Track

18 August 2020

I will move stuff on track to this page.

Building track from separate components (sleepers, chairs, and rail) is getting very expensive, especially as the garden consumes track like an old soak. I don't have much option when building pointwork on Templot templates but for plain track I am now using C&L ready-to-run. This matches the separate components quite well, the only bit missing being the keys. I cut the webs off, respace the sleepers and stick them to Templot paper templates with Butanone. I get two 60' panels from each metre of track. The track below was laid about a month ago and the glossiness from the varnish has not weathered down yet. It is a pity the chairs are different colours. I hesitate to paint them as peeling paint would look awful so I leave them to weather instead.

C&L went for a time without their etched fishplates so I have printed the following on my Anycubic Photon (see https://sites.google.com/site/swanagein3mm/3mm-kits-i-am-developing). I have two versions, with and without the middle spacer for insulated and uninsulated joins, as shown above. They are not as good at keeping the rails aligned as the etched variety, which I solder to one rail only leaving the other to expand and contract. They do have the benefit that the insulated and uninsulated varieties match. 

2 June 2025

I have bought a Neptune 4 Plus filament printer to experiment with Templot COT track in the garden. This is my first Templot brick which replaces some C&L handbuilt and Peco sleeper bases. I was able to install it remarkably quickly by sliding out the old sleepers and sliding in the new. the brick is printed in black ASA filament using the settings recommended by Martin Wynne on Templot Club. The splints between the tracks hold the tracks at the correct distance apart. The Plus build plate is 320mm x 320mm which is just enough to include all three tracks. The webs and splints are thin enough to be hidden by ballast. Their height and width can be adjusted in Templot if required.

1 September 2025

This is my first attempt at CARROT track. I have tested it with a couple of Bulleid Pacifics and a Hall and there is no sign of hesitation on the dead knuckle. My M7 was more of a problem having pickup on only the four driving wheels. However that also hesitates in other places in the garden. More pickups and/or a stay alive would help with that.

The geometry is accurate and there is no chance of the check rails and wing rails walking through the chairs.

As time goes on I have experienced some problems with the settings but then they are not intended for ASA filament. I am currently at version 34 of my own settings!