SMR CHRIS Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 (edited) By the sounds of it the Layout should be well received at the Thornleigh show esp if Rohan has finished of the scenic's to his high standard. I though Warren Herbert ended up with the part built "Exeter" layout after Rodney sadly passed away has Rohan taken over the layout or is it a Club effort now. Rodney had a system that moved each train up the storage loop on Wingham a single track in each direction, it used photo sensors to do this I remember at one show they had us set up in a location and the afternoon sun was comming in through a window and once it got to the right / wrong spot all the trains set off from the loops creating havoc, we cut up bits of cardboard and made tunnels over the sensor sections to get everything running again. Wow that was a few years ago now fun times. Been fixing lots of HO locos over the last few weeks You forget how easy O scale is to work with until you start doing lots of small stuff again Edited April 10, 2017 by SMR CHRIS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted April 10, 2017 Author Share Posted April 10, 2017 Hi Chris, Warren has a part share in the layout with Rohan. Rohan is redoing the scenery to his usual standard. Sadly Rodney passed away before completing this one, but some friends got it to a stage it could be exhibited so it could be seen once before being disposed of. This happened at Brisbane some years ago. To be honest I have not looked to see if they were the same sensors as used on Wingham... Warren was given the task some time back of removing the linear staging electricals and making sure every piece of track was connected directly to either the up or down feeds. cheers Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 2, 2017 Author Share Posted May 2, 2017 (edited) These two items were found hiding in the back of the main yard covered in dust. The yard master decided to make use of them. Not sure what the station staff at Seven Mile Mulga thought when they were shunted in this morning :>) cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 4, 2017 Author Share Posted May 4, 2017 (edited) Looking at the SP paint job in the cabinet every day kept reminding me of another conversion I have to start. I have at least taken the dummy 3-rail toy market model apart so I can put the body in some paint stripper. At best I will be able to use the hood sections, the frame and the bogie sideframes. Might also be able to use the crew with some mods...baseball caps were not to be seen at the time. Haven't made up my mind which 40 class it will be, but it will be in Tuscan. cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 6, 2017 Author Share Posted May 6, 2017 (edited) Well after many hours testing brake fluid, sodium hydroxide and Dettol as possible paint strippers for the MTH body I can report little in the way of success. So a spray or two of grey car primer has done the job. A little more when the body mods are done. cheers Bob p.s. We haven't put the Celtic weather on for all the cross dressers going to the festival this weekend in Glen Innes. It is a nice warm sunny day. Damn, looks like they will want to come again next year!! :>) Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 8, 2017 Author Share Posted May 8, 2017 (edited) I decided to take the Asian brass 49 class out for a run on the weekend. It has been a shelf queen awaiting a rewiring job for some time and I forgot how easily the fuel tube drive can become unattached on the outer wheels. So after an hour or two's running I noticed some wobble and sure enough the outer wheels were no longer contributing to the forward motion. I was just going to place it back on the shelf until the allotted time to do the rewiring job and proceed with sorting out the drive train problems at that time. However, there was the promise of another nice sunny day for Sunday so I looked at how I could do a quick temporary job to stop the outer axle gearboxes from twisting upwards and detaching the fuel tubes under heavy loads such as found on my layout. I superglued a strip of 20 thou x 7mm styrene that was just lying about on the bench between the middle and outer gearbox cases. That quick fix actually allowed me to run the loco most of the day until the glue joints gave way. As a result of that, I removed the styrene and replaced the strip with some 15thou brass strip of a similar width. This was attached with 10ba bolts. I drilled and tapped the zinc alloy cases. A dab of Hobbyking thread locker was applied to prevent the bolts coming loose. The loco has run for hours today without issue. Problem solved! Must get around to the rewiring soon :>) regards Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 Hi Bob That's a nice simple fix for the 49 and it's dodgy drive line. Great to have another loco available for the roster again I see some wagons left over from the early wagon tests found there way into service they don't look out of place I font of the goods shed. I went a little over board with my construction of brackets but achieved the same result a loco that can be used without the drive line failing At least they learned and the latest loco has solid drive shafts so this won't be an issue. My 49 Bogie additions I did it at both ends of the bogies, as the time someone left the loco running on speed set one agains the buffer stop it wound both rubber drives off the outer axles 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 9, 2017 Author Share Posted May 9, 2017 Hi Chris, I had intended to copy your fix but the temporary method worked so well and I am going to add some of the thread lock to the bogie sideframe screws so I went for the lazy option ( as usual) :>) I keep telling myself to offload the foreign stuff, but those PD wagons are very nice and I think a few more and a suitable matching quality loco (with LMS on the side) up front would be nice to watch go around. cheers Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted May 9, 2017 Share Posted May 9, 2017 Hi Chris, I keep telling myself to offload the foreign stuff, but those PD wagons are very nice and I think a few more and a suitable matching