EM check rail gauge

[Trade OfficerKeymaster]

I have finally got a couple of quotes to manufacture the EM check rail gauge. Unfortunately, they will cost in excess of £12-£14 each with a minimum order of 100 items!

I have a large number of the DCC concept gauges. (£3-£4 each)

Below is a comparison between the 2

My question is – does the dcc concepts gauge work as a check rail gauge given the lack of a flange at one end.

I have asked a couple of track builders at expos and they have advised me that they will work. Before I put these in the store as check rail gauge I need a few more opinions from those of you out there who are more familiar with using these gauges than I am

 

John

[Stuart FirthParticipant]

Hi John I can’t answer your question – I don’t actually know which is which in your picture, but a plea if I may that it be made from brass rather than steel. I bought a couple of 00 gauges for building my American layout and given the proximity to flux they rust like anything!

[Trade OfficerKeymaster]

Sorry, meant to put that in.

The top one is the original steel one with the bottom being the DCC concepts brass one

John

[Bob AllisonParticipant]

John,

I have built about 50 turnouts using a modified Exactoscale gauge that has only one flange at each end.  One simply pushes the check rail gently against the flange at one end while holding the gauge fairly firmly against the opposite rail.  Sounds awful but in practice it is ever so easy.  And it avoids the problem reported elsewhere of the grooves forcing the rail into a vertical position, with consequent gauge narrowing when the gauge is removed and the rail adopts its 1:20 slope.

Bob

[NorwesternerParticipant]

John,

I think the key thing is having a flat on the outside (LH) ring of the check rail gauge.  This allows the gauge to be used over the point crossing nose.  I cannot see that on the DCC Concepts one from your photo, but I seem to remember when I looked at one at expo that they do have that.

Paul

[Stephen FreemanParticipant]

I use the ones already sold as shown. I can’t see a flat on the DCC Concepts one, but it wouldn’t be difficult to modify. I cannot see an EM Gauge one on their site and looks like the P4 one is going to be discontinued as the advert is for stock clearance.

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