Poindexter Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Great progress and great video Phil. Excellent choice of loco to test with as well ;-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
artizen Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Ta-da! Finally the site lets me post! In the deepest man-cave under the house - cyclone rods. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 Thanks Ian - nice tennis ball! Tonight, I've been working on the under board, which has required me to move a load of reclaimed timber we're saving to replace the floors in the house (in a spare moment) - you can see them now stacked under the board on the left. I only managed to trap my fingers once doing it - ouch. Here's a shot of the wiring - I though it looked quite tidy, but obviously need to apply the gaffer tape. Cheers Phil 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swifty11 Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Looking good as always Phil! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull1845 Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Ian was right. your wiring is exactly like mine! looks spot on to me. lol 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 And here is the track plan for the fiddle yard, not to scale. Each part is just over 6' long. Any observations/suggestions welcome as nothing is yet set in stone. Might get some time down there agian later today. Cheers Phil 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 Just had a bit of inspiration - I was busy cleaning up all of the previous traces of track/scenery from the board to create the second bit of the fiddle yard which was quite laborious then realised I could just unscrew the board and turn it over on the fram and hey presto, a brand new and clean one. Job done. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Temeraire Posted February 23, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 23, 2013 Any observations/suggestions welcome as nothing is yet set in stone. Isn't the crossover the wrong way around for turning back trains from the yard above? If I remember right they would arrive on the top road at the left hand end and currently can't return on the lower road? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted February 23, 2013 Author Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi Ian Yes you're right - how about this? Trains leaving the Yard will arrive back onto the main line, down the helix and arrive at 'A', and either carry along to 'B' then up the helix and the incline and round again. Or they can go and park in one of the two sidings, to carry on round via 'B' at a later date etc. If they need to be turned around they can enter the crossover siding, where the loco can be uncoupled, another one added to the other end - probably from the 'E' siding? They can then go back the other way via 'C' and up the helix onto the top deck. There they can keep going round and would end up at 'D', or crossover and into the Yard. Is that what you meant? One thing I've noticed is that it's a bit dark in the fiddle yard, so I might need to add some lights under there - at some point. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Temeraire Posted February 23, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 23, 2013 (edited) Evening Phil Excuse the poor drawing effort but hopefully you get the drift? Slightly rejigged what you had to give maximim loop lengths on the inside of the curve and added two turnback loops that can be accessed from both ends to allow turning of trains in both directions. They can also act as an extra loop in both directions as well. Edited February 23, 2013 by Temeraire 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted February 24, 2013 Author Share Posted February 24, 2013 Thanks Ian, I see what you mean, I need to check how many tracks I can get in, as one of the legs of the boards aren't 2' , or rather they are, but the supporting legs impinge onto them. certainly seven will fit in, not sure abot eight. Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted February 24, 2013 Author Share Posted February 24, 2013 The underboard now in place, looks like it needs a bit of sweep up now. The supports which now limit the width of the boards Phil 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poindexter Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Cracking progress Phil, and I'm following your fiddle yard planning with interest as I have never built one before. I really like the idea if being able to turn the trains on the fiddle yard boards. Will that require a reverseing module or just clever point manipulation? Keep up the good work mate, it appears I have fallen asleep! Guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poindexter Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Oh and I think I'm going to use a white SMD LED strip like this to light my fiddle yard http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-5M-3528-SMD-300-LED-Strip-Lighting-12V-DIY-Party-Clubs-Deco-5-Colors-/251070309820?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Night_Lights_Fairy_Lights&var=&hash=item3a74f4e5bc With the relevant transformer. Should be low profile enough and be cheap to run. Guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Temeraire Posted February 24, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 24, 2013 Blimey you have been busy! Looking good fella, just the other helix now then! