{"id":1945,"date":"2013-01-20T12:35:50","date_gmt":"2013-01-20T20:35:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/?p=1945"},"modified":"2021-02-06T09:18:53","modified_gmt":"2021-02-06T17:18:53","slug":"switch-works-lessons-learne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/2013\/01\/20\/switch-works-lessons-learne\/","title":{"rendered":"Switch-Works Lessons Learned"},"content":{"rendered":"<div\n    class=\"pld-like-dislike-wrap pld-template-2\">\n    <div class=\"pld-like-wrap  pld-common-wrap\">\n    <a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"\n       class=\"pld-like-trigger pld-like-dislike-trigger \"\n       title=\"\"\n       data-post-id=\"1945\"\n       data-trigger-type=\"like\"\n       data-restriction=\"ip\"\n       data-already-liked=\"0\">\n                           <i class=\"fas fa-heart\"><\/i>\n                    <\/a>\n    <span class=\"pld-like-count-wrap pld-count-wrap\">    <\/span>\n<\/div><\/div><p>I&#8217;ve finished assembling my first Proto:87 turnout using the Switch-Works Turnout Building fixture. It took about a month and I made many mistakes along the way. So I wanted to share what I learned.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Fix the ties down to the plastic backing strip using barge cement<\/span>. I first tried to just Press-N-Seal plastic wrap, but they don&#8217;t hold the ties firmly in position and you end up with a lot of play in the ties.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Paint your ties before installing the tie plates<\/span>. This allowed&nbsp;me to get the ends and and sides pretty thoroughly, which would be more difficult to do after the rails and ties were installed.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Do not pre-weather the tie plates<\/span>. It makes it impossible to tell which side is the top side, because you can&#8217;t see the raised detail.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Make a pointy tool out of an old piece of rail to&nbsp;place the tie plates<\/span>. Steel tools don&#8217;t work well with all the magnets around the workpiece.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Super glue the tie plates<\/span>. I started by affixing each tie plate with a dab of 15 minute epoxy to each tie. Epoxy doesn&#8217;t set up quick enough to prevent the tie plates from sliding out of position.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">An 80W soldering iron doesn&#8217;t do a good job soldering frogs together<\/span>. I&#8217;ve made three frogs and&nbsp;all needed some after work, because they weren&#8217;t completely soldered. I think I&#8217;ll order my frogs pre-soldered from Andy from now on.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Install both stock rails before installing the frog<\/span>. I installed just the curved one (as the instructions indicate) and therefore only had one reference for installing the frog. I ended up having to pull the frog off and push it backward because it didn&#8217;t line up well with the straight stock rail after I installed that. Since this is basically a jig and the position of the curved and stock rails are set, it makes best&nbsp;sense to use both as a reference when installing the frog.<\/li>\n<li>Get some gauges. I only have the Proto:87 stores flat gauge. I ordered some <a title=\"Railway Engineering - Rollee Holders\" href=\"http:\/\/www.railwayeng.com\/gauges.htm\">Rollee Holders <\/a>from Railway Engineering, and I am also considering getting some gauges from <a title=\"DD Wheelwrights - Proto:87\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ddwheelwrights.com\/\">DD Wheelwrights<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Buy some nut bolt washer (NBW)&nbsp;casting for the frog<\/span>. The frog details from Proto:87 Stores are a little too uniform and low relief for my tastes. I bought some plastic&nbsp;NBW&nbsp;from Tichy #8144.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Don&#8217;t bother using PCB ties<\/span>. I thought that maybe the turnout would need the extra rigidity some select PCB ties would add, but I don&#8217;t think they made much of a difference, my future turnouts will use just wood ties.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Don&#8217;t install the bolt head detail to the points prior to installation<\/span>. It makes it impossible to find the hole drilled for the point bar.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">I have no idea how to Proto:87&nbsp;make the throw-bars work<\/span>. I couldn&#8217;t get them to work with the Superfine turnout I built either. I opted to solder the points to a throw-bar, but it cannot be soldered directly, as it will not allow the points to fully set in place. Instead soldered point bars to the points, held the points in place, then soldered the point bars to a to a PC board. I&#8217;m still trying to find a long term solution, maybe I can get the next set to work as designed.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Add jewelry<\/span>. I already mentioned the NBW castings, but I also ordered joint bars \/ fishplates from Details West in plastic and pewter (Don&#8217;t try to solder the pewter ones, they melt immediately into sticky goo). I also ordered adjustable and rigid rail braces from Details West, I&#8217;m not sure I like how they look though. Proto:87 makes rail braces, and they look&nbsp;really good, just not so much how my prototype looks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Making so many mistakes&nbsp;is discouraging. But overall, it&#8217;s been a very rewarding experience.&nbsp;I&#8217;m still determined to get it right.&nbsp;I&#8217;ve already started on my second turnout.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-1945 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-146.jpg'><img width=\"200\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-146-200x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Switch-Works Built - Proto:87 Turnout Points and Braces\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1950\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-146-200x150.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-146-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-146.jpg 996w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1950'>\n\t\t\t\tSwitch-Works Built &#8211; Proto:87 Turnout Points and Braces\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-145.jpg'><img width=\"200\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-145-200x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Switch-Works Built - Proto:87 Turnout Frog and Guard Rails\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1949\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-145-200x150.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-145-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-145.jpg 996w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1949'>\n\t\t\t\tSwitch-Works Built &#8211; Proto:87 Turnout Frog and Guard Rails\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-144.jpg'><img width=\"200\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-144-200x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Switch-Works Built - Proto:87 Turnout\" loading=\"lazy\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-1948\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-144-200x150.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-144-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/SwitchWorks-144.jpg 996w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-1948'>\n\t\t\t\tSwitch-Works Built &#8211; Proto:87 Turnout\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"pvc_stats total_only \" data-element-id=\"1945\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> &nbsp;3,716&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;ve finished assembling my first Proto:87 turnout using the Switch-Works Turnout Building fixture. It took about a month and I&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1950,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0},"categories":[142,103],"tags":[106,156,104,108],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1945"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1945"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1945\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2596,"href":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1945\/revisions\/2596"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gregamer.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}