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Stakčín - Slovakian Branch Line


D1023
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An overdue update on my layout. Progress has been a bit stop,start due to the fine weather but I have finally got the station and yard buildings just about finished. A few photos below of the station  building and offices which is based on the original but also a bit freelance. The interior is lit and detailed. A picture of the real thing is in a previous post.

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Also done is the semi-abandoned goods shed

 

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And the abandoned weighbridge building

 

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Another near ever on-going project has also been finished; I picked up an old Sachsenmodelle DB liveried 'B' coach cheap on e-bay and figured it should be easy to repaint into the original ZSR/ZSSK all over red livery. I got the numbering decals from a Czech ebay type website. It was also a suitable guineapig project to be vandalised ( as is a fair proportion of ZSSK coaching stock )

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Finding the correct decals for anything ZSR/ZSSK has been a nightmare but luckily I made contact with someone in Slovakia who makes and prints decals and very kindly made up the decals I needed. I now have enough decals to update my 721 Hektor loco, decorate my 810 'wheeliebin' railcar kit (when I build it) and convert a good proportion of my freight stock to correct ZSSKC numbering. All at a very reasonable price - Thanks Martin

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I can also recommend a Czech website for DCC Sound Projects JBR Sounds and I have now fitted sound to my Nohab, as well as changing the chip in one of my class 750's. The Nohab sound is excellent as is the 750. Far superior, in my opinion, to the standard Roco sounds or indeed the Artol class 750/ 754 sounds which are used on my other locos. It does mean you have to post your expensive decoders overseas along with cash,  but despite obvious worries of never seeing anything again (!) they were returned by registered post in 10 days. Great service.

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And finally a pic of a stabled 'Grumpy' hiding behind the goods shed. There is still a lot of work to do on the fine details in this area of the layout but before that I will be turning my attention to the so far un-landscaped scenic section that is the approach to the station.....

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  • 2 weeks later...

Looking really good.

 

Not heard of the JBR Sounds before, had a look on their website and they do a silenced 751. I do have a Roco one that was always silenced so I don’t really want to put Artol sounds into it (as they only do noisy ones :-) ). Do JBR use Zimo or Lok Sound?

 

For my Nohab’s (Belgian or Danish) I use either Dirks sounds or my own Lok Sound file that has “Full Throttle” on it. The Roco sound is very basic by comparison.

 

One question, who makes your station “yard lights” they look excellent. Really like the weathering of the buildings looks spot on, something I must attempt on my layout.

 

Neil

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Looking really good.

 

Not heard of the JBR Sounds before, had a look on their website and they do a silenced 751. I do have a Roco one that was always silenced so I don’t really want to put Artol sounds into it (as they only do noisy ones :-) ). Do JBR use Zimo or Lok Sound?

Thanks Neil,

 

I sent him Zimo 645's. Not sure if he does any others. Petr communicates in english, so pm me if you want his email. I will certainly use his services again.

I have Artol sounds in my two grumpies and it does have a silenced version included. If you select function 5 and start the engine then everything is the same except there isn't much noise when under load!

For my Nohab’s (Belgian or Danish) I use either Dirks sounds or my own Lok Sound file that has “Full Throttle” on it. The Roco sound is very basic by comparison.

 

I've not heard of dirks sounds - I shall google... One thing I don't like on the Nohab sound (and on the Artol 751's) is the power/exhaust sound as you reduce speed; the chip simply steps back down through the acceleration sequence - I've also noticed this at model shows. In my mind this is not prototypical; in reality the driver will shut off power and either coast and re-apply power or coast and then brake. I have overcome this by changing CV398 (on my Zimos)  to '2', which means if I reduce speed the engine note runs back to idle and will power up again if I increase speed. I am relatively new to DCC sound so this might be old news!

 

One question, who makes your station “yard lights” they look excellent.

They are JM detail. I got them from here 

 

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I have Artol sounds in my two grumpies and it does have a silenced version included. If you select function 5 and start the engine then everything is the same except there isn't much noise when under  

 

They are JM detail. I got them from here 

I had no idea the Artol sounds had a silent option, i’ve just tried it out on one of my noisy “Grumpies”. Has the correct “dull” sound on pull away just as I remember it. Will order a Zimo chip and speaker my CD Cargo 751 will be getting a sound chip!! (All my other ones are noisy ones).

 

Thanks for the link for the lights, will investigate.

 

Thanks,

 

Neil

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  • 4 months later...

An update on my layout on progress the last few months. The pics below show the rough planning and then construction progress so far of the scenic approach to Stakčín. This area is entirely fictitious but is inspired by the railway north of Banska Bystrica in central Slovakia.

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Some photos of progress on the approach to the station

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I have also made and painted facias that make the baseboards much tidier

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and finally as a distraction from the scenic work I have started building my 810 'wheeliebin' railcar kit

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Tim,

 

Some really solid progress there, looking good! Who makes the rock formations and what material are they?

 

Peter.

 

Thanks Peter - Its the Noch Limestone Rock Wall. It comes in 32cm x 18cm foam sections. I used a small saw to cut them into undulating formations. Also the rocks in the lower section (what will be a river) were cut out individually (off cuts from the top section) and glued together, the gaps then filled with putty and painted.

