Pete 75C Posted March 20, 2013 Author Share Posted March 20, 2013 A comparison of the Kato and Tomix banked curves can be found here: http://www.quinntopia.com/2009/12/super-elevated-curves-and-cant-track.html Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westie7 Posted March 20, 2013 Share Posted March 20, 2013 Cheers Pete Yup MR153/154 in parts i think, and you re not wrong about the Tomix track, Kato much easier to get hold of and cheaper too by the looks of it. I know there has been mention of the height of the shoulder on the Kato track, however when you see it next to the Tomix track, having that extra height I think is an advantage. You can always build up to it as you have done but the Tomix is quite low and could be limiting depending on the scenery preferences. Rgds Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
retroman Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I've gone and bought the KATO v11 set on the basis of this thread, and have a V200 en route via Ebay. I will be starting my own N thread soon!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westie7 Posted March 24, 2013 Share Posted March 24, 2013 I've gone and bought the KATO v11 set on the basis of this thread, and have a V200 en route via Ebay. I will be starting my own N thread soon!! must be catching... me too. Although Ive got the V14 which is slightly smaller. I may also combine Pete's inspiration with some of this, http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/38509-japanese-prototype-n-scale-desktop-layout/ no doubt have a red card from the postie when I get in from work tomorrow. Rgds Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 Good luck to both of you and the thread on the Japanese desktop layout is new to me - thanks for the link. On the whole, I found my project 10% frustrating, 90% enjoyable but if I did it again, I would take my time. It wasn't a race and I didn't have to do it so quickly! I've still got a lot of detail to add and will post more pics over the next month or two but as the scenery is complete and the trains running, I guess it's technically finished. Looking forward to seeing some pics as you progress! Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westie7 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Got the boards at B&Q yesterday. Definitely not going to rush this, but I do think I might actually end up with a layout here. rather than a steady stream of crap attempts with Peco track poking out through mountains of badly laid ballast Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westie7 Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 V14 set arrived today, from the seller LifeboatMan recommended, Fastrack99. Courier delivery no less. Having had experience of Roco's HO Geoline, I have to say this Kato N gauge stuff is very impressive. Really secure and sound connections and visually superb. Off to the Garage tonight to experiment with Ply, Pencil, Flexible curves. The choice, lay it in one as per the manufacturers plan... or... build modules as per the Japanese Thread .... Dunno yet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted March 27, 2013 Author Share Posted March 27, 2013 I spotted this on ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KATO-LARGE-12ftX4ft-UNFINISHED-LAYOUT-INCLUDES-EVERYTHING-IN-PICTURES-/121083157361?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item1c311e5b71 and was sorely tempted just by the sheer amount of Unitrack and accessories for the price. Wife would kill me so need to figure out a way of disabling the "bid now" button! Westie7 - let me know how you get on - the beauty of Unitrack (and any other sectional track) is that you can play around full size with the plan. I've never got on too well with drawings or paper templates. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted March 28, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 28, 2013 A while back Model Rail magazine did (I think) a three part layout series on the building of Gullant in N - it was based on Golant on the river Fowey in Cornwall. It was a basic single track scenic oval using ready ballasted Atlas track. It was also about door-sized. It certainly inspired the above as a quick build. There are links to it on Google, and (I haven't checked) there may be something on RMWeb about it too. It's worth looking out for. Don't know about cutting the Kato banked curves which are only available as double track, but Tomix do single track ready ballasted superelevated curves - they're just not as readily available as the Unitrack. I'll try and find a link. Pete. yep Golant was the thing which inspired me into looking at N gauge again , but I very quickly got p*ssed off with the fiddlyness, should have used this type of track- admittedly I had notions of going to 2mm finescale at one point which seemed a natural progression from EM gauge, which it may be if you have good 'fine motor skills' lol - but the curves of 2mm fs do not allow getting a continuous run in a small space so I was confounded in two different ways! