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i'll third that...

bcnPete

Entry posted by bcnPete

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Me again :O

 

With the rolling stock on one side awaiting chassis etches from Shop 2, thoughts turned this week to the trackwork...namely how I was going to tackle the third rail. Firstly, I would like to thank Nick Bastable for all his help to date on this (note to self: add Nick's name to the list of beers now owed to UK citizens)

 

I think conventional ways to construct the juice rail have normally revolved around soldering a length of rail to evenly spaced pins drilled in the sleepers...and this was how I was originally going to proceed. But before I parted company with some cash for some seemingly quite expensive minute pins I thought I would try something else out.

 

For me, the two things that I recall seeing during partial growing up in Sussex were a few of the supports lying around besides the trackbed...and these had curved white bases with a clasp on top for the rail. I wondered if it was possible to try and recreate this by using a hacked rail chair on top of a small support. I raided the rummage box for small plastic rodding but alas its all been used so as an interim I have made a small white pad from white plasticard and using butanone (which is kept in the fridge, hidden behind the Dijon mustard and ignored tolerated by my wife) mounted the hacked chair on top.

 

I then fixed these on every 6th sleeper (need to double check the spacing on the prototype) and threaded the rail. The rail has been turned down at the end to create the slope found at the start and end of typical runs. I then took out the Bachfar 4 CEP and to my horror, the pick up shoe seemed to stick out dramatically wider than the juice rail. Infact, one of them fell off and it was fiddly trying to get the small two lugs to clip back in...so I decided to hack the lugs off and superglue it back in place...result...it now sits a lot tighter to the bogies.

 

There is still the issue of the height of it though...I believe that the juice rail should be set 0.5mm above the running lines and so I made a little jig to check this with my small pads. The juice rail sits at the right height but there is still a large gap between it and the pick up shoe...not sure how to solve this...or whether I will either. Whilst I don't want it to physically touch I can only imagine that dropping the shoe will not be possible and If I raise the juice rail higher than it should be, it might look ridic'. One other thing to mention is that I haven't changed the Bachfar wheels yet for 2mmFS ones and I am not sure I even will yet as this unit will only be running on Easitrac plain track with no turnouts. I guess the wheels won't make much difference as they must be a similar diameter.

 

So, the plan is to try and have another crack, with some small plastic rod to replace the square pads and potentially raise the support a tad whilst in the process. Who knows, once it's all painted brown, it may not be so obvious. Also, some parts of the rail will have those protective timber sides covering it...all needs to be taken into consideration.

 

The other thing I have been doing this week is prepping some sleeper bases. I have decided to lay the plain track as I did for the 2011 MV comp entry...that is, paint the sleepers first, lay them, then ballast, then thread the rails. I tip I learnt from David (Kylestrome) I believe.

 

So, first up was to make a panel of sleeper bases and prime them as a batch as I find the sleepers take acrylic paint better when primed than applied straight. This was then giving a good brushing of Railmatch 'sleeper grime'. I then painted the chairs last night with Railmatch 'rust'...took me a few hours and my wife thought I had lost it completely...but there was a cheesy 70's film with Roger Moore on in the background (cue left eyebrow twitch) to help me through it :triniti:

 

Having seen earlier this week, Andy Y's great little vid on weathering sleepers using acrylic paints, I might try and work a little dry brushing in on the sleeper grime. The track on each baseboard will have a brass sleeper at each end and I have now drilled small holes for the droppers.

 

I hope to start the track laying next week and in the meantime here's a few pics...including the 4 CEP cos it's a luvvvverly model... :D

 

blogentry-3290-0-02272800-1347038135_thumb.jpg

 

First crack at juice rail...

 

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And with 4 CEP... :yes:

 

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And again...showing gap between rail and pick up shoe... :O

 

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Low level view...

 

blogentry-3290-0-82880500-1347038253_thumb.jpg

 

Plan view showing relationship to running line...its tricky to keep it straight...