quality loco (with LMS on the side) up front would be nice to watch go around. cheers Bob You could even build a set of British buildings then you can change continents depending on what you want to run. I got one of the Minerva RTR Victory locos very nice and I dare say the incline would not even challenge it with a full load. It's a good N solid looking loco as well, It doesn't look small even on NSWGR rolling stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 9, 2017 Author Share Posted May 9, 2017 I suppose I could buy a black one and add an LMS to both sides and see who notices :>) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 11, 2017 Author Share Posted May 11, 2017 (edited) It seems the pigs could care less as the X200 class passes by on a sunny morning. cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 (edited) Hiding in the cupboard is another project that has been waiting a couple of years and may wait another couple yet :>) It is a brass 44 class body that has been started and came to me 3rd or 4th hand, I purchased the body and a US mech from the last owner after he sensibly bought an Asian finescale one. The chassis will need shortening more than 14mm to start. I comfort myself with the knowledge I will have plenty to do in my dotage :>) cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 27, 2017 Author Share Posted May 27, 2017 (edited) Nothing like a hacksaw job first thing of a morning. Might be a good candidate for one of my battery/radio jobs to try on the AMRA Sydney 3-rail layout. cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 27, 2017 Author Share Posted May 27, 2017 (edited) Prawgrezz... don't usually have no prawgrezz thissy way....... but today!! Will leave the glue joints to dry over night before continuing. Final chassis length will be a compromise fit. regards Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 28, 2017 Author Share Posted May 28, 2017 (edited) The fuel and air tanks.... a work in progress. Too wet outside to play trains today. :>( cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted May 31, 2017 Author Share Posted May 31, 2017 (edited) Meanwhile, back at the 40 class ........, The new cab is proceeding. cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMR CHRIS Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 Lots of progress Bob Looking good so far for the photos I can see with limited internet access it's too slow to down load very thing and times out In western Qld no train in this part of Qld any more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted June 2, 2017 Author Share Posted June 2, 2017 Hi Chris I have friends from here doing the grey nomad bit at the moment up in NW QLD. Last phone call said they were making their way to Winton today eventually heading Normanton way..... possibly to ride on the Gulflander. cheers Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted June 8, 2017 Author Share Posted June 8, 2017 (edited) More work done on the 40 class. Cab assembled, fuel tank, air tanks, buffer beams, pilot and bogies have been started. cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted June 9, 2017 Author Share Posted June 9, 2017 (edited) After fixing a stuff-up on one of the bogies I will soon have the motor and gears installed. They can then be put aside for the joints to harden. The 41 class experiment without Slaters bearings is so far working so well I am trying it again on this one. The Traxas washers are to stop the wheels from rubbing on the sideframes. Wheels are 7mm scale not 1/4". I don't think it will be an issue in the look of the loco however. cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted June 11, 2017 Author Share Posted June 11, 2017 (edited) One bogie part way done. Awaiting another gearbox to get stuck into the other one. I should have checked the gearbox pile a while back. Reminder... give self an uppercut :>( More gearboxes now on order! cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted June 19, 2017 Author Share Posted June 19, 2017 (edited) The 44 class mech was tested yesterday to see if it had adequate speed using a 3S 1100 mAH LiFE pack. Results proved it OK for use. Given the two motors are very current hungry I have made use of a 10A ESC I had in stock. A good unit but only able to operate with centre off, totally unnatural for me. So I expect some fast reversals at times instead of a complete stop. :>) Here is the test install in all its glory. No prizes for neat wiring at this stage. Run time will be a bit over an hour. I have room for more capacity or use my hybrid power system with a Deltang ESC and 4S pack if required. regards Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted June 25, 2017 Author Share Posted June 25, 2017 (edited) I'm not sure if this qualifies as scenic development but yesterday a friend and myself cut down two trees and an overgrown bush in a neighbours yard that was hanging over my layout. I long ago realised that waiting on his promises to fix the problem could mean my being carted off before anything happened.:>) So hopefully for some years I will not have to enjoy branches, leaves and seed pods randomly posing as scenery and obstacle courses on my layout. cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) Let me just call this a test track rather than a layout. Might look British or might look NSW coal mine... not sure yet! Now what is that definition of insanity.....? In the end the HO didn't excite me any more, sadly neither did the S. So having to dismantle part of it to be able to replace a light socket gave me the push I needed. Fact is, I can watch trains on my TV when outdoors is not suitable. Plenty of videos in stock and there is always more on Youtube :>) cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertc Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 (edited) Some more work happening on the 40 class. Filling in the cutouts in the footplate, building up the bogie mounts and enlarging holes to allow motor movement for curves. cheers Bob Edited February 15, 2023 by robertc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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