Fast Tracks - A dozen turnouts

 How a 2 week project has taken 2 months

Fast-Tracks turnouts are promoted as being quick to make, using their assembly jigs, PCB strips, and filing tools.  Don't believe the sales broucher.

Providing Train orders to the engineer.  I captured this image in May 1989 at Squamish, British Columbia.  It shows a southbound pair of BC Rail M636 (Alco) engines receiving printed train orders attached to a hoop held by the signalman.  Little did I know that the engines would be retired within the year.  The passenger train behind was part of the "Narrow Margin" movie being filmed.  What has all this got to do with Wagga Wagga? There is a connection, but you will have to get to the end of my post to see a tentative link.

As I mentioned way back in January, I ran into a rail issue problem, basically because I was not using the recommended Micro-engineering code 100 rail.  Filing the PECO code 100 rail flange to fit the Code 100 #6 turnout assembly fixture was a chore.

https://buildingwagga.blogspot.com/2025/01/fasttracks-turnout-construction.html

However, filing could be done if I had a spare 30 minutes or so "free".   The first step was to cut all the rail needed to length, as the full 3 feet of rail was too unwieldy.  The next step was to file the flange to size.  Once sized and filed, the rail was then placed in the filing jig, and shaped. 

Rail cut and filed down.  At the top, the rail has been prebent - and the eight pieces of rail placed roughtly in the shape of a turnout.   The stock, and point blades just grouped in a bundle - the frog and check rails fitted in small plastic tubs so they would not be lost

The process of filing the rail took over a month - which is an indication of the tedious nature of the task.

4 turnouts - prepared for the Show-n-tell at the March 15th NMRA meeting.  

12 turnouts, as "completed" by March 24th.  Yes, I did get more enthusiastic towards the end.

The turnouts are still not ready - I have yet to isolate the frog, and might have to add some wider PCB "ties" for screwing to the plywood baseboard.

My chalk drawings of the Albury staging yard has 5 x RH Turnouts, and 7 x LH turnouts.  Once I isolate the frog, and clear the baseboard of clutter, I can start laying the track. 

More distractions.

I get side tracked easily. (pun intended)

One of the reasons for my rushed trip to Melbourne in December last year, was to acquire a number of scratchbuilt On3 shay locos, from a craftsman modeller, who was retiring due to illness.  I plan to write an article in Narrow Gauge Downunder magazine, highlighting Ron's skill at fabricating unique models.  Ron had a party trick - being able to recreate the extremely rare prototype LH shays in miniature.

I am trying out model photography for the magazine article, and I am happy with the above, but will need to confirm with NGDU.  

Shay #6 on Ron's layout.  Ron's picture

More trinkets for the train room

Out of the blue, Les sent me a staff hoop.  It has allowed me to now properly display my sole miniature staff

The staff hoop has 2 leather straps to hold the staff - in my case, the Walkerston to Paget #33 staff from Queensland railways.

Staff working is something I am planning to use on my Wagga layout - between Bomen, and Wagga.

Staff platform at Bomen in 1982.  This was abolished in 1983 with the introduction of CTC. My picture

Bomen earlier had an automatic staff exchange apparatus

It could be folded away.  Both pictures Pete Neve

The only picture I could find of a signalman holding a staff hoop - this image "stolen" from 100 mile House Project, facebook page, shows temporary working during construction work on Bethungra loop.  The hoop is held in such a way that the driver can put his hand and arm into the hoop, capturing it on his elbow.

And to celebrate the staff hoop acquistion, I thought I would install a block shelf in my train room

Lots of space for additions.  Although I might have to install some beeding around the edges of the  shelf.

NMRA meeting.

I travelled to Stephe's at Murrumbateman for the NMRA meeting on March 15th.  It is always good to catch up with fellow modellers, as well as see some of the changes Stephe has made to his Kangaroo Valley layout.  (See April 2025 AMRM for a full article on the layout).  Stephe was installing a lighting valence above Voilet, to Osport, and it was great to acquire ideas.  

