Having been asked if I have tried using the 3mm Neodymium magnets, here is a video to show how they work.
You can just make out the magnet inside the rails as the couplers open/close.
They are much better on straight track rather than curves but I think that is a general Kadee thing, I should also point out that I haven't used them before so still need to master the "kadee shuffle"
The video is done using a loco and 2 boxcars, no editing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrbeP2Ue
My Neodymium magnets arrived today, so I have spent the evening on a crash course in setting and aligning Kadee couplers, having never used them before.
After a lot of trial and even more error I finally found the best position for the magnets in relation to the couplers. I had done some internet research which had got me to the point of buying the rod magnets (3mm x 6mm) I did get to the point of wondering if I should have just bought proper Kadee magnets but as my 25 magnets only cost £2.
If you see a Metrolink in the street you don't realise how much detail is on the roof !
Below is the view most of us see, in fact this is more elevated than a street view
But from above there is all sorts of equipment. Its very rare to get a view of the roof, I have spent ages on Google. So I had to put on my "train spotter anorak" and go find a foot bridge.
Armed with a limited number of pictures taken at a distance I have started to add the roof details
Its been a while since I have had an urge to model, but after a trip on our new metrolink tram from Oldham to Manchester I started thinking ............
Of course, never one to do things by halves, my chosen scale is 1:24 (G)
I dont plan to have complete internals as I need all the integral cross braces as I can get at this size.
If all goes to plan there will be limited details from seat level up, with everything below seat base hidden with a coat of matt black.
I coul
Some more progress this afternoon. the second unit now has side panels. and the center section has some form
A bit of "artistic licence" Due to the length and the under minimum radius curves in the garden I have had to make the sections that will be concertina a bit bigger. Although at this point I haven't worked out how to make concertina sections.
Over the past few weeks since the last post I have been stealing odd moment to go to the shed and work on the section of the layout in front of the sector plate
A new platform was constructed using a length of 3" x 2" timber with a 6mm ply top on it. The front of the timber was faced with plasikard stone affect.
Next up a ramp to the left and a section of platform across the end of the line.
Below is a view from under the footbridge that shows the curve
Then a s
With a bit of spare time I decided to tackle ballasting the second base board half. I have been using what woodland scenics, describe as "Fine"
When its this big there is no point messing with an eyedropper.. So its get a half full bottle of PVA and top it up with water and a dash of Fairy Liquid
Prior to ballasting I had decided to reduce the amount of track in front of the fiddle yard, so the point work has gone and its a single line siding now.It just needs extending a littl
Having got the layout dusted off (see last post) thought I would give a loco a run in the garden... I don't think our Cockapoo puppy is knows what to make of it !
If only I could remember how to embed a YouTube clip !!
After a long break and a sudden urge to spring clean the shed... I have dug out from the back my 45mm indoor module.
Its an 8' by 21" layout in a BIG scale !
It has been the subject of previous entries on this blog, and hopefully over the next few weeks will be the subject again... As long as there is an interest of course
Above is a view from center to left, Below a view from center to right.
Beyond the footbridge is a hidden sector plate, in front of the sector plate is a
For those of you that have followed this blog for a while you will know of my star assistant "pointy man" he at one time had quite a following on the tinternet. He is currently on a work placement at my Dads house to oversee the construction of a fishing trawler in his scale ( he can criticise in multi disciplines ) Pop over and pay him a visit on my Dads blog if you get a spare minute. Ok its not railways but he is an excellent modeller.
One man and his Dog
As the country is battered by storms, it seems today Oldham has been spare the weather today. Never one to pass up a chance I ran some trains.
I was almost looking forward to running in the rain but that chance will present itself soon enough !
A video with some close shots can be found
Whoop Whoop !!! I made the press, they took the pictures about 2 years ago and the shed looks
nothing like this now, but it was a nice trip down memory lane. Looking back there are lots of things
I would have done differently / better though.
Strangely enough it coincides with me starting a bit of ballasting ....... More info may follow if I keep going.
Thats 4mm to the Inch !!!!!
Hope you are all keeping well !
Just to let you all know I am still alive and well, my current modelling projects are still not Railway related but that day will no doubt return... Here is what I have been scratch building. I started with a resin hull bought on ebay and the rest is scratch built from a range of different pictures found on google, resulting in a hybrid freelance charter boat. So if you fancy a diving or fishing trip !!!
She is about 45"
Its been a while since I did any model making, and even longer since I posted anything on this blog. I have been blogging in other forms. Just not here ! After a long summer and lots of Hospital visiting my mum passed away in October. This has resulted in my Dad and I spending more time together. It seemed a natural thing to find a way to share our mutual interest in model making. To that end I have taken a few tentative steps back into the shed and more tentative steps into the world of R/C mod
Well the modelling Mojo is at an all time low, so I have decided to tidy the shed and lock the door till it comes back.
If I get any minor interest to do anything I will probably just update my modelling blog, rjrmodels as interest in visiting forums is low at the minute too.
Enjoy life !
If you want to find me in the meantime I will be at rjrdaydreamer blogging about other things as the fancy takes me
I guess this image would be a fitting image to end to the blog for the tim
last night I went down the shed to do some modelling, but nothing got done ! I ended up just playing trains. The UP short freight arrived and needed switching !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QQk74xzDAM
John
You may have noticed by the lack of posts that I haven't been doing much modelling recently ! Real life has kept me pretty busy and I've been spending more time messing with my other, non railway blog
RJRdaydreamer.
Last night I wandered down to the shed for a bit of modelling, during the course of the week I had picked up a packet of Noch grass clumps
Individual tufts of grass. A pair of pliers and some wood glue were all that was nee
Very little modelling done this week, about the most I got time for was mounting the aircon units on rooftops, they will need some ducting and pipework at some point in the future.
My non railway blog seems to be taking more of my free time than modelling at the moment, but we will see what the weekend brings ?!
Not much modelling has got done this week, the only thing that I have got done is making a batch of Air conditioning units that will populate the flat roof spaces.
They were simple to make, a few thickness's of plasti-card to make up the depth and a picture of an aircon unit printed on sticky labels and stuck on the front.
During the course of the week they will be fitted, photos to follow.
Part of the reason for reduced modelling is an increased interest in my non modelling blo
Over the past few days I have been working on a new structure to replace the old brick one that was a recycled model from an earlier layout. It didn't really fit the scene and I don't think it was as good a standard as I would have liked.
The new building.
John
RJR
Unmarked railroad crossings are often protected by the train crew throwing red flares onto the road before crossing, as per this video.. at 1:19 in
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td-Zz8UdLTs
I have been trying to work out how to do this and came up with these
Fibre optic shoelaces about £5 of ebay for a pair (2 light units)
hole drilled in the road and the fibre optic rubber "lace" pushed up from underneath, bit of paint and a piece of wire fo
Having been a regular blogger here and in my external blogger blog, the bug has caught. Today I have launched a new non railway blog
RJRDAYDREAMER
which is a collection of thoughts prompted by daily life, your welcome to visit.
The railway stuff will continue here and on RJRModels its just another creative outlet
