Questions concering new N guage layout

[andyrids]

Rix Products do a hand uncoupling tool for Microtrains couplers—you put it in from the top and twist. Since the Dapol couplers work in a similar way it may work with them.

 

I've found hand uncoupling standard couplers with British prototype models can be tricky. No problems with Peco wagons and most Farish wagons and coaches. However the couplers on many recent Farish locos don't lift in the way they should. While standard couplers on Dapol models DO lift properly, they tend to lift the coupler on the adjacent model too.

 

I shall have a look for that then thanks...

 

This also something I have noticed about the lifting... now what little rolling stock I have is all GF and so are me two Locos so far an 03 and a 20 the actual heights of the couplings are different the 03 for example is higher than the coupling on the box wagons I have... but yet it is the same height as the one coach I have, I gather that is due to some models being newer versions than others ? but either way why ? my idea was to buy all the same brand of stock so it would all be compatible with each other but this not exactly the case...

 

I am going to mess about with it for another day or so off and on and if no significant progress is made (such as if I get at least two couplings to work correctly) then it's back to the standard GF ones and order up some unsightly ramps... unless that tool you mentioned works then yeah....

[andyrids]

Ok after aforementioned messing about... I found that the "throw pins" need to be positioned parallel to the arm that sticks out opposite the "claw" rather than being set straight as they are when you first get them... also the varying hight problem with the throw pins fouling points etc you can use long nose pliers to push the pin higher up in the coupler and it does require a fair amount of force on some of them.
So now I can uncouple using the electromagnet which is great however ! the electromagnet only opens the "claw" and does not actually move the coupling to the side in order for the "easi shunt" arm to engage... I am going order a pair of the standard easi shunt magnets to see if the whole system works correctly with the intended set up rather than the electromagnets, if so then ok great but I have noticed the locos have no side to side movement on the couplings only wagons... if not then hand of God it has to be since the ramp things are unsightly I suppose you could hide the rod in a bush but what so close to the track ? nope very unrealistic even more so than the hand of God...
 

I started ballasting today, what a difficult task ! even taking my time and fiddling about I am still not happy with the results, I have now cut two slots in a piece of wood that will fit on the rails so I can drag that along in the initial laying process which should help and it's secondary use is dragging it over the already set ballast to clean the bits of the ends of the sleepers, I thought my ballasting was terrible until I watched a few YouTube clips concerning uncoupling and noticed how bad most of the others are haha... I will post a picture once I have filled in the bald patches...

[andyrids]

Ballasting still not finished but I have started on the points... there is no ideal way to do this though I have found it easier to do the ends of the sleepers first and allow that dry before doing the middle, being heavy handed or not seems to make little difference unless you have nowhere to push the excess ballast to that is... humidity in the room does make things more difficult also. 

 

Edit: just discovered on the last two points I needed to do that after you have brushed away the excess keep throwing the point motor and lightly brushing it if it gets stuck the switch blades will "kick out" the stray bits themselves eventually.. then you glue ballast... I was sort of doing this to start with but only a couple of times but doing to constantly seems to be the technique, well for me at least. 

Edited October 24, 2018 by andyrids