Kato Point derail - advice ?

[Cen]

AAArgh - I wish I'd known about them a few hours ago!

 

I went back to model junction, swapped all 8 points for #6 points. I bought a power splitter and two new power entry track pieces (doh). I also bought some wider viaduct track for the outer loop top left corner.

 

Damn those #6 points are huge compared to the #4. I had to re-jig most of the front of the plan to get it to stay on the baseboard.

 

So now I have : Outer loop, works with the 4 car N700 - hurrah! Inner loop - works with my diesel - hurrah! Both seem to make it across the points - hurrah! Power seems to be working on both loops too.

 

So, problem solved. Now I need to make the track work everywhere and then secure it to the baseboard somehow.

 

Thanks to everyone for the advice and encouragement!

 

Cheers,

  Cen.

[cteno4]

Cen,

 

you should be much happier with running the larger trains with the #6s!  

 

worth doing the giggling to get them in there.

 

the kato n700 seems to like to pick points, even #6s when coming out of turns right into a point. the tomix n700 is totally happy with them... go figure. on our new jrm sectional plan i have put 186 sections between any of the double viaduct curves and the #6 points to try and help this problem.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Mudkip Orange]

on our new jrm sectional plan i have put 186 sections between any of the double viaduct curves and the #6 points to try and help this problem.

 

Is this something you only do for reverse curves? Or do you do it for continuance curves as well.

[cteno4]

Mudkip,

 

not sure what you mean by reverse curves, if you mean S curves then yes this time around we have at least a 124 or 186 now in the center of an S curve so that no two curve sections join in different curve directions directly, all reverses in curves are separated. a few of the shinkansens seemed to have problems with the S curve on the old track plan now and then.

 

we still have a long viaduct station down one side of the layout that has passing tracks the whole length. each #6 switch at the ends of these use to connect right onto the double viaduct curves. now there is a 186 separating them so the wheels dont have to come right out of the curve and hit the #6 point blade or have to run through the flangeway (this is a tad bumpie it seems when there is lateral pressure on the trucks via the curve right there).

 

we still have an S curve in the shinkansen yard with the path in the second track (LH #6 then a RH #6), but the rest of the track paths then have separation between the curved paths on the points. we dont have a lot of trouble with S curves in our yard ladders in the past and a few actually had 1.5 S curve (this ladders was created in an odd space and with just the points and track we had extra so a tad funky). running things at slow speeds seems to help a lot on this problem, but once and a while a train would pick a point in the yard ladder, so the new ladder is very clean. going to cost a little for a few more points, but worth it.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Bernard]

Cen - That is a good retailer for doing the exchange. Even though the #6 are longer you will be a lot happier in the long run.

[Mudkip Orange]

now there is a 186 separating them so the wheels dont have to come right out of the curve and hit the #6 point blade or have to run through the flangeway (this is a tad bumpie it seems when there is lateral pressure on the trucks via the curve right there).

 

That's what I was looking for, thanks.