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Railways in the Australian outdoors in 16.5 mm gauge


robertc
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I have started this new thread for the 16.5mm track that is being installed in between the two O gauge loops.

Stock that will run on here will be a variety of scales, HO, OO and Sn42. If anyone turns up with O scale narrow gauge, that will be posted in my 7mm thread.

 

The track will be powered from the same DCC bus that runs the O gauge. It is being laid on 3mm cork strip I have in stock.

 

The single length of Peco code 100 track that is removable seems to not have created a hump that will disengage the Kadees. The long loco and carriage had no issues, so shorter stock should be be no problem.

I have a wait for more screws to  hold the track down so progress will be slowed for a while.

 

post-5543-0-06415600-1521697766.jpg

 

 

post-5543-0-67445100-1521697774.jpg

 

There will be a variety of trains running on it. I still have a couple and my friends can now stop complaining about my track being too wide and bring the rest.

:>)

cheers

Bob

 

Edited by robertc
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Today I soldered up sections of track consisting of 3 lengths. Expansion gaps will be created between these sections. All the rail is now laying in place. I just needed a couple of short pieces of existing stock to complete the circle after exhausting the new box of SL100.

I decided the cork should be glued to the board so now working on short sections with the track weighted down while the glue dries.

 

post-5543-0-16755800-1521790971.jpg

 

cheers

 Bob

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?? (no name supplied),  only one gauge will be in use at any one time . Two reasons; one is the clearances would not allow them to pass without touching and second it would look silly.

 

I have had subtle and not so subtle comments from my regular visitors about having a 16.5mm gauge track installed since the layout was being built. I have resisted up until now :>)

I can't see the smaller scale taking over from the gauge O, my eyesight is not improving with age and I really like the larger scales. I do find the smaller scales easier to see in the sunlight than in the indoor lighting, so I might be tempted to get them out of their boxes for a run more often than has been the case for many years.

It is not the first time I have had HO track outdoors however, I had an out and back run along the fence line many years ago to test the concept.

 

Looks like rain is going to interrupt play here for a while.

 

cheers

 Bob Comerford

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?? (no name supplied),  only one gauge will be in use at any one time . Two reasons; one is the clearances would not allow them to pass without touching and second it would look silly.

 

I have had subtle and not so subtle comments from my regular visitors about having a 16.5mm gauge track installed since the layout was being built. I have resisted up until now :>)

I can't see the smaller scale taking over from the gauge O, my eyesight is not improving with age and I really like the larger scales. I do find the smaller scales easier to see in the sunlight than in the indoor lighting, so I might be tempted to get them out of their boxes for a run more often than has been the case for many years.

It is not the first time I have had HO track outdoors however, I had an out and back run along the fence line many years ago to test the concept.

 

Looks like rain is going to interrupt play here for a while.

 

cheers

 Bob Comerford

Oh, sorry about that. Years ago I was very strong about not revealing my real name online, but even now I still do. And yes weather here is very unpredictable lately, you never know when it will be sunny (and potentially stinkin' hot!) or whether we'll get some 'English Weather' (what I call a cold and rainy weather!).

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No name, no conversation Nigel. it is just common courtesy!

 

The sun finally came out this afternoon so I have been making the most of the break in the weather to lay some more cork.

 

post-5543-0-16565000-1521862232.jpg

 

cheers

 Bob

 

 

 

 

 

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Today one of my mates finally got his wish, albeit 6 years late :>)

He was able to bring his locos for a run. Some of them for the first time!

 

 

post-5543-0-30103700-1521959160.jpg

 

My 59 class seems to have shrunk since I last worked on it  !

 

post-5543-0-21531600-1521959183.jpg

 

 

A lot of work to go but I had just enough screws to assemble the track for a trial run, plenty of wiring to go too, just relying on rail joiners today.

 

cheers

 Bob

 

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Yesterdays running session with a friend produced an unexpected result. The FEPV was taken out for a run and a clicking sound was heard. Not there when I put it back in its box some time ago. Looks like replacement wheelsets with gears will be required for the Bergs models too.

 

 

post-5543-0-51813700-1522451363.jpg

 

Oh well, seems to be a common occurrence with plastic gear trains.

 

cheers

 Bob

 

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  • 1 month later...

The FEPV has been fixed with a replacement geared wheelset from Bergs Hobbies. The once ubiquitous S wagon sits in a siding.

 

 

P1010491.JPG.c45857348802b6e3d8495cedcbf61f29.JPG

Here we see a short interstate freight coming by.

 

 

P1010486.JPG.8026d32f0f483101bca01461c1509433.JPG

It passes the FEPV stabled in a siding. Well, that's my story !  :>)

 

 

 

cheers

 Bob

Edited by robertc
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  • 1 month later...

Had a friend over this afternoon to see the HO in the sun.

Here are a couple of shots of the last train of the day.

From where I sit, I cannot see the track, except for a side-on view so the gauge O does not really intrude.

 

P1010578.JPG.df0de822fa29a409807c200b8e93aeb1.JPG

 

P1010582.JPG.7d8be4d1d3acbf821578279efdd8a673.JPG

 

 

The 36 has not been out of its box for some years and was a little hesitant at first. A quick rub over with the graphite stick on a couple of feet of track in front of it and it was away without issue for the rest of the time.

 

cheers

 Bob

Edited by robertc
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  • 7 months later...

It was only when a mate expressed interest in seeing the suburban set running yesterday that I finally had to address the problem of the couplers.

Many moons ago when I modelled in HO I started the conversion to body mount Kadees, but only did 4 of the 6. So last night I finally did the last 2.

 

1196138555_P1010958s.JPG.bedf2af38d4a2a6da0e4f3e9f24820a3.JPG

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42109 gets assistance from its older cousin 4206 as the load is just over the limit for the steep grades ahead.

4206 has had a recent trip to the paint shop.

150325999_P1010964s.JPG.67f71369e949f9e0efdd455d0afe874a.JPG

 

It has been a long time since the growl of the K&M mech has been heard round these parts (42109).

cheers

Bob

Edited by robertc
incorrect word
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I really should have taken a photo. A friend brought around his HO NSWGR paybus from Auscision fitted with a sound decoder.

Given you could probably fit two in a cigarette packet I wondered how it would go on my outdoor track.

Much to my surprise it trundled around without issue.

The track has not been cleaned for months, if at all, just given a rub over with the graphite stick when I installed it.

This is the little beasty.

http://www.auscisionmodels.com.au/Pay-Bus.htm

 

cheers

Bob

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Would have the fear that the couplings will brake if 5 locos are pulling a train (in real live of course). I have seen several locos coupled together quite frequently, but only as light engines. This was on a pass road where the banking engines are sent back this way, even with a driver in each loco, as it saves time (block signalling) on a busy pass.  

Vecchio

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Hi  Vecchio, these trains use knuckle couplers, much higher capacity than hooks so not an issue.  Five of these baby Alcos only adds up to one modern EMD or GE loco anyway  :>)    They are only 950 horses each. Four was more the norm due to siding capacity.

 

cheers

Bob

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Had a friend's 44 around to look at a couple of issues.

 

 

 

The train it is pulling on test is one of significance, it is all scratchbuilt.

 

 

P1000360.JPG.02a0229952baaf02c3383774181d123d.JPG

cheers

Bob

 

Edited by robertc
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