Everything on model trains, model railroads, model railways, locomotives, model train layouts, scenery, wiring, DCC and more. Enjoy the world's best hobby... model railroading!
Ideas for Lift-Up Sections Wanted
New member to the club Jason asks readers for advice:
“I am in the process of constructing my HO layout using flexitrack and would like to incorporate a couple lift-up track sections on slides or hinges for easy access. I would be grateful for any ideas people have”
Add your comment to assist Jason.
If you would like to ask a question for publication on the blog, please use the special link in the right column. Please note: only the best (well-worded, well-thoughtout) questions get published. Please include clear details and check spelling etc before submitting your question to the blog moderator for consideration.
8 Responses to Ideas for Lift-Up Sections Wanted
Leave a Reply
SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION
Download Your Free Catalog
Use Tiny Railroad Micro Controllers
Model Train Help Ebook
I’d love to follow this message and it’s replies…I really am getting too old to keep ducking under my layout!
Matthew
YOU ‘N’ ME BOTH, PAL!
Lay your track over the lift-out sections, affix it to the board making sure that there is absolutely no sideways stress in the track where it passes over the joint. This may require extra pins to hold it in alignment. Then at the joint in the boards, cut the rails directly above the joint. If done right, one should have no trouble with derailments. Don’t forget to incorporate a method for providing power to the lift-out section.
If there is any sideways stress in the track, the rails won’t line up after they are cut.
As Peter says lay the track as normal over the section to be removable. However before you cut the track place small strips of copper backed PCB board under either side of the proposed cut line. Pin the PCB board to the baseboard, copper side up. Then solder both rails of the track to the copper. Cut the copper between the rails so that they don’t short circuit across the rails. You can now cut the track rails so that the section is removable. It is also important that the removable section always goes back into the same position. Simple hard-wooden dowels slotting into receiving holes are sufficient for home. For a more resilient setup you can use dye makers steel dowel. There are lots of guidance with pictures on the internet. The main thing is take the time to get things lined up accurately and then have a means of repeatedly getting back the accurate alignment to ensure no derailments.
Since I believe that you want to use this idea for a section that is in front of a doorway, have you thought of attaching the section as if it was a door? By affixing the section with a strong hinge, you can swing it open instead of lifting it out. I suggest this idea because some of us who have arthritis can not list heavy things or hold heavy things for more than a few moments.
If your lift out section is like mine it could be to heavy to lift out by hand as I have four tracks and scenery incorporating a river and bridges etc. so I use an old bumper screw type jack and attached the movable section to the piece that use to attach to the bumper and the rest attached to the stationary part of the bench work. By screwing the nut on the top of the jack I am able to lift it and then swing the section out of the way once it is clear of the scenery. the support for the jack is made of angle iron that is heavy enough to support to section with out allowing it to bend. The other end of the lift out section is positioned by having a V section made of steel so that it will sit back into the exact position. the jack lines up the other end .The electrical connections are hard wired in at the jack end with enough slack in the wires so that they do not pull on the joints and are positioned under the base board.
I installed a counterbalance system. It has worked flawless to date. It did though take 2 months to build working on it about every evening. Every rail on the three tracks were cut at different lengths as you will see. One of the videos will show the trains crossing it, is The Heavy Freight on the Shrine Hill Railroad which is a 40 foot HO Freight train with three engines in front and a pusher on the back. I will be building a lift gate on the main level above it in the very near future and will be counterbalanced. Both gates will be latched with Cabinet magnets and eventually have micro switches to cut power to the tracks on each side of the gate if the gate or lift bridge are agar or opened. The insulators have already been installed in the rails for this gate and ready to wire through the micro switch when it is done. from Newman
Hinged section: use removable pin hinges for convenience in building, wiring and maintenance.
Hinges sit on top of the panel, and can be camouflaged with trees or removable buildings etc.
Build the flap across the gap and make sure it is level and moves happily BEFORE you start placing track and scenery and wiring.
Have a limit stop to prevent the flap going right over on top of the next section !
And a secure catch to stop it falling down on your coffee and cookies as you walk past !