PECO Setrack Points (Left Hand and Right Hand)

A sample pair of these points has been supplied by Peco for the Guild to review and assess.

The points are supplied in the usual Peco cardboard packaging, wrapped in polythene and supported by small olystyrene blocks to protect them from damage. Paperwork information is also included.

My first impression was of a neat product, looking to be well made, quite robust and well presented. The pointwork vital statistics are described as: - Length 394mm, Radius 1028mm, angle 22.5 degrees, using standard Peco bullhead rail, with Unifrog wiring, and the points are fully compatible with Peco setrack and Peco bullhead flexitrack. The paperwork included gives advice on how to wire up the points if needed. As supplied the points are wired to be ‘live’ in both turnout directions, which is suitable for DCC, but they have the facility for fitting microswitches for directional power feeding. The points do not include the microswitch cover block, which is currently incorporated into the standard points, but mouldings are incorporated to mount suitable Peco micro switches to the point tiebars, outside the running rails. The points have been designed to the same dimensions and geometry as the setrack rail parts, so they can replace setrack rail sections with minimum alterations, and the radius (1028mm) is constant through the points. The Peco Set track left hand point.

I have mounted one point onto a board, as in the photo, as a basic test track, using a setrack curve and a couple of pieces of bullhead streamline track, and I’ve taken a series of detailed measurements of the points to compare with the Guild standards. It should be obvious that these points have no prototypical equivalent, apart from tramway turnouts due to the radius, however the small radius makes them very attractive for small space layouts. Set track test track as described in the text

The critical dimensions are shown below with comparison to the equivalent Guild standards.

¹ The points measured 32mm at all rail ends, but 32.2mm on the curve.
² The Guild coarsescale standard wheel back to back measurement is 28mm

Comparison of figures shows the setrack point to be close to the Guild finescale standard, consequently, vehicles fitted with Guild coarsescale wheels are not compatible with these points.

Several items of rolling stock and short wheelbase locos fitted with Guild finescale standard wheels (Slaters) were trialled through the points. The shortest wheelbase loco measured 28mm between axles and ran very smoothly through both routes, with no electrical jerking. A number of ready to run locomotives have been trialled on the test track and the following all travelled smoothly through both routes: -
Minerva Pannier tank, Heljan classes 05, 20 and 40, Sancheng Ivatt 2MT, and Small Prairie Tank, Dapol Terrier, Jinty and 08.

To date, no ready to run items have failed to negotiate the points, although the class 40 had a huge overhang. There are a number of things to consider with these points as they come out of the box: -

1) The points are really most suitable for short wheelbase and small locomotives and rolling stock.
2) There is serious risk of buffer locking between vehicles, particularly long wheelbase vehicles due to the tight curves.
3) Long wheelbase, 6 wheeled rolling stock must have plenty of sideplay on the centre axle to negotiate the curves.
4) As seen on the test track, the distance between the rails is 115 mm by the time they become parallel after a point.
5) All the ready to run vehicles tested negotiated the curves satisfactorily, but kit or scratchbuilt items will need to be built to cater for the tight curves.
6) The points will not accommodate Guild coarsescale standards, nor the non-Guild coarsescale standard, commercially available, products.
7) The trackwork is described as being suitable for laying on the floor to use, and packing away afterwards. It looks quite robust, but I don’t feel it would stand up to a lot of this type of use before being damaged.

To summarise, I think it these are very good products that really fill a gap in the current O gauge market. They fit in well with the current increased interest in small ready to run locomotives and rolling stock, and are a really useful addition for small space layouts.