade to fixed rail switching in the 009 points can be very unreliable.

[Justin Phillips]

This is looking good.
Personaly I am not a fan of 'soft' trackbeds, I use 1/4 (6mm) plywood cut to shape for the trackbed, I just find this is best for holding everything in place. But the rest of the surface made from polystyrene and foam board is a great idea. 
Did you insert the neecessary isolating fishplattes between the elecgrofrogs? I can not see from the photos if you have or not?
I would also recommend some form of frog polarity switching as the blade to fixed rail switching in the 009 points can be very unreliable.

Thanks. With the cork bed, the track pins hold pretty well, but would agree that just into the polystyrene would not be that good. Once it is all ballasted then I think it should be pretty rock solid.

As for the isolating fishplates, yes these have been fitted and electrically tested and all works well. But I would agree with the unreliability. I had a new point that just would not make proper contact so had to swap it out. I have not fitted point motors or any switches so maybe I should whilst at this stage of the build. It comes down to cost really as I am trying to keep this as budget as possible, but will think about it.

[B.Meldon]

As for the isolating fishplates, yes these have been fitted and electrically tested and all works well. But I would agree with the unreliability. I had a new point that just would not make proper contact so had to swap it out. I have not fitted point motors or any switches so maybe I should whilst at this stage of the build. It comes down to cost really as I am trying to keep this as budget as possible, but will think about it.

The frog polarity switching does not have to be expensive. A simple wire in tube or rod in grove system with a two way switch at the end does the job.
Here are a couple of examples.

The first is a very basic set up with a SPST toggle switch next to the point.

The second is a  DPDT slide switch with a rod made from 00 rail on its side in a grove. (This is on a 1980's layout made by the late Roy Watson.) These switches are about  0.50p each when you get 10 or more. (Less if you get them from China.)

[Justin Phillips]

Thanks Brian. I guess I am hesitant to lift up the track to fit some kind of switching system, but then it would be a false economy not to if in the future the points did fail. Something to ponder over the coming days.

[B.Meldon]

Thanks Brian. I guess I am hesitant to lift up the track to fit some kind of switching system, but then it would be a false economy not to if in the future the points did fail. Something to ponder over the coming days.

I can almost guarantee that the fixed rail to blade electrical switching in at least one point, and probably all of them will fail, and probably at the worst possible moment as well.
Here is another way it can be done using a microswitch next to the point with a short extension acting on the end of the point tie bar. This is covered so it can not be seen from the viewing side of the layout.

[Justin Phillips]

I can almost guarantee that the fixed rail to blade electrical switching in at least one point, and probably all of them will fail, and probably at the worst possible moment as well.
Here is another way it can be done using a microswitch next to the point with a short extension acting on the end of the point tie bar. This is covered so it can not be seen from the viewing side of the layout.

Thank you. I was looking at something like this today and thinking how to tie it to the throwing action of the point. I don't want nor need point motors.

[clayliner]

I'm a fan of three dimensional layouts so approve of the gradients!

Also congratulations in avoiding track parallel to the layout sides.

Will follow with interest.

David.

[Justin Phillips]

I'm a fan of three dimensional layouts so approve of the gradients!

Also congratulations in avoiding track parallel to the layout sides.

Will follow with interest.

David.

Thanks. I have read up on the "do's and don'ts" of layouts and have tried to follow as much as space allows, with non-parallel tracks being one of them.

[Justin Phillips]

I have taken heed of Brians suggestion and will be fitting microswitches to switch the frog polarity. So I have built a little POC. My only concern is that in order to get the throwing distance right I need to place the U channel further along the microswitch arm more than I would like, which increases the pressure on the point spring. It does feel like it is teetering a bit when the point is thrown. In any case, here are the materials I have used:

• Microswitch: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07SGX5D87/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
• Throwing rod: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B082ZNZCXN?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
• Brass tubing (3mm OD): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/360813916387?var=633111880527
• Brass U channel (1/8" outside): https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234118646927?var=533747539132

The brass tubing was epoxied into the channel in the foam and secured further with a long staple. The U channel was also epoxied to the arm of the microswitch. The microswitch was then hot glued to the foam, and further secured with some annular fascia board nails I had lying around. It all feels pretty solid so far.

Now I am mostly happy with this approach, I am going to fit switches to the layout proper. I have already ripped up the required track ready to do so  :'(

[B.Meldon]

There are several different designs of microswitch.
The ones you have chosen may not have been the ideal choice.
It was well over 30 years ago that we purchased the ones fitted on Meanderbahn, so my memory may not be that good, but thinking back think I do recall trying several versions from several local suppliers before we went for the ones we did.
You may not be able to see from the photos but the ones we used have the arm pivot at one end with the press switch close to the pivot. They are very light in operation and have a small amount of arm movement needed to work the switch. They also look smaller than the one in your photo, so may well be so called 'Subminiature' micro switches.
I should have mentioned this before, but as I said it was many years ago now.
I did have some spares, but I used them up on another project.