 

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Batch of sleeper bases prepped and primed...

 

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Then painted with sleeper grime...

 

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Rail chairs picked out in rust...

 

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Close up prior to removing and laying next week...

 

 

Any comments on the colour of the 4 CEP Nick and I might just have to revoke those beers mentioned above... :jester:

 

Comments welcome as usual. Mojo levels seem quite good at the moment...and I need to make some progress on this now as there may be some changes in my professional life soon... :blink:

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PaternosterRow
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Gosh Pete - fast progress on this. The 3rd rail looks spot on to me - the 4 CEP looks beautiful - the detail is as crisp as my 4mm one! The more I see 2mm FS the more I like it.

 

Mike

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46444
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Hi Pete,

 

Looking good! :)

 

So far so good. I like the look of the way you've tackled the 3rd rail.

 

That 4-CEP is nice but wouldn't it look better in green? :rofl:

 

Look forward to the next instalment.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

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Jon020

Ah ha... I see what you mean about painting sleeper chairs now. An easier way to do it prior to fitting to the rail. All good. I see what you mean by the gap between shoe and rail... but it would probably be different to fit a fully sprung shoe to sit on the rail in 2mm..... or would it?

Discuss.

 

Ducks and runs for cover!

 

Jon

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richbrummitt

That 4-CEP is nice but wouldn't it look better in green? :rofl:

 

I doubt it.

 

Pete, do I get beer?

 

What do you prime the sleepers with? I must get on and finish my track, but I am at a disadvantage having already inserted the rail.

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Alex Duckworth
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Looks good Pete, but I agree with Bernard re. the pickup beam height. Now you may well laugh, but it hadn't occurred to me to paint the bases before threading the track - Doh!

 

Alex.

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bcnPete
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Gosh Pete - fast progress on this. The 3rd rail looks spot on to me - the 4 CEP looks beautiful - the detail is as crisp as my 4mm one! The more I see 2mm FS the more I like it.

 

Thanks Mike - Come join the 2mmFS family...

 

Looking good! :)

So far so good. I like the look of the way you've tackled the 3rd rail.

That 4-CEP is nice but wouldn't it look better in green? :rofl:

Look forward to the next instalment.

 

Thanks Mark (beers revoked :P)

 

I think the problem may be the height of the pick-up beam. Compare to the EPB here

 

Thanks Bernard - hmmm....what did I say about using supeglue...

 

Ah ha... I see what you mean about painting sleeper chairs now. An easier way to do it prior to fitting to the rail. All good. I see what you mean by the gap between shoe and rail... but it would probably be different to fit a fully sprung shoe to sit on the rail in 2mm..... or would it?

 

Different...Difficult...certainly both...won't be drawn on this one Jon :P

 

I doubt it.

Pete, do I get beer?

What do you prime the sleepers with? I must get on and finish my track, but I am at a disadvantage having already inserted the rail.

 

You certainly do Rich ;) I just used a can of grey car primer bought in France...as its cheaper than here. The only thing I found with this method is when you thread the rail it can strip the paint off the rail...so perhaps your not that disadvantaged!

 

Looks good Pete, but I agree with Bernard re. the pickup beam height. Now you may well laugh, but it hadn't occurred to me to paint the bases before threading the track - Doh!

 

Alex, hi - Thanks - no laughing matter at all...but it does make ballasting easier though...

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TomJ

Are you not planing on installing a working 3rd rail then??? Very disapointing.....

 

I'm not expert on EMUs (or much else TBH) but I wonder if the problem is that the shoe is too high on the model. I wonder if Farish have deliberately given it more clearance to cope with us coarse scale modellers, to ensure it doesn't foul stuff etc. Is it possible to carry out a little surgery to lower the shoe a bit? The 3rd rail looks superb by the way, and I think it wouldn't look as realistic any higher. After all the EMU is only visible for a burst at a time (and the shoe is only a very small part of the EMU) where as the 3rd rail is always on view.

