RMW "Layout & Track Design" - all change............

[MikeOxon]

...........

 

I'm very pleased to have put to bed my possible need to rethink - the layout works (not for everyone I know) and delivers a lot of operational satisfaction in 9'x7'.

 

BFN

Very good - now you can sail off into the unknown with a clear conscience

[Nearholmer]

Have you considered fitting some kind of buoyancy to the shed (old oil drums, maybe), and towing it along with you? It would fit widthways in a lock, IIRC.

 

K

[BobM]

Happy to oblige - you might recognise one of these locations the other I cant remember myself but it might be the River Thames around Oxford?

Hello...Upper image is top lock at Bratch Wombourne...know it well..superb boat m friend..

Edited March 1, 2016 by BobM

[halsey]

An UNCOUPLING question................

 

Have I read something somewhere advising taking some of the "hooks" off rolling stock to make uncoupling easier?

Is this a good idea?

I have one loco with no hooks just the bar and that certainly is easier in use but how does it work with wagons and do you take all hooks off at the same end throughout your stock?

If this is all good how do you do physically it?

Cut, dismantle?- do they come in two bits?? 

 

I look forward to your various replies.......................

[ejstubbs]

If this is all good how do you do physically it?

Cut, dismantle?- do they come in two bits?? 

 

It very much depends on the make & vintage of each model.  The hook on Bachmann NEM couplings can just be popped out of the body of the coupling (and popped back in again if you choose to later).  I can't speak authoritatively re other manufacturer's NEM couplings as I've gone all-Bachmann (although I am in the process of experimenting with Kadees).  I know that some older tension-lock couplings - especially the big ones on old Hornby stock - have the hook attached using a loose rivet which you can drill out, or just monkey to pieces using a combination of wire cutters, pliers and stupidity (that'd be me, then).

[halsey]

It very much depends on the make & vintage of each model.  The hook on Bachmann NEM couplings can just be popped out of the body of the coupling (and popped back in again if you choose to later).  I can't speak authoritatively re other manufacturer's NEM couplings as I've gone all-Bachmann (although I am in the process of experimenting with Kadees).  I know that some older tension-lock couplings - especially the big ones on old Hornby stock - have the hook attached using a loose rivet which you can drill out, or just monkey to pieces using a combination of wire cutters, pliers and stupidity (that'd be me, then).

 

OK understood - do I assume from the "flavour" of your reply that it is a good workable generally adopted idea then - if so do you always take hooks from the same end of the wagon and again assuming that is right does it matter which end??

Edited March 3, 2016 by halsey

[imt]

Fairly obviously, as both ends are the same (on most stock anyway) you only need to take ONE coupling hook off.  You then need to marshal your trains all in one direction - i.e coupling hooks all to left or right, your choice I think!) or it won't work(?).  BUT you will have to have a coupling hook on one end of your loco too I would think?  Logic problem for you to think through.

 

Many modellers use specialist couplers, but they can be expensive.  What you can do is keep the old couplers (like you with one hook out) for the centres of rakes of carriages for example - you then put the expensive auto-couplers on the loco and ends of the rakes.  Again you need to take care in marshalling if you don't have enough sidings/cassettes to hold your rakes..

[Chimer]

What imt said, but:

 

1.  You increase the chance of unwanted uncoupling if the tension comes off as you try to take a train over a ramp - 'cos there's only one hook that needs to rise when you don't want it to.

 

2.  I believe many people just take the hooks (or the whole coupling, replaced by a straight thin wire across the buffers) off their locos so they can stick the detail parts on the buffer beams, rather than to help uncoupling.  Which obviously means you need to keep hooks on both ends of all your wagons.

 

Cheers

 

Chris

[halsey]

What imt said, but:

 

1.  You increase the chance of unwanted uncoupling if the tension comes off as you try to take a train over a ramp - 'cos there's only one hook that needs to rise when you don't want it to.

 

2.  I believe many people just take the hooks (or the whole coupling, replaced by a straight thin wire across the buffers) off their locos so they can stick the detail parts on the buffer beams, rather than to help uncoupling.  Which obviously means you need to keep hooks on both ends of all your wagons.

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

Thanks both - food for thought and perhaps not one to be taken in haste as on many of my wagons it would be a case of drilling out rivets - so no return! 

