Modern
Grade Crossing - Rubber Style Our
Modern Rubber Grade Crossings are the FIRST EVER produced in N scale. We took
a lot of time in designing our grade crossings to ensure that all of our measurements
were correct, they looked right when mounted, AND (most importantly), they worked
correctly with 99% of the rolling stock available. Our
rubber and concrete grade crossings are made to simulate two-lane highway crossings.
(expander packs available!) To
Mount: Remove
all pieces from the etched metal frame with a sharp hobby knife (be careful!).
The trick to
mounting is to remember that you want these to lay directly below the top of the
rails, thus, you need to figure out what code rail you have, and work your way
down from there. These
etchings are .005" thick, so if Code 55 rail is about .055" tall, you
will need a shim (plastic strip) that is about .045" tall. Mount
your shims down the middle of the rails and on either sides of the ties where
you want your grade crossing to lay. Tip: Remove spike heads to aid you in laying
the shims flat. Glue
shims in place with glue Glue
the 3 long etchings in place, but, bend the ramps down so they lay just on top
of the ties (the ramps are only on one end). Next,
you will notice that you have three of the short pieces left over. The ramps are
left off on one end to allow you to expand your grade crossing to a 4 lane road
using our expander pack - BLMA #78 If
you are not using the expander, simply glue the ramps onto the end of the long
etching at the same angle downward as they are on the other end. Painting: The
ramps on these models are metal and the rest of the crossing is a high density
rubber. To simulate
the rubber, we have found that using thin washes of india ink or black paint works
best. (if you are handy with an air brush, have at it!) Because
the ramps are to remain their natural color, we recommend weathering them (and
the whole thing) with dull coat and perhaps a hint of orange or brown chalk dust
to represent faint signs of rusting. |