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted March 28, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 28, 2013 Also this thread on this forum http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/46841-plockton-kyle-of-lochalsh-to-inverness/ though as far as I can tell it uses conventional style track Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted April 4, 2013 Author Share Posted April 4, 2013 Hi all. Now that the "scenic test track" is complete (ish), I feel the need to move on and my wife would like her dining room back! I've decided to put this in RMWeb's classifieds, offers invited. For those that have followed this thread, the dimensions are 6'6" by 3' and the height including backscene is approx 12". I'd hate to see it stored out of use in the garage and would rather it got used! The scenery is fully complete, but the tarmac industrial area (front right) is crying out for buildings - modern warehouses spring to mind. Also, the right hand end of the elevated road would benefit from a multitude of low relief terrace houses, shops etc. there is still plenty of detail to add and the layout can therefore be personalised. No controller or stock to be included. I'll put the classified ad up a little later today but in the meantime here are some more pics. Thanks again to all for your input and kind comments during the build! Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westie7 Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Pete, Finished article looks great. Should have no bother shifting it. I've laid out the V14 set in the recommended dog bone and it looks great just plain. I will be putting it together in 4 modules though, a la Japanese style. But first I will experiment with a few Micro desktop modules as per the Japanese Layout thread. This will give me practice in getting the blocks, alignment and details right. God, might even have my own layout thread soon, Shudder! Rgds Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 You need to arrange for track joints to align with module edges, or better still overlap modules by around 1mm. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 Beat me to it - I was wondering how best to connect the track at the module joints! Using a small mitre block and a decent razor saw, I found that cutting Unitrack gave a very good edge - the moulded ballast helps, but as always when joining track at baseboard edges, it needs to stand the test of time and cope with the odd knock and bump. As for starting a thread, you must! I wish you the very best of luck with it. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeTrice Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 I would suggest cutting the track in such a way that any cut joints are away from the module edges. The whole point of the T Trak concept is to use the standard Kato track fixings to join at baseboard joint so they can be put up and broken down after use.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagger14 Posted April 10, 2013 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Out of intrest have you had any offers for the layout? I think if it had like 6 tracks each way in the fiddle yard it would be a cracking layout! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted April 10, 2013 Author Share Posted April 10, 2013 Out of intrest have you had any offers for the layout? I think if it had like 6 tracks each way in the fiddle yard it would be a cracking layout! Yes - I've had a few but no-one's hit the magic figure that will make me part with it (£250)! I take your point about the fiddle yard or lack of it and I think that may be the problem. It was built just to watch a long freight head clockwise and maybe a HST or Voyager anti-clockwise. Possibly a Gaugemaster shuttle unit on the branch. I'd never planned to buy loads of rolling stock. If anyone wants operating interest, it doesn't have any! The double track behind the backscene doesn't have any extra roads, but the Kato Unitrack isn't fixed down so I guess it would be a simple matter to throw in a few points and a couple of loops - there is room. Otherwise. as far as a scenic test track goes, it's pretty much spot on but maybe people want more from a ready-built layout. I'd hate to shove this one up in the loft with a sheet over it so I'll see if anyone else offers... In the meantime, I'm itching to crack on with another layout. SWMBO would like this one gone first, so I may have to see if it will fit through the loft hatch... Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagger14 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I can see why you want 250 quid for it with the price of the kato track!!! i would say thats cheap for a quality ready to go layout personally, just wish i had room!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted May 6, 2013 Author Share Posted May 6, 2013 SOLD. Many thank for all the interest and for the kind comments. Back to 4mm for me! Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Hmm... Having parted with the Kato banked curves layout (it never had a name), several months later I find I'm missing it! I have a project on the go at the moment (4mm) but guess who's found another flush door? Yup. I've just read through the Cross Street thread having spotted the layout for the first time in a magazine back number. I learnt a lot about N building the scenic test track and when the bug bites, it really bites. There are a few "must haves" and amongst these are... Visible superelevation on the curves. I don't just want a couple of scenic breaks at the end of a straight section of track. Minimal (maybe even zero) pointwork on the visible section. Urban dereliction to some extent. The majority of track to be elevated above street level on brick arches. More storage roads at the back. Having made more than a few basic errors, I'm going to spend a bit more time planning this one. I absolutely love Cross Street but I don't want to build a "poor relation" copy. I quite fancy at least one feature that hasn't been seen before. Westie - if you're reading this, how are you getting on? If my hurried first effort inspired anyone into N, I'd love to know the results. Any thoughts? Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westie7 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Pete Good timing just logged in to look through my followed posts I'm really frustrated and at a stand right now. Not because of any problems but just that I run my own business and I haven't done a scoot since post #62 above… Bloody hell thats 6 months! I have two plywood boards cut based on that plan above using V14, not straight back to back but with a little kink in the void area in the middle. That way they can be joined to give a roundy or have one sitting out as a diorama/plank. I did have one useful experimenting session though which is worth sharing….. I had a problem with VGA's on the transition curves to the super elevated/banked curves because I chose the smaller V14 set. The super elevated/banked curves at R282/R315 are fine with long wheel base fixed axle like the VGA but the transition curves for this set are too short in length over the transition causing one wheel to lose contact I fixed this by buying the longer smoother transition curves with R447/R480 (p/n 20-186). Solved the tricycle effect and gives the curves a bit of length I'm looking at the idea of sweeping curves through cuttings, like the borders end of the WCML or the Grantshouse section of the ECML. So maybe one siding for a bit of interest. The guy on Ebay, Fasttrack99 has actually done not too bad out of me after this thread, I keep buying bits and bobs thinking "That'll come in handy" Hopefully work will get a bit quieter in the lead up to Christmas and I can get something done. Will be in touch Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Thanks for the update Mark. I appreciate the heads-up regarding the smaller radius 282/315mm transition curves. I didn't go this tight on the last layout as I had a reasonable width board to play with. I was, however, planning to use the smaller radius transition curves on the next one (see below). They would have been hidden at the back of the layout entering the storage sidings, and "on view" would have been the larger radius curves. I think in light of your experience, I'll ditch the 282/315mm curves for the next radius up. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westie7 Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Pete, What software is that? Ive always done my planning by playing with the pieces as opposed to software. But that looks handy, especially for figuring out how a change of curve would affect the connection geometry. Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 It's AnyRail: http://www.anyrail.com/index_en.html It's a free download but you can only use up to 50 pieces before you get the "Purchase Now" prompt. I've never bought AnyRail, not becuase I'm tight (!) but because I don't think I've ever designed anything that used over 50 track sections! It's also the only software I've ever been able to get my head around. It can come in quite handy to see if an idea will work. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete 75C Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 I do seem to like making things hard for myself... I have this idea in my head for a single track cross-country line that used to be a double track main line (the Uckfield branch, for example). The line has recently been singled, and at the front of the layout, the one remaining track slews across to serve the only remaining platform of what used to be a two-platform through station on the outskirts of a large town. The disused platform would be fenced off and the former trackbed in a bit of a state. All of this elevated on brick arches in a semi-urban environment. I'd like to use the Kato superelevated curves again but alas they're only available as double track sections. After a bit of searching, Tomix Fine Track offer single track banked curves down to an acceptably gentle radius. Not readily available in the UK, but once the plan is finalised, a single order direct from Japan should do the trick. I must admit that once a layout's built, if I cannot just sit back and watch a train running around unattended, I lose interest. I'm not much for shunting! This would be a very simple single track layout with the advantage of multiple storage roads off-scene for variety. In my mind, I see Sprinters and Pacers with the occasional block freight. I also want a dummy Class 86 and Mk2s or Mk3s hauled "away from the wires" by a Class 47. Think "diversion"... On the subject of diversions, this will be a nice stress-busting break away from the 4mm end to end that I'm currently building. Once the plan's finalised and the timber cut, I will of course start a new thread. All I need now is a name and a location...! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.