Sleepers And Timbers - What Is Your Preference?

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Material for sleepers and timbers is available from many suppliers and in many forms, those who are considering what to use often start by asking "what is available?". My knowledge is restricted to the products which I use and so I have indicated where others may be able to add to the body of information available to WTers.

Just to set the scene, sleepers are used with plain line track whilst timbers are used with turnouts, crossings and catch/trap points. A special case of timbering is that used on bridge decks, in depots and under water troughs - the demands of those cases probably fall outside of this topic.... until some one adds in the details!

Here is what I think is available:-

PCB sleepers from Marcway. 4mm and 7mm.
Sleeper / timber strip in different widths, 1.6mm thick.

Plastic, (ABS?), from C&L Finescale, 4mm and 7mm.
Individual sleepers (8'6" and 9'0" lengths), timber pack for turnouts.
Thickness not known, website implies 3mm for 7mm items.

Ply, from Exactoscale, 4mm and 7mm.
Individual sleepers (8'6" and 9'0" lengths), timber strips (10", 12", 14" widths).
7mm items are 1.6mm thick.

Ply, from C&L Finescale, 4mm and 7mm.
Individual sleepers (8'6" and 9'0" lengths), timber strips (10", 12", 14" widths).
4mm item - thickness not shown.
7mm items are available in 1.6mm and 3mm thick.

Ply, from Slater's Plastikard, 7mm.
Individual sleepers (8'6" and 9'0" lengths), timber strips (12", 14" widths). Sleepers available punched for rivets.
Thickness not known.

Lime, from Perfect Miniatures, 7mm.
Individual sleepers, timber strips. Material is 3mm thick.

Walnut, from S7 Group stores, 7mm.
Individual sleepers and timber strips (10", 12", 14" widths). Material is 2.5mm thick.

Worth observing that ply sleepers at 1.6mm thick require less "ballast" than sleepers at 3mm thick. The ply sleepers give a "cleaner", "newer", appearance than either Walnut or Lime. The Walnut sleepers give a "harder", "more precise", appearance than the Lime sleepers, my impression is that the Lime sleepers can be more easily "distressed" than Walnut for the older and / or decaying track.

regards, Graham
 

Old Buffer

Western Thunderer
Graham,
I cut my own sleepers from 1/8" thick obeche sheet, 3' x 4". I can get a lot of sleepers from 1 sheet and the cost is about £3.50, but I do have a proxon mini circular saw which makes the job a lot easier.
Alan
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Graham, it may be of benefit to include chairs too? I know I get confused trying to remember who produces what.

We have the same idea.

I shall do something on chairs, similar to the sleepers and timbers post, as soon as I have checked a couple of queries about what prototypes are represented by the individual suppliers.

Graham
 

7mmMick

Western Thunderer
Graham this thread has just come at the right time as I'm contemplating P way at this very minute. I shall be interested to see the result of further research,

Many thanks Mick
 

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
Here is what I think is available:-

PCB sleepers from Marcway. 4mm and 7mm.
Sleeper / timber strip in different widths, 1.6mm thick.

Plastic, (ABS?), from C&L Finescale, 4mm and 7mm.
Individual sleepers (8'6" and 9'0" lengths), timber pack for turnouts.

Birch ply, from Exactoscale, 4mm and 7mm.
Individual sleepers (8'6" and 9'0" lengths), timber strips (10", 12", 14" widths).
7mm items are 1.6mm thick.

Ply, from Slater's Plastikard, 7mm.
Individual sleepers (8'6" and 9'0" lengths), timber strips (12", 14" widths).

Lime, from Perfect Miniatures, 7mm.
Individual sleepers, timber strips. Material is 3mm thick.

