Laying Cobblestone Sheeting Around Points

Artisan · October 25, 2019, 11:50:36 AM

I am create a small 4 foot by one foot shelf layout which features a dockside scene. The track will be from end to end forming a shunting area. I want to lay cobbles which are printed on card on either side of the track and in between the rails to give the impression of a yard with the track set level with what would be the cobbles surface. I know that I will need to raise either side of the track with card to compensate for the height of the sleeps and and strips of cobble sheets between the rails but I am at a loss how to create the same impression when it comes to the points. Of course, around the outside of the points won't be a problem but looking at the working mechanism of the points I can't see how I can lay the sheeting between the rails. The track I am using is Peco Streamline track and points.

As I can not see how it can be achieved if anybody could give me some advice on laying cobble sheeting between the rails on points or let me know if it something that can't be done I would very grateful.

PLD · October 25, 2019, 07:57:00 PM

On the prototype, it was common to use a tramway style grooved point blade and housing which is difficult to model, so cobbles could be laid right up to the edge of the housing.

The prototype does offer a couple of other options though.
Easiest is simply don't cobble in the area of the Point blades! and leave it as open sleepers.
The other option is tarmac or concrete around the blades with just sufficient space left for the blades to move across.

port perran · October 25, 2019, 08:09:25 PM

I had a very similar problem with the harbour on Trepol Bay.
I went with the same method that PLD suggested ie leave the point area open.

ntpntpntp · October 25, 2019, 08:12:35 PM

Remember to make sure the card sits slightly lower than the top of the rail, so that you can clean the track with a track rubber (or whatever) without scraping the cobbles.

Here's where I'm currently working on representing a grating at a diesel fueling point (it's not perfect as I've actually used brick sheet panted silver-ish and then weathered, but from normal viewing distances it does the job

)

The trick with having a point embedded is to cut the centre pieces of card narrow enough to allow the blades to throw across. I had to do this with a level crossing which has a point embedded. It looks a bit ugly with the wide gaps, but it works.

I'll try and find a photo to illustrate - unfortunately the only one I've got loaded to the gallery at present has a loco sitting on the point in question

ntpntpntp · October 25, 2019, 08:19:56 PM

.... hmm, tricky to find a clear shot. This is a corner of a larger photo. Basically there are two long/thin triangles on the "outside" of the closures rails extending down as far as the blade pivots, then a narrow piece in the middle between the blades.

I would go and take a clear snap, but the layout is all crated up in my garage at the moment.

ntpntpntp · October 25, 2019, 08:47:49 PM

This is the only other shot I can find which includes the point. To make life more complicated, it's a curved point so took some trial and error to get the pieces correct. One trick I used is to colour the top of the rails with marker pen then press the card or plastic sheet onto it to take an imprint of the rails, which you can then use as a cutting guide. This was all done back in 1995, still working fine

Zoom in....

Artisan · October 26, 2019, 09:37:59 AM

Quote from: PLD on October 25, 2019, 07:57:00 PM
On the prototype, it was common to use a tramway style grooved point blade and housing which is difficult to model, so cobbles could be laid right up to the edge of the housing.

The prototype does offer a couple of other options though.
Easiest is simply don't cobble in the area of the Point blades! and leave it as open sleepers.
The other option is tarmac or concrete around the blades with just sufficient space left for the blades to move across.

Thank you for your advice. I did wonder if not laying cobbles in areas of the points might be an option and it is interesting to read that is how you proceeded with your layout. As my layout is a small 'winter project' and there are not too many sets of points I will leave them un-cobbled as suggested.

Thank you for the advice. It does help to know beforehand that leaving the points un-cobbled will not look too out of place.

Artisan · October 26, 2019, 09:39:24 AM

Quote from: port perran on October 25, 2019, 08:09:25 PM
I had a very similar problem with the harbour on Trepol Bay.
I went with the same method that PLD suggested ie leave the point area open.

Thank you. I will go with that!

Artisan · October 26, 2019, 09:44:04 AM

Quote from: ntpntpntp on October 25, 2019, 08:47:49 PM
This is the only other shot I can find which includes the point. To make life more complicated, it's a curved point so took some trial and error to get the pieces correct. One trick I used is to colour the top of the rails with marker pen then press the card or plastic sheet onto it to take an imprint of the rails, which you can then use as a cutting guide. This was all done back in 1995, still working fine

Zoom in....

Thank you for the wealth of information in your posts. Very helpful. By the way, I love the layout!