 

KR

[DCB]

Coupling choice is something of a minefield.  I understand Halsey is interested in freight shunting so the various Tension lock couplers and sprung ramps are never going to provide a satisfactory solution.  There are various tweaks with magnets and modified couplings to give delayed uncoupling but it is always going to be labour intensive to fit them.    Sadly the best of the tension lock couplings seem to be the 1970s all metal Triang which is robust and easy to adjust for height and the 1980s Airfix which works well and is reasonably unobtrusive

The Peco Magni Simplex with some hidden electro magnets could give good results but it would be a lot of work to fit them, though the ability to lift any individual wagon in a train is invaluable in a limited clearance hidden siding

 

 If I were starting again in 00 I would consider either Kadee or the standard N gauge coupler which seems pretty good and reasonably unobtrusive in 00.

[halsey]

Coupling choice is something of a minefield.  I understand Halsey is interested in freight shunting so the various Tension lock couplers and sprung ramps are never going to provide a satisfactory solution.  There are various tweaks with magnets and modified couplings to give delayed uncoupling but it is always going to be labour intensive to fit them.    Sadly the best of the tension lock couplings seem to be the 1970s all metal Triang which is robust and easy to adjust for height and the 1980s Airfix which works well and is reasonably unobtrusive

The Peco Magni Simplex with some hidden electro magnets could give good results but it would be a lot of work to fit them, though the ability to lift any individual wagon in a train is invaluable in a limited clearance hidden siding

 

 If I were starting again in 00 I would consider either Kadee or the standard N gauge coupler which seems pretty good and reasonably unobtrusive in 00.

 

I'm certainly not going to use ramps!

I am very happy with my "hand of god" tool and I think I will almost certainly end up removing "considered" hooks to make this easier - but not this side of the summer!

 

BFN

[halsey]

Hi all,

 

Some more advice please...........

 

I'm intending to "colour wash" everything grey to give a base to ballasting/modelling and I am getting the sense that this is normal practice but what should I use - primer/undercoat - oil based water based?????

 

This was always planned to be the last job before my summer break and seems a good place to halt - but I don't want to get it wrong.

 

All help/advice gratefully received as always.

 

Many thanks

[ejstubbs]

My baseboard supplier (building them myself would have taken far too long and likely given a poor result!) recommended grey primer.

 

Also, have a look at some of the answers on this thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107478-birch-pine-does-it-need-sealing-before-use/  There seems to be a consensus on that thread to use an oil based (or at least non-water based) medium, and to do both sides of the board to avoid warping.

 

In my search for materials I found that B&Q do "solvent based" grey undercoat for reasonable money.  If you prefer to leave a plain wood finish then Wickes do a solvent based varnish - all the varnishes in B&Q seemed to be water based.  IMO the term "solvent based" seems a little vague.  After all, water will dissolve many things - but I think what they mean is not water based.  I doubt many of the "solvent based" products are actually oil based in the sense that people of your or my generation would think of it.

 

FWIW I haven't actually got round to painting my boards yet; I'm still in the final stages of making detail adjustments to the track layout.  I will take it all up again when that's complete, and paint/varnish before re-laying the track on closed cell foam underlay and getting stuck in to the full wiring.  What I have had running on it so far (including a Hornby 'Duchess of Hamilton' which is ridiculously large for my layout but which looks very handsome and was at an irresistibly good price second-hand in my local model shop) seems to be going very well, I'm happy to say.

Edited March 8, 2016 by ejstubbs

[halsey]

My baseboard supplier (building them myself would have taken far too long and likely given a poor result!) recommended grey primer.

 

Also, have a look at some of the answers on this thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107478-birch-pine-does-it-need-sealing-before-use/  There seems to be a consensus on that thread to use an oil based (or at least non-water based) medium, and to do both sides of the board to avoid warping.

 

In my search for materials I found that B&Q do "solvent based" grey undercoat for reasonable money.  If you prefer to leave a plain wood finish then Wickes do a solvent based varnish - all the varnishes in B&Q seemed to be water based.  IMO the term "solvent based" seems a little vague.  After all, water will dissolve many things - but I think what they mean is not water based.  I doubt many of the "solvent based" products are actually oil based in the sense that people of your or my generation would think of it.

