Points

[CallySleeperKid]

I am running a DCC set up, and wondered if anyone has any views on points? I have far to much stock now and am in desperate need of more sidings, and I have noticed that Bachmann points are a hell of a lot cheaper than Hornby, but is there any difference? Are they just as simple to 'DCC' with the little clips? at the moment they are going for £5.95 at Rails of Sheffield whereas your looking at around £8 for Hornby points in most places.

Also, I am quite interested in the Hornby express points but are they a standard length, the length of a double straight for example? or are they something that is a lot easier to fit in once I have a permanent base board down and can use flexi-track? Basically my trains are too long for switching tracks with the standard points, they quite often derail and look really unrealistic with a 9 car Pendolino swerving across.

Thanks for any advice, CSK

 

[rail-britain]

wondered if anyone has any views on points?

I collect points
However for model railways I would consider crossovers
I use only Peco track
For DCC electrofrog is the preferred option, especially in N gauge
Not only do they look more realistic but will help with slow running as you expect to see in a siding

If the siding is not in a scenic area, the setrack is perfectly acceptable and no additional parts are required, simply wire up all sides of the crossovers

 

[truckman060473]

I went down the wrong path of getting lots of Hornby express points, thinking because the curve is not as sharp as standard Hornby points, that rolling stock would not derail, but it can and does, because of the construction error on nearly all Hornby points where the position of the check rail is fractions of a mm out. It causes the flange on the other wheel to ride up the frog and de-rail. I recently bought some Peco electrofrog points and must say that in the last few weeks of testing, not one 4 wheel, bogie wagon or coach has derailed on them. They must be wired carefully to avoid shorts but when done right even 0-4-0 locos will run through them slowly without stalling. I will say though, that they are more complicated to wire for DCC than standard DC control, where you need switches to alter the polarity of the "frog"

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I am running a DCC set up, and wondered if anyone has any views on points? I have far to much stock now and am in desperate need of more sidings, and I have noticed that Bachmann points are a hell of a lot cheaper than Hornby, but is there any difference? Are they just as simple to 'DCC' with the little clips? at the moment they are going for £5.95 at Rails of Sheffield whereas your looking at around £8 for Hornby points in most places.

Also, I am quite interested in the Hornby express points but are they a standard length, the length of a double straight for example? or are they something that is a lot easier to fit in once I have a permanent base board down and can use flexi-track? Basically my trains are too long for switching tracks with the standard points, they quite often derail and look really unrealistic with a 9 car Pendolino swerving across.

Thanks for any advice, CSK

Bachmann track should be a match in the same way as Peco Setrack should be.

Express points look better than the standard points, but are not exactly standard length. The straight section is a single straight (R600) and two short straights (R610) in length. The curved part is basically a large radius curve (R628) from the 'toe' plus two short straights (R610) on the diverging end.

If you are going to the lengths of buying flexible track you might want to consider using Peco streamline points instead.

 

[GB]

I collect points
However for model railways I would consider crossovers

Huh?

He needs more sidings therefore requires more points. No one mentioned crossovers (which technically have a different function).

 

[rail-britain]

Huh?

Points make prizes
Trains go on crossovers, even Network Rail refer to the intersections as crossovers, not one mention of "points"

 

[GB]

Well I hear and read of "points failures" everyday on national rail infrastructure both by Network Rail and the rest of the industry. Ive never heard the term "crossover failue". Similary ive never heard the term or phrase "the crossover is flashing out of correspondence " but rather "the points are flashing out of correspondence". The rule book, ballast notices and WONs and PONs (amongst other official documents) all make frequent mention to both points and crossovers.

 

[CallySleeperKid]

In all honesty I thought crossover was an American term?

Im a points man myself.

 

[truckman060473]

A crossover is a pair of points used to change a train from one track to another. a single point or "switch" in a siding is not a crossover

 

[hairyhandedfool]

Actually, 'points' refers to 'point blades', hence 'a set of points'. sets of points allow trains to take a diverging route.

'Crossovers' refers to 'two sets of points' that allow a train to change from one running line to another.

One or more 'crossovers' and/or 'sets of points' form a 'junction'.