·
When the
tops of the endplates are tilted “inward” toward the body of the module,
the ends of adjoining module track winds up further away from each other
than the nominal 2”, requiring custom-length bridge rails to be made
on-the-fly and really slowing down setup time.
And a large, unsightly gap in the scenery occurs as well.
·
When the
tops of the endplates are tilted “outward” away from the body of the
module, there is a tendency during setup to tighten the C-clamp all the
way down to force the bottoms of the end plates together.
This puts a lot of pressure on the end plate as the bottom edge
tries to flex outward which may break or loosen framework joints, etc.
·
Additionally, endplates that are not perpendicular to the module track
cause problems by introducing sharp kinks in the trackwork as it passes
to the next module. Only
the 2” long bridge rails are available to smooth out the kink, which is
not enough length to handle anything but the slightest
non-perpendicularity.
·
Any
warping or twisting of endplates will also introduce variations and/or
combinations of the above problems.
2.
End plates on existing modules, as well
as during construction of new modules, can be checked using a
carpenter’s “L” square.
One leg of the square is placed flat on
the rail top while the other leg is allowed to hang down over the end
plate vertically. Gaps
between the L-leg and the endplate then reveal problems in the vertical
direction (tilt inward or outward).
Corrections can be made by carefully measuring and marking the
endplate and removing material with a hand plane, belt sander, etc., to
make the end plate perpendicular to the track vertically.
3.
For flatness, a 24” straight-edge may be
used.
Slowly pass it over all areas of the
endplate, watching for any revealing gaps between straight-edge and
endplate. These gaps will
show where the “low spots” are on the endplate.
Carefully measure and mark the endplate and remove material to
knock down the “high spots’, with frequent re-checks to avoid taking off
too much material.
4.
Testing for track perpendicularity to
endplate horizontally can also be done with the carpenter’s “L” square.
Position with one leg against the side
of the rail and the other leg along the length of the endplate (pointing
at the module side).
Correcting problems in this case is more difficult.
Either the track must be corrected or the endplate must be
corrected. Of the two, it
seems the track would be easier to adjust, although on a finished,
ballasted module, even that is a daunting task.
5.
The best solution is to avoid these
errors in the first place.
When constructing end plates and module
frames, double and triple check that endplates are flat and vertically
perpendicular to the track subroadbed.
6.
When laying the track, make absolutely
certain that it is horizontally perpendicular to the endplate surface.
The material used for endplates should
be carefully considered.
Experience has shown that pine dimensional lumber is not stable enough.
It can warp and twist even after being assembled into a module.
High quality plywood is a better choice.
Other materials may work as well.
Railroad Model Craftsman, February 2011, included an article on the used of locating pins for aligning adjacent modules. While this approach isn't suitable for inter-modules joints, it may be well suited for intra-module joints between segments of a multi-segment module when combined with the "loose-rail" approach. Here are photos of the pins and their installation.