Kensington Olympia in n scale

[acg5324]

53 minutes ago, stivesnick said:

 

Both track feeds to the inner track need to be at the toe end of the point as the feeds are to the outer track. Track feeds A and B are then should be switched with the point motor to power the frog and the next section of track - hopefuly that will cure the problem.

 

Nick 

 

Thanks Nick, there is a fed for the outer inner rail, out of shot...I should have marked that. They are electrofrog points which rely on the blades for contact. 

Needless to say they have started to work intermittently, not good enough, as the crossovers will get a lot of use.

[Fincra]

Looks great all set up together Andy!

[St Enodoc]

5 hours ago, acg5324 said:

A goodish day today. Cleared all the faults I found yesterday and three others that I found. 

However today the main crossover at the southern end of the station decided to play up big time. Straight running was fine but when set as a crossover there was no power to it. No end of cleaning the blades with fine wet and dry paper, fibreglass brush or switch cleaner made it any better.

 

 

This diagram shows how it’s fed. I added additional feeds at A and B but these caused it to short....any suggestions. They are Electrofrog points, This is DCC.

Sure you weren't testing with a three-rail wagon?

 

Sorry folks, BMRC in-joke.

[acg5324]

9 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Sure you weren't testing with a three-rail wagon?

 

Sorry folks, BMRC in-joke.

I will never live that down....still get a nervous tic every time I see an R127. 

[Steven B]

 

Andy,

Remove the extra feeds at A&B - unless they're fed from the frogs or switched when the turnouts are changed you'll only have problems with them.

 

The feed to the inner loop at the left hand side may be causing issues. An isolating joint between it and the inner track's point is needed (red on diagram above). You may need to include another feed to the same rail for the inner line at the top right corner.

 

Depending on the track feeds, layout and isolators further around the outer circuit (going anti-clockwise) you may also need isolators at the two yellow lines.

 

Rule of thumb - always feed electro-frogs from the toe end (single track end).

 

Looking forward to seeing this brought along to a YAG meeting later this year!

 

 

Steven B.

[acg5324]

10 minutes ago, Steven B said:

 

Andy,

Remove the extra feeds at A&B - unless they're fed from the frogs or switched when the turnouts are changed you'll only have problems with them.

 

The feed to the inner loop at the left hand side may be causing issues. An isolating joint between it and the inner track's point is needed (red on diagram above). You may need to include another feed to the same rail for the inner line at the top right corner.

 

Depending on the track feeds, layout and isolators further around the outer circuit (going anti-clockwise) you may also need isolators at the two yellow lines.

 

Rule of thumb - always feed electro-frogs from the toe end (single track end).

 

Looking forward to seeing this brought along to a YAG meeting later this year!

 

 

Steven B.

I removed feeds A and B straight away yesterday. The Locos only stall when the points are set in reverse. There is insufficient contact between the switch blade and the stock rail. I’ve tweaked the blades by bending them slightly and it appears to be much better. Fingers crossed.

 

I’ll look forward to any YAG this year!

[Steven B]

Might also be worth making sure the area of contact between the switch blades and the stock rail is clean - it's harder to clean than it is to get dirty (especially if you've been ballasting!).

 

Are you powering the frog separately (via switch or Frog Juicer) or relying on the switch blades?

 

Fingers crossed for end of June for next YAG meeting (unless Step 4 of unlocking the lock-down is delayed).

 

 

Steven B.

 

 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Steven B

[Ian Morgan]

Some people swear by Peco points, but many others swear at them. Hoping the contact between the point blades and stock rails will provide a reliable electrical connection is a joke, especially if you paint the rails and apply ballast and glue.

 

There are plenty of sites on the Imternet describing how to modify Peco points for reliability, but it is a lot easier to do before they are laid. Basically, the point blades need to be electrically bonded to the stock rails, the rails cut near to the frog to isolate the frog from the blades, and then have a separate feed to the frog, switched by a relay, or micro-switch, as the point is changed.

 

For example:

 

 

 

 

[grahame]

No need to bond the rails, which means you then need to cut the blades to isolate them which rather destroys the build integrity and is a faff, but to ensure that the frog polarity is switched when the point is changed. It can be done with a microswitch. That saves relying on blade contact to feed the frog. It's worked infallibly on all the layouts I've built.

