The Night Mail

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, tomparryharry said:

One thing I've forgot to mention are handles.  a lifting handle, incorporated with an anti-roll door would be pretty neat.

 

Cheers,

Ian. 

I saw a system where as the handles were lifted an anti-roll door slid down. IIRC it was similar to a sash window except whereas a sash window the sashes are independent on this they were connected so as the handles were raised the door went down. It was so designed with the handles on the outside that the cassettes could be stacked one upon the other. The builder told me though that they were heavy on maintenance especially in an exhibition status. The handles were an inverted U shape so in the down position stock could pass through. 

[tomparryharry]

1 hour ago, rockershovel said:

 

Overlapping with the “prototype for everything” thread..

 

 

 

 

The middle photo puts me in mind of Bernard Cribbins. "Right Said Fred."

[bbishop]

.... and the metro train in Rotterdam, having a whale of a time!  Bill

[tomparryharry]

The post about 'the 'light-fingered fraternity' has set me thinking. How could you guard against theft of a model? I know that 99.9% of the public are pretty much OK, but sad to say it will still happen. My thoughts have led me to thinking about a system, whereby lifting a vehicle will break continuity, and the relay comes into play. Nothing like a shrieking wagon to get your attention....  Possibly, a 'park mode' on the chip. 

[tomparryharry]

The cost of aluminium is only relative to the value of your stock, and what working materials you can scrounge 'Acquire for Preservation'. The end door idea is to weight the  door, such that lifting said cassette allows gravity to swing - slide the door down, and raising up as the cassette is placed down. 

 

Edit:- Just like Phil JW's post, which somehow I managed to miss.... Sorry Phil!

 

 

Edited December 17, 2020 by tomparryharry
Naughty step...

[bbishop]

So a quick description of my 7mm cassettes.  These are made of 9mm marine ply, to which aluminium angle is screwed.  Working to finescale, I insert a washer between the wood and the metal.  I have four lengths, the standard ones are 4' for stock and 16" for locos.  The loco cassettes have aluminium ears for alignment and the 4' cassettes have carrying handles.  Then I indulged in a trio of class BR 50s, which required 24" cassettes.  The knock on problem is the fiddle yard has a maximum 5' 8" cassette length so I've had to build a 3' 8" cassette, which naturally is used for the goods train.  

As described, there is a height differential between the layout and the cassettes so rectangles of mdf are glued to the latter.  Also helps in getting fingers under the cassettes for lifting.  It is difficult to align trackwork and cassettes, so I have made a "shoe" - 3" of cassette that is bolted to the fiddle yard and which has ears to align to the next cassette.  One of my fears is that I forget to take the shoe to an exhibition.  I don't rely on the ears for electrical continuity but attach crocodile clips as well.  Finally, I have ply blocks which just fit inside the angle and have a dowel which drops into a hole.   I use one to obviate over-runs and two when moving a cassette from fiddle yard to stock table.

Bill

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, tomparryharry said:

The post about 'the 'light-fingered fraternity' has set me thinking. How could you guard against theft of a model? I know that 99.9% of the public are pretty much OK, but sad to say it will still happen. My thoughts have led me to thinking about a system, whereby lifting a vehicle will break continuity, and the relay comes into play. Nothing like a shrieking wagon to get your attention....  Possibly, a 'park mode' on the chip. 

Boxing in the fiddle yards to the front and side is a pretty good deterrent.  I'm sure that if they really wanted something they'd just lift it off the railway and do a runner, but generally the additional security measures makes them look for an easier target.

 

It's a reason that I always like a corner location at a show so that one end of the railway can go against a side wall.

 

I've mentioned before that the plan for the rebuilt traverser on Splott West will incorporate a lockable cover that will drop over the whole of the traverser and encase the stock for overnight security purposes.

 

Two for Bill:  What size aluminium angle do you use?

                        What is the overall width of your cassettes?

 

I think the floor blanks I've made up may be too wide, but it's a quick pass through the table saw (now the fence is fixed) to trim them down a bit.

[J. S. Bach]

7 hours ago, roundhouse said:

Nooooo.

 

Stick with green ones

 

and a few black ones

NO, red is definitely better :Or maybe blue?

[roundhouse]

24 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

NO, red is definitely better :Or maybe blue?

This red is OK. One of my N scale locos used on Banbury having a bit of a run due to the layout not being set up for over a year with no shows.