Walnut, from S7 Group stores, 7mm.
Individual sleepers and timber strips (10", 12", 14" widths). Material is 2.5mm thick.

regards, Graham

Graham,
Hope you don't mind me butting in on your post:rolleyes: but I have just noticed on the Perfect Miniatures link, which takes you to The Model Kit Shop, that the contact email is wrong, I have notified them, Peter should have done this some time ago, it should read perfectminiatures@btinternet.com


Cheers,:D Col
 

3 LINK

Western Thunderer
I have just built a jig to construct the straight track panels that I need for a small "diorama", and I was surprised at the difference in width of the C&L timber sleepers. The length and thickness of the sleepers are consistently spot on, but the width can vary quite a lot from 5.92mm to 7.30mm, now I know this does not sound a lot but you put the two sleepers together and they are really noticeable. So can anyone give me some feed back regarding the other suppliers sleepers, especially Exactoscale as I notice they give you a choice of widths ie :- 10",12" and 14".

ATB, Martyn.
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
So can anyone give me some feed back regarding the other suppliers sleepers, especially Exactoscale as I notice they give you a choice of widths ie :- 10",12" and 14"?

I can... at the moment I am building track for Hartley Hills with Walnut sleepers/strip from the S7 Group stores and last year I built some track for Basilica Fields with Lime sleepers/strip from Perfect Miniatures. In addition I am building track for our own Scruff's Junction layout with ply sleepers/strip from Exactoscale. The answers to your question:-

[1] Walnut sleepers vary from 5.8mm to 6.3mm. There is sufficient variation in sleeper width that I have built the 30' track jig for use with those sleepers which are 6.00mm and above whilst building the 60' track jig for use with sleepers which are less than 6.0mm. Given the greater width of the 12" and 14" strip and the fact that I do not use a jig for setting out of timbers in S&C work then I have not checked the 12"/ 14" strips for variations.

[2] Lime sleepers seem to be of consistent width although the surface finish is fluffy from the saw cut, as a consequence there is a possibility of variation after sanding the rag from the sleeper. Same comment as for Walnut in regard to the 12" strip.

[3] Ply from Exactoscale is on the button for 10" sleepers and 10" / 12" / 14" strip for timbers. Len gets his ply cut by laser and the widths seem to be consistent.

No prizes for guessing which supplier gets my vote on the basis of consistency and quality.

BTW - Martin, here is a piece on how I build my track jigs, scroll down to post #14, dated 14/12/2011.
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
I have just built a jig to construct the straight track panels ....

Photos?

You say "straight" track.... for track on a curve I fix one rail to the sleepers in the jig and then transfer the "half" track to the layout with the one rail on the outer edge of the curve..... and then add the inner rail using gauges.

regards, Graham
 

daifly

Western Thunderer
I have just built a jig to construct the straight track panels that I need for a small "diorama", and I was surprised at the difference in width of the C&L timber sleepers. The length and thickness of the sleepers are consistently spot on, but the width can vary quite a lot from 5.92mm to 7.30mm, now I know this does not sound a lot but you put the two sleepers together and they are really noticeable. So can anyone give me some feed back regarding the other suppliers sleepers, especially Exactoscale as I notice they give you a choice of widths ie :- 10",12" and 14".

ATB, Martyn.

I have just opened a brand-new pack of C & L T7PT101 wooden sleepers and measured a 'random' sample of a couple of dozen sleepers. As the label says, there are 10% of the sleepers cut to 12" (7mm) width. The rest are 10" (c6mm). My measurements show that there is a very small variation around the nominal size but there is a distinct difference in the appearance depending on whether you are looking at the top or bottom of the sleeper. The laser cutting seems to create a slight taper on the cut edges. Perhaps others versed in laser cutting may shed more light on this. If the sleepers are laid the 'same' way up consistently there is no obvious variation in width.

Dave
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
I have just opened a pack of C & L T7PT101 wooden sleepers

This post reminded me that C&L Finescale began to offer plty sleepers with the introduction of the Timber Tracks line. I have updated the original post to reflect this information.
 

3 LINK

Western Thunderer
Photos?

You say "straight" track.... for track on a curve I fix one rail to the sleepers in the jig and then transfer the "half" track to the layout with the one rail on the outer edge of the curve..... and then add the inner rail using gauges.

regards, Graham

Hi Graham,

Yes that is exactly how I set my curves out as well, a method I used originally in the days of copper paxolin and Bakers flux :thumbs:, I will try to grab a couple of photos in the morning of the jig but it is very similar to yours only it's for a GWR 44' 6" panel. The only reason why I used the jig for the straight track was because I have built in a stop that sets the rail and chair the correct distance from the ends of the sleepers.