[The Pilotman]

3 hours ago, Ian Morgan said:

Basically, the point blades need to be electrically bonded to the stock rails, the rails cut near to the frog to isolate the frog from the blades, and then have a separate feed to the frog, switched by a relay, or micro-switch, as the point is changed.

Pardon my electrical ignorance but if that’s the case, why don’t Peco manufacture them like that in the first place? It seems very odd to me that they would make something that has to be significantly modified in order for it to work properly. 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Western Aviator

[acg5324]

17 hours ago, Steven B said:

Might also be worth making sure the area of contact between the switch blades and the stock rail is clean - it's harder to clean than it is to get dirty (especially if you've been ballasting!).

 

Are you powering the frog separately (via switch or Frog Juicer) or relying on the switch blades?

 

Fingers crossed for end of June for next YAG meeting (unless Step 4 of unlocking the lock-down is delayed).

 

 

Steven B.

 

 

Just relying on blade contact.....which might turn out ( no pun intended) to be a mistake.

[Clagmeister]

This was a good part of why I decided on plain main line and there would be no scenic points on Blackford-Gleneagles I just couldn't be bothered with faff.  Hats off to those that do make the effort to get better reliability. 

[Steven B]

17 hours ago, Western Aviator said:

Pardon my electrical ignorance but if that’s the case, why don’t Peco manufacture them like that in the first place? It seems very odd to me that they would make something that has to be significantly modified in order for it to work properly. 

 

They have started manufacturing them as suggested above - they're called Unifrog! The switch rails are bonded to the stock rails and the frog is powered separately (if required - otherwise they behave like insul-frog points).

 

Out of the box a standard electro-frog point will work just fine. However add paint and glue and it will be more reliable if you power the frog separately. This is enough for most. However, cutting the switch rails and bonding them to the stock rail will give another level of reliability with the additional advantage of further reducing the chances of wheelsets shorting the stock rail and switch rails.

 

Steven B.

 

[grahame]

40 minutes ago, Steven B said:

 

. . .  reducing the chances of wheelsets shorting the stock rail and switch rails.

 

 

If that happens then it's usually not because of a problem with the point but more likely because of the wheelset(s) back-to-back distance. Checking and resetting those rather than hacking the point will most likely solve the issue and be easier.

 

 

 

[acg5324]

Touch wood everything seems fine at the moment running wise. 

I thought it was about time you had some pictures with some trains in them!

 

0744 Manchester to Brighton 47096.

 

0920 Brighton to Manchester 47440 passes TDB975023.

 

A class 33 heads south with a Willesden to Dover train.

 

25083 heads north with a Norwood to Acton cross London freight.

 

 

Edited March 9, 2021 by acg5324

[acg5324]

 A few more.......

Kensington High Street new Belisha beacons.

 

33030 heads south with a Parcels train.

 

Two more billboards for things from the 1980s that have long gone....who says it pays to advertise!

 

 

Cross London freight passing through.

Edited March 9, 2021 by acg5324

[acg5324]

....and lastly for today....a bus shelter.....laser cut from Scale Model Scenery........need to trim my thumb nail!

[nest]

Looking good Andy

 

Nestor 

[Ian Morgan]

It is really coming along nicely. Almost ready to be exhibited. Well done.

 

[acg5324]

Just need to get the control panel sorted.......

[grahame]

13 hours ago, acg5324 said:

Just need to get the control panel sorted.......

 

Then comes the really hard work - taking it out on the road to exhibitions.

;-)

 

 

[acg5324]

8 hours ago, grahame said:

 

Then comes the really hard work - taking it out on the road to exhibitions.

;-)

 

 

My previous layout went to a couple of NMRA shows and Trainwest plus the Brighton MRC shows......it is hard work. Got packing up down to a fine art.....an hour and ready to load the van.

[LongRail]

Didn’t realise you were planning to take the layout to exhibitions will really be one to look out for

[acg5324]

7 hours ago, LongRail said:

Didn’t realise you were planning to take the layout to exhibitions will really be one to look out for

It won’t be going to many...assuming any invites......I’ll be happy with one a year. 

[nest]

2 hours ago, acg5324 said:

It won’t be going to many...assuming any invites......I’ll be happy with one a year. 

Exhibitions you say...?