Tie-bars

Tie-bars.

Always a problem area.

The old method that i have used before is with a sleeper and solder the Two switch blade to it, doesn't really look that great to me

After picking at other people's ideas, I thought i would have a play and see what sort of balls up i could make of it.

I haven't actually soldered this to some switch blades yet, to try it out but the whole ensemble relies on a very small piece of double sided PCB. Should this delaminate we have a major problem on our hands. It could seriously go "Pete Tong"

The Point blades are soldered on to the outer Two pieces with enough left over to sit under the stock rails to stop the blades lifting.

Exton Quay's Tie-bar

 The centre stretcher bar is attached over the Two pins after this so should the PCB delaminate it's not to much of an issue to replace.

Just make up a couple of spare ones.

Everything is 'above baseboard' so easily accessible. 

Exton Quay's Tie-bar assembled

 After it's painted i think it would look a lot better than a sleeper sliding backwards and forwards.

As i am using Cobalt point motors there shouldn't be any great stresses on the Tie-bar.

The wire from the motor could either go up through the hole on one of the outer pieces or through, and replace one of the pins for the stretcher bar

The idea also gives some movement to the switch blades as if one thinks about it, they do actually switch across in a small arch. 

Exton Quay's Tie-bar

Any ideas/comments on this approach would be greatly recieved.