LNER4479 Posted August 5, 2015 Share Posted August 5, 2015 That's more like it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Reichert Posted August 6, 2015 Share Posted August 6, 2015 I had some fun today with my Chinese steamers. Big hufty things they are with lots of photogenic pipe runs and gubbins. I also made a mod to the frames of the QJ to eliminate the unsightly fresh air where the rear frames support the firebox. Looks better, and still goes around the corners. My tightest curves are 30" radius. Make sure the reverser gubbins face in opposite directions on the opposite sides of the body. If the new trade agreement goes ahead, I suppose model Chinese steamers will be then manufactured in Europe. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Andy, if you're referring to the red levers on the firebox sides, they're the operating levers for the blowdown cocks. Dr. G-F, I'm a little bit envious of you having a QJ. The models are lovely, and the real locos are very capable machines. Cheers, Mark. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Reichert Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Andy, if you're referring to the red levers on the firebox sides, they're the operating levers for the blowdown cocks. Dr. G-F, I'm a little bit envious of you having a QJ. The models are lovely, and the real locos are very capable machines. Cheers, Mark. I'm pretty much steamer ignorant, but there is something that should be asymmetrical LH side to RH side that is typically mounted backwards on the more easily symmetrically manufacture valve gear of UK RTR models that is always picked up by the steam enthusiasts as being a model design mistake. That's as close as I can get to knowing 'owt about it. All trains should be electric AFAIAC. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 All trains should be electric AFAIAC. Andy Don't worry, they are, underneath Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 Ah, I think you are referring to the return crank. I haven't checked if they are correctly angled and asymmetric, and now I will have to. Darn it, Andy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Inside admission; cranks forward. Outside admission, cranks backwards. http://www.nwhs.org/qna/ecrank.html Next?! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 8, 2015 Author Share Posted August 8, 2015 Crank Conundrum I'd like to get to the bottom of this crank business, so took some pics for your expert opinion. First, a lovely double header. Oh dear, whatever was I thinking? I meant this one... For comparative purposes, we're going to look at QJ6266 and QJ7207. Fireman's side, 6266 in the front and 7207 in the rear. Rods down, at six o'clock. 6266 reverse crank angled forwards, 7207s is pointing backwards! Engineer's side, 6266 in the front, rods down, cranks pointing forwards. 7207 in the rear, rods down, rods pointing backwards. So. Both engines seem to be set up so that the six o'clock position is the same from fireman's and engineer's side, which I think is correctly asymmetric? But presumably only one is correctly set up for an engine in forward gear. I'm guessing 6266? Since I had the camera out for some 'technical' shots, I thought I'd also show a comparison of the modified and unmodified frames beneath the firebox. I run my pike at chest height, and I don't like to see daylight where there should be some frames supporting the weight of the firebox and cab. A piece of thin black pasticard soon sorts that out. 7207 without frames. Looks unconvincing. 6266 with 'frames'. That looks better! And now, back to playing trains. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Dear Dr G-F, What wonderful models! I think the Chinese ones may be somewhat lower maintenance than the British one though. How about a nice Mexican instead!?! Unfortunately I've sold my TFN SD70 now but that was nice too! Sorry! John E. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dullsteamer Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 (edited) Andy, Dr G-F, As the QJs have inside admission valve chests and direct Walschaerts valve gear, the return crank should slope towards the front of the loco on both sides. That's independent of whether the engine is in forward or back gear, as the return crank is solidly attached to the crankpin. So your model of 6266 is correct, the model of 7207 isn't. What determines the direction of travel on locos with Walschaerts gear is the position of the radius rod in the expansion link. On a QJ if the radius rod is at the bottom of the link it will go forward, and if it's at the top of the link it will go backwards. The models represent a loco in mid-gear with the radius rod in the middle of the link. This animated GIF probably explains the whole thing better than I can! Cheers, Mark. Edited August 8, 2015 by dullsteamer 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 8, 2015 Author Share Posted August 8, 2015 I have altered 7207 to be correct. It was surprisingly easy, simply loosened the screw holding the crank a few turns and nudge the crank to the correct position. Then tighten the screw, and all is well. Both QJs now correctly set up. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Reichert Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Crank Conundrum I'd like to get to the bottom of this SNIP I run my pike at chest height, and I like to see daylight where there should be some frames supporting the weight . . . So it seems . . . . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Looking good, Gr G-F. The layout has a nice flowing, spacious look to it. Just wondering if you could let me know which Pikestuff kit you you used in first pic - the left hand structure with the large central door opening. Looks to be exactly what I'm looking for for a project. Mal Don't know the Part# offhand but it's the large 3-road shed kit, with just the central door cut out (the clever bit about Pikestuff kits). The 3-dock shed next to it in Dr G-F's pic is the other end of the same kit!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 Thanks. I guessed it was the 'The Shops' (541-0015) as it was the only structure that had a central door opening, so I've gone ahead and bought that one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 10, 2015 Author Share Posted August 10, 2015 Don't think I've posted this one before. