SOS Junction. If anything happens would someone wake me up please..

[Stubby47]

Patiala?

Yes, that's the intention. SWMBO will be out shopping on Saturday so I should have time to make the main part of the baseboard AND clear the garage, provided I can get space cleared in the loft.

[LNER4479]

I wish to thank several people on here who were kind enough to provide diagrams and info about bits of wire.

You may be pleased to hear that, for some strange reason, the info must have filtered into my cranium and this afternoon I have not done a Larry (see later*) but I have chopped and ripped incorrectly positioned wires. Sadly I have also killed a medium radius Pecoboo point (to be withdrawn for now); no tears, it was painless.

*The reason I have not done a Larry is that I just removed some track pins, hoisted some fiddle tracks into the air, removed some joiners and replaced them with other appropriate joiners then rested the track back down. Easy in the fiddle as the track is carp anyway. (Glad it isn't expensive, more prototypical stuff).

OK this is of little interest to you experienced layout makers, however I have now got some points in place and three lengths of fiddle track that actually work a loco when power is applied. For me this is amazing. The three tracks are now 'independent' as well, two power fed from 'beyond' the point and one will be fed slightly differently.

There was another person some time ago that advised sort of thus, 'lay some track then test it to see if it works before moving on to the next bit'. Very sound advice especially when there are points involved. So this advice, plus the super wiring diagram I now have, should enable me to progress slowly out of the Fiddle Yard. However there are one or two places that will need the additional power feeds (e.g. trailing/facing crossings where both the frogs need isolating) in place to test that continuity.

I've gone from hating the thought of wiring to actually looking forward to the challenge thanks to friends on here. The best bit of advice I've had from a top bloke is KISS! Yup, that works. Thanks Graham.

I shall ascend again tomorrow.

Ducky.

Aha - you've discovered the beautiful simplicity of fiddle yards - you can change things around and adjust (ie 'fiddle'!) easy-peasy. Unlike your main lines once everything's ballasted and scenicked.

 

Glad to hear you're getting your head round it. Fly Ducky, fly!!

Edited March 1, 2016 by LNER4479

[Mallard60022]

Well I'm glad that I am not distracted by 'announcements' and can get on with fiddling with stuff instead of smuggling things past SWMBO.

Tim Dubya was trying to cause a froth on that announcement site but sadly it fell on stony ballast (shame as it was a very good frothmaker).

Ar$e

[Mallard60022]

Actually I have just had a nightmare brainflash. WTF happens if the Red Box Co goes under and the Blue Box Co decide they have had enough and go Continental only? Oh noooooooooooooooooooooooo, I need meds.

Quackers.

[DonB]

Actually I have just had a nightmare brainflash. WTF happens if the Red Box Co goes under and the Blue Box Co decide they have had enough and go Continental only? Oh noooooooooooooooooooooooo, I need meds.

Quackers.

 

Have a look at any model railway mag. from the early '60s...... people actually did some thing called "modelling", it seemed to work

[Tim Dubya]

Firstly,

 

Apologies for missing the 'a' out of Quacker's on (right) said thread (the painkillers for my back are rather good at making my fingers not work, YAY!).

 

Secondly,

 

Don't worry DJM and Oxford will make all the train sets we need.

 

Something like that, anyway..

[sp1]

Firstly,

 

Apologies for missing the 'a' out of Quacker's on (right) said thread (the painkillers for my back are rather good at making my fingers not work, YAY!).

 

Secondly,

 

Don't worry DJM and Oxford will make all the train sets we need.

 

Something like that, anyway..

Train sets ....

You can still get train sets?

I want one - I remember having one when I was a lad......

[Mallard60022]

These bl**dy layouts take a so**ing age to sort out don't they! Nobody told me this when I started in 1968. Despite this I am now getting on with the 'up' Fiddle Yard tracks having actually sorted the 'down' FY Tracks earlier this afternoon. Sounds great don't it but in fact it's hardly anything sorted really.

I think I'll tidy up again as that's easier.

Quackers.

[bgman]

These bl**dy layouts take a so**ing age to sort out don't they! Nobody told me this when I started in 1968. Despite this I am now getting on with the 'up' Fiddle Yard tracks having actually sorted the 'down' FY Tracks earlier this afternoon. Sounds great don't it but in fact it's hardly anything sorted really.

I think I'll tidy up again as that's easier.

Quackers.

I dunno, you go away for three weeks ( unplanned !!!) and still nothing has changed ! Humph !

Trilby, smock, running all the way .........

[Captain Kernow]

I dunno, you go away for three weeks ( unplanned !!!) and still nothing has changed ! Humph !

 

Vanden Plas.

[Stubby47]

Vanden Plas.

I had one of those as my first car 1275cc, twin carb, walnut dashboard

[bgman]

Vanden Plas.

I prefer Brut for men

[Mallard60022]

I once nearly bought a Riley with a walnut Dashboard (around 1968 I think it was). Still thinking about it; probably sold by now.

OK, question for CK here. Why is it that when one has just decided how the tracks will be placed and one then retires to sleep, one's brain decides that the track is wrong and one should have done it "like this" (dream like illustration drifts through sleeping head). Could it be Larryitis and if so, how do I medicate to avoid this?

Sincerely,

HRH David. 

[LNER4479]

Actually I have just had a nightmare brainflash. WTF happens if the Red Box Co goes under and the Blue Box Co decide they have had enough and go Continental only? Oh noooooooooooooooooooooooo, I need meds.

Quackers.

Time to get stuck into the stash of unmade kits?

[Captain Kernow]

I once nearly bought a Riley with a walnut Dashboard (around 1968 I think it was). Still thinking about it; probably sold by now.

