mogtrains

Well.. some definite progress.. and some set-backs too. The track is working fine, the wire in tube doing what it should.. and I've built a short frame to support the layout and fiddle together on a tabletop. However, two snags so far.. Firstly couplers. Been gluing staples onto the tension locks and planting magnets. With much fettling it is working.. mostly. But it's very fiddly and prone to failure.. I can see constant tweaking needed to persist with the Kirby method, I mostly seem to have issues with the locos (Because I'm using a runaround, even with hooks on one end only, I still need to equip the locos with a hook). So - decision time. As much as I like Sprat&winkles, I want this to be as fiddle-free as possible, and ideally want a layout that 'just works' (well, at least where I can influence that!).. so , it's looking like Kadee 18s. I had some spare and have to say that they don't look that bad in the flesh on UK stock and actually allow more 'close' coupling than the tension locks. Big bonus - 99% of the stock has NEM pockets too.. so less faff at the fitting stage. Annoyingly I got rid of a s**tload of Kadee 18s on ebay last year because I never thought I'd use them!! Second issue is more juicy.. the runaround loop is just too short. I thought I'd planned it so that I could just sneak around 3 wagons. Unfortunately the clearances are really tight, and that's only possible with three of the shortest wagons. Add a couple of vans in and I'm buggered. So, another decision needed. Either I live with it, and plan shunting moves very carefully, I'd rather not drop below 3 wagons as a 'train' so may have to split the runarounds to shunt the sidings.. OR I lift the end point and re-lay it a few inches to the right, along with the wiring, new connections to the loop and wire in the tube. Not something I really fancy doing but wonder if I'll regret it of I don't. On less practical matters, just wondering about a pub as a view block on the LHS rather than trees.. not convinced.

Feeling your pain! Re the shoebox.. If you use a thin plywood or MDF, you can probably cut the shapes you need using a stanley knife with a clean blade and a steel ruler. Takes a little longer to score through but more control and no need for power tools!

Thought I'd already commented on this.. obviously not! It's a cracking looking layout Ray, and very inspiring :-) (having a bit of an excursion into OO myself at the moment) cheers, Martin

Mostly the look of them. I use Kadees on my HO stuff (US) and like them a lot.. but somehow they just don't like right to me on 4mm UK stock.. especially older stuff.

Hi David.. thank you.. and thanks for remembering the little 3mm layout! I still have it, and the few items of stock that I built. I considered taking it along to the small layout show instead of building something new, but I doubt it would be rugged enough for displaying :-) I did dig it out not too long ago and made a short video about it too..

So.. boards are built..I've given them a coat of fence paint all round.. cork down. Track has been laid and wired up and the first train ran tonight.. it works! Not brilliant, but no shorts and no major issues. I'm operating the electrofrog points via wire in tube, using small electrical slide switches mounted at the rear to operate the point and switch the frog. Bloody fiddly to set up.. mainly because the mercontrol wire I've had for years is coiled and naturally wants to spring in any direction other than the way I want it to! I'm not convinced about the small Y point, having bodged it to isolate and power the frog.. but it seems okay at the moment. I need to finish the wire in tube for the last point and then properly test this thing before I crack on with ballasting and scenics etc. It is a very strange sensation operating a layout from the back! (I've only ever built layouts for myself and next time I'll stick to the front) Next decision.. couplings. Not overly keen on kadees on OO stock.. so it's either going to be Kirby mods for the tension locks or Spratt and WInkles.

Much appreciated. I suspect that this will be a 'learning event' for me! I will see how I get on with connectivity/shorts etc. (I used a thin sawtooth disc, made a first very neat cut and then on testing realised that I needed to go a smidge further to go through the rail.. that 'smidge' involved a slip, hence the gash! I may order another as as a standby with no alterations in case this one has fallen victim to my bodgery!

Like! Feels like old days following one of your builds, and working on my own ! :-) Like the look of this.

Very enjoyable podcast.. listening whilst wiring up :-) look forward to more

Current progress. Testing with a battery and a bulb suggests it's worked. Unfortunately the cutting disc cut a little too deep.. however I think that will be disguised easily enough once laid.

As a change from US HO (and not the return to 3mm or Gn15 I thought I was going to make), I've made a start on a small layout for an upcoming show this summer. The layout depicts Winkford Green, a station on The Mid Sussex Light Railway, one of the lines managed by Colonel Stephens in the 1930s. Built around a mile from the village it serves, Winkford Green station is currently serving as a terminus for the railway for trains from Tenterbridge Junction whilst repairs are made to the line following a recent landslip. As with many of the Colonels lines, visiting power from other parts of the Light Railway empire, as well as occasional borrowed Southern engines may be seen. Nope, the Mid Sussex Light Railway doesn't exist to my knowledge! I have limited myself to a footprint of 4'x1'.. Carl Arendt's 'micro' definition.. but planned for an additional fiddle, currently at one end, with scope to add another on the other side allowing through traffic. I have a deadline, so it's OO and I'm using Peco 75 small radius electrofrogs.. DC at the moment, although I am seriously tempted by a Loksound Adams Radial, so that may change! Baseboards is built, cork is down and track has been delivered.. For now a very loose and rough sketch to illustrate what I'm after..

