Insulating joiner with Tomix 541-15 manual turnouts

[Kiran]

Can one of you please try to explain a blind guy how to use insulating joiners between 2 Tomix 541-15 manual turnouts? I figured out how to snap the joiner off the set. I also figured out that this some kind of T-shaped tool that also snaps off but I can't figure out what to do with it. I am guessing the joiner slides in somewhere between the 2 turnouts but can't figure out where.

 

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

P.S: I really need to get the Crockett club soon.

[kvp]

The metal joiner is pulled off carefully from the end of the metal rail and the insulating plastic joiner is slipped on instead. It's iportant to not break either and to protect the plastic stud in the roadbed.

[Kiran]

13 hours ago, kvp said:

The metal joiner is pulled off carefully from the end of the metal rail and the insulating plastic joiner is slipped on instead. It's iportant to not break either and to protect the plastic stud in the roadbed.

Can I pull the metal joiner by hand or do I need to use a tool to do it?

 

 

[brill27mcb]

The T-shaped tool is meant to be used to help remove the metal joiners. Turn a piece of track over. Under where the joiner is, there is a small hole is the roadbed. The metal joiner has an angled sprung prong on its flat base. When the joiner is pushed onto the rail, the end of this prong snaps down into this hole. When you try to remove the joiner, the angled prong prevents the joiner from moving. So the metal joiners are easy to put on, but very hand to remove.

 

You are supposed to insert one of the side "T" points into the hole to push the sprung prong upward and out of the way while you then push the joiner off the rail. That's the theory, but it takes about three hands and access to both the top and bottom of the track piece. With the metal joiner removed, you can then replace it with the plastic insulating joiner. I think the T-tool is supposed to look like the prototype track screw wrenches used when screws instead of spikes are used to secure the rails.

 

Maybe you can get someone to help you, since it takes three hands anyway!

 

I've had the idea for a simple tool, but have yet to try making one. It would be a flat surface, wider than the track, with a short raised piece on each side. These would locate the track piece (straight or curved) consistently in the right place. There would also be a pin sticking up at the right place to go into that hole in the roadbed, to press the prong up flat against the underside of the rail. To use this tool, you would simply put the track piece down on it in the right place, press the track down, and then use a small screwdriver against the back end of the joiner to push it off the rail. That would take only two hands...

 

Rich K.

 

 

[Kiran]

Thanks Rich. I think I will look for help indeed.

 

I wonder if they make turnouts with insulated joiners already. There must be a lot of people wanting to have turnouts to double track lopps to make trains switch tracks...

[kvp]

Kato does. They have single piece single and double crossovers with insulation built in. Kato unitrack is more simple and more robust, so more kid and floor running friendly. Tomix Finetrack is more  designed for the advanced modeller and for layout building. This is why you can do more with Finetrack but it will require more work and knowledge to get it right.

[Kiran]

11 hours ago, kvp said:

Kato does. They have single piece single and double crossovers with insulation built in. Kato unitrack is more simple and more robust, so more kid and floor running friendly. Tomix Finetrack is more  designed for the advanced modeller and for layout building. This is why you can do more with Finetrack but it will require more work and knowledge to get it right.

I have to really look at the Kato Unitrack sets. It would be great to have a double track oval set with long straights and an turn out. My current Tomix oval set has 4 S280s and the curves are 317 and 354.

[chadbag]

KATO makes a conversion track piece, IIRC, that allows you to use "other" track, like Tomix, with their Unitrack stuff.  I have not done it but it would allow you to continue to use your existing investment with any new KATO investment.

 

I use Unitrack and am constantly taking it down, putting it up, etc. without issue.  I am currently "kitchen table" based, though that will expand soon (he keeps saying), so set up whenever I need to or have time to.