Lighting valence on Kangaroo Valley layout being installed

Next steps

Lay the Albury staging tracks, and attach all the Cobalt SS point motors.  Test electronics, and train running, and program the macros.

 (And the link - yes, it was the staff hoop exchange, but also as a bonus,  Fast Tracks is a Canadian company )

Until next time.

 

A day in Time - Heritage train to Wagga

 Local Government 100 year anniversary Train.  

I was recently sent 4 pictures, of the NSW Heritage train, in the Wagga area, that I thought I would like to share.

The Heritage Train at Bomen.  Double headed Z12, and a C36.  The Z12 has an unusual cow-catcher, and old time headlight, and this reminded me of the modifications that occured with the Z12 for the Mick Jagger 1969 film "Ned Kelly", that was filmed on the Captain's Flat line.  There is a RUB set on the mainline.

A picture from the cab of the C36, of the train arriving at Wagga.  The people lined up on platform and the footbridge is most impressive.  

Judging from the school uniforms, it must have been a school-day.  The signs are of extra interest to me.  I have not modelled the "WAY OUT" sign underneath my HO Wagga station platform awning, and I might have to fix that ommission

Ready for departure.  The Z12 has been turned on Wagga's 60' turntable, but the C36 was too big, and simply repositioned, and will run tender first for the return journey back to (I assume) Junee

More details on the train

I showed these images to Pete Neve (OAM), and Pete checked his extensive railway archive, and discovered what the train was.  The below notes are from the March 1970 digest. 

Vintage Train Movements

176, alas 1243, was noticed outshopped at the Carriage Works Yard at Redfern, on Monday 2/3, following a complete repainting. In full public view, the locomotive in its apple green livery, attracted much curious and favourable comment from the passing public; next morning, the engine with a full head of steam was noted at Eveleigh, awaiting its return to Enfield.

In connection with the Local Government Celebrations, the Vintage Train ran to Wagga Wagga on Monday afternoon 16/3.  Working for the special train was - Early on Friday morning 13/3, engine 176 (1243) proceeded l.e. from Enfield to Hornsby and after turning and taking on water, collected the Vintage Train of NCL set 88 (CBC CBC HX), AC.1. (old State Car) and SWT 12 (water jinty), and proceeded to North Strathfield, where 3616 was attached to the lead.  After stops for water at Moss Vale, Yass Junction, and Cootamundra, and reconditioning at Goulburn, the train was scheduled to arrive at Junee a little before 6pm.

On Monday afternoon, the Vintage Train, with 176 leading 3616, AC and NCL set, left Junee conveying passengers from Junee and Bomen, arrived at Wagga Wagga at 3:30pm.  After a stay of a little over 3 hours, the train returned to Junee.  Next morning, with water gin attached, and 3616 leading, the return trip to Hornsby was made; stops for watering at Yass Junction and Moss Vale, and at Goulburn for servicing.  176 was detached at Clyde Sidings and returned to Enfield, leaving 3616 to return the cars to Hornsby carriage sidings. 

Thank you Pete.

Other details

Looking at the pictures, there is much to be gained.  The tracks for the old dock at Bomen were visible.  The design of the lamps at Bomen and Wagga.  The old station nameboard, with the "Change here for Tumbarumba line" lettering below the main "WAGGA WAGGA" name.  And the RUB set is probably the Down Intercapital Daylight - that would have overtaken the Heritage train, and arrived at Wagga leaving for Melbourne around 3pm.  (I dimly remember 3:12pm from the "Train Times" published daily in the Daily Advertiser) The Hertitage train thus would have been stopped at Bomen for some time to allow the Daylight train to pass.

And throwing in a special train working card for an operating session will add some spice.

Conclusion

My blog was not originally set up for being a historical record, but placing the layout within an historical context adds authenticity.  Hopefully this excursion back to history has not been dull for my readers, and you might be able to operate  a similar special train on your layout.   

