POINTS FAILURE

[cedric_fairweather]

Hi all, just finished nailing all the track down and I have had a point fail. The link bar has come off so the rails wander about. This particular point is halfway round a 3 track layout and is where all 3 tracks link. I really dont want to pull up half the rails to replace this set of points. Can I slide the fishplates up the rails to give me room to lift the points?

[LCDR]

You may be able to slide the rail joiners although some may be fixed to the rails and may not slide. They will probabaly slide easier into ordinary track than into the points. A wiggle with a pair of fine nose pliers may help to shift them. It may be quicker / easier to cut the rail joiners at the joint with a fine blade in a Dremel, lift the offending point out, to give you more space to access the rail joiners. You will have to replace the joiners of course. 

 

If you haven't ballasted the track it may still be easier to un-pin sufficient rail sections on either side to give sufficient play to remove rail sections including the point, fiddly I know but more likely to be successful.

[LMSFan72]

I would dremel the track a couple of inches either side of the point (assuming only the row of the point joins another point, remove the point and those sections and replace the point and the small bits of track with flexi track. have the flexi track joined to the point and then have the fishplates on the open ends of the flexi track slid all the way onto the track. You can then slide the fishplates "off" the flexi track half way onto the existing track so you can rejoin the existing track very easily. I know a diagram would help but can't do that on my phone!

[walkingthedog]

I agree with LMS. I have gone back to the nearest joint to the toe end (single track) of the points and cut away the fishplates there. Then waggle the two tracks of the points free. Replace the points then the piece of track after cutting away some  sleepers so new fishplates  can be  slid clear  of the join. Slide the fishplates into place. Done. If there isn't a join nearby make one.

[96RAF]

Folk don’t seem to realise that if they cut a track anywhere then they can rejoin it using fishplates and the slide along method.

[walkingthedog]

I think the reason is because Hornby set track comes with  fishplates that are fixed in place and don't slide right along.