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Die Ercallbahn - Fulfilling a childhood dream.


ian
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201125-1.jpg

 

The dice traffic generation system works fine for the branch on its own but will cause big problems if I roll it out to the full layout as there is no way to make extensive changes to freight trains in off scene storage. So I have been experimenting with a version of the 'tab on car' system.

 

This is an import from the US and was used on John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid so is certainly not new. There is a description here: http://www.doug56.net/GD/page54.html. Go on, read it, I'll wait until you get back.

 

Now as my layout is at eye level tabs on the roof aren't much use so I tried experimenting with something that fits on the side. They need to be removable without damaging the wagon, readable from about four feet away and not too 'in your face'. Wagons will be turned as part of the attachment to the main line train so each side needs to show two destinations. There is no inter-industry traffic on the layout so there will be one local destination and one main-line train destination.

 

So, first a colour code. White for 'Train A' and Black for 'Train B'. On arrival in the yard from a local industry the wagon will be put on the next 'Train A' or 'Train B' for onward travel. This is indcated by a black or white border to the tab. Simple.

 

The central square of the tab indicates the destination station with a letter for the specific siding. Schwarzfelsen shares the red colour code with Schȍnblick and has its own letter 'S' to cover leaving the wagon wherever it is convenient.

 

Some wagons only do one trip out and back then get removed from the train - this provides a bit of variety and there is a limit to how many visits a specialist wagon should make. This is denoted by a coloured flash on the bottom right corner of the tab. Initially this was orange, an unallocated colour, but as shown here it wasn't always obvious so this has been revised to be a contrasting colour.

 

For a bit of variety some wagons will be routed to come in to the yard on one main-line freight and get routed out on the other. These have a black or white square for the incoming train, a white or black border for the out-going one and a flash for a single trip.

 

The tab itself is stiff paper fixed with a smear of Blu-tack. Cheap, easy and damage-free.


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The system doesn't require pre-operation calculation or paperwork and if a wagon ends up in the wrong place, either through gross incompetence or just playing trains, simply pat it on the head and send it back to the yard. This van should be at Herr Rudyards Küchen over at Klinkerhoffen, as evidenced by the Green 'F' tab, rather than Schȍnblick 's loco coal siding.

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On 25/11/2020 at 20:15, ian said:

version of the 'tab on car' system.

 

I hope that you can get this to work to your satisfaction Ian.

On the few occasions that I used this sytem I found that I was thinking, "Move the red/blue/whatever wagon" rather than consideriing moving a load.

 

I outlined my own views on this problem on my website.

 

Ian T 

 

Edit

Actually, having reread the website article, I did not review the car on tab system!

It must have been in an artricle that I had published in Narrow Lines, the 7mm NGA magazine.

 

My own system is probably too complex for most people!

Edited by ianathompson
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3 hours ago, ianathompson said:

 

I hope that you can get this to work to your satisfaction Ian.

On the few occasions that I used this sytem I found that I was thinking, "Move the red/blue/whatever wagon" rather than consideriing moving a load.

 

I outlined my own views on this problem on my website.

 

Ian T 

 

Edit

Actually, having reread the website article, I did not review the car on tab system!

It must have been in an artricle that I had published in Narrow Lines, the 7mm NGA magazine.

 

My own system is probably too complex for most people!

 

It is a difficult balance to strike. I don't like the idea of reams of paperwork and sometimes I want to run a train rather than operate realistically.

 

The load simulation that I tried worked well but wasn't scalable without a major revision to the plans for the rest of the layout and, to me, would become less appealing. The tab on car has served many people well over the years and seems to be a good fit to the layout. I'll see how convincing it is to my inner pedant over time.

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201215-1.jpg

 

What's going on here? All three branch locos are in use.

 

 

201215-2.jpg

 

Well, over at Neustadt the west end of the station isn't finished as it needs to run onto the next length of baseboard. This means that the branch trains can't run round yet.

 

 

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So a branch passenger rolls into the platform line and the loco uncouples.

 

 

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The loco then pulls clear of the train.

