Cassette Based Fiddle Yard

[Clifford Road]

Its been done before, many times, but can anyone offer any advice/suggestion on the best way (and/or design) for OO gauge cassettes for a fiddle yard? Ideally should take a loco and three coaches. Are there any pit falls people have found? Any suggestions also for the electrical connections?

[shortliner]

Oh dear, Clifford - this is almost a "How many ways are there of skinning a cat?"question. One solution is in my 2010 challenge layout folder, using extended PECO loco lifts - not the cheapest, but works well

[Jules]

If you have a look in my layout thread, there is a pick or two of the cassettes I cobbled together - I wouldn't say they are the best by any means!

 

Basically a 9mm (If I remember correctly) still of pine for the base with thinner side bits.

 

For power, I used a couple of croc clips on long leads that I attach and detach as necessary. A bit cumbersome but it works.

 

Hope that is of some help.

[DavidB-AU]

I think the late Rev Denny came up with a pretty good solution 40+ years ago. Surely there must be plans of a Denny fiddle yard online? I know there are some in a couple of C.J. Freezer books.

 

Cheers

David

[marc smith]

Yes, there are indeed many ways of building cassettes....

 

Depends on personal preference really.

A lot of folk use aluminium angle (90 degree strips available in good DIY shops)

instead of using rail.

Then you have a lot of surface area, with which to contact.....

many use brass stips / shims for this.

 

I personally prefer a more "solid" contact, and opt for using phono-plugs,

to act as electrical connectors.

 

One downfall of the cassette, is that you really need great care when moving "full" cassettes about.

You really need some sort of "stopper" on the ends, or stock can hit the floor!!!

 

I really like the Peco Loco-lift solution.

Not cheap, as already mentioned, but it works well....

 

Let us know how you get on

Marc

[traction]

Its been done before, many times, but can anyone offer any advice/suggestion on the best way (and/or design) for OO gauge cassettes for a fiddle yard? Ideally should take a loco and three coaches. Are there any pit falls people have found? Any suggestions also for the electrical connections?

 

Have you had a look at the DCC concepts MPD cassettes from Bromsgrovemodels?

I know these are expensive, but they are excellent and can just be placed onto the rails for the power with access at each end.

Once loco is in cassette, they can be dropped straight into the supplied velvet lined box.

I'm sure they could be adapted to suit.

 

Link below:-

 

http://www.bromsgrov...D&categoryId=52

 

Different lengths available as well.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

[steve1]

I'd be extremely wary of using aluminium channel with DCC for cassettes.

 

Another thing to beware of is making them too long, as they can become very difficult to move about safely. A full-length HST set on one cassette is a very cumbersome thing.

 

Having a system that uses 2 cassettes per train, one for the loco, one for the stock, can be useful and give even more flexibility.

 

steve

[traction]

I'd be extremely wary of using aluminium channel with DCC for cassettes.

 

 

 

Out of interest can I ask why?

 

Cheers

 

Ian

[marc smith]

Out of interest can I ask why?

 

Cheers

 

Ian

 

Can I ask why too?

I'm sure I've seen it done with a few DCC layouts, at shows.....

I'm intrigued.....

 

Cheers

Marc

 

P.S. My own DCC layout(s) use cassettes made of off-cuts of wood, or foam board -

with Odds 'n ends of track.....

[shortliner]

Ally channel is notorious for dirtying your track and grunging your wheelsets (particularly plastic

[Jamie]

Well that and giving yourself electric shocks when handling them by the aluminium. 16v AC you would think was nothing, but trust me, through the hands it's rather uncomfortable.

[steve1]

Well that and giving yourself electric shocks when handling them by the aluminium. 16v AC you would think was nothing, but trust me, through the hands it's rather uncomfortable.

 

What he said.

 

steve B)

[Rick White]

Well that and giving yourself electric shocks when handling them by the aluminium. 16v AC you would think was nothing, but trust me, through the hands it's rather uncomfortable.

 

hmmm ... as a complete electrical neophyte, i'm not sure i understand this concern at all.

what's the difference between "rails" made of aluminium and those of nickel silver?

i thought they would be the same ... either giving off electrical 'shocks' or not.

[Jamie]

Use of alu angle implies it forms the structure of the cassette. Therefore you handle the live (whilst connected to layout) metal, and your hand typically would bridge the two poles. Cue current through your sweaty palms, which tingle in a not exactly painful, but not pleasant way.

 

Whereas a plastic/timber cassette, your hands touch insulating material. You wouldn't generally pick up a cassette by the rails themselves.

[traction]

I see, as I have one of the DCC concepts MPD's it has plastic hoops at each end where you lift up the cassette.

So you never actually touch any live part.

 

Never even gave that a thought about getting an electric shock as I've never had one.

 

Hey ho.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

[Dagworth]

Use of alu angle implies it forms the structure of the cassette. Therefore you handle the live (whilst connected to layout) metal, and your hand typically would bridge the two poles. Cue current through your sweaty palms, which tingle in a not exactly painful, but not pleasant way.

