Tales from The Room of Doom. Dipping a toe in various bucolic backwaters.

Simon H

Western Thunderer
What points are you using, Rob? I'm guessing either the "medium" (12" radius) or Setrack (9" radius) Peco.
The layout I showed with the Rapido wagons on it uses the Setrack points, but not everything plays well on them as they're dead frog. I haven't been able to try a Sirdar on them yet...
I remember seeing Roy Link's original, ¼" scale Crowsnest in Railway Modeller when that issue came out, it must have been one of the first micro-layouts, though they weren't called that then. Aside from railway modelling, at the time I was also making up and adding detail to the Matchbox 1:76 AFV kits with their little diorama bases; Crowsnest to me seemed to combine the two varieties of modelling.
Simon.
 

Flaxfield

Western Thunderer
What points are you using, Rob? I'm guessing either the "medium" (12" radius) or Setrack (9" radius) Peco.
The layout I showed with the Rapido wagons on it uses the Setrack points, but not everything plays well on them as they're dead frog. I haven't been able to try a Sirdar on them yet...
I remember seeing Roy Link's original, ¼" scale Crowsnest in Railway Modeller when that issue came out, it must have been one of the first micro-layouts, though they weren't called that then. Aside from railway modelling, at the time I was also making up and adding detail to the Matchbox 1:76 AFV kits with their little diorama bases; Crowsnest to me seemed to combine the two varieties of modelling.
Simon.

Hi Simon.

I'm hoping to use one 'Y' point, a Peco SLE 497. I'm not keen on the Code 80 rail, and would prefer something lighter but I don't want to faff with building track etc so it is what it is.

I agree regarding Crowsnest. That's what attracted me to the idea of a really simplistic layout, which when you actually looked, Crowsnest was anything but, with each element being extremely well thought through and beautifully executed.

Rob
 

Simon H

Western Thunderer
Hi Simon.

I'm hoping to use one 'Y' point, a Peco SLE 497. I'm not keen on the Code 80 rail, and would prefer something lighter but I don't want to faff with building track etc so it is what it is.

I agree regarding Crowsnest. That's what attracted me to the idea of a really simplistic layout, which when you actually looked, Crowsnest was anything but, with each element being extremely well thought through and beautifully executed.

Rob
Unfortunately, there's never as far as I know been a realistic prospect of finer 009 track from Peco, in the manner of the N gauge (and, latterly, TT:120) Code 55 with its double based rail...I remember some natter about it in the 1990s but it never came to anything. Some 009ers have used the N gauge Code 55 track, cutting out alternate sleepers which is doable as the track base is pretty robust, but it's a bit of a faff.
Part of the problem is that until fairly recently much 009 still used ancient chassis with deep wheel flanges. I haven't tried the Shinohara track that @alastairq has linked to above.
The Peco Crazy track can actually look pretty good, provided it's suitably disguised with paint, ballast, and other subterfuges...that Y point is a pretty good choice.
Good luck!
Simon.
 

Simon H

Western Thunderer
I've just dug this up from my YouTube channel...
When Peco launched the Setrack points, there was quite a bit of disappointment that they weren't live or Uni frog, but dead frog. The above shows that modern chassis with flywheels etc. will run through them, though live frogs will be a lot more reliable.
Simon.
 
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