 

 

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A second loco runs down from Schȍnblick and couples onto the other end of the train which is then ready to depart. Once the line is clear the first loco can follow it back up the line to Schȍnblick.

 

I really must get the next bit of baseboard done...

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11 hours ago, Jon Gwinnett said:

I must confess to knowing nothing about three rail/stud contact. Do you have to isolate stock in the same way as wiring for DC, or can you drive loks independently?

 

It is just like DC in essence, but different.

 

The two rails are commoned together and the studs are insulated from them. In conventional DC terms the studs would be connected to the 'red' wire and the rails (both of them) to the black wire.

 

The practical upshot of this is that you don't have problems with dead frogs, reverse loops, wyes or turntables.

 

A side benefit is that by using AC to power both the locomotives and the accessories you can share the common return and use the train wheels to trigger point and signal actuation as they cross ontp/off a short insulated section of rail. All rather clever.

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201224-1.jpg

 

There's nothing like a bit of procrastination. So instead of getting on with some wood bodgery I have been titivating vehicles.


201224-2.jpg

 

Whilst I have eschewed paint as far as possible I draw the line at cars and vans with body coloured lights. I also need to have registration plates on them. So I have been round the current vehicle population with a quick dab or two of crimson, a metallic aluminium colour and some German pattern registration plates knocked out on the computer.

You'll be glad to know that I won't bore you with the details of the German car registration system and you certainly can't read them at normal distances but they make me happy - and that's what matters.


201224-3.jpg

 

Given the 1970s-ish era of the layout I need a lot of VW Beetles. It seems that around 40% of the private cars were various types of Kafer Wagen. (And yes, there is one in each of the photos above.)


201224-4.jpg

 

Finally, may I wish you a happy Christmas and I hope that you find something nice under the tree.

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Whilst I have been acquiring bits for the railway I have, from time to time, come across models that I never knew existed. When I recently found that the V200 diesel came with different numbers cast into the metal I realised that a good listing of models and variants could serve me well. It just so happens that there is such a thing - Koll's Preiscatalog.


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Produced for collectors it gives details of all the models produced, their variants and a market price for the same. When current the two volume book will set you back the best part of 100 Euros however I was fortunate to find a lovely 2012 copy in the UK for a far more reasonable price and as my interest doesn't stretch to models produced in this millenium it will do the job nicely.


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Suitably armed I ventured forth to bag a couple of gifts for myself. One is a post office coach - which I will return to at some point in the future, the other is a VT795 railbus - the 'saviour of the branch line'.


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I already had a railbus and trailer but, given the knowledge that there were differently numbered versions out there, another one was a must. I can now run them in multiple when traffic is expected to be heavy. I can run a single car, single with trailer, two cars or two cars with trailer - ideal if they have to substitute for a loco hauled set.

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Meanwhile in a last minute burst of action for 2020 some wood butchery has taken place. I won't grace it with the description 'baseboard'. This ski jump is the descent to Maifeld.

 

The question now is do I just have a couple of buffer stops on the main lines and use them as hidden sidings or add a temporary board and put a loop in so I can have a continuous run?

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After faffing around with various bits of track the western approach to Neustadt is now laid out ready for temporary wiring and testing.

 


201231-2.jpg

 

The railbus siding has strategically located uncouplers so that they can be split and isolated as needed.

 

All that remains for 2020 is to wish you a happy 2021.

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There will be a signal at the top of the incline so I thought I'd test to make sure that trains would be able to restart and necogiate the station throat after all, if they can do it from a standing startt actually getting up the incline will be easier. First up was one of the ET420 EMUs. Well, actually I tried all three - only one made it. New traction tyres all round but, of course there appear to be none in the UK. Roco provide both DC and AC traction tyres and these are, of course, AC. (It is not some escoteric rubber formulation - just a different wheel profile.) Replacements are now on order from Germany.


210101-2.jpg

 

The ET420 that could make it up the hill had no trouble snaking over the points. The straight points are the later 1970s version of the 5202 which have a smaller lantern. The scale length coaches won't get past the older style lantern used elselwhere on the layout. These trains will have a route restriction limiting where they can run.


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The driving car also swiped the base of the colour light signal at the end of the platform which has had to be moved outward slightly.


