Satan's Goldfish Posted September 5, 2019 Author Share Posted September 5, 2019 So I went hunting for the tub of bolts today so I could start getting all the bits fitted together. I may have stumbled over the box of container flats first so I thought I'd quickly see how I was for wagons... Not too bad... especially as I haven't finished and FSA/FTA conversions yet... and there's at least 1 more FLA 5 set still hiding somewhere... plus the megafrets and Bachman intermodal twins... so I think I've got enough wagons there now! It was a good chance to look at the differences between the Bachmann FFA/FGA and the FJA I made from a kindly donated 3d print and S-kits detailing parts. Sticking with the formula of if it looks right then it's ok; I'm ok with it! It was also good to see the length differences between them and a KFA, nicely shows how much length a headstock consumes and why they originally went with fixed sets of winners and outers. Then got on with what I was supposed to be doing. Found the tub of bolts. Got the end scene boards and light rig supports fitted. New end curves now lined up and bolted to the scenic boards (I may need to re-do the far end from the head shunt though, it's 30mm off from each end being symetrical and I suspect that's going to haunt me in my sleep...) On a roll by this point, so fitted the lighting rig.... Lights off: Lights on! 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 5, 2019 Author Share Posted September 5, 2019 Mood lighting in the workshop. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted September 5, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 5, 2019 Hi Map So what does S'wolf think of her new big kennel being filled up with train set stuff? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 5, 2019 Author Share Posted September 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Clive Mortimore said: Hi Map So what does S'wolf think of her new big kennel being filled up with train set stuff? She'd rather sniff for wildlife in garden behind it... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium GWRPhil Posted September 6, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 6, 2019 Really great to see it up again. Looks like your going to have plenty of space to have some extended fiddle yard roads including the corners as long as you don’t mind curved points near the front of the curve 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 6, 2019 Author Share Posted September 6, 2019 38 minutes ago, GWRPhil said: Really great to see it up again. Looks like your going to have plenty of space to have some extended fiddle yard roads including the corners as long as you don’t mind curved points near the front of the curve The layout on the curves is going to be interesting to get aligned. It's easy enough to get the 1st fiddle yard point on the curve for the outer line, but the inner is proving a bit more challenging. Also at 1 end is the head shunt line and a couple of loco spurs that use up some of the space. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium GWRPhil Posted September 6, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 6, 2019 1 hour ago, Satan's Goldfish said: The layout on the curves is going to be interesting to get aligned. It's easy enough to get the 1st fiddle yard point on the curve for the outer line, but the inner is proving a bit more challenging. Also at 1 end is the head shunt line and a couple of loco spurs that use up some of the space. Will be good to see your progress on it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 8, 2019 Author Share Posted September 8, 2019 If I sits on your feets then you have give me attention rather than the layout boards... On this set back up there's a few stages to get through, and I've got the think of it in stages to make if less of 1 massive task: 1. Set up all the parts and fit the new boards to it. 2. Lay new track in fiddle yard and on curves (repair 1x damaged rail on scenic board). 3. Wire it all up. 3a. Play trains for a bit. 4. Fit middle scenic and middle fiddle boards onto transport/storage trolleys (reduce number of legs required) 5. ???????? 6. Profit? Stage 1 is now finished Stage 2 can start, but as with all good plans, I've found an issue and I'm getting a bit of deja vu... Back when this fiddle yard was originally built (2013? Maybe 2014?) Alan had figured out how he wanted it configured for operation. He cracked on building the boards and laying the track, I got on with building the controls for it. All was good until he suddenly rang saying there was an issue; because of the way the frame work was built, turnouts couldn't be placed at the edge of the boards as there was no way to fit the cobalt motors underneath. A quick brain storm and we revised the track layout to remove turnouts from the outer track but keep the operations the same. Fast forward to now, I'd kept that in mind with my take on relaying it as long loops and you can see from the pictures above that the end curves are 1 track narrower each side than the fiddle boards as any points can't be further out than that. However, flipping over one of the boards for curve fitting, I've found there's a great big diagonal batten straight through where at least 1 (possibly 2) point motors need to go... it's only on this board, the other end doesn't have it, and it's going to have been put there for a reason... I also think if may have been glued on, so it's definitely not coming off in a hurry. Fiddle yard re-planning deja vu!!! 