[rockershovel]

1 hour ago, J. S. Bach said:

NO, red is definitely better :Or maybe blue?

 

GG1 are imposing things, arent they? That blue thing belongs in "ugliest locos", though. Electrics are usually too boxy to make much aesthetic impression on me, but that just looks like a stack of random boxes on the landing, or possibly something built from Lego..

 

[jamie92208]

As threatened here are a few pics pf LGA's cassettes. They are used for the trip freights to 4 different locations and are inside the main fiddle Yard.   They are a self contained unit that acts as the mating pair to the centre board of the fiddle yard (E3) for transport and storage.

Here is the whole set up with the cassettes in their positions for operating.

2 lengths of cassette. The long ones are long enough for an EMU and are the same length as the traverser on the Castle Branch. The short ones are for brake vans and locos. For transport all the cassettes bolt underneath where the long ones are, along with the bridge from the main layout, see later.

Two short ones coupled together. The long ones are female only the short ones are all, male/female.

The bridge to the layout has two male connectors.  The surface for the cassettes of laminate which works better than plywood.

The end of a cassette with some wagons on.  The angle is 1" by 0.5" and the cassettes are approx 85mm wide.   

Hope this is of some use.  Got to dash to pick up the fish and chips.

 

Jamie

 

[Happy Hippo]

Jamie,

 

Thanks for the pictures, they are most helpful.  The arrangement of how you join them together and transfer the power is very similar to what I envisage doing although mine was to have been outboard of the running rails.  The principle is identical.  Again, as with the request to Bill, what size aluminium angle did you use?

 

The new boards are going to be sliced up from lengths of some of the South Greenfield baseboard tops.  These slices will form the sides and ends.  The important parts of the track bed will then be drawn out on brown wrapping paper and cut to shape from some thinner ply sheet I have in stock.  Once dropped into place on the frame, it will be suitable braced and the scenic infill will be created using some spare sheets of Cellotex I have left over.  This will create a very light but stable set of boards.  The cassette tables will be built up in a similar way but with solid ply tops.  I will probably try and build the legs into the base, so I do not need any other supporting beams and legs. 

 

I envisage the hardest part being to get the track to cassette alignment spot on.

 

I suspect getting the cassette tables and a couple of cassettes made up first and then adjusting the height of the track bed on the scenic boards to suit would be easiest.

 

As is usual with my railways, a suitable Welsh name needs to be picked.  Torri Gwynt is leading the polls at present.

 

The big question is do I opt for reusing the solenoid motors form SG to drive the points or do I just put in a simple mechanical system?

 

 

[Florence Locomotive Works]

3 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

NO, red is definitely better :Or maybe blue?

What about gray with stripes?! 
 

(Photo Credit)

 

Douglas 

 

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

Jamie,

 

Thanks for the pictures, they are most helpful.  The arrangement of how you join them together and transfer the power is very similar to what I envisage doing although mine was to have been outboard of the running rails.  The principle is identical.  Again, as with the request to Bill, what size aluminium angle did you use?

 

The new boards are going to be sliced up from lengths of some of the South Greenfield baseboard tops.  These slices will form the sides and ends.  The important parts of the track bed will then be drawn out on brown wrapping paper and cut to shape from some thinner ply sheet I have in stock.  Once dropped into place on the frame, it will be suitable braced and the scenic infill will be created using some spare sheets of Cellotex I have left over.  This will create a very light but stable set of boards.  The cassette tables will be built up in a similar way but with solid ply tops.  I will probably try and build the legs into the base, so I do not need any other supporting beams and legs. 

 

I envisage the hardest part being to get the track to cassette alignment spot on.

 

I suspect getting the cassette tables and a couple of cassettes made up first and then adjusting the height of the track bed on the scenic boards to suit would be easiest.

 

As is usual with my railways, a suitable Welsh name needs to be picked.  Torri Gwynt is leading the polls at present.

 

The big question is do I opt for reusing the solenoid motors form SG to drive the points or do I just put in a simple mechanical system?

 

 

Hi Richard glad to be of help, though perhaps you need to visit Barnard Castle. The Aluminium angle is one inch by half an inch as mentioned half way down. I've used Bills and they work well.  My long ones are 950mm long which nicely accommodates six four wheelers.  If you want I can measure the brass rod and tube for you. Just one more point. The cassettes need to slide easily on the surface. Laminate is excellent.