 

Whereas a plastic/timber cassette, your hands touch insulating material. You wouldn't generally pick up a cassette by the rails themselves.

Simple answer is to cover the ally angle vertical sides in decent quality gaffer tape to insulate them.

I've had far too many belts off DCC track and cassettes, the worst ones are when getting close to the track to get an eye level view and the earrings make contact with the rails!

 

Andi

[torkardlane]

"the worst ones are when getting close to the track to get an eye level view and the earrings make contact with the rails!"

 

Thanks Andi the image in my mind has now suddenley made this morning so much funnier lol.

 

Tom

[Phil Traxson]

Its been done before, many times, but can anyone offer any advice/suggestion on the best way (and/or design) for OO gauge cassettes for a fiddle yard? Ideally should take a loco and three coaches. Are there any pit falls people have found? Any suggestions also for the electrical connections?

 

Some pictures here of the cassettes we use for our "Henmore Dale" 0-16.5 layout.

Very highly engineered but they are easy to use and never let us down.

Made of ply with dowel for the handles, stackable(only two high when loaded), ply plates drop in the end for moving when loaded, ally angle to protect ends of ply and the rails are connected to brassplates which slide under corresponding plates on the layout for electrical connection. The power to the fixed rail it connects to is controlled by the fiddle operator, using a sprung to off switch which he has to hold over to allow a train on or off the cassette, its saved a lot of problems with folks sending trains in with no cassette in place.

 

Phil Traxson

[shortliner]

The problem with using the Ally-angle as sides and track (gauged to suit) is that - and please don't quote me here - the aluminium oxidises quite quickly and the plastic wheels pick up minute particles of alumimium oxide, and transfer them to the nicklesilver track where it forms a dirt layer that causes current flow problems. I'm no scientist so can't confirm that is fact - but it is what I have seen reported.

[DLT]

Theres been a lot of discussion on cassette fiddle yards on the Narrow Gauge Online Forum; particularly this thread

It suggests (among other things) using plastic conduit for the body of the cassette, which would get round the electrical issues.

 

On the DCC/shock issue, I would ask how often you would need to handle live cassettes? My cassette yard is always isolated except when a train enters or leaves, so the issue doesnt arise.

Isolation is done by the movement of the level-crossing gates before the scenic break. The act of closing the gates accross the track disconnects the yard via a switch built into the gate mechanism.

 

All the best,

Dave.T

[Lambton58]

I've got a very simple way of making cassettes:

Base: strips of 6mm ply, 3 inches wide. The lengths vary 18, 24 and 36 inches (I have a small shunting puzzle)

Sides: 20x11mm strips of dressed pine from B&Q glued and screwed to the base.

Track: Peco code 100 (the scenic bit uses code 75) glued with along the centre line of the base. I use EvoStick wood adhesive, but I guess any PVA glue would do.

Electrical connection: simply done with 2 crocodile clips on wandering leads wired into the main wiring set up. To make a connection, just attach the crocodile clips to the 'rest of the world' end of the cassette.

Finally, to stop stock falling off/out of the cassette, I drill holes about 1cm in from the end. These are just big enough to take a length 2mm stiff wire or tube. The wire/tube lengths are bent at one end to stop them falling out or getting pushed right through.

 

And that's it really. I've found the resulting cassettes cheap, light and robust. I'll and get organised and post up a couple of photos sometime. Hope that helps.

 

Ralph

Lambton58

[Donw]

Working on telephone poles with open wires I first got introduced to the pleasure of 50v DC and about 75v AC a nice drop of rain would improve contact no end now if you get 75v across your ears climbing up before you've belted up its rather important not to let go. I haven't noticed any tingles from DCC perhaps I'm just insensitive.

Regarding Cassettes.

Aluminium angle is readily available which is probably why its popular.

You do have to be carefull if stock is not coupled up or you have high effieciency gearboxes Portescaps or ABC. End stops are definately worthwhile. It the cassette is short enough I prefer to hold by the ends just in case.

Some kind of re-railer (plastcard diamonds ) can be helpfull.

I prefer cassettes to be dead unless I connect them to drive stock off or on. You wouldn't want lights or sound on whilst sat on a cassette. Brass connecting clips, crocodille clip wander leads, plug in wander leads can all work well.

Somewhere safe to turn them round is usefull. Also somewhere safe to store them while awaiting use - particularly if holding stock.

Donw

[Clifford Road]

Hi everyone,

I must apologise for a protracted absence, after starting this topic! Work commitments have just got too much in the way the past three months, which means I haven't had time to even read RMweb, never mind do any modelling!!!

 

However, thanks for all the thoughts and advice. I'm now getting back on with things, so thats most helpful.

 

Phil, if your still following this ... you said "rails are connected to brassplates which slide under corresponding plates on the layout for electrical connection" can you explain this a little further please?

Thanks again to everyone, and Phil for the images of his, really given me an idea as to how I sort it now!

Cheers

CR