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Clive Mortimore Posted September 8, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 8, 2019 19 minutes ago, Satan's Goldfish said: If I sits on your feets then you have give me attention rather than the layout boards... On this set back up there's a few stages to get through, and I've got the think of it in stages to make if less of 1 massive task: 1. Set up all the parts and fit the new boards to it. 2. Lay new track in fiddle yard and on curves (repair 1x damaged rail on scenic board). 3. Wire it all up. 3a. Play trains for a bit. 4. Fit middle scenic and middle fiddle boards onto transport/storage trolleys (reduce number of legs required) 5. ???????? 6. Profit? Stage 1 is now finished Stage 2 can start, but as with all good plans, I've found an issue and I'm getting a bit of deja vu... Back when this fiddle yard was originally built (2013? Maybe 2014?) Alan had figured out how he wanted it configured for operation. He cracked on building the boards and laying the track, I got on with building the controls for it. All was good until he suddenly rang saying there was an issue; because of the way the frame work was built, turnouts couldn't be placed at the edge of the boards as there was no way to fit the cobalt motors underneath. A quick brain storm and we revised the track layout to remove turnouts from the outer track but keep the operations the same. Fast forward to now, I'd kept that in mind with my take on relaying it as long loops and you can see from the pictures above that the end curves are 1 track narrower each side than the fiddle boards as any points can't be further out than that. However, flipping over one of the boards for curve fitting, I've found there's a great big diagonal batten straight through where at least 1 (possibly 2) point motors need to go... it's only on this board, the other end doesn't have it, and it's going to have been put there for a reason... I also think if may have been glued on, so it's definitely not coming off in a hurry. Fiddle yard re-planning deja vu!!! Typical RAF answer, if it won't come off leave it. If it has come off , where did I leave the black sticky tape. With the REME I was taught if it don't come off, hit it with big hammer, and use your big screwdriver as a chisel. There was a second method but getting the oxy-acetylene cutting gear on wood might not be a good idea. 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 8, 2019 Author Share Posted September 8, 2019 20 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said: Typical RAF answer, if it won't come off leave it. If it has come off , where did I leave the black sticky tape. With the REME I was taught if it don't come off, hit it with big hammer, and use your big screwdriver as a chisel. There was a second method but getting the oxy-acetylene cutting gear on wood might not be a good idea. Damn right! The only exception was when we were asked to take some old equipment apart 'but do it so it can quickly be used again if needed'... we destroyed it at a component part level, the oxy-acetylene was used... 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus-Jay Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 If it's the fiddle yard put the motor parallel to the tie bar and use an L shaped bar to move the point? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 8, 2019 Author Share Posted September 8, 2019 2 minutes ago, Marcus-Jay said: If it's the fiddle yard put the motor parallel to the tie bar and use an L shaped bar to move the point? Motor needs to go underneath, no space for anything on top when it's in transit/storage. I had wondered about some kind of linkage... I'm also thinking about very carefully cutting the wooden brace with a hole-saw to create a gap for the motors and crossing my fingers for the best... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus-Jay Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 Linkage is what I was thinking... Nothing above track height. Failing that, route out the holes and add new braces if required :-) 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 8, 2019 Author Share Posted September 8, 2019 For those that were wondering where they are; boxes of cranes! But they can wait to get tested (and repaired?!) another day. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 15, 2019 Author Share Posted September 15, 2019 Throwing caution to the wind... it's not pretty but I've removed enough of the diagonal brace to clear more point motors and my world hasn't collapsed, so that's good. There's still track to remove and re-lay on the fiddle boards, but I've started looking at the end curves as that determines quite what goes on the fiddle boards. Starting at the simple end, it looks as if a pair of curved points suitably positioned should turn the double track into 4 before it reaches the straight. The tightest bit to deal with is on the inner line, but using a 2nd radius curve as a guide (to keep as far away from as possible!) it should all end up relatively smooth and well spaced. Then there's the more difficult end. The curves have ended up not quite lined up with where I expected them to be on the scenic boards so I've had to ditch the original plan. Using curved points again, I can turn the 2 mainlines into 4 by the time they get around to the fiddle boards. Good. It all goes off script with the headshunt though; originally I wanted it to split into 2 sidings for additional loco storage, one of which would also have a short kick-back siding that could hold a couple of TTA tankers (seen images showing Harwich intermodal with a couple of TTA loco fuel tankers attached). But as the scenic board positioning is now off, I can't fit in the kick-back without losing a lot of stabling space. Still easily space for the 2 sidings though, and I think I may have got the mainlines close enough to the inside of the boards that it could split into 3 stabling sidings, so it's not the end of the world. As you can see, I am a couple of suitable points short.... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 15, 2019 Author Share Posted September 15, 2019 While hunting through boxes for points, I found a few distractions. A train full of Maersk containers have come out to play, plus half a dozen mk1s. A while ago, I got through Ebay a collection of various wagons. There were some in there I was after, and some I had no idea what I was going to do with. A couple of Lowmacs fall into that latter category. I'm not sure what manufacturer they are, judging by the underside they are most likely painted kits. The wheels run on code 75 without clattering along the chairs, just lacking suitable couplings. While researching something else I was reminded that in the very early days 20ft containers were moved around on Lowmacs fitted with a support frame. Being a wind-up merchant at times, I see no issue adding some air pipes on each end and some container support frames with suitable RfD or FL logos applied. Just add Kadees... They actually don't look too out of place! 6 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted September 15, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 15, 2019 The lowmacs look like the Airfix/Dapol ones with the plates over the buffers. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 16, 2019 Author Share Posted September 16, 2019 As usual, progress will be slow and bitty as and when I can fit around a far to busy schedule and domestic DIY. But, the first bits of track laying has started Point motors aren't fitted yet but the holes are drilled. Track is soldered to screw heads at board joints and has succesfully been cut and tested rolling wagons over it. Then I made the mistake of thinking i really should check clearances with either a mk3 or Cargowaggon. I did eventually find a mk3, but I also found an 86+ DBSO push/pull set, and some Bachmann intermodal pairs which all of course had to get un boxed... Loco+7 is the longest passenger trains I'll be running, it does seem to scale nicely with the scenic area length without overpowering the layout. And yes there is just about enough clearance on the end curve for the worst case scenario of 2 mk3s passing. 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvdlcs Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 I'm curious as to what the 20' box with what looks like a picture on the side of it is? Between two Maersk 20' boxes on a wagon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 3 hours ago, dvdlcs said: I'm curious as to what the 20' box with what looks like a picture on the side of it is? Between two Maersk 20' boxes on a wagon. It's a Maersk box with a mural painted on the side: I think it's supposed to be a ship silhouette at sunset on the Panama canal. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dvdlcs Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 Ah, thank you. That explains it. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 21, 2019 Author Share Posted September 21, 2019 Half a Saturday spare, so track work plods on. Took each fiddle fiddle board out in turn to remove track ready for the new alignment, also took up some damaged track ends for a complete re-laying. I'd originally hoped to be able to take up turnouts in 1 useable piece so they could be used again, but the amount of paint and glue holding the formation ruined that idea so I'm going to need to get 4x new rh medium radius code 75 turnouts to complete the yard now. The amount of stuff sticking the track down has very safely puf me off ever wanting to mess about with the scenic formation! Had another look at the issues regarding the headshunt formation. Wasn't happy that the fuel tank kick-back was squeezed out. As long as I'm very careful with the track alignment though, I may be able to squeeze in the revised '3 track' headshunt, plus just about leave enough gap for 2x tanks on a rather tight kick-back. 2x Hornby TTA tanks standing in for... 2x Hornby TTA tanks with Kadees fitted... worst case scenario positioning, should be ok. Now doing that formation with code 100 points as i have some spare, it's off scene, and I've got a few lengths of code 100 flexi track to complete it with. The camera is a little cruel, the distance and angles for the 3 outer tracks to the curved board joint is not that bad really. Will probably get 2 locos in the shortest siding before the fan of track for the fiddle yard takes all the space (outer track for that maybe? Only needs to be long enough to shunt the fuel tanks into the siding, just need to check total headshunt length for the on-scene yard to shuffle container trains about, but that should leave the 2x loco stabling sidings with storage length for 3+ engines each...) 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted September 21, 2019 Share Posted September 21, 2019 You need some local containers. Norfolk and Goode? 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 21, 2019 Author Share Posted September 21, 2019 4 hours ago, cromptonnut said: You need some local containers. Norfolk and Goode? The trick is to make it work on an existing design and see how long its before it's spotted.... there's a couple of containers like that already Not sure how I can get Norfolk and Goode onto a Norfolk Line container though... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satan's Goldfish Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 New meets old, I'm slowly getting round the boards! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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