Adding a Run-Around – Part 1

 Run-arounds are an important feature required to undertake switching operations. Southern Railway 1966 includes two passing sidings that also act as run-arounds for normal switching operations. During public shows though, switching operations foul the relatively short mainline. To increase play-value during shows a larger project to link Cordele Yard and Americus Yard is underway. The first phase is to add a run-around within Cordele Yard.

Southern Railway 1966 is constructed on 50 mm (2″) extruded, air-blown, polystyrene encased in a 9mm plywood chassis. This has proven very versatile and easy to work with. One weakness is mounting turnout motors. My workaround is to mount turnouts on 6mm plywood. As I do with all my trackwork, I use artist’s binder medium to glue the turnout to the ply and sub-roadbed. This has proven very versatile and easy to release with warm “wet” water.

I use Peco Code 88 USA Line track, DCC Concepts Cobalt iP Digital switch machines and Gaugemaster AutoFrogs for frog juicing.

I drill a 7mm hole below the centre of the tie-bar and countersink the hole on the underside  to ensure free movement of the throw wire.

The location for the new turnouts was identified and the existing ballast and trackwork was released with warm “wet” water and cleaned up with a vacuum cleaner.

The rebate/recess required for the ply was created using a sharp wide chisel and hole cut for the switch machine using a utility knife. As can be seen from the photographs I need to remove some of the plywood used to construct the module.

To be continued…