RobA2345

Just what I was looking for thanks for taking the time to look it over. I’ll incorporate the feedback and post an update.

I figured I'd have the 08 working staying on site so it would move vans once they're unloaded onto these sidings to wait for the long haul train from the fiddle yard on the left entry. The middle siding I planned just for storage but the end siding could potentially unload freight such as construction materials.

Hi everyone. Please can bother you for some feedback on this track plan? Anything that can be improved, things that don't work etc. I'm attempting a small shunting layout which I envisage being mixed freight terminus with a multi-door warehouse with loading dock in the north east corner. I have a Class 20 and Class 08 in BR Railfreight liveries and I know that it is definitely stretching the believability but I feel my options are very narrow due to UK operations post-beaching not really being conducive to small shunting layouts but this is the only space I have. I've tested the layout out in TrainPlayer so I know it has operational potential. Its in 4mm scale to I can fit 4 VDA Vans in the loading dock of the warehouse. I have no idea what to do in the south west corner so if anyone would like to chime in with suggestions there that would also be welcome. Thanks in advance

Thanks for the graphic its definitely helpful for the future but that's what I meant, sorry it was just a terminology error. I got this working in the end thanks for the useful replies

This post has really helped me out thanks Izzy. I have the motor now turning the wheels which is a big step forward. Next step is to try and get the wires as neat as you have. Can I ask what you stuck the DCC chip down to the mount with? I bought a 3D printer so have made a mount for the motor and used epoxy to fix it to the chassis. Epoxy for the chip seems like a massive risk. Now I have it running do I need to lubricate the worm, gears and axels? Thanks again. Rob

Actually no I can fit both a stay-alive and the speaker in the cab easily if I black out or cloud the windows. I think I'll go with that since re-purposing will be more expensive.

Noted Nigel thanks. I think the sound idea is dead in the water at the moment anyway as the speaker just won't fit, I need .5 of a mm to make it work. I'll have to have it reprogrammed for another loco. Getting sound in a 2mm shunter would have been good though...blinded by ambition. I'll get a decoder with a stay-alive and re-purpose the Zimo.

Thank you. So instead of terminals they've have wires. Fair enough I thought all motors had wires hence the confusion. The wires from the motor go to the decoder wires (orange and grey) and the motor wires on the decoder go to the chassis. That makes sense. If you're saying the motor mount and casing is a 'figure it out whatever works' job I can deal with that. I just didn't want to miss something if there is a prescribed way of doing it. The sound is a punt, maybe it will work maybe it won't but I'll give it a shot. I have a backup decoder in case it doesn't pan out. I fitted sound to a Dapol Class 43 once and that had a stay-alive so I understand the benefit but even with the smallest decoder money can buy I might not have enough room for both. The chip will fit along the top of the body and its resin so I can file some away if needed but that is a very delicate job. The chip itself has some plastic casing which if it didn't have that the chip would fit easily with room to spare but I assume that is heat protection of some kind.

Sorry if it seems obvious but where are the motor terminals on this motor? Is it the 4 notches at the back side?

Thanks Izzy I could have asked it there yes or in the 2mm Group I just figured its not really 2FS specific and the 2FS group might want a break from my infernal questions

I didn't see any obvious motor terminals like on other motors I've seen but to be honest I've not studied it closely. I'll take a look when I get to it tomorrow. When you say The motor is mounted to a 3D printed mount so It will be isolated from the frames.

Haha love the reaction. Don't worry I was never going to try and guess without consultation. If I did everything that made sense in my head I'd get in a lot of trouble

Hi all. I'm currently building the 2mm associations Class 08 shunter and I want to add DCC. This might seem nuts but I'm cautiously optimistic I can add DCC sound. I already have the Zimo MX649F and 5mm sugar cube speaker (speaker just fits in the cab) and I'm looking for guidance on fitting and wiring. Motor is an 8mm coreless Tramfabreik single shaft motor. The chassis is a split frame design. In my head you would solder motor wires to the sides of the chassis along with the DCC chip motor power wires. The chip has a 6pin plug which is useless so I would cut that off and cut the sheath of the motor wires back. However something tells me it can't be as simple as that. If anyone is familiar with 2mm products and has any insight into how the 3D printed motor mounts work that would be great. I again assume you would use a suitable adhesive to fix the motor to the mount but how do you fix it to the chassis? No worries if no one knows here, I can ask in the 2FS forum. Thanks in advance

Another question I have. I've started to build some of the houses/businesses you can see in the photo with pastel colors. Will a 1:1 perspective work here? The problem with trying to build some forced perspective is getting window etches in the appropriate scale.

I'm looking for some inspiration and have always loved the Dartmouth/Kingswear area and am contemplating modelling Kingswear station in the present day with the preserved railway. The perspective would be from the marina looking into the station with the houses and hotels that are on the elevation to the south which if it could be pulled off has great potential for good visuals. I have a couple of concerns around the skill level required to pull this off but my main concern would be operations. There are a couple of sidings but I have no idea what purpose these have but since Steam trains still run I could make a small coal hold that would be believable. Does anyone know or have any suggestions about any operation I could incorporate? I worry that simply bringing in trains and performing runarounds might be fairly limited and I'd be interested to hear others opinion on this. The scale would be 2FS and I have about 9ft x 1ft 3 Inches. Please tell me if you feel this idea is too ambitious given the space I'm always happy to get feedback. Thanks.

Ok I've finished the track work with mixed results. Can't say I'm overly happy with my attempt at creating an ash/cinders ballast effect, not sure the das clay method is feasible in this scale. I found it almost impossible to keep the clay away from the rails and chairs and you can see big gaps where I tried to be frugal with the amount of clay and it hasn't quite gotten full coverage. Its especially noticeable around the point work. I've also overdone it in places with the rail rust. Live and learn.

Afraid not I'm going through a very protracted house move at the moment so the layout has been in storage. The saga is drawing to a close though so hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll be able to continue. I'll keep the thread updated when I continue the build.

Been attempting to ballast using Chris Nevards method of using DAS clay. Takes ages so I'm hoping the final result will be good. In the first image I've given it a light coat of matt black to get an idea of the blending for the final results. I plan on adding paint to the rail sides and sleepers so it's only an idea. Has anyone used this method before?

I think I need a back to back gauge as some of the wagons are a bit bumpy over some points but the Class 25 takes them fine. I had a failed experiment with the DAS clay for ash ballast as if you're not super careful the chairs and rails get fouled, I'm not yet convinced its viable in 2mm. I'll keep trying on some test pieces.

Added some details. Really pleased with how it's come out.

Yeah I know what you're saying, the mainline as it stands is really nothing more than a display track. Initially it was just going to be another Inglenook which is how the track plan was first planned. It's a good shout though and I'll definitely be considering it.

I think I initially looked at the Pennine group but the blog doesn't provide any contact for a coordinator (if there is one) but I'll put something on the group forum and try and pick something up. Thanks for the tip!

I'll confess I've not got the running nailed down yet, some of my track work is a little bumpy and the Farish loco's I've converted seem to stall a lot but none of these issues are unfixable. Honestly it's the look of the trackwork that motivates the 2FS, I'm happy with that side and picked up a lot of direct and indirect skills as a result.

Layout is 48" by 11". I've had 3 failed attempts at my ultimate modelling ambition to model Paignton Station with the crossing in pretty high detail but never got any of the buildings built so it just looked naff. I'm based in Bury, North Manchester

First go at soldered pointwork yes. I'd dabbled with Easitrac points but couldn't get them to work without the joggle in the stock rails. I used the brass cast crossing on all but one where I built the crossing myself as I just wanted to see if I could.