TT:120 Easterner

[Jeff Smith]

On 06/02/2023 at 14:34, Jeff Smith said:

Just received an email from DHL informing of delivery this Thursday.......

Kudos to DHL, arrived a day earlier than originally scheduled.  504/888

[PeterStiles]

I think what disappoints me about this box set is the Paperwork; or lack of.

 

If you pick up, say, a Kato starter-set you get a short 4-pager(*) explaining how to connect the track, how to connect the power and how to couple the stock and other "basic" information that you need for your First Train Set.

 

This set turns up with the "usual" Hornby documentaion; a sheet on Loco Maintenance and a sheet on the Controller (more Elf and Safety sheet than anything else).

 

As the idea is to engage with New People/Markets I would think a sheet of A4 saying how to actually use the set would be worth while. If it explained how you'd go about using the track mat and how you'd expand your layout, including the sales info on the pieces they expect you to buy to populate the track mat then it can be considered Extra Marketing...

 

 

Don't get me wrong, the loco and coaches are lovely and I *really * like this set. Not sure what I'll buy next or where this will go for me, but I do like it.

 

 

(*) Well, 4 pages in Japanese and 4 in English 

[spamcan61]

21 minutes ago, PeterStiles said:

Don't get me wrong, the loco and coaches are lovely and I *really * like this set. Not sure what I'll buy next or where this will go for me, but I do like it.

 

That's exactly my viewpoint as well; I'll be back home tomorrow so will try out Les1952's interesting  observation on the couplers.

[JohnR]

I think the lack of a trackmat is disappointing to me. I get that maybe they wanted to keep the cost down, but I would probably have bought one if it had been available. I'm not likely to go to the trouble of getting it printed out by a specialist printer

[spamcan61]

Just now, JohnR said:

I think the lack of a trackmat is disappointing to me. I get that maybe they wanted to keep the cost down, but I would probably have bought one if it had been available. I'm not likely to go to the trouble of getting it printed out by a specialist printer

Agree this is an odd omission given the target market, the manufacturing cost of one must surely be minimal even in a 'down to a price' set.

[scouse889]

4 hours ago, spamcan61 said:

That's exactly my viewpoint as well; I'll be back home tomorrow so will try out Les1952's interesting  observation on the couplers.

 

Be interested to know how you get on with it.

[joe cassidy]

Trackmat ?

 

We didn't need such things in the 1960s 🙂

 

However, I agree that when you buy a computer, or a record player etc., today you get the safety info in the box but you have to look for the instructions on the internet.

[luke_stevens]

I've had the same with the coaches rubbing on the curves, both R2 (310mm) and R3 (£56m as provided in the set). The coach chassis has cut-out on the inside of the chassis where the wheels would rub that make that part of the sol bar a thin as possible. I'm not actually sure it is the wheel flanges; I think it might actually be the wheel face...

 

When I took them to my local model shop for them to have a look at the proprietor commented that the coaches seemed very light. So this evening I dissected one...

 

Do you see the metal weight in the space between the chassis and the interior? No I don't either... Time to dig out the lead sheet or liquid lead or something.

 

[luke_stevens]

And further investigation and dismantling!

 

1) Overview (or should that be underview?)

 

2) I think it is just the very tops of the wheel faces. The flanges don't seem to have an issue. If the wheels were just a little smaller or the coach rode just a little higher there wouldn't be the problem..

 

3) Time to thin things out just a little on the far corners... 

[Jeff Smith]

19 hours ago, Jeff Smith said:

Kudos to DHL, arrived a day earlier than originally scheduled.  504/888

Runs great, coaches noisy on the curves as commented above.  Using a Gaugemaster single track controller set up for 110v.  The included Hornby wall wart is useless over here so I cannot test the controller without searching for a suitable 110v wall wart.....not really worth the effort.  I am not used to dead-frog points but the loco seems to have enough pick-ups to prevent stalling.  The paperwork says it was lubricated in the factory so I haven't added any.   The wheels and motion look really good but has anyone noticed how close the main drivers flanges are to each other.....?  The couplings are great and extend as the bogie swings, interesting.  All in all I am very impressed with the design and assembly and the track looks better than I expected.

Edited February 9, 2023 by Jeff Smith
Added info

[Flying Pig]

1 hour ago, luke_stevens said:

I think it is just the very tops of the wheel faces. The flanges don't seem to have an issue. If the wheels were just a little smaller or the coach rode just a little higher there wouldn't be the problem..

 

Per my post above, have you checked the ride height?  Buffer centres should be around 8.9mm above the railhead.  If the coach is riding low a little packing as I think @Les1952 suggested might cure the issue without attacking the solebars.  Hornby already seem to have recessed the solebars as far as possible without breaking through to the face of the solebar and spoiling the look of the model.

[luke_stevens]

Next stage.

 

1) Lead sheet. Originally got lead sheet (0.050') from the much missed Eileen's Emporium. The space is about 2mm by 13mm by 75mm. Lead sheet cut with Stanley knife. Then lots of hand washing!

 

2) Gentle thinnning, bottom view.

 

3) Thinning side view. I had thought I needed to trim the outer sides, but on further inspection it looks like it should be the inside sides.

 

The trimming helped but it didn't remove all the screech (as I've probably trimmed the wrong end) but the weight helps make the sound deeper! And it rolls much better.

 

Enough for tonight :)

 

Luke

[irishmail]

2 hours ago, luke_stevens said:

I've had the same with the coaches rubbing on the curves, both R2 (310mm) and R3 (£56m as provided in the set). The coach chassis has cut-out on the inside of the chassis where the wheels would rub that make that part of the sol bar a thin as possible. I'm not actually sure it is the wheel flanges; I think it might actually be the wheel face...

