Testing my new Walther's Modern Roundhouse, I see that using my code 100 track inside the roundhouse is going to be too tall to properly connect with the track outside the house, so I'm guessing that I'm supposed to use code 83 inside the structure. Is that right? What will be the best way to connect the two different sizes?
Thanks in advance!
JaRRell
I don't get it. If you only need to run from the turntable to the roundhouse then just use code 83 there. A couple sticks?
There are joiners that will help you go from 83 to 100.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Walthers also makes a short (6"?) transition track -- Code 100 at one end, Code 83 at the other.
Dave Nelson
Jarrell,
The turntable you purchased has Code 83 rail installed on the bridge, so it's best if you use Code 83 rail from the lip of the turntable into the roundhouse. Buy some Atlas flex; it's easy to strip the rail out of the ties. You can use that raw rail inside the roundhouse, then short strips of flex up to the lip of the turntable. I recall discussion here on the forum that you'll need to sand the bottom of the ties that are close to the turntable lip so the rail will rest on the lip and be the same height as the rail on the turntable bridge.
I hope this helps,
Don Z.
Research; it's not just for geeks.
SpaceMouse wrote: I don't get it. If you only need to run from the turntable to the roundhouse then just use code 83 there. A couple sticks?There are joiners that will help you go from 83 to 100.
Ok thanks. Since my nearest Local Hobby Shop is now over a hundred miles away I'll either have to wait on picking up some code 83 or order it from somewhere. Dang I hate not having a local shop anymore.
dknelson wrote: Walthers also makes a short (6"?) transition track -- Code 100 at one end, Code 83 at the other. Dave Nelson
Thanks Dave for reminding me. I've tried using the transition track joiners without a lot of success. This time I'm going with the transition track.
Don Z wrote: Jarrell,The turntable you purchased has Code 83 rail installed on the bridge, so it's best if you use Code 83 rail from the lip of the turntable into the roundhouse. Buy some Atlas flex; it's easy to strip the rail out of the ties. You can use that raw rail inside the roundhouse, then short strips of flex up to the lip of the turntable. I recall discussion here on the forum that you'll need to sand the bottom of the ties that are close to the turntable lip so the rail will rest on the lip and be the same height as the rail on the turntable bridge.I hope this helps,Don Z.
Don, I appreciate the help. I have a friend that 'may' have some Atlas 83 on hand. If not, it's a while before I can get to a hobby shop. That or order it. Oh well, I can work on the roundhouse till then.
Please note that Atlas code 83 track has ties that are .017" thicker than everyone elses code 83 track. They did this so that thier code 83 track would have the same top of rail hieght as code 100 track.
I would suggest springing for another brand of code 83 in this situation to reduce the amount of work required. Walthers' code 83 probably being the easiest.
In my case, the TT and house were slightly incompatible, so I had to situate the house back from the pit's lip by about 2.5". I used Code 100 in the bays, but I filed the bases slightly, down near where they were to ride up on the lip. I also filed the rail tops a bit, and finally made slight grooves on the lip using a dremel for the rails to sit in (at least two ties must be removed). Between these measures, none is noticeable except to the educated eye, and I got my 17 thou.
Don't forget to take the time to bevel each inside rail end, JaRRell, including the ones on the bridge if they are not done. Make these bevels such that they form a sharp tip on the outer faces of the rails...in other words, this is a highly obvious bevel that will assist your locos to get past slight misalignments.
Turntables are "trouble spots" where the gods look for the littlest excuse to cause derailments. Use all the same rail size (code 83 in this instance because that's what's on the turntable) for any track approaching the turntable, and if you transition from code 100 to 83 on the turntable lead, space the transition at least one locomotive length away from the turntable on straight track only.
Mark Pierce
You can easily shim a 0.020 x 1.125" styrene shim under whatever it is you are matching to Atlas code 83 to another code 83 (check with your calipers first!) if you need too. Works well for me. It is truly annoying that all code 83 ties aren't the same. I have to shim all my turnouts up to meet my flextrack... no biggie, but sometimes annoying (and expensive)....
Brian
Wouldn't it have been much simpler all around for the TT mfg. to not put track on the TT so that you could install whatever type track you use in the rest of your layout? I ask that without ever seeing or installing a turntable.... yet.
That's to come.
pcarrell wrote:We N scalers don't have luxuries like "transition rails" and such. We have to do it the old fashioned way. If we're going from say my code 55 branchline to my code 70 mainline, I slip a rail joiner onto the code 70 side and then use needle nose pliers to flaten the end sticking out. Then I test it by laying the code 55 rail on top of the flatened part of the rail joiner to see that the rail tops line up. I bend the joiner slightly if needed, then solder the whole thing together. "Transition Rails"! Must be nice to have it so easy! And here you guys in HO think you're the ones "building" stuff and we N scalers just take um outta the box and run um as is.
Phillip, I can't even SEE code 55 track, much less SOLDER it!
jacon12 wrote: pcarrell wrote:We N scalers don't have luxuries like "transition rails" and such. We have to do it the old fashioned way. If we're going from say my code 55 branchline to my code 70 mainline, I slip a rail joiner onto the code 70 side and then use needle nose pliers to flaten the end sticking out. Then I test it by laying the code 55 rail on top of the flatened part of the rail joiner to see that the rail tops line up. I bend the joiner slightly if needed, then solder the whole thing together. "Transition Rails"! Must be nice to have it so easy! And here you guys in HO think you're the ones "building" stuff and we N scalers just take um outta the box and run um as is. Phillip, I can't even SEE code 55 track, much less SOLDER it! JaRRell
Careful! You're gonna classify yourself as a Geeser if you don't watch out!
I'm sure this method could be adapted to Horribly Oversize scale if necessary.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
tatans wrote:Isn't the top of the track inside a roundhouse level with the floor??? seems as a kid I remember cutting through the roundhouse on my way to school and I'm sure the track was below the floor level , right or wrong?(geezer memory)
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
I guess what threw me, novice that I am, was Walther's instructions to install the track in the roundhouse 'grooves' at a certain point, such as before installing the doors. To me that meant cutting the track so that it ended exactly at the lip of the roundhouse. A friend as since suggested that I take a section of code 83 track (same as on TT), remove the ties for the part that will go inside the roundhouse but leave the ties on the section outside the roundhouse that lead to the TT. That way I can easily attach feeder wires to the track. Seems like a deal to me. I guess you could cut the track to exactly fit inside the roundhouse, solder feeder wires to it, run the wires down through the inspection pits, and glue the track in place. But then you have to cut the short pieces of track between roundhouse and TT, and then power them. My buddies suggestion makes a lot more sense to me.
JaRRell, That's why we chose HO. The soldering isn't the problem, but can you imagine hand painting the people. I am working on some figures that I had to get out my magnefying lenses (that I use for dental hygiene) to see if I had them filed smooth enough. Ho figures are small enough.
Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.
Walthers sells code 70->83 and code 83->100 rail sections. I've also seen joiners that do the same thing. They are in the catalog under the track section.
It is best to use Walthers code 83 for the turnable and roundhouse. There's some minor difference between walthers, atlas and peco 83 ties that makes the height difference at the turntable & pit edge to be a bit of a problem.
Never mind....I see it's already been answered
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!