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PROTO:87 STORES TM


INTRODUCING

  The new Ultimate TM 

Fine Scale "N" Track Building and Detailing Parts

Now there are Ultimate TM 

CODE 40 JOINT BARS, TIE PLATES and SWITCH DETAILS
for "Fine scale N"

FINALLY it is possible to build FINE SCALE "N",  CODE 40 TRACK.

NPSW3 Special Plates and Details for Switches up to #10 size

NTP40-1 50 pack Code 40 Tieplates   NJB40-1 50 Pack Code 40/55 Joint Bars Yes! These really are pictures of the "N" Scale Versions!

Introducing a New Range of Components
for Superdetailed "N" Scale Trackwork

HO Trackwork examples shown above
 
FAST AND SIMPLE GLUED CONSTRUCTION WITH GAUGE GUIDING, DUMMY SPIKE HEAD "SLOTS".
 A WHOLE NEW PARADIGM IN regular HO and N Scale MODEL TRACKWORK

While it appears to be exact to scale, hand spiked track, Ultimate TM Trackwork is actually simply, easily and quickly made by merely gluing the parts together with today's strong modern adhesives. 

This major simplification is possible because the Ultimate TM Tieplates are designed with representative prototypical patterns of dummy spike heads already in place.  These dummy spike heads also serve the extremely important purpose of creating an invisible "gauging slot" that holds the rail from shifting sideways out of gauge, while, in conjuction with a more flexible rail adhesive, still allows the rails to slide slightly lengthways when expanding and contracting due to normal temperture variations in the model railroad room. 

The Ultimate TM dummy spike heads not only position the rail precisely in position on the tieplate, but also allow the modeler to skip the tedious and costly process of hand spiking, except for those few places where the rail needs extra holding down.  A range of closely matching size spikes, ( SPK2 and SPK2L ) are available to assist in holding the rails in place, if needed, in any places where the rail is under high stress or curvature.

  ULTIMATE tm NTP40 TIE PLATES
HAVE REALISTIC MIXED SPIKE HEAD PATTERNS and TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS

As can be seen in the photo above, the Ultimate TM  NTP40 TIE PLATES provide a wide range of different spike patterns to more realistically simulate prototype track work. Technical innovations in the Ultimate tm Tieplate range include a copyright "central" locating hole and gauge alignment edge in each tie plate to allow the modeler to accurately, visibly align the part exactly to the gauge line on commonly available track templates. This aperture also serves to allow glue or solder to pass through and more strongly join the tieplate to the tie, whether wood, plastic or PC board, and allow the rail to be attached directly then, or later, depending on the modelers chosen method of track building and tracklaying.  E.g. On the Bench, or - In Situ, or as "Herringbone" Single Rail "Half Flex Track".

"FINE SCALE" STANDARDS and  THE NPSW3
SPECIAL TIE PLATES AND DETAILS SET FOR SWITCHES

While the very popular, regular NMRA standard for "N" (1:160) scale has well defined substantial, wheels and flangeway dimensions, these are considered to look a little too coarse by some modelers.  Although there is no official NMRA standard for fine scale "N" there are a number of new proposals and existing standards that specify different, and often smaller values of wheel and flange width, flange depth, flangway width, and wheel back to back dimensions . These include "fiNe",  (an adaption of the 2mm Society standards),  the reduced flange depth modified NMRA standard of the San Diego Society of N-Scale, and a possible future "proto:160", near exact scale standard.

The Ultimate TM  NTSW3 fret includes enough parts to make fine scale Switches of various sizes, types and eras. As well as the various support plates, the set includes full length, Point blade strengthening girders, Rail braces, Throw Bar adjuster ends, Guard Rail plates and  a number of "split plates" to support any type and standard of frog.

Here we see the Layout of the equivalent HO part TPSW3 so that the individual switch parts can be easily identified.
   
       

Rather than try to meet one particular proposal, or just the coarse NMRA standard, the Ultimate TM  NTSW3 fret is instead produced to be a realistic model of the actual prototype parts, at as close to 1:160 scale as practical. In order to use it for regular "N", or one of the other fine scale systems, some of the parts will need to be customized to the particular system in use.  Possible adaptions would likely include widening the guard rail spacing and the position and clearance of the point heels.  In most cases, modifcations to the parts can be simply and easily done by cutting them up with standard, good office quality, paper scissors.

SPK2-4       Close to matching spikes -  pack of 1000  - $7.95
                 Stainless Steel. Each approx. 0.075" long by 0.010" rectangular section

TIEN        Sawn solid wood ties for regular N scale track  - TBA
                - pack of approx. 1000 - ,  nominal 8' 6" scale length.

TIENSW  Sawn solid wood tie strips for N switch construction  - TBA
                - pack of approx. 250 -, approx 16' scale length.

Code 40 FINE SCALE RAIL FOR USE WITH Ultimate TM  PRECISION MILLED TRACK PARTS

Available separately as  99 ft, (33 x 1 yard) packs or as shown

RAIL40    Code 40  Nickel SIlver, 99 ft                                   $45.95

RAIL40    Code 40  Nickel SIlver, 50 ft                                   $24.95