 

When I took them to my local model shop for them to have a look at the proprietor commented that the coaches seemed very light. So this evening I dissected one...

 

Do you see the metal weight in the space between the chassis and the interior? No I don't either... Time to dig out the lead sheet or liquid lead or something.

 

Would it be worth contacting Hornby and asking if there should be any weights inside the MK1's?

[luke_stevens]

17 minutes ago, irishmail said:

Would it be worth contacting Hornby and asking if there should be any weights inside the MK1's?

 

Probably but easier just to reach for the lead sheet :) The perils of being a railway modeller!

 

Luke

[luke_stevens]

1 hour ago, Flying Pig said:

 

Per my post above, have you checked the ride height?  Buffer centres should be around 8.9mm above the railhead.  If the coach is riding low a little packing as I think @Les1952 suggested might cure the issue without attacking the solebars.  Hornby already seem to have recessed the solebars as far as possible without breaking through to the face of the solebar and spoiling the look of the model.

 

Ok, out with the Vernier and trying to measure the buffer centres without the coach running away... It comes to about 8.4, but I think the buffers are too low. The centre line of the buffer is at, or even below, the bottom of the solebar. There doesn't feel to be much slack to pack the bogie away from the chassis. Tomorrow, perhaps.

 

Luke

[Flying Pig]

16 minutes ago, luke_stevens said:

The centre line of the buffer is at, or even below, the bottom of the solebar.

 

I'm not an expert but photos (e.g this one) suggest that is actually correct.  

[luke_stevens]

1 minute ago, Flying Pig said:

 

I'm not an expert but photos (e.g this one) suggest that is actually correct.  

 

Funnily enough I was looking at photo of the same coach!

 

Luke

[luke_stevens]

Got it!

 

I know why there is a problem. On the top of the bogies there are 4 plastic pins that look as if they go into phosphor bronze strip for lighting pick up...

 

Add that and the coaches would be the right height, they wouldn't squeal and they would need the extra weight to make them roll smoothly! Now where do i get some 0.5mm metal strip (or can I find some in stock?)

 

Luke

[frobisher]

Purely speculative, but I'm wondering if this might be a cost/production cutting measure for the train sets? We knew the Pullmans weren't coming with the lights of the main range ones in the Scotsman set, are they weighted or not?

 

I suppose we'll only know when we see the MK1s appear separately.  Will they be weighted? Will they be "lighting ready" i.e. with the pickups in place?

[luke_stevens]

4 minutes ago, frobisher said:

Purely speculative, but I'm wondering if this might be a cost/production cutting measure for the train sets? We knew the Pullmans weren't coming with the lights of the main range ones in the Scotsman set, are they weighted or not?

 

I suppose we'll only know when we see the MK1s appear separately.  Will they be weighted? Will they be "lighting ready" i.e. with the pickups in place?

 

I think the separate Mk1 are already out. My brother has the Scotsman set and I don't remember the coaches feeling as light, even without the lighting. There is no indication on the Hornby website that they will be prepared for lighting.

 

Luke

[spamcan61]

6 minutes ago, frobisher said:

 

I suppose we'll only know when we see the MK1s appear separately.  Will they be weighted? Will they be "lighting ready" i.e. with the pickups in place?

I think they're available now, I've seen photos of them in individual boxes 'somewhere' on the internet this week.

[Jeff Smith]

4 hours ago, Jeff Smith said:

Runs great, coaches noisy on the curves as commented above.  Using a Gaugemaster single track controller set up for 110v.  The included Hornby wall wart is useless over here so I cannot test the controller without searching for a suitable 110v wall wart.....not really worth the effort.  I am not used to dead-frog points but the loco seems to have enough pick-ups to prevent stalling.  The paperwork says it was lubricated in the factory so I haven't added any.   The wheels and motion look really good but has anyone noticed how close the main drivers flanges are to each other.....?  The couplings are great and extend as the bogie swings, interesting.  All in all I am very impressed with the design and assembly and the track looks better than I expected.

Further to the above.  I had several derailments caused by incorrectly assembled track - one rail being above the fishplate causing a step.  I found the best way to join track is to slide them together on a flat surface - others may know this but I'm not used to set track.  Once the track was fixed I still had instances of the loco bogie jumping the track on curves.  I also found it better to come off the curve onto a straight before the toe of the point.  There is a good argument for transition curves......

 

If I ever build a TT layout it will be end to end so avoiding coach wheel noise and tight radii....

[Jeff Smith]

2 hours ago, Flying Pig said:

 

I'm not an expert but photos (e.g this one) suggest that is actually correct.  

The face of the wheel shows as slightly below the solebar and of course the real flange is much smaller than the TT flange.  Also on scale curves, ie a Peco B6 point, the bogie will probably not turn enough to hit the solebar.

[Jeff Smith]

So, experimenting with the coaches, the wheels rub on the 3rd radius track but not on 6th radius as supplied to go with the point.  A mistake in the catalogue shows this to be a 4th radius (TT8006) but actually is TT8007.

Edited February 10, 2023 by Jeff Smith
Correction

[Les1952]

I'm still confused as mine don't rub at all, even on radius 2.  The design of the coach doesn't seem to allow for any mis-assembly that would account for some rubbing and others not.  However, between my Pullmans arriving and my Mark 1s coming on the scene all of my curves were pinned down onto cork underlay and are thus rigid.

 

Les