 

Jamie

[pH]

Choose the right Great Western Railway to model, and you can have lots of different colours of engines:

 

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/493812/

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/726966/

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/582751/

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/538970/

 

The railroad is now owned by Omnitrax, so engines in the colours of many of their other short lines can be seen at various times on the Great Western.

 

 

 

[J. S. Bach]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

Jamie,

Thanks for the pictures, they are most helpful.   ...snip... The big question is do I opt for reusing the solenoid motors form SG to drive the points or do I just put in a simple mechanical system?

 

 

Mechanical for sure; no problems at all after the initial set-up. My eventual turntable will be a simple hand cranked one. No alignment or electronic/electrical problems.

[J. S. Bach]

2 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

As threatened here are a few pics pf LGA's cassettes.  ...snip... Hope this is of some use.  Got to dash to pick up the fish and chips.

Jamie

I am "stealing" this photo for reference/ideas when I eventually build a layout. If the pins are spring-loaded, what it the source? If home-made, then I have an idea as to how to make them.

[J. S. Bach]

1 hour ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

What about gray with stripes?!

Douglas

NO WAY!!!! That brings to mind the PRR/NYC merger, the worst disaster to occur to US railroading; and the gov't's requirement of absorbing the NH made it even worse. Note that the two main players computers could not even "talk" to one another! Even Mussolini could not have straightened that mess out. For more information try to find a copy of the book "WRECK OF THE PENN CENTRAL" for an in-depth study.

[J. S. Bach]

1 hour ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

Douglas 

 

BTW, a couple of those ended up on the Chicago, South Shore, & South Bend sporting real pans and some other changes; not to mention a nice orange and red paint scheme.

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

 The Aluminium angle is one inch by half an inch as mentioned half way down.

Durr!

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

Hi Richard glad to be of help, though perhaps you need to visit Barnard Castle. The Aluminium angle is one inch by half an inch as mentioned half way down. I've used Bills and they work well.  My long ones are 950mm long which nicely accommodates six four wheelers.  If you want I can measure the brass rod and tube for you. Just one more point. The cassettes need to slide easily on the surface. Laminate is excellent.

 

Jamie

I've got all the brass rod and telescoping tube sorted.  I got a load of Albion Alloys stuff, in a closing down sale.  I also got plenty of brass angle.  The plan was to solder the tube to the inside junction of the brass angle and then bolt these to the sides of the cassette.  The male connectors would be made up in a similar fashion but with a protruding brass rod sticking out.  The rod would have a taper turned end to ease the joining process.

 

I have some laminate sheet somewhere in my garage roof.

[jamie92208]

30 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

I am "stealing" this photo for reference/ideas when I eventually build a layout. If the pins are spring-loaded, what it the source? If home-made, then I have an idea as to how to make them.

No springs involved. I hope to have chance to get over to the shed tomorrow afternoon and will try and get some close ups and some measurements. One way of ensuring contact in such joints is to wind some thin copper wire round a rod of the right diameter to make a sort of spring, then put them inside the tubes. I worked that out on holiday in France when a caravan light started flickering so put little springs in the socket between the car and the van.

 

Jamie

[BR60103]

My suggestion for wiring the cassettes. Gap the North rail on the layout a suitable stopping distance from the fiddle yard attachment. Take a wire from this and use a clip of some sort to connect to the cassette. The South rail will power directly to the cassette.  

If the cassette is not in place there will be a dead section in the approach, even if the clip is left on. Just don't go backing long trains of wagons in.

There may be a problem with those 6-car multiple units that have pickups at both ends.

 

[jamie92208]

BR 60103's suggestion has a point. It is useful if you can have a break somewhere so that trains stop. Obviously some sort of physical barrier at the end is ideal. I believe this is even more important with DCC and their stay alive function. I nearly dumped one of Bill's chunky tank engines onto the floor at Warley. Unfortunately they're not fitted with air brakes.

 

Jamie

Edited December 18, 2020 by jamie92208

[Happy Hippo]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

BR 60103's suggestion has a point. It is useful if you can have a break somewhere so that trains stop. Obviously some sort of physical barrier at the end is ideal. I believecthiscus even more important with DCC and their stay alive function. I nearly dumped one of Bill's chunky tank engines onto the floor at Warley. Unfortunately they're not fitted with air brakes.

 

Jamie

Arrestor hooks and cables!

 

Talking of cables, can anyone here remember the 7mm scale railway that had the  working wagon turntable and incorporated capstan shunting?