OK, question for CK here. Why is it that when one has just decided how the tracks will be placed and one then retires to sleep, one's brain decides that the track is wrong and one should have done it "like this" (dream like illustration drifts through sleeping head). Could it be Larryitis and if so, how do I medicate to avoid this?

Sincerely,

HRH David. 

Your Most Serene Quaqueness,

 

The solution to this is unfortunately very time-consuming and long-winded.

 

It consists of responding immediately to each nocturnal concern as it arises, ascending as quietly as possible to the loft, and spending several hours, with hand tools only, ripping up all the track of concern and relaying it to the new, desired configuration.

 

You then return to your bed and await the next notification from your brain, which could come at any time. When it does, get up once more, ascend quietly to the loft and repeat the process.

 

NB. If this happens while you are having an afternoon nap, the use of power tools is permitted (during office hours only).

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

and why do the 'better way to do it' ideas only arrive after lights out in the dorm, and never in the shed just before laying the track?

 

Mr Per Plexed,

Sweden

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

Actually I have just had a nightmare brainflash. WTF happens if the Red Box Co goes under and the Blue Box Co decide they have had enough and go Continental only? Oh noooooooooooooooooooooooo, I need meds.

Quackers.

 

Dystopian Vision:

 

Trump in the White House

Johnson in the Out House

F'all in the Roundhouse

[Mallard60022]

Dystopian Vision:

 

Trump in the White House

Johnson in the Out House

F'all in the Roundhouse

Argggghhhhhh!

Q

[Mallard60022]

Despite SWMBO being away for a couple of days (and almost getting snowed in at Haworth this morning.......yup, she works on the track gang at the K. & W.V. railway don't you know), she is due back (weather permitting) this afternoon and so I need to vacuum and tidy the kitchen. Just before I do that I would just like to announce that the down and up Fiddles tracks are installed. I think they work OK as a loco has actually moved on all of them. However, there are insulating (both rails) breaks about half way down each track and so I've only really tested each 'end'. I believe that once the 'power feeds' are installed as per the wiring diagram, the breaks will not need switches if both points at the end of each track are 'open'.

Presumably if one facing point on each track is against (closed) with a train already in 'that half' then that train loco will be 'isolated' and thus the other 'half' can be 'live' to drive in another loco/train? That's how my little brain is reading it at the moment.

My favourite Walrus has not fallen off any of the tracks and the Hungry Caterpillar has clearance where it is positioned on the yet to be laid Incline, as the Fiddles do not encroach on the Caterpillar's nest site. 

I do have to rethink my point requirements (Electrofrog) though as some pre used ones I acquired have been adapted for DCC and I've already broken one trying to retro fit it. I damaged the frog wire fittings and couldn't sort it. Hey ho. There are about 10 more to do like that but I think I know now what not to do 

OK, off to get the duster out. (No sniggering......)

Quackers.

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

 

OK, off to get the duster out. (No sniggering......)

 

 

If you're very good, dear, I'll get my Nigel to send round some nibbles.

 

[Tim Dubya]

If you're very good, dear, I'll get my Nigel to send round some nibbles.

 

Nigella-Lawson_grande.jpg

 

 

 

Hope he's good with a vacuum cleaner.

 

Dai Son

[bigwordsmith]

Hi Phil,

 

It's always a little tricky relying on feeds off points to energise sidings, especially when they are Electrofrog because you can unintentionally set up a short circuit if you have a power feed to the rail that is the opposite polarity to the way the point has been set.

 

It took me ages to work this out, and now as a default position I put interrelated fish plates on all the tracks at the toe end of each point and wire up the rails beyond appropriately. 

 

I worry that by insulating just in the middle of each road you may encounter short circuits, But if it's all working ignore all the above!

 

ATB

 

Peter

[dhjgreen]

Hi Phil,

 

interrelated fish plates 

 

ATB

 

Peter

A family of fishplates, cool.

[Mallard60022]

Didn't take long did that!

So, some pics to show what's what so far.

The above is part of the link from the east end return to the Fiddle tracks shown below. It is only the crossing from up to down for yard access. The curves to the Xover this end is nowhere near sorted yet as I really need to think carefully about where the Incline approach tracks are going to be in this area.

 

This looking towards the tunnel and west end. 'Up' (left set of 3) and 'Down'  (right set of 3) Yard tracks.

 

The above looks back down the 'Incline' (see the backside of the Hungry Caterpillar) from the west end return, part of which is almost positioned with regard to the Xover as shown, as this is a 'critical piece of track 'geometry' here.

 

Not very exciting but I don't think I'm going to have to rip this lot up. I may have to do some adjustments but that's not a bother.

Quackers.

 

 

[Mallard60022]

Hi Phil,

 

It's always a little tricky relying on feeds off points to energise sidings, especially when they are Electrofrog because you can unintentionally set up a short circuit if you have a power feed to the rail that is the opposite polarity to the way the point has been set.

 

It took me ages to work this out, and now as a default position I put interrelated fish plates on all the tracks at the toe end of each point and wire up the rails beyond appropriately. 

 

I worry that by insulating just in the middle of each road you may encounter short circuits, But if it's all working ignore all the above!

 

ATB

 

Peter

Ta P. This isn't quite as I was shown on the diagrams but the centre isolaters should act as the 'barrier' plates between facing points: I hope so! I've just extended the point frogs down to the middle of each track. If I'm wrong I'll redo it as it won't involve serious ripping! It does rely on the point positions so maybe it would be better to stick isols on the points as well as you suggest? I could then power feed each 'half' of each track. I think that still gives me 2 sections per track?

Phil 

Edited March 2, 2016 by Mallard60022