I have just opened a brand-new pack of C & L T7PT101 wooden sleepers and measured a 'random' sample of a couple of dozen sleepers. As the label says, there are 10% of the sleepers cut to 12" (7mm) width. The rest are 10" (c6mm). My measurements show that there is a very small variation around the nominal size but there is a distinct difference in the appearance depending on whether you are looking at the top or bottom of the sleeper. The laser cutting seems to create a slight taper on the cut edges. Perhaps others versed in laser cutting may shed more light on this. If the sleepers are laid the 'same' way up consistently there is no obvious variation in width.

Dave

Hi Dave,

To be honest I have not really given them a real look over :oops:, right this next part I am typing now is after I have returned from the workshop. In the morning I think I will go and find a tattooist and have tattooed across my forehead " Always read the instructions first, you dummy !!" Dave you are correct and I must of been having my first "senior moment" :confused:, they do have a slight taper but all I have since measured are within an acceptable tolerance, Doh !!

ATB, Martyn.
 

daifly

Western Thunderer
Hi Dave,

In the morning I think I will go and find a tattooist and have tattooed across my forehead " Always read the instructions first, you dummy !!"

ATB, Martyn.

How will you remind yourself to read the tattoo?

Glad we restored C & L's credibility at least!

Cheers

Dave
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
I will try to grab a couple of photos in the morning of the jig but it is very similar to yours only it's for a GWR 44' 6" panel. The only reason why I used the jig for the straight track was because I have built in a stop that sets the rail and chair the correct distance from the ends of the sleepers.

Martin,

My jig for GWR 44'6" / 18 sleepers per rail length is AWOL, has been ever since I started on the Met Rly track for Adrian and will probably remain so whilst I am bulding the LNWR track for Hartley Hill.

If you look at the thread "Jigs and Gauges", post #14, you can see that I include a "magic ingredient" in the track jigs - to whit, 2mm Aluminium knitting needles as pins against which to hold the first rail and chairs whilst fixing to the sleepers. The pins provide the location of the rail such that the track gauge is centred over the middle of each sleeper.

As I lay the track to the centreline on the template the jig has the centreline marked on the ply spacers (between each pair of sleeper spaces). Hence I can put a light pencil mark on (some of) the sleepers in the jig and align the assembled piece of track with the line on the formation.

regards, Graham
 

3 LINK

Western Thunderer
How will you remind yourself to read the tattoo?

Glad we restored C & L's credibility at least!

Cheers

Dave


Hi Dave,

When I look in the mirror to comb my hair and brush my teeth every morning ;), and yes I'm glad to restore my faith in C&L, I have always used their plastic sleepers in the past this was my first foray into timber :thumbs:.

Martin,

My jig for GWR 44'6" / 18 sleepers per rail length is AWOL, has been ever since I started on the Met Rly track for Adrian and will probably remain so whilst I am bulding the LNWR track for Hartley Hill.

If you look at the thread "Jigs and Gauges", post #14, you can see that I include a "magic ingredient" in the track jigs - to whit, knitting needles as pins against which to hold the first rail and chairs whilst fixing to the sleepers. The pins provide the location of the rail such that the track gauge is centred over the middle of each sleeper.

regards, Graham


Hi Graham,

I see what you mean now, I will try and put a photo on later, my jig is similar apart from the fact it is two panels long ( I find it easier to keep a smoother curve over a distance this way ) and instead of pins I have used some thick plastic sheet placed hard up against the timber stop. All will come clear with a photo hopefully.

All the best,

Martyn.
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
I see what you mean now, I will try and put a photo on later, my jig is similar apart from the fact it is two panels long ( I find it easier to keep a smoother curve over a distance this way ) and instead of pins I have used some thick plastic sheet placed hard up against the timber stop.

I hope that you are careful with the Butanone. Maybe you have a plastic which is inert to those solvents which soften ABS?

Graham
 
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