Hi

I've been using Trix HO C Track (Märklin's poor cousin!) for just over a year and have to say I'm very impressed with it. It looks good and fits together really well.

The only thing that I find slightly annoying about 'C Track' geometry is that points or turnouts require a shorter 172mm straight piece of track instead of the standard 188mm straight track.

Using points to connect a Radius 1, Radius 2 and Radius 3 oval of track together can also be quite expensive as it requires 8 turnouts! It's even more expensive if you want to fit decoders and turnout motors to all of them.

So, I had an idea for a 'Scissor' track or 'Hosenträger' track that would allow the 3 ovals of track to be connected without the 172mm short straight track pieces. It would also reduce the number of turnouts required to connect 3 ovals of track together to just 2 points or turnouts.

Another advantage of the 'Scissor' or 'Hosenträger' point is that it would only require 1 turnout motor and decoder on each side instead of 2.

I wrote to Märklin about the idea and was hoping that a few positive comments from forum members might encourage Märklin to make it. What do you think?

Here's a picture of what it might look like:

Also have a look at the post from Caplin.

General MRR H0 Scale My--Hosentrager


https://www.marklin-user...260_My--Hosentrager.aspx




r/Thomas

Hi, Thomas,
2*24094, not 24077.

Looks good

Does anybody else like the idea of a Scissor track? I thought we might be able to convince Märklin to make one with a 77mm spacing and maybe an Express version with 64mm spacing.

Its a great idea for close track.
I think it would be worth it for Marklin to make it, but its quite a special item and would be costly.
I am finding DIY solutions as I make my plans, but doing so with switches gets rather complicated.
Still toying with ideas for "under the table" turn-out mounts for K track.

I would say Marklin should work first on cheaper and simpler solutions for under-the-table mounts and then engineer ways that things can fit together and synchronize easily.

- Mark

One quick comment. I have been spending a lot of time reading online about hand-laid track and so been fantasizing about doing it myself... some day. It would wonderful to see any examples of a hand-laid 'Hosenträger' for 3-rail and especially for curved switches or a curved 'Hosenträger' where the scissors is on the curve itself. Of course, I realize I am totally running ahead of myself, but its nice to think about.

A bit off-topic but ...
Check out these crazy hand-laid curved turn-outs with what appear to be copper sleepers.
I am guessing he is using battery powered locos that don't require the track to conduct to the train.
Have no idea yet....


Edit: Ok, found Tim's company page, very interesting stuff...
... now how to adapt this to Marklin or for a Hosenträger:
http://www.handlaidtrack.com/

You can download a template to hand lay a Hosenträger here:
http://www.handlaidtrack...Template-p/tt-ho-c-8.htm

Let me know if anyone can manage to do this with a marklinized plan.... would love to see how!
- Mark

Marklin have done this in one gauge, so it is possible that we may see one, but don't hold your breath.

I would love to see one done in K track, but I don't expect it. I even resorted to making in on K track for the entrance to a staging yard.
If I remeber I'll take a photo and try to upload it.

Cheers...

Mike.

Hi all,

I agree with the idea. Having a layout with a 4 track through station, this provided many hours of planning to get right. Working with what I had, I came up with the following;



As it turned out, I was able to rather nicely work the extreme width between the tracks into the plan but I suspect I could have done a whole lot more if Marklin had produced a cross-over to suit 77mm spacing.

As you can see, much more work to be done yet

Regards,

Token.

I was looking up concrete sleeper and their history but instead I found some beautiful IRL scissor switches aka Hosenträgers.

There is also a fair bit there on IRL 3-rail systems and track.

To see the Hosenträgers, scroll to the very end of the long page...

....a great little bit of history and fab photos all the same:
http://homepage.ntlworld...russelliott/3rd-4th.html

Worth a look, and with track close, side by side.
- Mark