MikeH_83

Hi all, I am wondering what is the best way to deal with templot templates with the making of up of functional chaired track and then moving it into place without all the sleepers moving? At the moment I am printing onto thin card and then cutting them out, gluing them onto cork and cutting around that. I can then make up a section and then give it a basic weathering before moving it and gluing the ready made section onto the baseboard. I have tried using double sided tape and then lifting it off that but as soon as I do all the sleepers end up moving all over the place which makes it difficult to lay properly I was just wondering if there is any better/easier methods?

I do like the delayed action and will use it for sure but due to the space constraints of my layout the areas where I would need to stop and uncouple would be on a curve and doing that at any other place would look too un-prototypical. My other option is to move things around a little thus making the station area on an even more generous curve to allow kadee's to work. It would make the design a little less realistic maybe but at least I could make it all without having to worry about the uncoupling side of things as much

Thanks all, Ok so Kadee's sound like a no go then unless it's relatively straight, My only other options would be something like the S&W, Dinghams, DG's then where the uncoupling just relies on being pulled downwards and not sideways

Anyone using anything other than tension lock couplings, That has a form of automatic uncoupling working on curves? I have heard things like kadees won't uncouple properly unless it's on a straight. I am currently thinking kadee's, S&W or Dinghams. My curves will have a radius between 3-6ft (probably 6 where the uncoupling would take place) I just need to know for planning my layout. Cheers

I wish I could use this app to control my stuff via the Digikeijs dr5000

The best experiences for deliveries I have had have been with either ukmail or dpd, Both I have found excellent for tracking, You get notified of an hour when your delivery will be made so that saves you waiting in all day and the drivers seem to look after your stuff. I've never had any major issues with hermes but they do like to throw your parcel wherever is easiest if you don't answer the door in 2 seconds flat! To be honest I have had great experiences with royal mail (as long as it's not 2nd class) and stuff usually gets delivered quickly. Anyway there is many factors involved and sometimes you get a good experience and sometimes bad. Anyhoo back to re-designing my layout yet again..

I have been thinking about adding a trailing crossover there actually. I was also tempted to add a parcels bay at the same time

Well that suggestion by David has worked a treat really, it's extended the goods yard and given me a larger run round loop.

Thanks for the replies. Yeah I didn't want too many sidings but just to be able to extend them a little. Actually I quite like DavidCBroad's suggestion and I shall see if I can alter it to make that work (I do believe I can) That one should make it easier to have the required trap points too.

Thanks all, I am scratch building my track work and it will be a tandem turnout. I might move it further back then to help me with space. I take it that it will require locking mechanisms though due to having passenger stock running over it, albeit slowly?

Hi all, I'm getting to the finishing stages of my tack design and I have a little query. Due to the size of my space available and wanting to keep everything on a nice gentle radius I am having a little trouble fitting in long enough length for the goods yard roads (see pic) What I would like to know is can I get away with adding in a 3-way turnout in either of these positions on the attached picture? It would help me make the goods yard a little longer. This is mostly on the goods/shunting loop but it is also used for the odd branch passenger train arriving at the station. So would it be sort of ok prototypical wise? (given the fact I need to make a few compromises) If so I am assuming it would need point locking as it would handle the odd passenger train?

With a huge stock list I hate to think of the purchasing cost of this. Even if you look over the books now and all is ok, You have to remember that rates etc will inevitably increase and profit margins will shrink. It could work however if whoever took it on could setup a really good website too to sell online. Most of the model railway shop websites I've seen are absolutely shocking for navigating and finding things (inc ehattons)

Very nice, All made in 4-sf or the 00 flexi and 4-sf points way? Had to adjust the wheels on much stuff? I always like to hear how well it works from people as I am about to start mine

Well that certainly is another option and would be quicker, Having played around with it though I do struggle to get a nice colour when using flexi

Thanks, I shall use that then

Thanks Martin, I have the 4-sf gauges that were sold at C&L, I will check next time im up in the loft. Well that certainly removes any worry from making it all in 4-sf so there's nothing stopping me now. I shall look at buying a cutter like that and some plywood strip and just get on with it that way and save me some pennys. Is balsa wood any good for sleepers or is ply the better option? My Layout is quite large at 3x 14ft sides so I was tempted at the flexi track route but plastic does look.. well like plastic.

Thanks very much. I shall try doing a test piece and see if the gauge is still correct. I hope it will be otherwise it could be a right pain going 4-sf and might haveto just do that through the points and 00 elsewhere

Well I do hope the new owner might continue with the production of the pre-fabricated parts (crossings/blades) as I found that much easier to get on with. However I am just finalising my track plans and then when the business goes live again I shall be buying ALOT (Does he intend to continue to produce the hini rail?)

I know this was quite an old post, But if that is a problem with the 3 point gauges then which is best to use on normal trackwork? I'm planning mine to be full 4-sf built on a long 6ft radius curve. Also does anyone know of a supplier for ply sleepers that are of the shorter length like the peco rtr track? The only one's iv'e found are the prototypical sized ones but then it doesn't quite look right because of the narrower gauge. Cheers

That's not too bad. I am toying between these or the plastic c&l/exactoscale one's for my track scratchbuilding. These would certainly hold the track in position and together better I would think

Brilliant layout so far, Love the detail your putting in. May I ask how deep your baseboard is where the station is? I'm liking that whole scene tbh

Ah thanks Keith! I will check it out on my system when I boot it up next. Cheers

I have no idea what those windows mean or how they work. lol I have a dr5000 and the demo of train controller and so far (bar my power supply being faulty and away for repair/replacement) it seems to work together well, that's using the digikeijs loconet occupancy detectors and the digikeijs boosters. Then again iv'e only got around to doing the fiddleyard and now that's gotta change again

Thanks John, Right time to have a clean up and then onto templot to design the layout. Cheers

Thanks, I will look into that. Btw are there any check chairs that would work fine with 4-sf? (just thinking the EM guys use a 1mm gap so what they use should work right?) Or is it a case of mashing up 2 normal chairs?