Just sorting out track, cleaning it and soldering on droppers to the straits and curves.
The points are in poor condition and the blades do not pick up the current reliably because the contacts under the blades are badly corroded.
It is normal practice to feed the point from the toe but that needs good contacts to work.
What I’m contemplating doing is to solder droppers on to the two stock rails and the two frog rails at the other end. My tester shows this will provide power to the closure rails and the blades.
That's fine.. But note it of course means the points two exit tracks are always live, rather than being switched by the point blades position. So do bear that in mind as it may cause issues with tracks further along after the point!
The alternative, is to solder onto the underside of the points rails between each stock rail and adjacent closure rail a link wire, then consider also to extend the link wires so as they become droppers and feed both sides rails of the point from the controller.
Suggested method..
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Broken? It was working correctly when I left it.
Âbout thirty years ago I queried the adjustment of the tabs which go under the stock rails with Hornby's service dept. The answer was that they were totally ineffective, they would eliminate them when the tools were render but for the time being should be pressed down to avoid them making contact. It left the rails beyond the point dependant on the blade to stock rail contact. It was never a very satisfactory arrangement. I swapped them out for Peco short streamline.
Thanks flash, that’s a good idea using one link-dropper to connect both positives and both negative closure rails as you show much neater. As you say it looks like I will have to insulate between inner and outer ovals etc.
Thanks very much it was a great help.
Dave.
PS thanks Buffer you must have posted while I was replying to Flash!
Interesting that Hornby knew of the problem, wonder if they have solved it now?
Rather than starting a new thread I thought I would add to this one.
Does anyone know what make these points are, there is no name just a number N/3050 <18? And are they better of worse than the Hornby?
Although they seem to have better blade contacts than the Hornby I can’t see an easy way of bypassing the contacts with droppers.
Hi Rob, yes you are right the points have two crossover wires built in that give power to the exits. The problem is that the blades rely on wiper contacts to power the blades, this looks to be a problem area. I have cleaned up the contacts and do now have continuity but the connection has a resistance. I can’t see an easy way to power the blades other than flexible wires soldered to them. Hoping some one has found a solution.
You don't need flexible wire. The point blades are held rigid in three chairs near the frog so you can solder wires on there as one option. If there's a good connection between the point blade and exit rail the other side of the frog , then making the connection to the exit rail is probably the easier choice.
These look like old Roco to me, or a clone of their design.
Thanks Bigmet, yes the points blades are held in place by three sleeper that slide from side to side on top of a steel plate. Not sure what holds the plate in place but if I can get it out it would be possible to make a connection through a slot cut in the plate to the blades.
But as you say probably best to make the connection to the exit rails and rely on the wiper connection to the blade even if it has some resistance.
I don't know who actually makes these points, but the identical one that I'm playing with is branded LIMA ITALY on the sleepers either side of the point tie bar. the rest of the markings are the same. They were fitted with a wire spring, dark grey nearly black metal between the stock rails and blades. There's a spring somewhere in the coil enclosure on the side, as although the blades are locked over, it's possible to push the wheels through against the springing of the blades. I'm currently experimenting with some very thin aluminium foil moulded and rubbed down hard into the frog to produce an all metal live crossing. The testing is to determine how many times it can be cleaned before it needs renewing. If you wanted to make them "trailable" you would have to cut through the central rails between the frog and the hinges and put flexible links between the blades and the stock rails.
Thanks very much Buffer, I’ve had a closer look and the steel plate it’s held in place by three tabs that are bent over the sleepers. Not sure if there are springs above the plate and beneath the Check Rails hidden away. Or if they are working on the Tie Bar inside the operating slider. But as you say they can be pushed out of the way and then spring back.
That’s a good idea with the foil I might try that on some of the curved points that have very long frogs, how do you prevent them shorting out?
If you want to make it a live frog you have to bite the bullet and put in, insulated joiners on the V rails, a polarity switch to connect the V rails frog and centre rails** cut the centre rails before the hinges and bond the blades to the stock rail.
** I don't know a name for these bits of rail as they should really be part of the switch rails, the hinges are a modelling convenience, code 100 especially steel isn't springy enough for the point tips to flex.
Is this point worth saving? When I was modelling German N scale (40 years ago) I thought that Lima points were the spawn of the devil. Maybe newer HO scale points are better but they don't look it.
Hi Rob, these points are all pretty old, I bought a big box of Track for £40 and there where 41 sets of points in it plus masses of straits and curves.
With the help of the forum I’m enjoying getting it all back into shape and working. The points are now fitted and track is being layed again once the wiring is done we can see if it all works, I’m sure there will be new problems to sort and not all solutions will have been successful but if I wasn’t doing this I’d just be out fishing!
