Monday, February 1, 2016

First turnout takes shape

I pulled out my Proto87 Stores turnout (or is it switch?) kits this evening, anxious to get more than printed out template placeholders on the layout.  Two and a half hours later I've got my first two rails and the frog glued down.  It would have gone much faster except I made an incorrect bend in the diverging rail and had to pull it up just as everything seemed finished. That's what I get when I sit down and start a project right about when I should be heading off to bed.

After having struggled on the Waterloo Spur modules with using ACC glue to bond the rails to the tie strips, I decided to try Pliobond this time.  I had ordered some previously from Tim Warris' Fast Tracks.  After watching the video on his website on how to work with this glue I felt pretty confident that it would be an enjoyable rather than a frustrating process. 



And that's how it has turned out so far, aside from my own human error.  Following the instructions on the Proto87 Stores was straightforward, especially having built a few turnouts previously.  What a great feeling of accomplishment to look at an evening's handiwork that turned out in gauge and nicely detailed.  

Looking forward to getting the remaining rails glued down in the next day or two and testing out these hand-built turnouts with my switch mechanisms.