Sproston - Operations...
Entry posted by sigtech
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Hello everyone, as mentioned in my previous (short) blog entry, I am attempting to improve reliability issues that are occurring with the replacement BK style magnetic tension lock couplings that I have fitted to all the rolling stock used on Sproston.
Like most small layouts Sproston suffers from a common problem found, that nearly everywhere one wants to couple/uncouple something it is on a curve!
I find the small tensionlocks fitted to most stock today don't work well in this situation - and in my case where locos only have a loop fitted then the hook tended to miss completely resulting in not coupling, or else as the stock is pushed forward the hook then derails the stock as the end of the curve is reached and it attempts to straighten up again.
I am fitting medium size loops to all locos to fix this problem, which then will leave the coupling /uncoupling issues between the items of stock to deal with.
This is an update of the position, so far seven of nine locomotives ..... sorry I seem to have completely lost my train of thought , no idea why!!!
O.K. back on planet Earth now, 3 pannier tanks, a Collett goods, Fowler 3f, 43xx mogul and a class 22 diesel have all been re - fitted with medium size coupling loops, Bachmann cat 36-053 - (no hooks fitted) in nem pockets. Two of these ( Collet goods and the 43xx ) have used old Lima medium tension locks cut to size that I already had and found fitted nicely.
The 64xx pannier had a new coupling at one end only (for tail traffic) as the other is fitted with a Hornby close coupling unit to haul its Hawksworth autotrailer.
Still to be done are a BR std 3mt prairie ( both ends ) and an Ivatt 2mt mogul ( again one end only at present, as it is destined to haul an Bachmann inspection saloon and will have Bachmann "pipe couplings " at the other end ).These are all straightforward, a later project in the pipeline is to look into ways of achieving the same with my Bachmann 45xx and 4575 - they will not be so easy, as for reasons best known to themselves Bachmann chose to manufacture these locomotives with small stepped nem pockets at both ends, for which as far as I am aware there are no direct replacements. ... We shall see.
To break up all this tinkering, I decided to test the theory and actually run some trains, and there is indeed some improvement - although it's not the answer to all the problems experienced.
That's all for now - more hopefully to follow in the next update. Comments are always welcome,
Regards SIGTECH (Steve).
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