Page 13 - January February 2000

the time switching is being carried out, and not slid in and out as on certain layouts where the action is quicker.
There is nothing new about cassettes these days - many exhibition layouts use them. When they appeared on the exhibition scene in the 80’s, they aroused interest, and began to appear on layouts that would have been better suited to other designs of storage siding.
This type of cassette consists of aluminium angle glued with impact adhesive to 4ft. lengths of “Plastiglaze”, both available from large B&Q stores. Each unit slides under wood blocks which hold it in place laterally. Electrical feed to each aluminium angle is via steel rods which are springy enough to make contact. In P87 it is important to get good alignment of the
Electrics and Storage Sidings for Federal St.
in P87
John Wright
Now that all the track is laid, I have turned my attention to my least favourite aspect of modelling, wiring and electrics.
The oddly shaped panel is designed to be used on both sides of the layout without having to be read in inverted mode. The layout is designed to be worked from the front while retaining the more traditional option. Two reasons prompted this; firstly, having modelled British outline for so many years, I took for granted a certain degree of knowledge amongst the viewing public at exhibitions. They were comfortable with what they were seeing . Not so with American outline. I don’t know if other members have had this experience but I found you have to work hard to keep the viewers’ attention when they didn’t recognise what they were looking at. Operating from the front of the layout allows a rapport to be built up with anyone who cares to get involved.
Secondly I find the waybill system of freight car operation so fascinating that I want to share it, and give folk an idea of what makes American modelling tick for me. The Panel: The curved fascia is simply a piece of plastic guttering. The track plan is drawn by computer and attached with photomount spray. The covering is a clear Fablon type material. Push buttons operate the electro-magnets already described in Roundhouse. Turnouts use DPDT switches. One side of the DPDT switch is for frog polarity, the other is for TOU operation.
Electric feed is from an ex-aircraft multi- plug, from a ground- positioned transformer box. SCART cables and plugs transfer power to the layout.
CASSETTE STORAGE SIDINGS
Federal St. is suitable for the use of individual cassette- type storage siding units because each one will be in place all
angle to the soldered trackwork at the start of the layout proper. Fine adjustment of cassette height was effected by building up layers of thin parcel tape.
TURNOUT OPERATING UNITS
The “Scale Shops” TOU’s are available singly or in packs of 6 or 12, from Walthers etc. or direct from Scale Shops, 713 Vista Way, Prescott, Az. 86303, USA. E-mail Bruce Stuhl at: brucesx@northlink.com or tel: 520 776 4449.
I use my own method of driving the tiebars using 0.9mm brass rod incorporating a ‘Z’ bend. A hole is drilled for the rod in the act block (that’s the owl-like moulding with its “two eyes and two ears”. ) A stop is soldered each side to allow free movement when the motor does its stuff. You can order extra contacts too. Each rod travels in a trench cut in the cork underlay. For access, I prefer any TOU’s to be above baseboard if at all possible. Allowance is made for this at the design stage.
Federal St. will see my first application of these units. Some time ago I set up a test rig and the turnout involved has undergone several hundred throws and is still working well. Time will tell if the investment is justified! ●
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