210101-4.jpg

 

A V100 had no trouble with the six wagons of a local freight.


210101-5.jpg

 

The freight pulls into Gleis 4 whilst the EMU waits patiently in Gleis 3.


210101-6.jpg

 

With the freight clear of the main line the EMU can get underway.

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16 hours ago, ian said:

The driving car also swiped the base of the colour light signal at the end of the platform which has had to be moved outward slightly.

 

 

Far be it from me to criticise, as I am no expert, but aren't the two signals duplicating one another?

If they are then the Schutzhaltsignal could be removed to make more room for the hauptsignal.

Just a thought!

 

I have always understood that the Schutzhaltsignal applied to sidings or secondary running lines.

Clearing it to the diagonal (Sh 1 indication) indicates proceed, as does the green in the hauptsignal.

 

I stand to be correctly by someone who really does know, rather than someone like myself who has selbstlernst German and thinks that they might know!

 

As an aside, in my understanding, the British system gave shunting signals with an subsidiary arm below the main running signal.

Continental practice tended to dispense with the subsidiary arm and authorise the shunt movement with the main signal.

 

I look forward to the error of my ways being pointed out!

 

Ian T

 

 

 

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The Schutzhaltsignal is there for a shunting move on to the main line. AFAIK even if the Hauptsignal shows green the driver cannot pass the stop Schutzhaltsignal but a clear Schutzhaltsignal allows a shunting move past a red Hauptsignal. Like you, I could be wrong - I'm learning on the job.

 

BTW the Hauptsignal on the left of the photo should be red. The signalman has been disciplined.

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I stand corrected!

Brian Stephenson's Last Steam Locomotives of Western Germany shows this arrangement at Lindau in 1965 on p17.

 

It makes sense to me but it does not seem to have been that common.

I got caught out with assuming that French railways used subsidiary signals, although I appreciate that that is a different context.

 

The only problem now is that, after entering the library, I have found two German books and a French one that I feel I must examine, along with the American one that I did not know that I possessed.

 

They will join the other dozen or so in the lounge which await attention.

 

Ian T

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Given the liberties that I am taking with the German railways as a whole it would be but a minor infraction either way, but it looks good so It stays.

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210103.jpg

 

There is a reason why you don't often see catenary on model railways. In fact, there are several.

 

The one that strikes me at the moment is that whilst mother M provided a robust working system but even they couldn't provide a part for every possible need so there is an amount of trial and error. Fortunately I have been able to acquire a good stock of job lots so I can try different combinations to get the best result - but back in the day if you had been paying full list price for each piece it would get expensive very quickly.

 

When this bit is all finalised I'll need to sort out Neustadt's platforms before I can put the cross spans in which will hold the catenary through the station.

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23 minutes ago, Ian Morgan said:

Could the signal bases be set into the baseboard, thereby avoiding the collisions, and also improving the look? More woodwork, I know.

 

 

It is only going to affect a couple of locations and the solution is quick and easy - just slide it along its base a few mm (provided you haven't drilled the holes for the wires too close to the signal) so I don't see any point in making extra work.

 

As for the look - it is all part and parcel of the system. Finescale it ain't.

Edited by ian
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210118-1.jpg

 

Neustadt now has platforms - not fixed in place yet...


210118-2.jpg

 

...but they have got lights.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the layout...


210118-3.jpg

 

The Köf's were designed to be carried on standard wagons - they are only 35t and very small. This is a Brawa model which has a partially fried decoder - it won't change direction. The replacement decoder was nearly as expensive as the bargain Märklin Köf that I showed you recently - so, it is now an unusual wagon load.

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It was a good day in the garage today.

 

210119-1.jpg

 

Despite what the old joke says, it IS the Köf that carries you off! Good news - the Märklin Köf can shift the Brawa one and its wagon.

 

 

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Proper heavy Märklin locos have no problem. You won't get this view of trains coming off the loop when Neustadt's signal box is in place.


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With the platforms in place I have been able to install the overhead lines through the station. Mind you, they're not powered yet.


210119-4.jpg

 

"Are you quite sure that this is safe?"

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