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Subject: 
Re: Blue Electric Track
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Sat, 12 Feb 2000 22:25:22 GMT
Viewed: 
1205 times
  
Larry Pieniazek <lar@voyager.net> schreef in berichtnieuws
38A5C5DB.BC65FD7B@voyager.net...
Fortunately for us, some stalwart fan scanned in the instructions.
Unfortunately for us, unlike with later sets, the instructions are mute
on showing us how to put the track together so we don't have a
definitive answer.

I own the 725 [1] blue track freight train with some points and crossover
track I also have some grey 12V trains so I might be able to clarify some
things ;-) I don't have a scanner but there are some parts that show how the
track is put together.

Grey track and blue track differ on a few things, but the overall design is
the same and the track can be mixed easily.
Track is 'build' out of different parts:
blue: 2 white 2x8 plates as sleeper plates and 2 pieces of rails for the
track. There are two different versions of curved pieces, one for the
outside and on for the inside curve.
grey: 3 special darkgrey sleeper plates (sizes 2x8) and 2 pieces of rails
for the track, the rails have 'gaps' where the sleeper plates fit in making
it a more sturdier construction. Similar to the blue track there are
different pieces for inside and outside curves.
Crossover pieces are for both systems the same.
Points have the same dimensions and look the same for the track but have
different switching meganisms.

It looks a lot like the grey track to me. That does NOT answer your
question about points (turnouts in US parlance) but if you nose around
on this list:

It looks like it, yes, but there are some minor differences (2 plates
instead of 3 plates) see above.

you may be able to do it yourself. It looks like sometime around 1976 is
the blue/grey cutoff as 1980 sets use gray.

The grey track was introduced in 1980 (I can still remember the way I was
drooling over the great catalogues, photographs of trains by night with
working lights[2] !!! Still one of my favorite catalogues!)

http://www.lugnet.com/pause/search/?query=755-1 (manual)
http://www.lugnet.com/pause/search/?query=753-1 (automatic)

To be honestly I have never seen automatic (remote?) blue points I only have
manual points, AFAIK automatic points were introduced with the grey track (I
also couldn't find automatic points in my catalogue-collection).
Maybe someone from the FGLTC can clarify this as they have a much bigger
blue track collection than I have!

I'd say they look a lot like grey turnouts, except for being blue

There are different switching meganisms. The blue switch is fixed to the
base of the turnout and has only 4 studs on it to fit a small 2x2 tile with
a turnout number on it.

http://www.lugnet.com/pause/search/?query=7858-1 (automatic)
http://www.lugnet.com/pause/search/?query=7856-1 (manual)

The grey manual and automatic points _are_ the same except for the switching
box. If you have a manual point, you can easily make it an automatic one by
replacing the switching box. The picture of the automatic point shows the
unassembled parts , the point base is the same for both manual and automatic
grey points and the switching mechanism was sold seperately.
The 12V track had more great stuff as remote decouplers and signals[3]

-Frank

[1]  http://www.lugnet.com/pause/search/?query=725-2
[2] http://www.brickshelf.com/scans/catalogs/1981/c81detr/index.html I
couldn't pick a specific page to show you, you really got to see the whole
catalog!
[3] I use the signal with my 9V track, Busy Bee sells those signals for 16
pounds and with minor adjustments 9V trains can be controlled with it. If
you want some info feel free to mail me how it's done :-)



Message has 3 Replies:
  Re: Blue Electric Track
 
(...) Many years ago this was the only track me & a LEGO maniac friend had...just for the record, between 1977 and 1981-ish we had built remote (manual) operated 4.5v points and multi-gauge track (std 6 studs mixed with 'narrow' 4 stud). We eveb (...) (24 years ago, 12-Feb-00, to lugnet.trains)
  Re: Blue Electric Track
 
(...) I think this would be of general interest, please consider posting it here!!! (24 years ago, 13-Feb-00, to lugnet.trains)
  Re: Blue Electric Track
 
(...) That's right. And all the other explanations given by you are valid too. Thanks. (...) Indeed there have been remote controlled automatic points first. They have been invented in the late 60ies (1969?). (...) It's mainly Torsten Wernecke, who (...) (24 years ago, 13-Feb-00, to lugnet.trains)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Blue Electric Track
 
This is one of several 12V sets old enough to have blue 12v track (URL) for us, some stalwart fan scanned in the instructions. Unfortunately for us, unlike with later sets, the instructions are mute on showing us how to put the track together so we (...) (24 years ago, 12-Feb-00, to lugnet.trains)

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