trisonic Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 I found the link to to this photo on the AccuTrak site and jut could not resist putting it on to here. El Gringo will probably find it compelling...... http://www.shorpy.com/node/10749?size=_original Notice NO tie plates. Relatively modern looking freight cars (for 1905). What are the little gizmos on the "crossings/frogs"? Enjoy. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Grant 4472 Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 Superb photo, great atmosphere Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted November 26, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 26, 2011 That looks like some sort of catch point and the 'gizmo's are part of that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Gwinnett Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 I think the tips of the common crossings (is that the right term?) move and the gizmos are the operating cranks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted November 26, 2011 Author Share Posted November 26, 2011 That is what I think too, but I can't see how the whole thing is controlled unless it pivots around some central point. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
highpeak Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 It's a sprung frog, the "gizmos" contain the springs. There's a good closeup of one on this page http://www.girr.org/girr/relics/spng/spng.html, scroll about three quarters of the way down the page. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted November 26, 2011 Author Share Posted November 26, 2011 Lovely link, very clear with full explanation from Paul Westover! Great stuff, thanks, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted November 26, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 26, 2011 I found the link to to this photo on the AccuTrak site and jut could not resist putting it on to here. El Gringo will probably find it compelling...... http://www.shorpy.co...?size=_original Notice NO tie plates. Relatively modern looking freight cars (for 1905). What are the little gizmos on the "crossings/frogs"? Enjoy. Pete. Great stuff Pete. It looks like the 'gizmos' are there to keep the wing rail pressed in against the crossing nose - look at the way the end of the wing rail turns outwards (to allow a flange to push it away from the crossing?). OOPs sorry folks, I should have the link first! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 something similar was used on the old Wrenn [fibre=based] OO trackwork of the 1950's.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 something similar was used on the old Wrenn [fibre=based] OO trackwork of the 1950's.... Except the prototype wasn't pivotted on a big rivet half way along the switch rail....I bought a job-lot of that Wrenn track once; not really compatible with damp shed in South-West Wales. Most of it ended up as signal posts and similar. To return to the photo; the ship survived a remarkably long time, having been built in 1901 and scrapped in 1963. I suspect she spent most of her life on the Great Lakes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
highpeak Posted November 26, 2011 Share Posted November 26, 2011 We had a couple of those at the trolley museum where I used to volunteer, they were useful in accomodating the variety of wheel types in the collection. Over time you could end up with a bit too much wear on the damned things though, leaving a bit of a lip on the outer edge of the rail. The next thing was when a car with wide tread came through the switch in the facing direction and effectively split the frog, leading to happy hours with jacks and timber blocking and bad language, especially in the summertime with plagues of insects supervising the proceedings. HO scale derailments are a lot easier to deal with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted December 1, 2011 Share Posted December 1, 2011 something similar was used on the old Wrenn [fibre=based] OO trackwork of the 1950's.... Allegedly 'Universal'. Also similarly used by GEM and others in a vain attempt to enable all the then disparate wheel standards to work together. Fat chance! Aren't modern UK 'High Speed' similar? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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