Blog- Clovelly Road - Clovelly Road - Smooth Running Through the Goods Yard Entry Point

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I've not made any progress with the layout, for a very long time! That's because I have not felt able to grab the Bull by the Horns, so to speak, and solve the major problem. The phase that up to now, dared not speak it name, is electrical pickup quality.

 

When I attempt to run a train along the trough line, at a scale speed it almost always stalls on the goods yard entry point. The problem stems from a design decision onthe manufacturer, in this case Farrish, to pickup from the back of the flanges. This looks good, but failure occurs when the loco, especially steam prototypes traverse a sharpish curve.

 

The drive wheels on most model loco's are in effect semi-radial, meaning that they move in a traverse motion as the loco moves into the curve, resulting in one set of contacts, not being in contact with the wheel. This results in there being no electrical circuit and thus he loco stalls.

 

The use of live frog points, improves the situation, but does not solve the problem. The Basingstoke Area Group of the 2mm Association have tackled this problem, to acheive acceptable running on their Freshwater layout, see link below.

 

http://bag.2mm.org.uk/2016_01_01_archive.html

 

I'm now convinced that I to will need to add extra pickups to solve my running problems. I think that this solution will also aid running on Holloway Goods too, more than the installation of live frog, or more correctly called crossing, points.

 

Julie

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