Hello Robert,

Just some comments on your posting about using Rokuhan sectional track for a “standard” Z-Bend end module.

I have used Rokuhan track in various places on my ZoCal modules and believe it to be great for running and for use on modules for shows. The wear and tear of moving, storing, setting up and tearing down with no problems demonstrates the robustness of the Rokuhan products. The turnouts I have used have been 100% trouble free from day one. I know the “purists” will lament the tie spacing, plastic ballast, etc but for excellent running it cannot be beat.

I have played with the idea of using it for “standard” end modules such as you have described but have always come to the conclusion that a little ingenuity would be required to make it work. It is a shame that the originators of the Z-Bend standard used English rather than metric measurements. I used Micro Trains flex track to get the 9” and 10” radius on my modules. I had to be very careful while bending the flex track and had to use even greater care when soldering and trimming the joiners. I mostly succeeded but there were a couple of spots that caused some locomotives to have a bit of difficulty due to sone narrow gauge spots. I have worked on them and they cause few problems anymore.

In reviewing your track plan for the end module, I believe you meant a 25mm section of R30 track not R3030.

I have done a few calculations that indicate that the 25mm straight section may be a bit long and might cause some misalignment when trying to achieve the standard 9” and 10” radius curves (18” and 20” dia curves) at the interface.

Using the conversion of 25.4mm = 1” I come up with the following:

18” spacing = 457.2mm

20” spacing = 508mm

For the inner circle:

R004 = 220mm R or 440mm D Add in the 25mm straight section and you get 465mm for center line to center line. When converted to English units you get 18.31” or about 18 5/16” I have no information to indicate if the too large diameter can be “fudged” into meeting the standard 18” without causing problems.

A similar analysis for the outer circle yields:

R014 = 245mm R = 490mm D. Adding the 25mm straight to get 515mm or 20.27 or about 20 1/4”. Once again I have no experience to say that the larger diameter and be fudged into meeting the standard 20”.

Of course there is always the option of trimming the 25mm straight section to meet the “exact" 18” and 20”. That would require trimming the inner straight by 7.8mm to a 17.2mm length and the outer straight by 7mm to a 18mm.

Of course there also the great catchall of the Marklin expansion tracks! :-)

Lindley Ruddick

On Jan 23, 2016, at 7:24 AM, 'andy_r+intelegence.com' andy_r@... [Z-Bend_Track] <Z-Bend_Track@...> wrote:

Just a reminder....

Almost everything you need to model US Z track realistically yourself,
whether, code 40 or code 55, is at



And of course downloadable PROTOTYPICALLY ACCURATE templates for
turnouts are at

<>

Andy

No tie plates yet though. Sorry ;)

On 1/22/2016 10:55 PM, elruddick@... [Z-Bend_Track] wrote:


Hello Robert,

Just some comments on your posting about using Rokuhan sectional track
for a “standard” Z-Bend end module.

I have used Rokuhan track in various places on my ZoCal modules and
believe it to be great for running and for use on modules for shows.
The wear and tear of moving, storing, setting up and tearing down with
no problems demonstrates the robustness of the Rokuhan products. The
turnouts I have used have been 100% trouble free from day one. I know
the “purists” will lament the tie spacing, plastic ballast, etc but
for excellent running it cannot be beat.

I have played with the idea of using it for “standard” end modules
such as you have described but have always come to the conclusion that
a little ingenuity would be required to make it work. It is a shame
that the originators of the Z-Bend standard used English rather than
metric measurements. I used Micro Trains flex track to get the 9” and
10” radius on my modules. I had to be very careful while bending the

On Jan 23, 2016, at 1:55 AM, elruddick@... [Z-Bend_Track] <Z-Bend_Track@...> wrote:

Hello Robert,

Just some comments on your posting about using Rokuhan sectional track for a “standard” Z-Bend end module.

I have used Rokuhan track in various places on my ZoCal modules and believe it to be great for running and for use on modules for shows. The wear and tear of moving, storing, setting up and tearing down with no problems demonstrates the robustness of the Rokuhan products. The turnouts I have used have been 100% trouble free from day one. I know the “purists” will lament the tie spacing, plastic ballast, etc but for excellent running it cannot be beat.?

I have played with the idea of using it for “standard” end modules such as you have described but have always come to the conclusion that a little ingenuity would be required to make it work. It is a shame that the originators of the Z-Bend standard used English rather than metric measurements. I used Micro Trains flex track to get the 9” and 10” radius on my modules. I had to be very careful while bending the flex track and had to use even greater care when soldering and trimming the joiners. I mostly succeeded but there were a couple of spots that caused some locomotives to have a bit of difficulty due to sone narrow gauge spots. I have worked on them and they cause few problems anymore.

