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Traversers or Sector Plates for G3

Started by Geoff Nicholls, Jan 12 2017 16:53

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Geoff Nicholls

My micro-layout Aldeburgh Wharf has about 1500mm to 1800mm space for a fiddle yard area. I'd originally thought of using cassettes, but wondered if I could build a turntable or sector plate, so the stock could roll off on to storage sidings. It would need to have two tracks.
Has anyone else built anything similar?
Geoff.

John Candy

Geoff,

Ask Ian Turner ..... he is doing something similar for the Monkton Priors fiddle yard.

Mark P suggested this based on something he had seen in a magazine article (? Railway Modeller).

John.
My fellow Members, ask not what your Society can do for you, ask what you can do for your Society.

IanT

Hallo Geoff,

Yes, Mark suggested this at one of the Ampthill GTGs last year. It took a moment to sink in as to what he was describing but then the penny dropped. I think I've also seen this method described before (but possibly in MRJ) but haven't been able to find a reference anywhere.

I guess you could call it a "Traverser Turnout" in that it changes the track geometry over a short distance by moving sets of rails to align with the required track out. So whereas the normal 'traverser' moves all of the track, this design just moves a short section to give the required connection. The best way to imagine it, is to draw your track "in" and your track "outs" and then draw each connection separately (one "in" to one "out"). The TT is simply a sliding board that has each connection on it - and by sliding each into place the appropriate track geometry can be selected. (Hope this makes sense!).

There are actually several ways to implement this but the simplest keeps the different tracks separate (no rails cross) and this means that the traverser must move at least 63.5mm between each track 'out'. There will also be many ways to implement the system in terms of the 'mechanicals' of course. I'm still working on how exactly to best do this but will have a workable solution at the AGM.

Regards,

IanT

PS Been offline for over a month after deciding to move suppliers - it's not been a happy experience!   
Nothing's ever Easy - At least the first time around.