 

FWIW I haven't actually got round to painting my boards yet; I'm still in the final stages of making detail adjustments to the track layout.  I will take it all up again when that's complete, and paint/varnish before re-laying the track on closed cell foam underlay and getting stuck in to the full wiring.  What I have had running on it so far (including a Hornby 'Duchess of Hamilton' which is ridiculously large for my layout but which looks very handsome and was at an irresistibly good price second-hand in my local model shop) seems to be going very well, I'm happy to say.

 

Thanks EJ

 

All good stuff and many thanks for this input - that was where my mind was focussing - I was also thinking of this as the basecoat for the cork and track edges so "solvent based" again seems to make sense - off to B&Q tomorrow then as its pensioner discount (sorry "Diamond Club") Wednesday!

 

Re DoH we all have to indulge our loves sometime....................

 

KR

[halsey]

Hi all,

 

I just thought you might like to see some clean and tidy photos - with all track laid, hinged bridge done and working well, all wiring sorted and cork trimmed to suit future ballasting plans - I might paint a universal grey before my spring/summer plans kick in but I don't feel the need and there might not be time.

 

What the photos have highlighted to me is that I do need to make up all the sleeper gaps before I do anything else!

 

This has been great to develop thus far and I DEFINATELY couldn't have done it without RMW and some very specific personalities - thanks chaps!

Edited March 8, 2016 by halsey

[jon_1066]

Looks great.  Just one query - how do you get access to any problems under your BLT?  Does that lift off or the front come off?  If not I could see some grief under there in the future!  Something will always derail in the most awkward to reach spot.

[halsey]

Looks great.  Just one query - how do you get access to any problems under your BLT?  Does that lift off or the front come off?  If not I could see some grief under there in the future!  Something will always derail in the most awkward to reach spot.

 

The front (which will probably be made to look like a wall with arches) comes completely away with the removal of the locating pins (cut down large nails!) in the centre of the required brown corner blocks. There is nothing in the "tunnel" other than 2 lengths of straight track "set track" spaced with a join at either end and the corners have been filled in with an edging so the inevitable derailments stay in the track space.

Edited March 9, 2016 by halsey

[Chimer]

Good to see it like that and feel a smidgen of satisfaction that there's a bit of me in there in places.

 

Hope you have a great summer messing about in boats!

 

Cheers

 

Chris

[halsey]

Hi all,

 

Now back from a summer cruising around the canals and backwaters of the UK great fun - the low points were saying a sad goodbye to our eldest dog (far left in picture) , finding a dead body and falling and cracking 2 ribs high points everything else especially the weather in August and early Sept!

 

I am feeling/concluding that I am possibly more of a builder than a modeller and seriously considering having a go with N gauge as this winters project - any/all comments will be received with thanks and interest to help me decide.

 

Will be away for a couple of weeks over the next month but then back and looking to dedicate serious time again.

 

Why these thoughts.................

 

Another build to get stuck into

More space to play with

Possibly concerned re cost differential across the two scales and availability of "stuff"

Eyesight is also a concern

I could do away with my across the doorway bridge which I don't get on well with

I wouldn't need to model my high level branch which is a bit difficult to access

I could liberate an area of my shed for other non railway DIY activities

 

Comments awaited with interest and I hope my regular contributors are all well and have had a good summer.

 

J

[Chimer]

Mmmmm ...... welcome back!

 

When you say more of a builder than a modeller, do you mean that having got the track down you don't want to go on and do all the scenery, stock weathering, signalling infrastructure and extra stuff that makes it look real?  Or do you mean more of a builder than an operator, maybe - that is you enjoyed the planning and construction more than you now enjoy "playing" with the end result?  Adding your thoughts here to the speed with which you put Mk 1 together, you may be susceptible to serial-layout-building-itis (see e.g. multiple threads by Andrew P, currently Pencarne, (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/101157-pencarne-rural-cornish-blt-from-page-54/) though he not only builds at the speed of light but does scenics to a ridiculously high standard and operates most realistically). 

