Going Dutch

[Jon Gwinnett]

One or two lines need their ends trimmed to length ( they were left deliberately over length to avoid any gaps when finally laid) and the I need to think about wiring the feeds to the bus wires. Each piece of track has at least one feed directly connected to it, using the pre wired rail joiners, which while less effective than directly soldered feeds, are much easier to do!

[Jon Gwinnett]

It’s alive! by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr
 

Not  the most exciting photo, but a significant moment, as we have power and the little 363 has traversed the entire module successfully.

[Jon Gwinnett]

A little more progress today, some track paint and the level crossing 

 

Amsterdam Harbour layout progress by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr
 

Amsterdam Harbour layout progress by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr
 

Amsterdam Harbour layout progress by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr

[Jon Gwinnett]

Apologies for the lack of updates, progess had stalled while work and other things got in the way. However, this week, timber for any potential extension showed up (a longer fiddlestick for starters) and then today a rather exciting package from Germany:

Package from HOfine.de by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr

[Jon Gwinnett]

I also came across this rather splendid photo, which, among other things, makes me feel even more content with the Code 100 track!

2020.07.29_12763_Awhvw_LNS 363712 by rcbrug, on Flickr

 

I really hope one of the Dutch dealers, or Piko themselves, offer the little shunter in the black livery one day - I love it!

[Jon Gwinnett]

Having had the layout running for a few weeks, had given me the opportunity to assess what it was like to operate (not in a serious way as such, more in terms of play value).

 

I concluded that the double track “exit stage right”  Didn’t really add anything, although it gave a longer runaround loop that was pointless as it was greater than the maximum train length, and with revising the offstage arrangements it wasn’t possible to assemble a train from all three sidings. 
 

So bearing in mind @Neil’s sage advice of “if in doubt, simplify” (I paraphrase, but that’s the general drift) I decided to lift the double track exit and replace it with a simple turnout. Nothing had been glued apart from the level crossing and that was fixed with UHU and lifted easily enough. I’m fortunate to have a model shop not too far away so they furnished the replacement track (as luck luck would have it I didn’t have a left hand medium point in the stash) and a pleasant hour of snipping and relaying ensued. Wiring followed my usual approach of making sure each piece of track was fed by at least one pair of fish plates wired to the main bus (in reality many pieces are fed both ends).

 

Trackwork by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr
 

Trackwork by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr
 

Trackwork by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr

Edited August 3, 2020 by Jon Gwinnett

[idriver]

Hi Guys, I thought that you might like to see a couple of pics of my lockdown project.  I have recently returned to Dutch modelling after a 20 year lapse.