 

And huge thanks for the tips on painting/weathering sleepers, very useful indeed

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bcnPete
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Are you not planing on installing a working 3rd rail then??? Very disapointing.....

 

Sorry Tom...I have enough trouble with DC as it is let alone introduce another element...:P

 

Thanks for your comments - Think I will leave the 3rd rail as is and look again at the 4 CEP...

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eastwestdivide

The relatively low height of the third rail is seen here, along with another challenge for 2mm, flying bits of "diced carrot" and snow on the head of the rail being displaced by the passing shoe.

gallery_6971_863_30264.jpg

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bcnPete
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The relatively low height of the third rail is seen here, along with another challenge for 2mm, flying bits of "diced carrot" and snow on the head of the rail being displaced by the passing shoe.

 

Thanks Chris - nice image. As above, I will probably leave the 3rd rail as is and look at the motive power again - Hmmm...snow...now there's an idea...:)

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TomE
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Hmmm...snow...now there's an idea... :)

 

Do it!! You know it makes sense Pete ;) Not enough winter based layouts around!

 

Tom.

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bcnPete
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Do it!! You know it makes sense Pete ;) Not enough winter based layouts around!

 

It might hide my poor track making...but the Spanish just wouldn't 'get it' here...

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nick_bastable
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With the rolling stock on one side awaiting chassis etches from Shop 2, thoughts turned this week to the trackwork...namely how I was going to tackle the third rail. Firstly, I would like to thank Nick Bastable for all his help to date on this (note to self: add Nick's name to the list of beers now owed to UK citizens)

I will take it in Gin thanks :no:

 

Interesting idea using a rail chair but to fiddly for my tastes and I would be worried about its robustness

 

Thought I would show you what a real CEP looks like with turned wheels and lil-pin 3rd rail :locomotive:

 

DSC 2524

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bcnPete
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We'll discuss that 4 CEP over a bottle of Bombay Sapphire then ;)

 

You might be right on the robustness...I was assuming if its held in the chair and this is stuck using butanone then perhaps its the same as easitrac turnouts?

 

Your pick up shoe seems to hug the 3rd rail a lot tighter...assume you haven't altered the height Nick?

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nick_bastable
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Your pick up shoe seems to hug the 3rd rail a lot tighter...assume you haven't altered the height Nick

 

rail was spaced as per the jig we discussed and set 20 thou high with a cardboard spacer/jig

 

Isnt it time you admit how good the Green CEP looks :sungum:

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cornish trains jez

Nice work Pete! Sleepers looking great already! 3rd rail looks the right height to me, it seems like the pick up shoe on the farish model isn't low enough. Looking forward to seeing your model progress. By the way, got those VDA vans out of my "bits and bobs" box. They are just awaiting painting and weathering now and will appear shortly in my next blog!

If you need any photos of 3rd rail, drop me a PM and I will go and take some for you of whatever you need.

Best regards,

Jeremy

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bcnPete
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Isnt it time you admit how good the Green CEP looks

 

No :P

 

If you need any photos of 3rd rail, drop me a PM and I will go and take some for you of whatever you need.

 

Thanks Jeremy - I have a few books which I will consult...but will be in touch if I need to...

 

Looking good, but I must point out that the turn down, or ramp, at the end of the third rail looks a bit steep. In general, the ramp covers a distance of 3 or 4 sleepers, depending on the line speed. The ramps can be either a single or two-bend types. Check http://homepage.ntlw...tt/3rd-4th.html about half way down the page for ramps.

 

Ian, hi - Many thanks for pointing that out...great link that...a terrific find :yes:

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bcnPete
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Not a Southern expert, but I live in third rail country, and I'd say the beam is too high, presumably to avoid hitting lineside details.

 

Thanks Mark - I am looking to see what can be done with the 4CEP...

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