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Today I have mainly been building bridges. Well, a bridge anyway. And cleaning the barbecue. I've always intended for a bridge to disguise the dead end of the 'yard', and as nothing available seemed to fit the bill, i bodged one together from bits of strip wood and dowel. It looks well enough I suppose. To finish it off, as well as road markings and parapet, I should really fit it with an anti vandal cage. I'm tempted to add another bridge in front, heading straight across the layout, as if it were an elevated interchange. I shall mock it up tomorrow and see how it looks. Finally, I'd forgotten to post these the other day when I was having a steam day. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 A right eccentric crank if ever I saw one Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted August 12, 2015 Share Posted August 12, 2015 Bridge looks great - I might have a bash at making one using that method instead of buying expensive Rix kits! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted August 15, 2015 Author Share Posted August 15, 2015 (edited) I've made a start on the 'scenery' for the south-east corner of the layout. One of the reasons I wanted to model an urban environment was to minimise the amount of lumpy green stuff f(countryside) I'd have to model. Scenery is not my forte at all. So a nice urban, south-western desert climate would seem to be ideal. The corner consists of a building supplies merchants, for which I've paved the area around the spur so that a forklift can access both sides of center beams cars. There is also a shelter for wood that I knocked up from scrap bits left over from pikestuff kits, and a small office. There will be another similar building alongside this one in due course. the pad is in, and will be painted to look more like dusty concrete later. the shelter for exposed wood and other items that need to be kept out of the weather. I'm also knocking up another highway overpass to break up this area into two distinct visual areas. I think this will help with adding a sense of place, but also adding some visual interest to the otherwise long straight vista. Lots of finishing still to do do, and lots of details to add particularly to the lumber unloading pad. This needs to be covered in wrapped pallets of dimensional lumber off the center beams, ready to be loaded onto trucks for distribution. Any good sources of that kind of load/detail parts? I also need at least a forklift and a couple of tractor/trailers - ideally curtain sided trailers for protecting the loads. Actually, I also need a bunch of center beams too! The inspiration for the lumber yard was a photo in the recent Trains freight special. I found the lcation on Bing Maps, and it's a really cute lumber yard. The caption in Trains mag even says it looks like a model railroad... Edited August 15, 2015 by Dr Gerbil-Fritters 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 (edited) If you want to print your own wrappers I can give you a link to some on Model Railroad Hobbyist http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/23327 You won't need to be a subscriber (free) to download the PDFs. You will need to join to get the next lot - look in backnumbers for July 2011 issue and go to Magazine across the top -> subscriber bonus issues -> page3 -> and I think the excel file is the last one - this will give you flatcar and bulkhead flat loads - wrap a suitable sized block of wood with a print, as though you are wrapping a parcel with folded-in triangular ends. - I covered my prints with clear sellotape first to make them look like plastic wrappers.BTW - if you want strapping, look in Ebay.co.uk for NAILTAPE ( the stuff the ladies use for those expensive nail decoration jobs). You want a couple of rolls of the narrowest you can get in black - it comes from HongKong and is cheap as chips! If you can't wait, you can pay a bit more and get it from here eBay item number:390528210717 Edited August 16, 2015 by shortliner Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gary H Posted August 16, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 16, 2015 (edited) I knew it would happen eventually. It is now one of those scenes that just 'pops'. Both of the highway underpass's and their placement are spot on. Here's your 'forkie' http://www.ehattons.com/40762/Wiking_6634029_Still_Rx_70_25_Fork_Lift_Truck/StockDetail.aspx Lovely little model, got 2 on my layout. Pallets (or skids in US parlance) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AM-Models-12-Pack-Pallets-Skids-HO-Scale-Kit-Very-Nice-501-12-Bob-Train-Guy-/400791096012 The AM models variety are about the best Ive seen. Edited August 16, 2015 by Gary H Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 (edited) Gary - for handling large/long, wrapped lumber loads that forkie is going to be a bit small - you would be better off with something with a bit of "grunt", like this eBay item number: 121512095928 - especially for anywhere selling things like pre-built roof trusses or similar. Those are fine for handling small pre-wrapped pallets like building blocks/bricks etc, and stuff transported in box-cars. There is/was also a big tired, ex-military one available through KIBRI that could be assembled with a Digger bucket, or forks - Edit - it is a Kaelble Wheel Loader w/Bucket & Forklift - KIBRI #18089 Edited August 16, 2015 by shortliner Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gary H Posted August 16, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 16, 2015 Aye, your right Jack. Its a little on the small side for a centre beam job. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted August 16, 2015 Share Posted August 16, 2015 Somehow I was reminded of this! Ooops!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted August 17, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 17, 2015 That is a fine example of stupidity, load too far out from the mast carried too high and crossing a ditch wider than the wheels without a plate. I don't know why they are so happy I would sack them all.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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