I am still  continuing with the fast tracks turnout construction, and this is not fast enough for me, as I am constantly being distracted.  And we have found homes for the Kittens - one is going to Canberra, and the other is staying in Junee.

"Ginger" 

Until next time

 

FastTracks - turnout construction

 My experience with Fast Tracks.

A "down" QUBE steel train approaches Shepherds on Jan 30, 2025 at around 80-90Kph.  This snapshot through the car windscreen.  Of note is the lack of wires on the lineside poles - these copper wires have been pilfered constantly over the last few years. 

Before Fast Tracks

Way back in the 1980s, I was naive enough to think that I could construct bespoke turnouts for my new layout.  Well, I succeeded, and whilst they took me around 4 hrs each, I was saving considerable money.  These turnouts weren't pretty, but buried in ballast, the woeful out-of-scale sleepers didn't detract.

I kept this 3 way turnout from my first layout.  The sleeper size would probably be more suited to On30.  Close up, the tiebar design is poor, and original ballast is still attached to the rail. 

However, my foray into making trackwork was short lived, mainly to that first layout - the realisation that club layouts were more quickly built by buying  turnouts with club funds.

Fast Tracks

I first saw Fast Tracks demonstrated in the USA, at one of the NMRA conventions I attended (Long Beach 1996?).  I was a bit skeptical with their claims, although I did like the assembly fixture, and the idea that all turnouts would be functionally a clone of each other.

Since then, I had read good reports from almost everyone who had used Fast Tracks, and I was encouraged by these reports.   

About 10 years ago, I managed to win a Fast Tracks "starter pack" on an on-line auction site, and then promptly placed it in storage.

#6 turnouts assembly fixture - code 100 rail.  The copper clad PCB sleepers, the filing jigs, the pliobond, and the wooden tie sheet.  The wooden ties are not going to be needed for my staging yard turnouts 

Assembly fixtures for #8 code 70, and #9 code 83 rails.  I won't be using these for my staging yard

The printed builders guide was placed into two A4 loose leaf display books

Having the guide as a book makes lookup easy, and keeps the pages nice and tidy

My first fast tracks turnout.

Over the years, I had accumulated a lot of code 100 rail, which I hoped would keep down the costs

It was then I ran into my first problem.  The peco code 100 rail did not fit properly into the assembly fixture.  The problem was that the bottom flange of the peco rail was slightly too wide.  I sent an email off to Fast-Tracks, and got back the reply that the rail should be micro-engineering.  

I actually thought I got some microengineering code 100 rail with the original auction win, but a 2 hrs search failed to find same.  I did locate 2 bundles (each bundle 33 x 3' rail lengths) of code 70 microengineering, but that didn't help.  So, the option was to file down the flange on the peco rail - labourious, but acheivable.  

Of course, another option would be to buy microengineering rail.  Unfortunately, the Fast Tracks importer, Gwyder Valley, has closed, due to a serious illness of Warren Herbert.  And I was unable to locate any other hobby outlets in Australia that stocked the rail. 

Part way through assembly

I found that filing the point blades, frogs, and stock rail slots in the jigs to be straight forward, but getting a sharp point was not as easy as it sounds.  Hopefully practice will help.  The other tricky bit was the curve rails.  Ideally these should be pre-bent, and this is easier said than done. 

The "completed" turnout.  I have biased the point blades to the straight route, but not much force is needed to select the diverging route.  

After competion of the soldering, the running rails need to be isolated by removing some of the copper cladding of the ties.  And isolating the frog was a trial.  I managed to break 2 jewellers saw blades, and the blades got blunt very quickly.  Obviously the blades I was using were inferior.  (bad workman blames his tools?)  I think I will opt next time for using a dremel with a cut-off disk.