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted February 24, 2013 Author Share Posted February 24, 2013 Blimey you have been busy! Looking good fella, just the other helix now then! Of course I haven't fitted the final quarter turn of the first helix to the top board yet - still trying to work out the supports. I might get chance to cut it out tonight then it might all become clear from there (or not). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted February 24, 2013 Author Share Posted February 24, 2013 Thanks Guy. Not sure of the fiddle yard reversing - I was presuming if it's all wired up right it should just work - as long as all the +ve/-ve ends up at the right side of it all there shouldn't be a problem. It's helpful to have Ian's input as otherwise I'd have ended up with some dead ends. I'll probably lay it all out without securing in place then see if it works in real life. The LEDs look a good idea - perhaps I should get those ones where you can change the colour according your mood. Looks like you can also cut them into sections and therfore use them for lighting buildings etc. Cheers Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted February 24, 2013 Author Share Posted February 24, 2013 Having messed around bending flexitrack to shape for the helix, I've now resolved to just use standard curves for now - these are 3rd radius in the fiddle yard, however I think I might need an extra triangle bit in the corner, or should I just live dangerously? Phil 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swifty11 Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 You could cut a triangle of the back of the fiddle yard board and fasten, problem is if a heavy loco goes over it could move the track or bend it and fall to the floor? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 for safety i'd be inclined to put a triangle in the corner with a small vertical edge on it. just the right hight to whack knees on! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rammy Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 The helix and the layout as a whole looks great Phil. Good find with the LEDs too. They are a bargain buy. Just trying to think of an excuse to buy some! Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
artizen Posted February 24, 2013 Share Posted February 24, 2013 Two helixes! Disco lights! It's all go in your basement! LOL One suggestion about LEDs (which I have on my layouts). Try to get natural or pure whites (5000K) and use them to light the layout proper as well as the storage area. At the price they are now, 10 metres is cheap enough. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted February 24, 2013 Author Share Posted February 24, 2013 Thanks everyone for the comments. Apparently in the seventies, it was the scene of many a wild 'party', so the return to disco lights will be no bad thing. So that you don't have to worry about any accidents I've made a nice little safety corner: (and yes I know about the warped board top left) Phil 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beresford Junction Posted February 26, 2013 Author Share Posted February 26, 2013 I've just been working out the trackplan for the fiddle yard (again), and trying to work out how many lines / sidings I can fit in there. Because of the supports that intrude, I've got 485mm to play with. Ideally I'd fit in as many as possible, but two things to take into account: 1. I'll be accessing in quite a restricted space, and don't want it to be a nightmare de-railing one set when fixing another. 2. There is a sharp 90 degree bend half way along, so don't want long wagons (containers) or coaches fouling. I'm going to use 3rd radius curves for the corner as shown above. Ian's plan shows 8 tracks, which I could probably squeeze in at say 50mm centres, but I might go for seven to give me slightly more space at the expense of not switching direction on two trains at once. I'll probably not do too much faffing about under there, apart from changing locos on trains coming out of the yard and going back the other way, thus running fixed rakes of wagons and doing my 'fiddling' in the visible yard. So..... how far between the tracks? Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGomez Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Hi Phil If it´s any help, my fiddle yard is similar to yours in that it runs along 2 walls, but not quite at 90º. I had 800mm to play with. I´ve got 12 lines, 6 tracks in each direction and on the front of one of the boards I located my programming track. I´ll check tonight on the spacing if you want? I know I opened up the spacing on the curve and put a triangular board at the front to give me that extra spacing. I too have LEDs lighting the fiddle yard. Mine are 2, 3 or 4 chip modules which I had been given over the years at work to try out. They are older modules that are not as luminous as todays models but for what I wanted they did the trick (especially as they were freebees). The price for the strips that Guy said about is a very good price. We buy them in at work and our cost price is more expensive than that!! Either ours are top quality or we are just being ripped off? Looking back at your helix exiting from under the top board. If you are going to run any overhead electrics, the pantograph will lose the fight with the MDF. I speak from experience!! Andy. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now