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KMRC Skrifa - 3rd and 4th Rail Electrification Systems - Part 2 - Modelling Guide

Our Guildford Branch team member and Network Rail Signalling designer, Simon Paley, takes a look at the 3rd and 4th Rail electrification systems. In his Part 1 Skrifa post here he described the background and design, in this Part 2 post he provides a step by step guide how to install 3rd and 4th rail on your layouts. In his final part 3 in the series he discusses the conductor rail accessories and other relevant lineside details.


Conductor Rail Installation


Once you have, using the information in the Part 1 Skrifa post here, decided where your third rail is going to be fitted, you can start fitting it.

PECO has provided a video instruction guide here:


However, when installing third rail on my new exhibition layout, I have found a slightly easier installation method:


1. Remove the Peco IL-120 Conductor rail insulators from the sprue, I don’t bother with the washers provided as they are too fiddly for my liking. I also don’t bother painting the insulators as there are generally white porcelain anyway (although there are newer grey plastic ones as well).

Peco IL-120 Conductor rail insulators
2. Having measured (by eye mostly) the rail lengths I need, I cut the rails where necessary using a slitting disc such as a GM693 Gaugemaster Model Railway Value Drill Set, but a pair of XU2175 Xuron Track Cutters will work just as well.

I bend in a ramp and then join the rails together using PECO Z Gauge Code 60 Rail Joiners.

Cutting conductor rail

3. Using a 0.8mm drill bit in a pin vice sch as the GM577 Gaugemaster Pro Archimedean Drill Set, I drill the holes for the insulators as per the dimensions and diagrams in Part 1.

Drill the sleepers
4. I then thread the insulators onto the rail by holding the insulators on a work surface and poking the rail end on through the insulator.

Thread the insulators
5. I then space the insulators out roughly before trail fitting them into the pre-drilled holes.

Spacing out the insulatorsFitting the insulators
6. I remove the conductor rail, being carefully not to move the insulators too much then apply glue to the holes before pushing the insulators back into holes. I use AD-55 Deluxe Materials Glue and Glaze as it gives a quick strong bond and dries clear. 


Gluing in place
7. Once the glue has tried, I hand paint the rails using a rust coloured paint. Whilst the rust colour may not be fully prototypical, I want the third rail to stand out slightly. 

3rd rail painting


As my layout is to be taken to exhibitions, I have to ensure that the conductor rail is not damaged when splitting the baseboards. For this I put a PECO Brass Track Pin at the baseboard edges and solder the conductor rail to it.

Conductor rail accessories and other lineside equipment is the subject of his Part 3 post here.

Further Reading

Although not 3rd or 4th Rail related check out Simon's book Colour Light Signalling for Model Railways. 
ISBN: 9781785006258 Published in October 2019.

 

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What do you think?  Get in touch with your thoughts, suggestions for future post or suggestions for future models!

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