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  • 9 months later...

A bit of an update on my layout; Progress slowed to nothing over the summer months apart from the odd bit of tinkering with rolling stock. I've not done any scenic work at all but have completed the 810 railcar and trailer coach.

 

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This was a plastic kit, motorised with a Bramos chassis and fitted with lights and JBR sound. It required a bit of hacking to get it to fit together, the trailer coach went together really easy by comparison. The transfers were made by Martin Model.

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Last year a forum member very kindly sold me a batch of Slovak rolling stock at a very reasonable price for which I am very grateful. Some of which is seen behind a 754 above. The coaches were mostly in the early ZSR livery which I have set about updating to what would be seen late 2000's onwards...

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Above is a B coach in green livery - I removed the stripes using thinners and a cotton bud then 'washed out' the paintwork using thinned down matt white and then light weathering to give the slightly run down look of rolling stock of this era.

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I have also repainted and weathered some of my collection of Eas wagons and also made removable log loads for them. The wagon on the left is a full repaint from DSB orange and the decals are by Martin Model. On the right is out of the box and weathered using thinned down enamels and drybrushing. The log loads are off cuts of buddleia from the garden, dried out and cut then glued to florists foam. This makes them very light. The ratchet strapping is by Scale Model Scenery - this should actually extend down the side of the wagon but then I wouldn't be able to run empty wagons which I didn't want.

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  • 2 months later...

A bit of an xmas update;

 

Santa brought a Čmelák. A Roco version, which is now fitted with JBR sound and I also have Martin Model transfers to turn it into ZSSKC 771-195 at some point.

 

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I have also started some scenic work - here is a pic of the wood yard end of the station

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And a photo of the start on the woodyard scenic details. I'll be using the xmas break to make a dent in the required scenic work. More photos to follow....

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  • 3 weeks later...

A few pics of work over the xmas holidays:

 

 

Scenic groundwork in the station loading yard

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Overgrown, abandoned goods shed

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Static grass applied to the wood yard end of the layout. I think it has captured the unkept look of the real thing.

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The wood yard has been walled/fenced with a scattering of weeds. It awaits the piles of processed logs and other details.

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What will be the main road crossing disappearing into the backscene. Roadway markings still to be figured out..

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  • 3 months later...

An update to my layout;

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Above : next the station I have made the semi derelict barn/garage that exists in reality. In the space next to it I decided to add a station bar - the sort that is so common in eastern europe, although Stakčín doesn't actually have one in reality. Both structures scratch built from plasticard.

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Above: The scrubland on the approach to Stakčín station

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Above: Dwellings and yet to be detailed gardens on the approach to Stakčín. The houses are WEPE kits.

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Above: Random e-bay purchase, a Roco Siemens Herkules ER20 lok. These do run on ZSR metals - although probably not to Stakčín as yet. I've fitted it with JBR/Jacek sound - which is excellent as ever.

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  • 3 months later...

I've been busy over the last few months finishing the bulk of the scenic work on the approach to the station at Stakčín. There is still quite a bit to do to the grassy area at the front. And also many layers of varnish to go on the river.

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Also I have lined the road. I did this by hand using masking tape
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And in keeping with others in this section I have been distracted buying unsuitable motive power but I couldnt resist another NoHab. This one is a NMJ model and came sound fitted, although I have since replaced the speaker with a better quality one. A very nice model

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The class 754 'Goggle' on the bench for weathering

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  • 3 months later...
On 15/06/2017 at 09:03, swisspeat said:

I know what you mean about the Tillig ballast.

 

Have you tried heating them with a hairdryer? This usually makes them a lot more flexible and they can then carefully be pushed onto the base of the point.......

 

Pete

 

Hello D1023 - great layout!, and Pete (and maybe others), who evidently has also used styrostone. Seems there is not much of that about on rmweb, so I thought I'd start here with some styro questions if D1023 you don't mind. I'll start a new thread if this detracts from your layout.

 

I'm about 3 years behind you D1023, insofar as I'm about to start laying tillig styrostone, for exactly the same reasons.

 

Can I ask please, given that you fit the track to the styro before adhering to the baseboards, did you add track power droppers before or after laying? I'm currently trialing both options, although given my soldering skills I'm having better luck fitting droppers to the track, and then making holes in the styro, before laying the track into the styro and then onto the baseboard. This also means I'm pre-drilling the baseboard for each dropper location.

 

I can see that Stakcin is a fixed layout, so perhaps swisspeat or someone else has used styrostone for a dismantle-able layout, with board joins. Presumably although styro holds the track in place, the ends still need to be soldered to brass screws or copperclad, if only to prevent thermal movement altering the track ends? 

 

I've got a trial adjustable straight 85139 on order,  I wonder if these could be an alternative to anchoring the ends, at least for straight tracks across joins? Any experience gratefully received.

 

Finally D1023, did you use styropal or some other adhesive for the styrostone? (I've used a lot of UHU POR elsewhere on woodland scenics trackbed.)

