Big jim's (now dismantled) 12 x 6 shed layout

[big jim]

had a bit of modelling mojo return this evening so decided to fit the points into the station siding

 

 

the only thing is they are foul of the platform end slightly (but there was no other way of fitting them in) so when i fit the signals i'll have to fit a ground position light roughly where 37401 is sat and ensure nothing is sat in the platform when i move stuff out of the siding

 

 

 

i need to sort this set of points out too, one of my DVTs has no dcc chip in so buzzes while on the track however i noticed it has been buzzing intermittently and the lights were going on and off as if power to the track was cutting out momenterally so i followed the track round and discovered the fishplate between the points was every so often giving a little spark but also the track at that point was very warm to the touch so something isnt right there (trains run normally on the layout though)

 

its the furthest rail that is causing the problem

 

looking at the rest of the layout i need to reglue some bits of pavement

 

and renew bit of others were rain and condensation has caused problems

 

hopefully i can get a bit more done now summer is here

[big jim]

latest additions to the fleet courtesy of ebay

 

first up 12 assorted 4 wheel wagons, MFA, coalfish etc as it happens i bought this lot off fellow forum member shanks522, looks like a nice rake of wagons behind the 70 (with my existing 4 wagons added)

 

then a Bachmann 150 in FNW livery, nice £40 bargain, this will probably ultimatly become the network rail TRU in yellow, i havent desided whether to use this one of my london midland one, the reason being i've driven the real thing many times when i worked for FNW so it has a bit of personal interest for me

 

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Very nice Jim, that first photo is cracking !! 

[vulcan product fan]

lookin great pal like the 4 wheeled wagons. and the bargain 150 nice 

[big jim]

ive not updated the thread for a while as ive been so busy in work ive done nowt with it

 

i must admit ive been seriously thinking about a complete rebuild of the layout just recently, the reason being the inclines are proving problamatic at times with wagons and coaches derailing as they push down the hill, troublesome trucks as it were!

 

another reason being the running of locos over the transitions between the flat and inclines, most are ok however Bachmann 66s dont like the 'ramp' at all, they are prone to derail quite easily on shonky trackwork due to the lack of lateral bogie movement so adding inclines and sharp curves doesnt help the situation and as i have about 20 of them i dont want to just leave them boxed up coz i cant use them

 

the final issue is there is a lot of hidden trackwork, i havent really had issues with it other than the points at one end which are difficult to access if a loco derails on them

 

i cant see ripping everything up being a huge problem and it wouldnt take long and i can re-use all the track, i would go so far as replacing the boards too as they have access holes, point motor holes etc cut into them

 

the idea i have is still a multi level set up but have the mainline and p-way yard on one flat level but have a junction (station?) with a passenger line rising to a higher level terminus station

 

watch this space!

[Marcus 37]

Hi Jim

The Bachmann 66s are a bit problematic like that. Have you tried slackening off the bogie retaining screws a couple of turns. I find that helps quite considerably.

Cheers

Marcus

[big jim]

Tried that on a few of them but they still derail, it's almost as if they sit on the centre wheel more than the others so the slightest dip and the lead wheel skews to one side, it will keep running fine until it either re rails or comes a cropper on say a point!

 

It's not just the 66 issue, the likes of Hornby mk3s override each other's couplings on the downhill grade and either detail or uncouple, not every time but it does happen

 

To be honest if I didn't have so much stock I'd start again in N gauge!

[Iron Horse]

God Jim, that would be a dramatic change

[big jim]

It wont happen, too much 'sentimental' OO gauge stuff!

[CovDriver]

I've often thought about starting again in N gauge also but like you say with the amount of stock I have it scares well the wife scares me if she ever went in the attic!! Plus the sight of the standard N gauge couplers really puts me off.

Cheers
Colin

Edited September 19, 2016 by CovDriver

[Powerhaul 70 Pey]

Hello Jim. I am going to start a new layout when we move house and I was considering inclines on my new layout but after reading about the problems you are having I might do what I did on my old layout and that's just lower the base boards which created an above ground level station. It's A shame you are having running problems as your layout is really good.

[250BOB]

Hi Jim

The answer is to ease your gradients....there is a very simple solution....get a shed 3 times as big.!!

Hope that helps.

Bob

[big jim]

Hi Jim

The answer is to ease your gradients....there is a very simple solution....get a shed 3 times as big.!!

Hope that helps.

Bob

 

 

its a shame i cant move the stuff (ie junk) from the garage into the shed and rebuild a layout in the garage instead

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Isn't Guy Fawkes coming soon   

[TheSignalEngineer]

A big problem with gradients on models is that we expect to go from level to 1 in 30 instantaneously. A good example of a prototype is the top of Lickey at Blackwell. Take a look at old footage such as Railway Roundabout and the gradient change there is a vertical curve gradually easing over the length of about five coaches or more.

