Scale Conversion Chart

Here are the percentages I use when converting between common model railroad scales:

O to S = 75%

O to HO= 55.2%

O to N= 30%

S to O= 133%

S to HO= 73.6%

S to N= 40%

HO to O= 181.3%

HO to S= 136%

HO to N= 54.4%

N to O= 333.3%

N to S= 250%

N to HO= 184%

Turnout Construction Lessons

Building my first 3 CVTs was a learning experience to say the least. I have a few tips that really made thing fall together more easily once I figured them out.

Use track gauges to hold the rail in alignment as you solder and use the NMRA track gauge to check clearances as you go. 

When bending the diverging stock rail there are 3 locations that are key to a good fit.

1. Kink the rail slightly just before the throw bar to get it going in the diverging direction.

2. After the kink the rail stays straight through the length of the points.

3. Begin the curve of the diverging route just after the point.

When it came time to solder the points to the throw bar I did not want to take a chance of soldering the throw bar to the stock rails as well. To prevent this, I wrap both stock rails with tape in the throw bar area before soldering. (photo only shows one rail taped for clarity)

I align the pints in the main route position, then put a PC tie between the diverging point and stock rail. This will give the right gap for the flange-way. Solder the points to the throw bar.

 

These were the biggest lessons I learned from my experience building the CVTs.

Central Valley Turnout Refinements

After my first attempts building Central Valley Turnouts, as documented earlier in the blog, I was a bit disappointed both in my work and some of the kit components. 

The major problem I was having was with the points of the turnout. I liked the stock pivot and the points supplied in the kit but the method the kit used to attach the points to the throw bar left a bit to be desired. I tried to use a PC tie as the throw bar, soldering the kit points to it, and using the stock pivot in the plastic tie strip. After several attempts I could not seem to get a good solder joint between the points and the PC tie.

I let the project sit for a while until I could come up with a better solution. The solution came two weeks ago when I found Joe Fugate's blog on building CVTs; I had found my answer. I have included a link to his blog in my Model Railroading Links sidebar. (Note: I still build my frogs as I did in my previous posts.)

He uses a combination of  CVT tie strips, PC ties, and Fast tacks filing jigs. I did not invest in the filing jig but can see where it would be handy to have if building many turnouts of the same size.

I have now built the 3 turnouts (#6, #7, #9) needed for the main line of my module set, and could not be happier with the strong and functional results. Now work can begin on getting the main line in place.

Zero Manufacturing Module Mock-Up

Here are some shots of the mock up for Zero Manufacturing. I have built the Zero Manufacturing building out of plastic, foamcore, balsa, and tissue paper. The mock-ups for a few other buildings have been printed on card stock from drawings I made from photos of the real buildings.
Also in these photos you can see the mainline roadbed has been glued down for all 3 modules.

Backdrop Source

I was using Google Earth the other day and stumbled onto a great use. I navigated to the location I'm modeling and panned down to street level at the tracks, facing the direction of the wall behind my layout. What I got was a very good view of the mountains for my backdrop. It's handy because there are no obstructions as there would be with photos.

Building Central Valley Model Works Turnouts: 4 Cutting the Flangeways

Please also see my updated building method at:

Central Valley Turnout Refinements

Align the hacksaw blade on the inside of one of the rail paths through the frog and very carefully start to cut. Check the depth of the cut using the NMRA gauge. When you reach that depth stop cutting.

Move to the other path and do the same.

This is what the frog assembly should look like when done. Make sure to check the flangeways with the NMRA gauge. File a slight angle on the wing end of the railheads to ease the entry of flanges into the frog.


You now have a soldered frog assembly ready to be fitted to the CVMW plastic turnout tie strip.

Building Central Valley Model Works Turnouts: 3 Forming Wing and Closure Rails

Please also see my updated building method at:

Central Valley Turnout Refinements

Next take the 2 6.25" closure rails and file a notch into outside of the rail at the bend of the wing rail. File just deep enough until you touch the web of the rail. On the #7 turnout the notch will be about 7/8" from the end of the rail.

Next put a bend in the rails at the notch to form the wing.

Form the diverging closure rail to conform to the template. I do this by running the length of rail through my fingers, imparting a bend as I go. Lay this rail on the template and adjust the curve and the wing angle to match the template exactly.


Lay the straight closure/wing rail over the template and adjust the wing rail angle until it lines up exactly with the template.

Align both rails to the template and tape them down when they are in the proper position. NOTE: The closure rails will be trimmed to the end of the pivot rail in a later step. They can remain long at this point.

Next fill the gap between the frog points and the wing rails with solder to the top of the rail heads.