ok, how do you fill in the gaps?
is it best to buy replacement sleepers with the grooves cut into them and slide them under the track?
it's generally where the track joiners / power feeds are that there are some gaps in the sleepers, so these are tricky areas to get replacement sleepers under...
thanks
tim
Peco sell packs of single sleepers. Item No. SL-308F for the wooden variety.
I just use leftover sleepers from flexitrack offcuts, snip off the chair and slide them under the fishplates.
Quote from: Chris on October 04, 2011, 08:37:59 PM
I just use leftover sleepers from flexitrack offcuts, snip off the chair and slide them under the fishplates.
I do the same :thumbsup:
I find I have to do alot of fettling to get some of the sleepers to fit. That's my fault: I solder fishplates to the toe-end of points and then solder droppers to those, so the droppers get in the way.
On the rare occasion where I have two plain lengths of track joined together (where the droppers are soldered in the middle of each piece of track) I use the special fishplates that Peco sell, which slide nicely under the rails. I'd recommend this is done before glueing track down.......
QuotePeco sell packs of single sleepers. Item No. SL-308F for the wooden variety.
i think i will need these then
i tried to use a spare sleeper but it wouldnt fit and i think i'd need to file it down and cut it loads to get it to slide under the track...
cheers
tim
Yeah, the special sleepers have notches on them to allow the bases of the rail and the plastic moulding around them to sit correctly. Once inserted these sleepers blend nicely with those of the track itself. You'll find that Code 55 points already have these special sleepers, on spigots ready to cut off and insert once the points are laid.
To solve this problem I use standard sleepers from flexitrack. I cut the ends off at the outer rail clip then glue them in position. I similarly cut the central section to fit. This is all done after the track has been laied and electrically tested (just in case I need to get to the solder joint). Can be a bit fiddly but when soldering wires to the bases of fishplates you are not left many options. Once ballast is glued the new sleeper is rock solid.
Elmo
Alternatives to the Peco sleepers for the gaps exist.
If your using code 80 track, matchsticks seem to be the same size.
You need to cut them to length obviously.
Then there's always thin strips of card.
So save your cornflakes boxes!
I've used both of these in the past and once painted and ballasted look fine.
It only close up that you see that there are no chairs!
Quote from: elmo on October 07, 2011, 09:20:26 AM
To solve this problem I use standard sleepers from flexitrack. I cut the ends off at the outer rail clip then glue them in position. I similarly cut the central section to fit. This is all done after the track has been laied and electrically tested (just in case I need to get to the solder joint). Can be a bit fiddly but when soldering wires to the bases of fishplates you are not left many options. Once ballast is glued the new sleeper is rock solid.
Elmo
Exactly the method I used, much less fiddly than trying to slide sleepers underneath the track :thumbsup:
Paul