Lift out and track + power

[Ron51777]

I'am somewhat new and have my layout going around my room and I,am at the door to my room and need to install a lift out, what is the easiest and best way to do this and for power to this, I try ed to put a lift in but when the train gets to that spot the wheels come off the track I cant seem to get the track to meet right. Thanks for any help

[rrinker]

 In generalities:

Lay the track across the gap in one section, and cut it AFTER it is secured in place. Use extra glue and nails at the very edges of the break, One trick it to drive brass screws intot he benchwork right under the rails before putting the track in place, adjusting them so the rail just rests on them, and then solder the rail ro each screw. This keeps the rails from shifting position relative to each other. If your removeable section fits tight, then the rails will be well aligned when you put it in place.

                --Randy

[pastorbob]

you might consider a lift up instead of a lift out.  I have one, it is hinged on on end and lifts up and secures, or down and secures.  I used the gaps at the edge on the end that goes up or down to be a break between power districts on my DCC system.  Works great.  Little maintenance.

Bob

[JSperan]

 If you can hinge it that is a good way to go about it.  Make sure to have a dowel or some sort of pin that slips into a corresponding hole to help align the lift up when you swing it down.  It's a good idea to use a switch etc to deaden the track on either side of the opening to avoid accidentally having a loco pitch off the end of the track into the canyon.

[doctorwayne]

I have a lift-out at the entrance to the layout room - it can be seen at right, leaning against the layout, in the photo below.  Also visible at lower right is part of one of the brackets which holds it in place:

 Here's a view of the opposite side of the aisle.  The black circle on the facia, to the right of the alignment bracket, is a five-prong receptacle for the power feed (which can be seen in the first photo, as the wire sticking out from under the lift-out):

Below is a simple diagram of the wiring.  The "1" connector sections" were included for a friend who thought them necessary, but for my version, they should be considered an integral part of the actual lift-out section.  The rails on the lift-out extend beyond the board upon which they're installed:  that way, when the lift-out is removed, there are no rails protruding from the layout edges which might catch the clothing of someone passing through.

In operation, the rails on the layout on both sides of the lift-out are powered up to, but not including, the "safety sections".  Power is fed to the lift-out only from the powered track of the layout on the left side, via two of the connectors on the five-prong plug and thence to the rails of the lift-out.  On the lift-out, another two wires are dropped from the rails and fed back through two different prongs of the five-prong plug and from there to the left "safety section".  From the left safety section, I ran two wires over the top of the layout room door and then connected them to the right side "safety section".  The fifth prong on the plug is used only to ensure that the plug can be connected in only one way.

With the plug connected, power flows from the left layout section to the lift-out, then from the lift-out to the safety sections, allowing trains to pass.  To remove the bridge, the plug must be disconnected, which will remove power from both the lift-out and the "safety sections", ensuring that the approach tracks to the "abyss" are dead.  You can make the safety sections any length you wish for your particular situation.

Here are some views of the track at the breaks:  the important thing is that all rails are fixed firmly in place - I ran the track as a continuous piece from one side of the doorway, across the lift-out, and onto the other side of the layout, then cut the rails as shown using a cut-off disc in my Dremel.  Without removing the lift-out, all of the individual rail ends were spiked in position as required, as were any of the partial ties.  While the lift-out needs to be carefully lifted straight up or lowered straight down during removal or installation, a little care has ensured trouble-free operation for over 15 years.

This is the left side of the layout, as shown above, but as viewed from inside the room.  There's a cardstock shim under the ends of the fixed track:

 

This is the same spot with the lift-out removed:

And the other end, with the lift-out in place:

And removed:

One end of the lift-out section, showing the overhanging rails and the extra nails holding the ties:

And finally, a car rolling across the joint:

Wayne

 

[pastorbob]

JSperan

 If you can hinge it that is a good way to go about it.  Make sure to have a dowel or some sort of pin that slips into a corresponding hole to help align the lift up when you swing it down.  It's a good idea to use a switch etc to deaden the track on either side of the opening to avoid accidentally having a loco pitch off the end of the track into the canyon.

yeah, I will second that motion.  I went without a problem like that for many years, and then, I was testing a new Genesis FP45 and forgot to drop the "bridge" and the Genesis went into crater canyon.

However, no parts disengaged from the unit, and after a realignment on the front truck, the diesel went back into service.  I might add my floors are carpeted so that may have "softened" the blow.

Bob

[cowman]

Go to RESOURCES, then Index of Magazines at the top of this page, search for lift outs, lift ups, drop downs, swing outs and any other terminology that might fit.  There have been a number of articles on them.

One thing for sure, as mentioned above, BE SURE that when your track seperates, your power goes off, BOTH  SIDES of the gap so that you can't drive or back off the end.

Good luck,

[Allegheny2-6-6-6]

 A lift out section is probably the easiest of all types of train room entry easements as I like to call them to build. There is no need to use a hard wood  pine or plywood will work just fine. I reinforce the wood spanning the opening with two pieces of angel aluminum that you can purchase in any home center.

You first need locating pins or dowels to ensure the sections goes back to the exact same spot ever time. 

I used maple dowel pins purchased in Lowes. being a hard wood it should last a long time. You obviously drill you locator holes in the lift out section and place the dowels in the corresponding bench work.i guess there is no reason why you couldn't do it the opposite way if you so choose to.

You put your track and roadbed down just as you would in any other part of your railroad ballast it and scenic it you want, it doesn't have to look like what it really is make it a more realistic part of the layout.

The easiest thing I have found for track power is simple RCA type plugs purchased from Radio Shack.

You solder them to the rails the same way you do with your feeder drops to the main buss wires. Put a female jack on one end and a male on the other and call it done.I suggest you fore go the extra nails and glue on the end idea in favor of using PC ties or circuit board tie which the hand laying track guys use. You can get them on the cheap from Clover House or form Fast Tracks. You solder the rails right to the tie ensuring that the rails say in gage and you can secure the tie to the roadbed by any means you choose. I opted for clear latex adhesive caulk. You'll notice the gap between the rails where the lift out meets the track work this is done for the purposes of expansion and contraction of the bench work. Being as everything is powered there are no electrical gaps and the gap isn't significant enough to bother wheel sets when rolling over them. I don't run a train across at full track speed because in the even if I did have a problem it's 52" to a smashing death to the floor below. I will eventually put a couple pf pieces of clear Plexiglas just for piece of minds sake.

 

Here are a couple of pics to illustrate what I am talking about.

 

 

 

 

 

[Phoebe Vet]

I use a swing gate instead of a lift out.

First the gate or lift out needs to be constructed so that it always latches in the exact same spot in all three dimensions.

Then lay the track across it securing the parts near the joints in the manner some others have suggested here.  Then cut the track at the joints.  If the track is straight where it is cut, then there will not be any sideways forces as the wheels cross the joint.