Earlswood Station (previously Ember Brewery)

[Nathaniel]

Took these photo's last night before sleeping, to capture the layout at night.

 

 

And 3 rabbits hidden in the darkness of the night.

[Nathaniel]

Today created cards for each movement I have created a short story for operating the layout, with simple 2 to 4 steps for each of the 9 trains throughout the day. The exchange train is mainly an excuse to operate any goods, as well as coal works. With the way I have numbered them, I can easily create a random running session quickly using just a sample of the typical trains. I would be able to do this by shuffling the card and draw 2 to 4 (or more) to determine which trains I'll run and from these drawn cards, collect the movement cards specific to that train. Easily done with the cards numbered 2.3 for example, 2 being the train so just need to find the other 2. cards to get its full movement order. So if I drew two cards 5.1 and 8.2 I just get the other movement cards for each train and away I go. Otherwise, I can put them all in order, maybe slip any leaving movements after the next train arrives. Oddly this used up two suits, and I do plan to use a card system toward my other layout.

Another nice photo, the last t rain of today ready to leave.

[TechnicArrow]

The lighting on this layout looks fantastic! They really give the scene a surprising amount of depth.

I like the card system too, it gives a little more purpose to the shunting!

[The Bandit]

I love night time shots. Well done.

[Nathaniel]

Hi all, just a quick update. Earlswood is in storage right now. I did get the couplers and not yet installed them. 

 

One thing i find frustrating with operating 0-4-0's is that they'll find issues with the track where there is none. The smallest one i have will one moment go over a length of the track no problem, then do the same exact track again and stop every few cm's and will find electric again if i tap the baseboard or the loco. Is very exhausting and takes the fun out of operating Earlswood for me.

[Flying Pig]

1 hour ago, Nathaniel said:

Hi all, just a quick update. Earlswood is in storage right now. I did get the couplers and not yet installed them. 

 

One thing i find frustrating with operating 0-4-0's is that they'll find issues with the track where there is none. The smallest one i have will one moment go over a length of the track no problem, then do the same exact track again and stop every few cm's and will find electric again if i tap the baseboard or the loco. Is very exhausting and takes the fun out of operating Earlswood for me.

 

Try reducing sideplay on the wheels with something like Peco fibre washers (why an 0-4-0 should need any sideplay I don't know, but most models seem to have it).  It's much harder to keep pickups in contact with the wheels when the wheels can move side to side.