Testing - a NSW 4 wheel sheep van ran smoothly along the straight, and diverging routes - although I will need to attach some lengths of flex track, and power the rails to test a proper train.  And I need to come up with a method to screw down the turnout, and a connection link for the Cobalt SS point motors.

More benchwork

Butt joins with the plywood sheets needed some reinforcement.

I placed some yellow tongue offcuts over the joins

The offcuts were then attached underneath with screws, making the joins very solid

White paint on top of the plywood used up some of the leftover ceiling white from the room build.

More distractions.

A couple of weeks ago, a pair of kittens made their presence known.  They were found in the same location as Misty (and her brothers) 14 months earlier.  The kittens were dehydrated, and screaming for their mother, who possibly had abandoned them.  The feral cat had struck again.   I strongly suspect there is a cat den under the rotten decking of our unused swimming pool.  These kittens were very young, (younger than the other kittens when found) and needed to be syringe fed every 2-3 hrs for the first week, before they improved.

Have you ever tried to photograph kittens?  They do not stay still.  Estimated age is 4 weeks

If you are wanting a kitten, both are available for rehoming in a month's time, after we get them vet checked, and microchipped. Contact me on alco4801@yahoo.com.au

Next steps with the layout.

I mentioned the turnout testing.   Well, the staging yards will need 24 turnouts, and I am sort of dreading the time this will take.  The hope is that the  assembly time will improve with practice.  After that, comes the electrics.

This blog post update has taken far too long to write.  I have had some medical issues, and Santa delivered covid to Tracy on xmas day.  Coupled with the kittens, vets visits for the dogs, and horse, and the heat, it was easier to stay inside with the air conditioner and watch Squid Games.  Model trains are a hobby, possibly a lifestyle, but if you need a break, take it.

CLP 9, "Peter Wilks" painted in Auscision's colours, is a moving billboard for Auscision's excellent range of model trains.  It was in Junee yard early in January.

Until next time

Plywood tops

 Adding Plywood to the staging yard benchwork

 

I had designed the staging yard benchwork to be either 400mm, or 600mm wide.  That would allow the 1200x2400 mm plywood sheets to be cut lengthwise into 2 or 3 strips.

Last weekend, I had a rushed trip to Melbourne.  And I never miss an opportunity to photograph trams.  This D1 tram was pictured on Burke Road.  

The plywood sheets have been stored for about 8 years.  There is a long story on their acquisition, the main one was that they were "free", possibly because they had imperfections.  Transporting them from Wagga, storing them, and moving them has been an ongoing logistic challenge.  However, it is great to be using them now.

I had stored the sheets in my paddock shed.  A hand trolley used to move them

Cutting the sheets on my table saw was awkward, but I am indepted to Steve, who helped me handle the big sheets, and then assisted in securing them to the benchwork.

Cutting a smaller plywood sheet on the bench saw was something I could do myself. 

Albury staging is mostly 400 mm wide.  The angled plywood section comes from the 600 mm wide strips

I had to adjust the benchwork to maintain the aisle width at the pinchpoint.  Looks a bit awkward, but once covered with plywood, it won't be an issue

Junee staging is 600mm wide

This was the "scrap" from one sheet of plywood; the two 600mm strips fitted the benchwork perfectly, which may be a fluke (or incredibly good planning).  

Trouble cat inspecting the benchwork.

Jig-sawed shape 

Murrumbidgee river section was covered with smaller sections of plywood

Adding the benchtops has suprisingly made the room feel bigger.  And it is starting to look like a layout.   I had hoped to be further advanced, but the melbourne trip, and a bout of suspected food poisoning has stalled progress

Some more acquisitions

Early Xmas present for myself.  Latest ARM model - NSW 55 class.

A framed print of Wagga Wagga station - thanks to Macca for securing this for me.  It came from the Wagga model railway clubrooms, which are being condemned by council.  Sadly, the Wagga model railway club is being disbanded

Next steps

I have estimated I have around 60 metres of staging yard track to lay. 

Until next time.