Suitability for outdoor use

Announcements, comments and hints about MODRATEC Lever Frame Kits

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hussra
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 1:41 am

Suitability for outdoor use

Post by hussra »

I'm interested in what experience there is in the suitability of the MODRATEC lever frame kits for outdoor use. I've read the article here, and I noticed from this photo that David Moffat appears to have extended his use of the frames.

I gather that David is in NSW, Australia, whereas I am in a rather wet part of middle England. What experience is there of using the frames in an environment that can be, at times, somewhat dampish?

Best wishes,

Richard Huss
Sometime Talyllyn Railway S&T volunteer, now getting into garden railways
DaveHJLR
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:23 am
Location: NSW Australia

Post by DaveHJLR »

Richard,
In reply to your question about suitability of these frames in an outdoor situation I can only comment from my own experience. You are right I am in Australia, near Sydney NSW. The frame itself is made from mainly Brass. That coupled in my case with all Brass rodding, cranks & guides to replicate the prototype, I have no problems with the weather factors. The frame is mounted on marine ply, the same as the track baseboards. These baseboards were treated with a wood preservative at installation in 2002. The frame support ply as stated in my article is then mounted on nylon washers to create a space between the frame support and the baseboard. This prevents moisture from being trapped under the frame. The frame when not in use is covered with a metal cover built by me to suit. I recently extended the frame to 12 levers to accommodate signalling as well as point control. I am not sure how the wire in a cable method would work under these conditions. My construction methods replicate the prototype connection for the points and signals.
I hope this might help?
Cheers,
David Moffat
Gen Manager HJLR.
hussra
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 1:41 am

Post by hussra »

DaveHJLR wrote:The frame itself is made from mainly Brass. That coupled in my case with all Brass rodding, cranks & guides to replicate the prototype, I have no problems with the weather factors.
Thanks, that's good to hear; I am inclined to give it a go once we get to the appropriate stage in construction. Over the years I have seen a certain number of mentions of the MODRATEC frames in the 16mm email lists over here, but I'm not sure how many in the UK have actually used one outside.
DaveHJLR wrote:I hope this might help?
Yes indeed.

Best wishes,

Richard
hussra
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 1:41 am

Post by hussra »

I missed a bit out of my previous reply.
DaveHJLR wrote:I am not sure how the wire in a cable method would work under these conditions. My construction methods replicate the prototype connection for the points and signals.
I too would be a bit unsure about wire-in-tube use outdoors. A few other interesting references for garden railway point rodding - Ian Stock has used some plastic rodding stools; the Haggerleases Light Railway had a rather less prototypical method; I have also seen uses of the Cliff Barker Gauge 1 products (long page, keep scrolling!).

Richard
DaveHJLR
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:23 am
Location: NSW Australia

Post by DaveHJLR »

Richard,
Thankyou for those examples of point rodding control from your patch. There are not too many layouts in this country that have remote point and signal control in the garden. The MODRATEC Levers are also more to our scale than the standard levers available commercially for other scales and the MODRATEC interlocking certainly creates interest in operation on my layout when the wanted track cannot be selected because of a conflicting route set.
Cheers
David Moffat
HJLR.
hussra
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 1:41 am

Post by hussra »

DaveHJLR wrote:Richard,
Thankyou for those examples of point rodding control from your patch. There are not too many layouts in this country that have remote point and signal control in the garden.
It's not at all common over here either, I've never actually visited a garden line that uses lever frames, though they do exist. Point operation by poking with your finger, or by Tenmille throw-over levers, is much more common.
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