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Walthers / Shinohara Turnout Problems!
Walthers / Shinohara Turnout Problems!
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Anonymous
Member since
April 2003
305,205 posts
Posted by
Anonymous
on Friday, September 16, 2005 9:31 AM
At the points they have a plastic throwbar with a metal joint between the two points to help with durability.
I'm going to be buying some plastic sheets and some gel AC glue. Should be fairly easy to fill the slots.
So far I've got 5 tortoise switch machines mounted, and I just built the voltage regulator for the tortoise machines. I'll have 10.4 volts feeding them.
I'm using an old power supply from an HP color printer that died last year. 1.75 amps at 18 volts. I love it when it's cheap! The regulator was built using a one LM317 ($0.50), a heat sink pulled out of a dead 19" monitor a couple of years ago, 3 resistors and a diode. I think I MAY have $1.00 in it.
Now I've got to build the aluminum plates to mount the toggle switches and diodes. Instead of having one consolidated control panel I'm going to locate the control switches by each tunout along the fascia.
I'm getting close to the first run on the main line!
Mark in Utah
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rolleiman
Member since
August 2005
From: Michigan
1,550 posts
Posted by
rolleiman
on Thursday, September 15, 2005 4:27 PM
Are the points insulated as well?? that is, on the older turnouts, they have a solid metal throwbar.. Haven't bought any of the newer ones so unsure..
Jeff
http://www.rolleiman.com/trains/index.html
[8D]
Modeling the Wabash from Detroit to Montpelier Jeff
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selector
Member since
February 2005
From: Vancouver Island, BC
23,330 posts
Posted by
selector
on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 3:32 PM
If you have an interest to try it, someone stated that you can even use the gel-type CA glue and file it to shape when it dries.
Personally, I'd see if I can live with the gap for a while. If it got especially noisy there, then I'd fill. Some might warn of the gap closing due to temps or humidity, but that is unikely for the size involved.
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Anonymous
Member since
April 2003
305,205 posts
Posted by
Anonymous
on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 12:57 PM
Very interesting....That Walthers Quality coming through!!! I agree with Medina. ACC some plastic in the gap.
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Medina1128
Member since
April 2003
From: Clinton, MO, US
4,261 posts
Posted by
Medina1128
on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 11:22 AM
Cement a small piece of styrene in the gap using some CA (cyanoacrylate). When it's set, trim with a razor knife.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
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cacole
Member since
July 2003
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
13,757 posts
Posted by
cacole
on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 11:06 AM
I always put an insulated rail joiner on both rails that diverge from the frog and never rely on any manufacturer's claim that their turnouts are or are not insulated properly.
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Anonymous
Member since
April 2003
305,205 posts
Walthers / Shinohara Turnout Problems!
Posted by
Anonymous
on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 9:54 AM
A while back I purchased 27 Walthers (Shinohara) Code 83 turnouts. They are the DCC-ready turnouts (Insulfrog). Over the last while I've been laying roadbed, track, and installing the turnouts. So far so good. Last week I started to install my feeders and buss for the main line. I've been using an ohm meter to check polarity on the rails so I don't create a short by cross-connecting the feeders....
PROBLEMS!!! As soon as I started to ohm-out the feeders & main buss I found that the main line was shorted! I also found that my local line AND the switchyard were shorted! After scratching my head for a few minuted I finally found the problem:
Some of the Walthers turnouts were NOT insulated!!!!! They had failed to cut the rails and install the insulation filler. I found this on both straight and curved turnouts, on different sizes.
Pictures:
Anyone else see this?
For now I've cut the frog free, but I need to fill the gap with an insulation filler. Any suggestions from the guys that build their own turnouts??
Mark in Utah
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