[big jim]

a lot of the problem on the layout is the gradients start pretty much at the end of curves or are indeed on curves so as the train prepares to go downhill and the bogie comes over the lip its still "turning" as it were so with the likes of the 66 with very little lateral movement, for the split second the lead wheel may leave the track on the transition when it attempts to rerail it its the wrong side of the rail, were only talking a knats whisker off but enough to cause issues

 

i have tried to eliviate it in the past by putting a slight cant on the rail on the curves which has worked in places but i'm still not happy with the results 

[newbryford]

a lot of the problem on the layout is the gradients start pretty much at the end of curves or are indeed on curves so as the train prepares to go downhill and the bogie comes over the lip its still "turning" as it were so with the likes of the 66 with very little lateral movement, for the split second the lead wheel may leave the track on the transition when it attempts to rerail it its the wrong side of the rail, were only talking a knats whisker off but enough to cause issues

 

i have tried to eliviate it in the past by putting a slight cant on the rail on the curves which has worked in places but i'm still not happy with the results 

 

Another "fix" for the Bachmann 66 to make it have a bit more vertical endplay is to put a small washer on top of the bogie between it and the chassis casting. It's a fiddly job and does raise the body/buffer height by a small amount, the reliability results are worthwhile. Also check that the bogie frames are correctly seated/clipped on the chassis casting.

If you're using the full depth end deflector plate, the NEM pocket can catch on the back of it - the solution is to trim back the pocket by a mm or so - after all, you're not using the pocket if the deflector plate is fitted.

 

If a Bachy 66 works on the track joints/transitions, then everything else should!

 

Cheers,

Mick

[big jim]

i'll give those fixes a try when i get a chance

 

i really dont want to start ripping up the layout if i can avoid it, part of me is getting a bit bored of the current set up though, a reason for that may be that i can only trains on one line as i need to resolder the rails on the removable section, i think once i do that and can get trains running in opposite directions again i may get some enthusiasm back, its been oou for 12 months + now as i quite simply cant solder and keep making a mess of it when i try to repair it!

[ianb26]

I quite simply cant solder and keep making a mess of it when i try to repair it!

 

Don't you have any friends who are "Sparkies" or any into Electronics that can help you? Or for that matter someone who has a basic knowledge of soldering? Maybe a plumber? It would be a shame for you to throw in the towel now after all the work you have put into it including all your hard work building the shed, besides, I like your posts, they have given me inspiration for my layout albeit VERY MUCH SMALLER than yours.

Edited October 5, 2016 by ianb26

[87023Velocity]

i'll give those fixes a try when i get a chance

 

i really dont want to start ripping up the layout if i can avoid it, part of me is getting a bit bored of the current set up though, a reason for that may be that i can only trains on one line as i need to resolder the rails on the removable section, i think once i do that and can get trains running in opposite directions again i may get some enthusiasm back, its been oou for 12 months + now as i quite simply cant solder and keep making a mess of it when i try to repair it!

Hi Jim,

 

Regards the solder, what type are you using - is it lead free? I have recently had the joy (not) of using lead free solder and it is not good. Basically I had been using Hombase 60/40 Tin&Lead Solder for years which contains a resin flux with no problems for electrical wiring (this was an old coil btw).Whilst finishing Dallam off for the Wigan show I needed some more so got some from Hombase again which is lead free had me thinking either my soldering skills had just gone out of the window or my iron was knackered (I was not aware of the lead free issue - I am now!). I ended up buying some DCC Universal concepts solder from Hattons as I could call in there rather than wait for mail order and this flows really well although it is dearer than the stuff from the DIY chains.

You can still get the solder containing lead but you need to order from Ebay. It would be a shame to rip up your hard work btw.

 

Hope thats useful!

 

Cheers

 

Simon

[Budgie]

You can still get the solder containing lead but you need to order from Ebay. It would be a shame to rip up your hard work btw.

No you don't. Try Farnell.

[5BarVT]

No you don't. Try Farnell.

I use Farnell - excellent service and free delivery starts at only £5. No connection etc.

 

Paul.

[big jim]

Got some decent lead solder from my local model shop this morning and repaired the damaged track, took the brass box section out and used a piece of PCB instead as I could tack it down

 

 

I was going to use the brass originally but decided to change it when I couldn't get the soldering iron in where I wanted, i originally intended to line the rails up by sliding a fishplate over the top and soldering the bottom but it was too tight to do in place

 

 

So I gave up and went down the PCB route instead which i think far more secure as I'd have also had to cut the brass bar down the centre

 

I ended up lining up the rails by eye, must have down it right as trains run lively over it now!

 

 

Glad to have got it running again but I'm still getting derailments in other places due to the shoddy trackwork which upon closer inspection dips and wallows which is throwing single axles of the class 66s and some 37 off the rails and causing them to come a cropper on the hidden points however the likes of the 67 and mk3 take run lovely round the layout

 

Really don't know which way to go with it now, happy to be running but fed up of how poor it is

[Zomboid]

Fix the track, either ditch it all and start again, or fix the problems.

It seems obvious, but if you can't run trains to your satisfaction then you're building a static diorama. Nothing wrong with that in itself, but if that's not your thing then don't waste your time progressing something unsatisfactory.

[big jim]

A lot of the issues with the shonky track are in the polystyrene risers, I covered them With plaster before securing the track to them with long pins and PGA glue I may well Lift those parts and put a layer of thin ply between the risers and track, the ballast I put down has come loose anyway as I most likely didn't use enough dilute pva to fit it in place, a quick whizz over with the handheld dyson should recover a fair bit of it for reuse, I've got all winter to get it sorted!