Code 100 concrete points

[Forum-1211528]

I am building a modern image WCML layout and I was have bought code 100 concrete Sleeper points but I found the stupidly enough, the Manufactuer doesn’t produc code 100 concrete sleeper points to go with the code 100 concrete flex track, i have Hornby wooden sleeper points but it doesn’t look good with concrete sleepe track, I was wondering if anyone has a soulution?.

[Chrissaf]

Do we have to guess ... or just assume that the Manufacturer you are referring to is PECO?

 

EDIT: I have been waiting to see what others posted, but so far nobody has offered a definitive solution. So I offer this reply for consideration.

 

If you are referring to PECO, then I suggest you ring PECO and ask them what plans they have, if any, to expand the concrete range. As far as I can see, they only do two medium radius points with concrete sleepers and those are both Code 75 rail.

 

Off hand I am not aware of any other brands of ready made points that are concrete in Code 100. If you really must have concrete Code 100, then you may have to commission them from a specialist track making company, but these would cost an absolute fortune. I have seen custom track making companies advertising in the model rail magazines.

 

Not ideal, but you could perhaps try to colour match the concrete sleepers and paint the black wooden ones. The profile of the sleeper won't be correct, but they could be buried in ballast to disguise them as much as possible. I suppose it is how much accuracy do you actually want.

 

[jane1707819582]

Wax filler strips ??

[Forum-1211528]

Do we have to guess ... or just assume that the Manufacturer you are referring to is PECO?

Yes

[The Doc]

I suppose you could paint the sleepers a concrete colour?  Bit of a tedious job, but the simplest solution.

[Ruffnut Thorston]

The thing is that, originally, BR did not tend to use concrete sleepers for points and crossings, as it was thought that the concrete sleepers would lack the flexibility of timber sleepers.

 

Points and crossings use longer length sleepers, and the earlier types of concrete sleeper may have cracked under the stresses encountered  in points and crossings, especially the longer length ones required.

 

BR used timber sleepers for the points and crossings, and concrete for the plain track.

 

More recently, I have heard of concrete sleeper points and crossings. Maybe technology has improved.

 

As it is, I think, a more recent development, maybe PECO have yet to properly catch up?

 

[Forum-1211528]

Do we have to guess ... or just assume that the Manufacturer you are referring to is PECO?

 

EDIT: I have been waiting to see what others posted, but so far nobody has offered a definitive solution. So I offer this reply for consideration.

 

If you are referring to PECO, then I suggest you ring PECO and ask them what plans they have, if any, to expand the concrete range. As far as I can see, they only do two medium radius points with concrete sleepers and those are both Code 75 rail.

 

Off hand I am not aware of any other brands of ready made points that are concrete in Code 100. If you really must have concrete Code 100, then you may have to commission them from a specialist track making company, but these would cost an absolute fortune. I have seen custom track making companies advertising in the model rail magazines.

 

Not ideal, but you could perhaps try to colour match the concrete sleepers and paint the black wooden ones. The profile of the sleeper won't be correct, but they could be buried in ballast to disguise them as much as possible. I suppose it is how much accuracy do you actually want.

 

What are the names of those custom track manufacturer

[Forum-1211528]

The thing is that, originally, BR did not tend to use concrete sleepers for points and crossings, as it was thought that the concrete sleepers would lack the flexibility of timber sleepers.

 

Points and crossings use longer length sleepers, and the earlier types of concrete sleeper may have cracked under the stresses encountered  in points and crossings, especially the longer length ones required.

 

BR used timber sleepers for the points and crossings, and concrete for the plain track.

 

More recently, I have heard of concrete sleeper points and crossings. Maybe technology has improved.

 

As it is, I think, a more recent development, maybe PECO have yet to properly catch up?

 

Is this still found on modern railways today with wooden points?. 

[RDS]

@Mctrains

Please type in the white area at the bottom of the screen and select the green icon to reply. 

It is not necessary to repeat the previous post each time you reply (which happens when you use the blue square).

[96RAF]

These track specialists all advertise in the back of every UK model railway magazine. Likely overseas magazines have their own local specialist manufacturers‘ listngs.

 

The other option is to make your own - maybe 3-D printed sleepers could incorporate the existing code 100 points tracks.

 This is the best picture I could find of a modern junction - photo credit Network Rail. The sleepers look very plain, so easily made from a variety of material stock.

 

/media/tinymce_upload/0f6bc2de145cbafb550318be73c3bc64.JPG

[ColinB]

I get the opinion that Peco's direction is code 75, so any enhancements to code 100 track seem not to happen. If you look at their code 100 long crossing, you will see what I mean it has been the same since the 80's and it has so much plastic in the frog area that most trains stall. They improved it substantially on their code 75 track but did they retrofit it to theit code 100 track, no. I agree with the previous contributer concrete sleepers did seem to only occur on straight lengths of track, and even now the railway line where I live has the "up" track with concrete sleepers whereas the "down" track has wooden ones. It is probably that when they fit any new track they use concrete sleepers. 

[LCDR]

/media/tinymce_upload/b540eae2f5837876d5ae7b029c3f8453.JPG

Wooden sleeper points in stretches of concrete sleeper plain line was (and still is) very common. 

 

Concrete rail bearers used in points have to be specially cast to accomodate the fastenings used to hold down the rails so it is cheaper just to keep a small number of sizes and use standard turnouts than to put in bespoke sets of P&C. Where non-standard geometry is required  it is still normal to use wooden point timbers.