Dual Gauge Track Work Almost Complete

So on Monday afternoon after work, I went down to the shed and added my sleepers to the Acacia Ridge Yard point.  I also faffed around with the two new points being installed in Fisherman Islands Yard. 

During the week I had to pick up my son from various sporting events after school.  Tuesday was a 2hr volleyball game at school, and Friday was an AFL game which was cut short by a lightening storm. 

I had a trip over to Ipswich on Saturday morning for the monthly NMRA meeting.  Once I got there I skipped over to the local hobby shop only a few hundred metres from the meeting location.  This was my first visit to Vogler’s.  It is a hobby shop dealing with a number of different hobbies and when I was there, I saw another 4 NMRA guys in there buying stuff.  I saw a sheet of Slater’s Flemish bond brick card and the type I need for my Cassino Station building.  I still have three sheets on back order.  So at least now I can progress the initial part of maybe one side of one of the two platform buildings.

The NMRA meeting was well attended and we had an interesting presentation from Bob about 3D plan it.  It was very informative.  I also was presented with my next two AP awards.  This was Dispatcher and Electrical.  Lunch provided by the Ipswich club was brilliant.  They also had a number of their layouts on display and running.  They were well sceniced and detailed.

When I got home, I went to the shed and hung my two certificates on the wall next to teh other certificates.  I then decided to apply ballast to the replaced point in Acacia Ridge Yard.  Then this was glued down.  I ran trains through after the gluing and they all still continued to run when pushed through.  On Sunday morning I cleaned the track here- removing any glue residue and ran narrow and standard gauge trains through the points.  All worked OK.  I just need to arrange for Arthur to come and check it out again.  I think I need to hold my fingers behind my back and cross them.

So this is the finished set of dual gauge points at the northern entry to Acacia Ridge Yard.  The photo is a little bit out of focus but it shows what it entails.

Later on I got to working on the two sets of points in Fisherman Islands yard.  These are now working satisfactorily and both narrow and standard gauge trains are traversing these well.

This photo shows the two dual gauge points.  The one of the right replaced a Peco point that I added a third rail to and I think it was causing a short.  The upper point that flows into this point, was new and allowed me to add an extra 12mm siding, of almost 1m in length.

The next task was to look at a set of Tillig points at the far end of Acacia Ridge Yard.  I had planned on installing a new actuator bar made from PC board sleeper, but upon looking at the set of points again, I just I think permanently affixed the floating points blade to the existing actuator.  I remove the points from the trackwork so I can get everything working well.  I made a new point throw rod from a paper clip, and that has been inserted into the actuator bar and is ready to be installed into the actuator switch.  That is next weekend’s job.

This is the location where the Tillig point has been removed from to get operated upon at the workbench.  It will go back next weekend.

This shot shows the new dual gauge point that I spliced in last weekend to allow for standard gauge locos to run around a small train on the dual gauge.  

Late this afternoon, I started cutting out the various lengths of Flemish Bond sheet for the Cassino station building.  I need two strips for each side of the building.  I will gradually mark out the windows and doors and use my nibbler to cut out the windows and a knife for the doors.  This task will perhaps progress during the week.