Seven of them, now waiting for the shipment from Switchcrafters (it’s on the way) to get things finished.
In order to keep the stock rails aligned where the points meet, I drill through the base and insert the spikes so the heads point out. 
That large gap at the points? A compromise to use the LGB turnout motors. 
Hans what are you getting from SwitchCrafters? What do you have your ties mounted on? BTW your switch looks good.
Thanks Chuck,
A “Spiker”, a bunch of spikes and tie plates.
The material is called “EasyBoard”, usually used in the construction trade as waterproof tile backing in bathrooms and such. I’ll plan on using that for “Stone” structures in the garden, too. Cover it with tile adhesive to simulate mortar finish. That’s the plan. 
How do you cut that stuff?
All I’ve seen here is hardiboard or whatever, not sure the real name. But it’s basically concrete board and a pain to cut – ruins saw blades almost instantly.
Large gap between points and stock rails may seem unsightly to some, but it helps ensure that the thicker than scale flanges and narrower than spec back to back (as a result) won’t let the back side of a wheel rub on a point rail.
Regards, Greg
True, but since the turnouts get the “DCC friendly” treatment I can get by with much less of a gap - except when using the LGB turnout motors.
What is your DCC friendly treatment… isolation of the point rails from each other?
Greg
Their site says that product has been discontinued. I hope you stocked up.
Greg Elmassian said:
What is your DCC friendly treatment... isolation of the point rails from each other?Greg
@ Ray,
Yes, I have “a few” sheets in stock.
So your two “frog rails” are insulated from each other? No solid live frog?
Simple, but less conductivity. Are your wing rails insulated from the frog too?
Just curious.
Greg
HJ
The Hardibacker board will not survive outside…It lasted maybe 2 years for me
Greg Elmassian said:
So your two “frog rails” are insulated from each other? No solid live frog? Simple, but less conductivity. Are your wing rails insulated from the frog too? Just curious. Greg
Two pictures should be good for two thousand words
(http:///P1/TO_No4_05_s.jpg)
(http:///P1/TO_No4_06_s.jpg)
Now, whenever those spikes arrive I can add the ones that are still missing and finish the large, curved turnout, too. By then I should have the LGB drives and can start building the new control panel. @ rooster yours didn’t last? You don’t have our nice Okanagan Valley climate, that’s your problem :D. What I’m using has no cement in it.
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
@ roosteryours didn’t last? You don’t have our nice Okanagan Valley climate, that’s your problem
Not really HJ… so the red lines show insulating gaps?
The frog appears to not have the wing rails insulated from the frog, and the frog looks all one piece.
So in simple English: live frog… insulated point rails…
So you using contacts in the LGB switch machine to set the frog polarity?
Greg
Well … if you look at that picture it is quite obvious that the frog is electrically a separate assembly. Insulated by strips of styrene glued in the gaps with Loctite Gel CA (great stuff!)
Nope, won’t be using the LGB add-ons, I plan on using the dual FrogJuicer from TamValley. We’ll see how it goes, I could also use a good quality microswitch being actuated by the LGB switch motor.
Basically it’s wired exactly as shown in the link I posted. And yes, I have been using that system since well before I ever started with DCC, it is just as friendly when used with DC. Especially with handlaid turnouts that have a proto-like throw of the point rails.
BTW the shipment from SwitchCrafters arrived this morning. I’ll be a busy boy getting my “Samedan” track work finished. Pronto!
All the spikes are in, now isn’t this a nice little stack?
(http:///F-PIX/TO_No4_07_s.jpg)
And as soon as the LGB turnout motors arrive I’ll do the wiring.
You have been a busy beaver HJ. Ain’t the Spiker the best thing since sliced bread.
Yes, that Spiker looks very good, though I haven’t used it yet. Gotta finish that curved turnout first and I’m using the large spikes for the turnouts, but it will be very handy for the standard track. Some of that is rather close to the wall and handspiking would be a bit of a pain.
Well, won’t argue about it being obvious, because perception is reality, and if someone tells you it’s not clear, and you tell them they are stupid, then the person that made the mistake is you. (Unless you think I am asking questions just to ask them)
Anyway, you have 3 separate electrical circuits it seems, the frog, and each point rail.
If you are powering the point rails with a wire, then you only need the “single” frog juicer for the frog, not the dual, unless you have 2 turnouts close together.
The Juicers are made down here in San Diego, and was working on a layout with 3 of them last night, strapped as autoreversers though. My friend who was working on the layout with me is a distributor for the juicers.
Greg