RobboPetes

Hi eldavo,

The nice thing about Easitrak and Finetrax is the ability to mix and match. You could use either for points or plain track, whichever is your preference.

Regards,

Rob

Very nice job done - it certainly tones down the stock and brings them to life. I've got some OBAs that I'm thinking of using as a Speedlink service for some brick traffic on my own layout. I might even treat myself to a handful in the Plasmor livery to do the same job and use my OBAs as concrete sleeper carriers as part of the engineering fleet.

Thank you ess1uk.

Thanks Paul. 

I enjoyed doing these. Having done them I can see mistakes I have made which will drive me to improve the next bunch. 

The shape of the model is fine but the detail work on the model is poor. Thanks to Bernard Taylor, the kit certainly makes a difference to end product and helps lift the model to a more acceptable level. I am happy with the ends, as I feel they are too long and the overhang is too much for my liking. 

Regards,

Rob.

The Siphon looks excellent. Inspiration for my own model...

I am looking at the Finetrax option at the moment as well, and sympathise with your quandary, Rob.

 

In the thread about Finetrax some time ago, I raised the question of whether the gaps at the crossovers were as wide as in Peco Code 55, and was told that this appearance was an optical illusion. Will modern N gauge wheels actually drop on a Finetrax point, as seems to be implied above? If not, there is no advantage to 2mm FS in this respect, and the main advantage of 2mm scale is the slightly finer flangeways. Am I right about that?

 

To me the issue with 2mm FS is that if you convert commercial N models, as opposed to building your own stock to 2mm scale, the wheels will still not be the correct scale gauge for the model, unlike with P4 conversions. Plus the cost of the replacement wheelsets, as you say Rob, is a major consideration.

 

One extra cost with Finetrax I was wondering about is if you have wagons with Peco plastic wheels. These may have to be replaced by finer flanged metal wheels to get good running, I think, especially the older solid, non-spoked wheels, which seem to have bigger flanges than the spoked ones.

 

Douglas

Hi Douglas

The PECO wheels will ride OK on 40 thou track, as I have just been testing a chassis on some copperclad 2mm track. Therefore they will not drop in the points as per code 80 track with modern wheels. Yes, you are right - the only difference will be the finer flangeways.

The only problem with Finetrax is, according to their website, the back-to-back needs to be 7.4mm as opposed to what seems to be the standard of just over 7mm. I intend to replace all my old Farish stock (PCA vee-tanks, VAA/OAA wagons) with the new NM25 spec wheels from Farish, as per their current stock. The plastic wheels are fixed and cannot be widened to this new standard.

Regards,

Rob.

I suppose you do realise that N gauge stock (at least the recent stuff)will run fine on Easitrac plain track as well as Finetrax. Its the points where you have to decide on whicvh standrds to use.

 

Chris

Thanks Chris

I intend to use the Finetrax points, so a back-to-back of 7.4mm is needed.

Regards,

Rob.

Thank you for all the comments.

Having read them all and considered the advice being offered, I am going to to go the Finetrax route. I will be able to get the layout built and running, but if I'm not happy with the appearance/running of the stock, I can sell the layout as it is then build another using 2mm as the standard. After all, it is ones conscience that is the deciding factor in these situations.

Regards,

Rob

Ultimately, it's your train set, and it has to satisfy you. Are you sure that a pure economic argument is sufficient? Two/three years from now will you still feel the same?

 

I have looked with interest at the new track, but there is more than just track at stake.

Thanks for the consideration Tim.

The decision wasn't an easy one to make. The advent of Finetrax has helped me in that decision, as this is similar to the 2mm Scale Easytrack.. The problems I find with N gauge are the wheels and track. The wheels are now considered acceptable whilst the track is not. I'm going to annoy the diehard 2mm modellers by saying I see 2mm track as finescale N gauge, as all my ready to run and kits are N gauge. Therefore the argument is not just economic.

All I am doing is changing the track. The rest of the scenery would be if I'm modelling in 2mm scale.

Regards,

Rob.

There is another option, use Finetrax flexiable track and then use easytrack components to make points that match.

 

Lisa

Indeed you can Lisa. You can also make the points using the usual copper cladding. Both options are certainly cheaper than using the Finetrax points kits that are also available.

Regards,

Rob.

Nice work Julia.

The milk tank looks superb! I'm looking at the possibility of 3D printing for the ends of my cement vee-tanks. 

Robert.

The 3D printing outcome will be interesting...???

Good luck with it. Look forward to seeing how it develops.

Rob.

Superb! Looks great. A fantastic achievement and admire your persistence and determination.

As far as I know they all started with complete boards on both sides. Certainly by 1985 some vehicles had lost some boards and in some cases, parts of one or more boards: it was entirely random. If they were separate, I would model a vehicle with the weathering applied to the body and a patch of freshly exposed silver where the board, in whole or in part, would have been.

Looking good. I emailed Bachmann if they would produce the N gauge version with the boards being separate but was told they receive them how they come??? Obviously sent the email to the wrong people at Bachmann.

One word - superb! I admire you for your perseverance.

Steven's kits are very well thought out in regards to construction and look like they will go together easily. I have a number to put together but am focussing on some airbraked vehicles right now.

You have made an excellent job on the tank and I like the work you are doing on the mineral wagons and van.

Rob

Superb!

Superb!

Nicely done. I find it so easy to over-do the weathering.

Excellent work! I would be interested in the colours you use and the technique to achieve the rust patches.

Excellent work - an inspiration to all.

Look forward to seeing more.

Rob

A bit of wearthering and that'll look grand.

 

Even though the process is quite long winded, I've found I can get good results too. Make sure not to leave the salt on too long after the top coat, in fact, remove it as soon as possible. After leaving it overnight I had terrible trouble getting the effect I wanted, the hairspray (which should dissolve) became sealed in and very hard lift the salt.

 

I also use a few grains of rock salt for bigger patches, and I've also found that you can quite easily scratch away the top coat with a scriber if you catch it early enough.

 

Paul

Thanks for the response Paul.

In the article he says give it 10 minutes after applying the paint before removing the salt - which I thought was a bit too quick??? Thanks to your comment I now find it IS important to remove the salt early. I must admit I left it longer than 10 minutes and, yes, there is still some fine salt granules on the model which was hard to shift. This was fun and a good experience at an alternative method to weathering.

The nice thing is all my 16-ton minerals will be weathered this way - once I get round to making them! 

Very nice and admire your persistence to the end. Thanks for posting and look forward to more from you.