RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 2, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 2, 2012 Probably of no interest to anyone, but I also took these pics earlier looking along the main/branch from the other end. The "gaps" in the sleepers between turnouts will be sorted tomorrow, mostly using PCB sleepers which I'll solder in - where possible (beware melting IRJs!!). Jeff 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.C.M Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Hi Jeff, I haven't posted for a while but have been following your progress. The trackwork is looking very good, did you decide to add some elevation to your curves as Larry did on his? Cheers Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 3, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 3, 2012 (edited) Morning Peter (evening for you!). In the end, because of the proximity of pointwork, I decided not to add any elevation to any of the curves. I didn't want to over-complicate and possibly cause problems, so I've shied away from doing that. I'll just have to obey the speed limits and drive a bit more slowly as I enter Kirkby Luneside. So no TGVs on the S&C!! Jeff Edited November 3, 2012 by Physicsman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 So no TGVs on the S&C!! Ah, go on! At least, with 16.5mm gauge track - you can if you want!!! Seriously your layout is starting to look really good now, the curved crossover (just off the viaduct?) - bloomin' superb! Green, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 3, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 3, 2012 Ah, go on! At least, with 16.5mm gauge track - you can if you want!!! Seriously your layout is starting to look really good now, the curved crossover (just off the viaduct?) - bloomin' superb! Green, John E. Ta John. I'm pleased with the way that worked out as I wasn't sure the bits would fit together and still give me a nice curve from the station to the viaduct. If the crossover had introduced a significant distortion in the curve I'd have ditched the idea. As it happens, I've managed to keep nearly all the curve at 32mm between the main lines. The curved turnout moves it out to about 36mm over the middle of its length, but it's not too noticeable and the crossover adds to the "play" value of the layout. Just been doing a bit more joinery. Coffee then tracklaying. I made a list of things to do over the next couple of days. mostly little things - some you'd never even notice - I think it's called forward planning! Lol! List is bl***y enormous - and I bet I've missed something out! going to have a play with some PCB sleepers later to fill gaps in the track. Best wishes, Jeff 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
the penguin of doom Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Hi Jeff. Just picked up on this thread and am looking forward to watching progress. An S+C layout is one of my wish lists, but unlikely any time soon. The track work looks very nice indeed, is it a prototypical plan? Cheers. Sean. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 3, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 3, 2012 (edited) Hi Jeff. Just picked up on this thread and am looking forward to watching progress. An S+C layout is one of my wish lists, but unlikely any time soon. The track work looks very nice indeed, is it a prototypical plan? Cheers. Sean. Morning Sean. Glad you've found the thread! The plan has developed since I started playing with ideas in February 2010 - when I decided to scrap my previous layout. The core of the layout is based on Kirkby Stephen (slip arrangement/goods shed + cattle dock), but I've added a branch line, again using S&C influences. There were 2 viaducts (if you go back to around page 20 you'll see them), but I'm now just using one. Post 1108 is a close rendition of the layout - though it's missing the viaduct-end trailing crossover. Hope that helps! Enjoy reading the thread! Cheers, Jeff Edited November 3, 2012 by Physicsman 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Jeff, You could use super-glue to attach the additional sleepers if you didn't want to solder them. Trackwork looking very smooth. Interesting to see how your ballasting goes. By using a lighter colour for the running lines, this will make them appear to be slightly raised, as per the prototype. Regards, Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 3, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 3, 2012 Jeff, You could use super-glue to attach the additional sleepers if you didn't want to solder them. Trackwork looking very smooth. Interesting to see how your ballasting goes. By using a lighter colour for the running lines, this will make them appear to be slightly raised, as per the prototype. Regards, Peter Good idea. I'll try soldering them where I can and use the super-glue as a fall-back. Hope you're glad I decided to fit the crossover. Wasn't as easy as it looks - if I learn to build my own turnouts such difficulties won't arise in the future! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Struggling with some tracklaying of my own at the moment..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 3, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 3, 2012 Struggling with some tracklaying of my own at the moment..... Seems to be the "rite of passage" en route to a half-decent layout!! Enclosed, 2 more pics of the curved track leading off the trailing crossover. I've had to do something of a "freelance" curve round to the viaduct - certainly not constant radii on both lines, owing to the compromise of radii used to make the crossover itself. It may not be supremely pretty, but it works... Btw, the entrance to the viaduct is literally where the camera was to take the shots - just off bottom right in the first photo. Jeff 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted November 3, 2012 Share Posted November 3, 2012 Jeff, Your second picture of post #1249 really shouts out "S&C" to me. Regards, Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 3, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 3, 2012 (edited) Jeff, Your second picture of post #1249 really shouts out "S&C" to me. Regards, Peter It's probably the viaduct lurking in the background that does it. I wish I had the space to build a viaduct 2 or 3 times the size of that one. It'd take a couple of months to make but in the right setting it would be spectacular!! Btw, now the trailing crossover is in, I can see the virtues you were extolling. Access from the branch heading anticlockwise ("up") to the goods yard will be so much easier. Hope your tracklaying went ok. I finished at 5 as it was cooling down in the bunker. I did get a few PCB sleepers soldered on to the track - unpainted, but they make a huge difference! Cheers, Jeff Edited November 3, 2012 by Physicsman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.C.M Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Morning Peter (evening for you!). In the end, because of the proximity of pointwork, I decided not to add any elevation to any of the curves. I didn't want to over-complicate and possibly cause problems, so I've shied away from doing that. I'll just have to obey the speed limits and drive a bit more slowly as I enter Kirkby Luneside. So no TGVs on the S&C!! Jeff No worries Jeff, Having seen your latest pics with the new crossover