 

Whatever, take your time, spend some time operating Mk1 to work out what bits you particularly enjoy and what bits you don't (shunting, fiddling, watching-the-trains-go-by etc) and take the results into account as you think about Mk2.  If you are thinking about N, I suggest you find a layout you can visit and play around with (someone on here local to you will probably offer if you ask) to see if you get on with it - I don't reckon I could get N gauge stock on the track, it's so little, so wouldn't go there myself despite the scope it offers for lots of the things I would like to do.

 

If it really is the building that's most fun, you might like to think about making Mk2 portable, giving you the option of selling it on to part fund Mk3 when your thoughts turn that way - in September 2017??!!

 

Cheers

 

Chris

[MikeOxon]

.........  I am feeling/concluding that I am possibly more of a builder than a modeller .................

 

Like Chimer, above, I'm a bit confused - I like building models   

 

In my case, my main interest is creating historical scenes - both the buildings and the stock.  Actually running trains is secondary for me, although I do like to set something going 'round and round', while I ponder what to do next.

 

Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy it.

 

Mike

[halsey]

Mmmmm ...... welcome back!

 

When you say more of a builder than a modeller, do you mean that having got the track down you don't want to go on and do all the scenery, stock weathering, signalling infrastructure and extra stuff that makes it look real?  Or do you mean more of a builder than an operator, maybe - that is you enjoyed the planning and construction more than you now enjoy "playing" with the end result?  Adding your thoughts here to the speed with which you put Mk 1 together, you may be susceptible to serial-layout-building-itis (see e.g. multiple threads by Andrew P, currently Pencarne, (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/101157-pencarne-rural-cornish-blt-from-page-54/) though he not only builds at the speed of light but does scenics to a ridiculously high standard and operates most realistically). 

 

Whatever, take your time, spend some time operating Mk1 to work out what bits you particularly enjoy and what bits you don't (shunting, fiddling, watching-the-trains-go-by etc) and take the results into account as you think about Mk2.  If you are thinking about N, I suggest you find a layout you can visit and play around with (someone on here local to you will probably offer if you ask) to see if you get on with it - I don't reckon I could get N gauge stock on the track, it's so little, so wouldn't go there myself despite the scope it offers for lots of the things I would like to do.

 

If it really is the building that's most fun, you might like to think about making Mk2 portable, giving you the option of selling it on to part fund Mk3 when your thoughts turn that way - in September 2017??!!

 

Cheers

 

Chris

Good point - probably the second definition "more of a builder than an operator" - I will definitely "play" before taking all apart - I'm working on removing one of the other pressures in my list at present so I don't need the railway shed to double up as DIY space as that will help my thinking

Really not sure about N so will investigate much more.

Thanks!

[halsey]

DIY problem solved as have created another environment for that purpose - nothing to do with the Railway Shed!

Eyesight problem (for close work) solved (did I mention that)- purchased off the shelf +4.0 glasses which seem to do the trick £2.50!

N Gauge ruled OUT not tactile enough.

Am thinking I might spend this winter with a greater focus on playing and building a few kits and models - I have been reminded that after last years big build that the budget is tight so no grand plans!

Advice please on kits and paints and particularly colours for first stock purchase - do bear in mind I have absolutely none of these items at present so what are the basics I will need to get started.

This does feel like the right way to go - so many of you talk about the pleasure of doing something whilst the trains are going round and round so I'll give it a go!

J

[MikeOxon]

.........................Eyesight problem (for close work) solved (did I mention that)- purchased off the shelf +4.0 glasses which seem to do the trick £2.50!

N Gauge ruled OUT not tactile enough.....................

In my opinion, eyesight problems and N gauge do not go together, so I think you've made a wise decision!

 

You're going to have to ponder such issues as which period interests you and which part of the country, before you can decide on types of buildings, stock, and colours.  Have you tried visiting a few exhibitions, to see what type of modelling appeals to you?

[halsey]

In my opinion, eyesight problems and N gauge do not go together, so I think you've made a wise decision!

 

You're going to have to ponder such issues as which period interests you and which part of the country, before you can decide on types of buildings, stock, and colours.  Have you tried visiting a few exhibitions, to see what type of modelling appeals to you?

The focus has always been ERA 3 and LMS (Midlands canal focus) as a baseline for this project - building kits will start with Superquick I bought a few of these standard items last year - it was rolling stock kits and colours I was looking for guidance on I want to start with a couple of brake wagons and then "weather" some of the very cheap Ebay items bought last year.