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RhB Rhatia HOm


PaulRhB

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There's nothing like a deadline . .

 

Put the frame in for the modified fiddleyard this afternoon, you can see the new board and supports on the left. This replaces the 4x1ft sector plate as we only tend to use two lines on it and it saves carrying an extra board around. The coloured dots show where the curved point and two sidings will go.

 

post-6968-027155500%201289250735_thumb.jpg
 

Track laying tomorrow 

Edited by PaulRhB
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Had a couple of hours to spare so I extended the new fiddleyard to fit in a four coach train. It's the letterbox slot on the end of the top board under the main yard.

 

Sorry Photobucket broken links removed

Edited by PaulRhB
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  • 1 year later...
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2012 will probably be the final year out and about for Rhatia as long term storage looks likely to be a problem so I'd rather retire it early than have to let bookings down by cancelling.

I'm glad I took advantage of the space at a friends place to build it as I did but unfortunately I don't have space without paying for storage to have it set up when I lose the curent shed. To me playing trains on it is part of the fun so I'd rather build something smaller that I can store and set up at home. When I say smaller it may be able to be bigger when set up but not so deep to make storing it possible. Rhatia takes up a footprint of 5 x 7ft when stored and it needs double doors so I can't get it into the house!

Anyhoo here's what is likely to be the final three outings we have invitations to.

 

Trainwest in April

http://www.trainwest.org.uk/

 

Midland Railex in August

http://www.midlandrailex.co.uk/2011.html

 

Andover in September

http://www.amrc.hampshire.org.uk/page7.html

 

post-6968-0-18164000-1327024607.jpg

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Sad to see it go, hopefully you'll be able to find it a good home :)

There's a couple of people interested so hopefully it will go complete, if not, and there is a lot of value in reusable bits, I'll recycle a lot of it. The catenary and buildings are already on their second layout and the signals, point motors, controlling electronics and all the trees are salvageable.

 

As for storing your new layout, once build of course: go vertical! Long narrow boards, stored upright, secured with a rotating clamp. Just a thought :)

Yep exactly what I'm thinking, 6ft long so they stack on end and maybe even rhomboid shapes to get more scenery in and they interlock more closely than those with a flat base. Question is do I make the next one HOm or Om ;)

Edited by PaulRhB
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Vertical storage, apart from enabling me to store two layouts, makes it easier to add and adjust point motors and wiring looms. I've actually gone for 5ft boards this time to allow a little vertical space through doorways. If necessary, a maximum width/backscene height of 2ft 4ins will mean that, if necessary, you can always move 'horizontally' through standard doorways. Naturally I learned that the hard way in tiny parish halls :scratchhead:

 

Bob

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I've gone for trolleys to move the layout which means you can move it around while packed up without heftingbitvall individually. They are just plywood squares with small casters screwed on. I also have two big wheeled ones I use for shows to cope with small kerbs and uneven paving.

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Following a good weekend at Trainwest where the layout performed well, unlike the operators at times  , after being packed up for a year!

Here's some details in answer to some questions about the catenary ramps as the old forum detail is unavailable.

Because we I didn't want to have to put wires up in the hidden sidings shown below I needed ramps to bring the pantographs onto the catenary.

 

Rhatia catenary

This is the principle

 

 

 

Rhätia catenary

 

and here's what it actually looks like

 

 

 

Edited by PaulRhB
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  • RMweb Gold

It's a curious design isn't it, much more 'aggressive' looking than anything else I've seen and used as a loco rather than just a unit.

Plus they have several places where metre and standard gauge tracks are interlaced . . . You'd need a new apron with mountains on! ;)

 

I've just realised there's two interpretations of that ! !

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Does the RhB still run loco hauled passenger trains, or are they all now EMUs?

Oh yes plenty, only the 10 Ge4/4 I's are being replaced by Allegras and they were built in 1947-53! The older Bernina and 500 series railcars are also being replaced with them.

The bigger and newer Ge4/4 II's and Ge4/4 III's are all still in passenger and freight service and releasing them from Arosa duties means more will be seen on the main system. The Ge4/4 II's only took over the Arosa line when they replaced the old overhead DC system and railcars with AC overhead.

There are two versions. First a dual voltage three car with 8 powered axles and three pantographs, spread across the three coaches, which is equivalent to two locos and used for hauling additional coaches or freight on the Bernina, Arosa and Davos lines which are very steep.

Second version is single voltage four car with 4 powered axles and 2 pantographs, (only on one coach), for the suburban services around Landquart and Chur.

Edited by PaulRhB
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... used as a loco rather than just a unit.

Here's one from earlier this year, evening train to Arosa towing a couple of cement wagons through the street section in Chur. Bonkers, but in a good way.

post-6971-0-72525200-1346356191.jpg

 

Also travelled up to Arosa on one the following day, towing one extra 1st class coach for a reserved party. Slightly dodgy shot from inside, don't know why I didn't get a proper photo on arrival.

post-6971-0-94833500-1346356369.jpg

 

And saw one towing 3-4 extra coaches on a Chur-St Moritz working (I think). Flexibility!

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On the RhB forum one of the guys is a driver and provided some interesting info as the Allegras entered service. They were initially quite harsh riding, he said just like a loco, for passenger stock and deliveries were suspended while they sorted out the suspension. Further units were supplied already modified and the initial ones updated. I suppose having such a lot of power meant they attacked the corners more than they were used to with the railcars. Proves even the Swiss don't get it right every time first time despite the myths. ;)

 

last show this weekend

post-6968-0-08243500-1346392471.jpg

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  • 1 year later...
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Well in the best traditions of a model railway that's retired Rhätia will probably be briefly unretired!

Two invites for April 2013, the first being Narrow Gauge South at Sparsholt Nr Winchester, after which the layout will be dismantled as the parts will be very useful for my next project and both potential buyers couldn't fit it in.

Final details of second show once paperwork confirmed.

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  • 2 months later...
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Rhätia's final two outings are fast approaching and a couple of things to do. First to clear the milky effect on the river after the sheds catastrophic leak, large amounts of silica gel dessicant seem to be working slowly. Second is the Austrian connection is finally finished and will be evident at Sparsholt ;)

http://www.narrowgaugesouth.org.uk/wp/

Final outing will be Epsom at the end of April.

http://www.eemrc.org.uk

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