I can understand why, it would cause more problems at the end of the day. Keep up the great work, it wont be long before I see a nice 9f plodding over that viaduct. Cheers Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 4, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 4, 2012 I've decided that a 9F will be the first loco to actually run on the layout when I start to wire it up. Back in July, there's a photo of a weathered 9F sat on the baseboards. So it will be duly honoured with the task, and that will make Peter smile!! When that will be is another question. I'm hoping to fit the bus and start wiring to it by the end of the month. Each turnout/section of track will be wired then tested before the next is added. There are bound to be some dodgy joints here, despite the fact that I've tested every piece of track before fitting. Straights over 50cm length have 2 sets of droppers. It will be an interesting test, but that's for the future... Today's task is quite a pleasant one. Cut and fit around 50 PCB sleepers to the gaps in the track and maybe even get them painted. Photo(s) later. Jeff 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted November 4, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 4, 2012 Today's task is quite a pleasant one. Cut and fit around 50 PCB sleepers to the gaps in the track and maybe even get them painted. Photo(s) later. Give them a good clean before laying, they solder / take paint better and it's easier to clean them when there aren't any rails in the way, perhaps a gentle brush with a fine file/ glass fibre brush to give the surface some texture too, again it helps paint stick. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 4, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 4, 2012 Give them a good clean before laying, they solder / take paint better and it's easier to clean them when there aren't any rails in the way, perhaps a gentle brush with a fine file/ glass fibre brush to give the surface some texture too, again it helps paint stick. Thanks Dave. You'll see how I got on later!! Jeff 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 4, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 4, 2012 I did promise a photo of PCB sleepering... so here it is... I've managed a good few "gaps" this morning and will do more later. It's 2C outside, 13C in the bunker. The temperature and hunger has forced a temporary halt to proceedings! Jeff 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted November 4, 2012 Share Posted November 4, 2012 Hi Jeff, glad to see you are making good progress. Whatever you do, don't forget the insulation gaps between the frogs. They all look hard soldered in the pic above and you'll have several shorts to deal with if you don't put the gaps back.... Keep the updates coming. It's a pleasure to see how KL is coming on and a welcome break from ballasting. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 4, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 4, 2012 Hi Jeff, glad to see you are making good progress. Whatever you do, don't forget the insulation gaps between the frogs. They all look hard soldered in the pic above and you'll have several shorts to deal with if you don't put the gaps back.... Keep the updates coming. It's a pleasure to see how KL is coming on and a welcome break from ballasting. Believe it or not Gordon, the frog connections are all separated by IRJs - though they look like solid metal on the photos. There is no electrical continuity between any adjacent frogs - I'm almost obsessive about checking this. All the sleepers are thoroughly gapped, so that shouldn't be a problem. Having said that, I expect to have electrical problems as, no matter how careful you are, mistakes - some glaring - are inevitable!! Jeff 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted November 4, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 4, 2012 Believe it or not Gordon, the frog connections are all separated by IRJs - though they look like solid metal on the photos. There is no electrical continuity between any adjacent frogs - I'm almost obsessive about checking this. All the sleepers are thoroughly gapped, so that shouldn't be a problem. Having said that, I expect to have electrical problems as, no matter how careful you are, mistakes - some glaring - are inevitable!! Jeff Shows how the eye could be deceived - I thought those rail joiners looked very metallic - time I went (back) to Specsavers I think Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 4, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 4, 2012 Shows how the eye could be deceived - I thought those rail joiners looked very metallic - time I went (back) to Specsavers I think Maybe Marcway are to be commended on their product, Mike. They are a metallic grey plastic - unlike the transparent Peco ones. In the photo in post 1268, only the top rail joiner is nickel-silver. The 5 below it are all IRJs. I don't think taking the photo on zoom with the flash glaring helps matters! So don't go to Specsavers! Yet! Jeff 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Rowsley17D Posted November 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 5, 2012 Those curves approaching the viaduct look perfectly acceptable to me Jeff (post 1261). I see in Larry's thread you are going to go with with Marcway/SMP for your fiddleyard. Is this because it will be on show and you want all your trackwork to look the same? When I get round to my last great project I was thinking about using Peco in my FY as I want it hidden under one of the scenic boards. I also have lots of Peco from my existing layout including large radius turnouts (never got ballasted) and want to reuse it again, but now I'm having doubts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted November 5, 2012 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 5, 2012 Morning Jonathan. I've decided to use SMP/Marcway as I'm now so used to using them - and they look great. I've got into a routine of using the stuff, know how it behaves and don't want to have to change the way I'm thinking when I get to the fiddle yard. I'm even going to fit Cobalts to the FY turnouts. My attitude is that if I'm going to do the job, I may as well do it as well as I can. Glad you think the viaduct curves look ok. They are variable radius, but the key thing is that they are smooth - so, hopefully, there'll be no problems. I would hope not - they are hardly sharp, ranging from 42" to over 60"!! I'm going to fix the viaduct in place later this week and fit the curves over the viaduct towards the scenic break (tunnel) into the FY. At the moment I'm fiddling around with sleepers. Quite enjoyable work, actually! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jukebox Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 I think you are right going for Cobalts in the fiddle yard, Jeff; I pondered the same choice myself, but came to the conclusion that tunouts in the storage area may get even more use than those in the scenic sections, so it actually was the area most justified in having a solid, reliable turnout soloution. Quick question: How big are those insulation gaps on the front of the frogs on the pair of turnouts on the left? It may just be the camera angle, but they seem to be very large... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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