In reviewing your track plan for the end module, I believe you meant a 25mm section of R30 track not R3030.

I have done a few calculations that indicate that the 25mm straight section may be a bit long and might cause some misalignment when trying to achieve the standard ?9” and 10” radius curves (18” and 20” dia curves) at the interface.

Using the conversion of 25.4mm = 1” I come up with the following:

18” spacing = 457.2mm

20” spacing = 508mm

For the inner circle:

R004 = 220mm R or 440mm D Add in the 25mm straight section and you get 465mm for center line to center line. When converted to English units you get 18.31” or about 18 5/16” I have no information to indicate if the too large diameter can be “fudged” into meeting the standard 18” without causing problems.

A similar analysis for the outer circle yields:

R014 = 245mm R = 490mm D. Adding the 25mm straight to get 515mm or 20.27 or about 20 1/4”. Once again I have no experience to say that the larger diameter and be fudged into meeting the standard 20”.

Of course there is always the option of trimming the 25mm straight section to meet the “exact"?18” and 20”. That would require trimming the inner straight by 7.8mm to a 17.2mm length and the outer straight by 7mm to a 18mm.

Of course there also the great catchall of the Marklin expansion tracks! :-)

Lindley Ruddick

Lindley you are absolutely correct. The R030 - 25mm track piece may be a bit long for the gap. There is always a fudge factor. If you put the straight in as is, it may push out the curves slightly. It should not account for too much. Or it may be an issue to cut the R030 to fit. I have not created the loops yet to test which is the better way to go. What I am more happy about is the fact that the basic loops can be achieved with only a little fudge factor. I plan on indicating this with my article.

What is more interesting to me is that the inner loop is 220mm and the outer loop 245mm. This is so important today when we push for better operations on broader curves. Additionally, you can add a 270mm loop to the outside of the 245mm without difficulty. I have already worked this out using Rokuhan.?

Rob

Ztrack Magazine Ltd.

Distributor for American Z Line

Full Throttle & Rokuhan

Authorized MTL,?InterMountain?

and Tenshodo dealer.

6142 Northcliff Blvd

Dublin OH 43016

(614) 764-1703

On Jan 23, 2016, at 1:55 AM, elruddick@... [Z-Bend_Track] <Z-Bend_Track@...> wrote:

Hello Robert,

Just some comments on your posting about using Rokuhan sectional track for a “standard” Z-Bend end module.

I have used Rokuhan track in various places on my ZoCal modules and believe it to be great for running and for use on modules for shows. The wear and tear of moving, storing, setting up and tearing down with no problems demonstrates the robustness of the Rokuhan products. The turnouts I have used have been 100% trouble free from day one. I know the “purists” will lament the tie spacing, plastic ballast, etc but for excellent running it cannot be beat.?

I have played with the idea of using it for “standard” end modules such as you have described but have always come to the conclusion that a little ingenuity would be required to make it work. It is a shame that the originators of the Z-Bend standard used English rather than metric measurements. I used Micro Trains flex track to get the 9” and 10” radius on my modules. I had to be very careful while bending the flex track and had to use even greater care when soldering and trimming the joiners. I mostly succeeded but there were a couple of spots that caused some locomotives to have a bit of difficulty due to sone narrow gauge spots. I have worked on them and they cause few problems anymore.

In reviewing your track plan for the end module, I believe you meant a 25mm section of R30 track not R3030.

I have done a few calculations that indicate that the 25mm straight section may be a bit long and might cause some misalignment when trying to achieve the standard ?9” and 10” radius curves (18” and 20” dia curves) at the interface.

Using the conversion of 25.4mm = 1” I come up with the following:

18” spacing = 457.2mm

20” spacing = 508mm

For the inner circle:

R004 = 220mm R or 440mm D Add in the 25mm straight section and you get 465mm for center line to center line. When converted to English units you get 18.31” or about 18 5/16” I have no information to indicate if the too large diameter can be “fudged” into meeting the standard 18” without causing problems.

A similar analysis for the outer circle yields:

R014 = 245mm R = 490mm D. Adding the 25mm straight to get 515mm or 20.27 or about 20 1/4”. Once again I have no experience to say that the larger diameter and be fudged into meeting the standard 20”.

Of course there is always the option of trimming the 25mm straight section to meet the “exact"?18” and 20”. That would require trimming the inner straight by 7.8mm to a 17.2mm length and the outer straight by 7mm to a 18mm.

Of course there also the great catchall of the Marklin expansion tracks! :-)

Lindley Ruddick

Hi:

I have made this module with 220 mm inner track and test the 25 mm rokuhan track, and doesn?t fit, i just have to cut a little MTL flex to fit in there... 18mm...

The same with the 245 outer track...