 

Thanks

 

Wandering Blue

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi Wandering Blue,

 

I’m genuinely struggling to remember how I did it! It was very much trial and error. Despite Tillig track looking fragile I found that with care you could get the track out of the styrostone without damaging it if you needed to.

 

What I did was solder the droppers to the bottom of the rail joiners, this kept the wires in the underlay and out of sight. Once laid you could slide a spare sleeper (after cutting the chairs off)  into the empty slot in the underlay.

 

So having loosely laid the track into the underlay – I knew where to drill the holes – at the rail joins. Everything was tested before I glued the styrostone down.

 

I laid my points first – just using PVA to glue them in place – then being a simple trackplan, I laid one loop and did the points at the other end. Then a simple job of laying the other loops - first in the underlay – then test laying the track and drilling at the rail joins.

 

Once happy I pressed the track firmly into the Styrofoam and glued the lot in place. I have to say Tillig track is excellent. And the styrostone reduces track noise significantly.

 

Tim

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Hi Tim, much appreciated. 

Plenty of trial and error here as well! A warm air paint stripper set on ‘low’ is still too much heat for the styro, so a new hairdryer is in order......

I too may lay my points first, because those positions are already set by ‘wells’ made in the underside of my extruded foam baseboards, although working in two directions on curves between points is going to be fun!

I like the idea of soldering the droppers to the joiners, presumably you cleaned the weathering off those before fitting. I’ve so far tried some rail-side connections , like I’ve used on my non-scenic peco 100 , but as the ‘rail-side recess’ in code 83 Tillig is narrower, it’s not a great fit for the 1mm solid wire droppers that I use. 

Thanks again.

Phil 

 

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3 hours ago, wandering blue said:

I like the idea of soldering the droppers to the joiners, presumably you cleaned the weathering off those before fitting.

yes, cleaned up with a file and a tight fit. The track has been down two years and I've had no problems at all.

You do need nerves of steel to get the points into the underlay :scared:. I had 9 to do and after the first couple you get the hang of it. 

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On 15/11/2020 at 10:39, D1023 said:

yes, cleaned up with a file and a tight fit. The track has been down two years and I've had no problems at all.

You do need nerves of steel to get the points into the underlay :scared:. I had 9 to do and after the first couple you get the hang of it. 

 

Tim, good to hear!

Can't wait! Not...

Before you steeled yourself for the points, did you replace the tie-bars with copper-clad, or have you kept faith with the original plastic ones and their tiny pins?

 

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On 16/11/2020 at 12:06, wandering blue said:

 

Before you steeled yourself for the points, did you replace the tie-bars with copper-clad, or have you kept faith with the original plastic ones and their tiny pins?

 

 

I kept the originals. They do look flimsy I agree, but had no problems myself with them. Although obviously my layout is fixed in place....

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  • 2 weeks later...

An update on Stakčin; 

 

I've pretty much finished the scenic work over the last few months and have spent the last few weeks adding the detail parts such as people, cars and other stuff etc. Still lots of little bits to do....

 

A few pics taken this afternoon..

 

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An 810 railcar and trailer leave Stakčin
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Passing the river valley.

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A Grumpy hauled freight approaches Stakčin

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Station Bar. A 750 runs round its train.

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770 'Čmelák' shunting the timber terminal
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Grumpys at Stakčin

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Coach still wearing a shabby and obsolete ZSR livery

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The evening train to Humenne waits to leave.
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752 070 waits for the passenger train to leave before it will begin shunting operations

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I have only just found this thread, but enjoyed the read through, it is looking great.

Although I have no knowledge of the prototype I am always interested in freight operations,

and there looks to be quite a bit of operating potential there. Is the real place busy with freight?

 

And now I fancy a pint in the station bar!

 

cheers   

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On 02/12/2020 at 16:55, Rivercider said:

I have only just found this thread, but enjoyed the read through, it is looking great.

Although I have no knowledge of the prototype I am always interested in freight operations,

and there looks to be quite a bit of operating potential there. Is the real place busy with freight?

 

And now I fancy a pint in the station bar!   

Cheers. Yes it was the freight operations that made it an attractive subject for me to model.

 

I've been there three times and each time the trip engine has been there shunting the terminals. So I would imagine it runs most days. It comes from Humenne about 30kms away and may serve other places on the branch.

 

7/4/17

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4/7/18

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  • 3 months later...

This is the Roco ZSSK 810 railcar and trailer. I wasn't going to buy this, having spent much € and effort in building the kit I had. However I read the reviews and decided to buy the sound fitted version. It really is an excellent model.

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A bit of a random e-bay purchase is REE models sound fitted SNCF BB67035. The Redcap is unperturbed by the imposter.

 

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1 hour ago, D1023 said:

This is the Roco ZSSK 810 railcar and trailer. I wasn't going to buy this, having spent much € and effort in building the kit I had. However I read the reviews and decided to buy the sound fitted version. It really is an excellent model.

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Keep swithering on buying a Roco CD one, but the livery isn’t the one I’d particularly choose....

 

Much rather have a red and white one as the stripy livery is a bit new for me.

 

Stay safe,

 

Neil

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