RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted November 24, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 24, 2015 It's alright building your own train set, but what about "the ladders"?! Mike. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted November 24, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 24, 2015 (edited) Some photos of recent progress, nearly all the fiddle yard track is now laid, just a few bits missing which are not really required for Herculaneum anyway. DSCF3757s.jpg Looking in the down direction, all tidied up now with a few test trains which seem very small now. The control panel is in the middle within easy reach from the main panel at the other side. Only one controller position here which will be used for local stock movement, the trains will continue to be run from the main panel at Brunswick. DSCF3760s.jpg Not quite so tidy looking the other way. DSCF3758s.jpg The control panel, this includes some tracks and junctions for the next layout as well as Herculaneum. The new fiddle yard has Tortoise point motors which are worked by the switches with red rings round them. The track diagram is drawn like a signal box with a normal/reversed setting for each turnout. The switches are on-off-(0n), the on position reverse the points, holding down the (on) position returns them to normal, the equivalent of putting the lever back in the frame. This system was developed for Carlisle to allow points to be controlled from multiple locations around this vast layout, not so important for mine but it works well. The tortoises are set to keep the point blades closed even when the power is off. Each loop is divided into two sections, the gap towards the end where the loco will be, point switches set both ends of the loops together. There are two crossovers, the long one will be a siding for returning bankers to Wentworth Junction and has two sections in it. For Herculaneum the far two tracks are for shunting goods (particularly coal) trains, hence the crossover in the middle. The long handled switches are for the uncoupling magnets, an alternative to rather unreliable push buttons. The sections shown in black have simple on/off switches to the next section, the coloured ones are 3 position - centre off, down to link to the fiddle yard controller, up to link through to each end. This combined with the usual link switches allows the Brunswick panel to drive through the fiddle yard. The turntable will just be a push round affair, to avoid lifting locos off the track as far as possible. DSCF3759s.jpg Close up of part of the panel and the dual gauge track on the inside of the fiddle yard. This takes advantage of EM-2 gauge to give me an EM test track as well. The EM society track gauges are ideal for this, using one running rail slot and one check rail slot gives 16.2mm gauge, if I laid another rail inside I would have a 14.2 gauge as well - but I very rarely get to build to this, most of my TT locos are 12mm gauge. Very nice Mike. Perhaps for younger readers a description of how the link switches work would be of interest - as in the time-honoured cry "TURN YER LINKS OFF!!!!!". Edited November 25, 2015 by St Enodoc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted November 25, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 25, 2015 So once Warley is over it looks like we may need to do some intensive testing before you refit the hidden bits of overhead? Wooopiddooo! Could be more mineral wagons may be required. Baz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted November 25, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 25, 2015 Very nice Mike. Perhaps for younger readers a description of how the link switches work would be of interest - as in the time-honoured cry "TURN YER LINKS OFF!!!!!". I think there's an expletive missing there John. However a quick explanation of links for "younger readers". This is a system of controlling large and complex layouts with several different control panels, taking a single track system as an example it works as follows. Between each control position there is a length of track at least one train long which is not on either of them. This is the link section, either panel can access it by means of a link switch which connects it to the end section of the panel - not to the controller. This allows either panel to drive on to the link and also adds flexibility, if the link switch on the next panel is on as well (but the next section not connected to its controller) then the first panel can drive right through. This is the purpose of the "link through" position on my new panel - to allow the other panel to link all the way through the fiddle yard panel without connecting to its controller. If one operator inadvertantly leaves the link switch on a short circuit or feed through results - hence the familiar LMRC yell. With this system very large DC systems can be run effectively from one control position if necessary, on previous club layouts such as Leeds Victoria we used the system to hand over control between panels without stopping the trains, the second operator had to match controller setting and direction before switching his link off and all being well the train continued on its way. It's not new, I remember reading about it in Model Railway News back in the 1950s. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 3, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2015 so do I bring my camera to record some playing trains testing next week? Time to dig out the banana vans then! baz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 8, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 8, 2015 We went, we did some playing trains system testing and I came away with some concerns as I seem to have mislaid a coach, a loco and I need to fix some controllers. BUT the railway works so much better now it goes all the way round! No more cassettes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 9, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 9, 2015 and somewhere there is a picture to prove we were there..... Hint! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted December 9, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 9, 2015 and somewhere there is a picture to prove we were there..... Hint! As requested, photo of myself, Barry O and Nick toix on the first proper running session. Everything went pretty well, only a few modifications seen to be necessary at this stage. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 9, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 9, 2015 you could have photoshopped that Caledonian blue engine out..... hat, coat, gone! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 10, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 10, 2015 Meant to add the link switches worked well. Propelling a long train of coal fulls around a fierce curve is interesting but the ability to do so says a lot about track laying and point building by Mike. Baz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted December 10, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 10, 2015 you could have photoshopped that Caledonian blue engine out..... hat, coat, gone! Here you go Barry, gone... Apologies to Mr Edge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 10, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 10, 2015 Gallon, be aware I have a long memory and await your visit to Leeds Show next year.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 11, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 11, 2015 Having talked to Charlie at dc kits could be one of these needs a sound chip fitting.. That would keep the dock operator awake! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted December 11, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 11, 2015 Having talked to Charlie at dc kits could be one of these needs a sound chip fitting.. MDHB 34 weathered.JPG That would keep the dock operator awake! It's got to have a continuous bell though (when it's moving) and it should be timed to the wheels as well. 34 doesn't actually have a bell but 32 does. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 11, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 11, 2015 Bit clean isn't it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted December 11, 2015 Share Posted December 11, 2015 Where is the bell on 32? Gordon A Bristol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 11, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 11, 2015 hidden by the brake cylinders?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 That would have muffled the sound of the bell. G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Michael Edge Posted December 12, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 12, 2015 The bell is behind the air reservoir on the LH side, you can see the drive from the leading crankpin. These are old photos, 32 has been weathered a bit since then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 Thanks Mike. Gordon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicktoix Posted December 12, 2015 Share Posted December 12, 2015 The bells, the bells !!! Look what it did for Quasimodo ! Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 13, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 13, 2015 wonder what it will do to Rossi??? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicktoix Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 He would take the hump ! Sorry Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 18, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 18, 2015 I do hope that the good people at Southampton Show in January 2016 realise how much work Mike has done on Herculaneum. Baz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted December 19, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 19, 2015 waiting for the outcomes of some loco testing Mike has been doing - hopefully some of my locos should be OK as it is nice to see things like: ex GCR locos Baz 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now