Hi all.. tried searching for this and found the same question but not all of the answer :-) I am building a small layout and using small radius peco electrofrog points (75). I've modified the first three 'straight' points by snipping the tiny isolating bridge jumpers on the back and adding new jumpers across the stock - point rails. However, got the small Wye and found that it is constructed differently..no jumpers to cut and the spaces for the new jumpers are closer to the frog. I'm getting the feeling that I'm going to have to cut the rails in order to isolate, and thus switch, the frog.. however I'm wondering if I can do anything with the wires on the reverse that come off the frog. (or maybe I need to cut these as well as cutting the rail? Any help gratefully received! (except for 'don't use small wyes'.. It's a 'micro' layout and I'll only be running small 040 and 060 tanks - hence the fixes to improve the track power-wise.

Did you ever get an answer to this? Just facing the same issue.. prepped three 'straight' points by cutting the jumper wires and adding jumpers across the the point/stock rails.. flipped the small E197 Wye over and spotted that it's quite different! (I've already added the new jumpers too)

Just posted a short video.. please excuse the clunky running.. I need to give the track and wheels some love ! See Video Here

for comparison.. :-)

You're right Ian.. its not perfect.. although I'm quite happy with it as a compromise.. I tried to plan a better way to cut and fit but to be honest found myself circling a bit and I wanted to get this to a 'done' stage without too much more faff :-)

While I'm planning something else in OO, I thought I'd crack on with this little layout - It was intended to be a quick and cheap build and it has been through a few false starts! It is essentially a 4' x 1' inglenook (no fiddle) with a kickback siding for extra fun/parking.. I couldn't decide whether this should be for UK OO, or a German HO layout.. so now it's both!! In the spirit of Chris Ellis 'multimode'.. I've tried to go for a scenic stuff that would work equally well for both.. crap pictures at the moment, sorry.. but hopefully I'll get a video up on youtube this week. This evening it is in DB mode :-) (Any suggestions for a layout name considered)

love it. I scratchbuilt a rather cruder Y6 in 3mm scale a few years ago. Colourwise, I'm sure I read something in one of the monthly magazines , I'm guessing Model Rail, recently that described the colours of the J70s over the GE/LNER/BR years (I imagine the Y6 would be the same?)

Just found this thread.. perfect little layouts, right up my street!

I remember this Jack.. but not sure if I saw it on RMWeb.. could it be on the MTI pages?

Cheers Nick.. I won't give up just yet.. maybe I can fix the loco. Some good tips :-) (and Yep - Hamburg.. it's the bit of Germany I'm familiar with) Martin

Wow. I've been modelling US HO for a while.. dabbled in GN15,OO9, OO... 3mm.. but always had a German itch to scratch. (spoiler - I am half Hamburger!) Some months ago I thought I'd build a little micro layout to get me going. I've settled on Ep4.. somewhere around HH. I bought what I thought was a fairly modern set of HO wagons - set of 8 from Roco. Turns out they were quite old mouldings.. tractor wheels and I've had to hack at them to fit Kaydees. No worries, not ideal, but job done. Next I bought a new loco. Didn't want to take a chance on something second hand. I picked up a Fleischmann 212. To say I was disappointed was an understatement. Again, obviously a very old model. (The worst thing was that I have paid less for excellent US HO locos with sound) Anyway.. I got everything weathered up.. starting to look better and decided to motor on. Or not... this evening placed the loco on the track (DC).. it ran a little and then just stopped. For some reason the front bogie is shorting. I cannot find the source.. although there is also a wire flailing around from the giant bulb. <Sigh>. I've decided to put everything away in boxes again and perhaps come back to it when I'm less dejected! Does it have to be so hard to get started modelling German HO ?! Any top tips greatly appreciated :-)

Thanks for the mention Wendell :-) I don't visit RMWeb that often and when I saw this thread I was going to say that someone had recently commented that Brett was similar to a Timesaver .. this video gives a little insight into the planning and thinking behind the layout.. https://youtu.be/00vx8wc--rc

the only thing I would add to this, if you're using insulfrogs (which are fine by the way!).. you may want to consider soldering a jumper wire across from the stock rail to the point rail, that way you aren't relying upon the rails touching and there being zero dirt/paint for connectivity.. a little extra work but it might save a deal of frustration later on. :-)

In a similar position (had to recreate RMWeb profile as lost pwd/email!) been playing with US HO for a while, but interested in German stuff.. just found it hard to access really . Picked up a loco and a few wagons and making a start on a little micro as a taster. Aiming at North Germany, DB EpIV.