RichD1

Thanks all. Has anyone used on of those computer keyboard type vacuum? Richard

How do you do it? Especially around the small figures, trees and hedgerows etc. Richard

I've inherited a Fleischmann turntable so I would like to see if it works. I've found Gaugemaster have a manual on their website but it doesn't say what power supply it requires. Any help please? Is the turntable manually turned by the round switch and does it stop on the right index when the switch is released? Richard

Just discovered what it is. It lets you know when you violate the parameters you set up in the properties box when starting. Richard

I did try briefly RailModeller but you can't get a custom sized baseboard unless you buy the Pro so I never really got going on it. Why did you find XtrackCAD tricky? Richard

I've just loaded XtrackCAD on my Mac and have started working on my new layout. I'm starting to get the hang of it but I can't understand why some of my tracks gets drawn in yellow rather than like the rest being brown. I've just put in a Cornu curve and adjusted it to suit but one section within that curve is brown when the rest are yellow. I have checked the properties box and the tracks are on the same layer and elevation. In the properties box all the parameters are ghosted so can't change anyway. Can anyone help please? Richard

Having done some more reading on gradients and minimum clearances it looks like my 80mm rise is rather generous. I've found that the recommended minimum clearance is 54mm from top of track to underside of the bridge over. The track height to the top of the rail is about 4mm when using no track underlay. The bridge over will have a 3mm layer of plywood so the overall elevation from top to top of each track bed will be; 54mm + 4mm +3mm = 61mm. So based on that I can reduce the elevation is say 65mm. At 1:40 this would drop the incline run from 1550mm to 1300mm plus the transitions. The 1:50 would reduce from 2000mm to 1625mm plus transition. The other option could be to relocate the crossover to the top left board where there is more run distance to cope with a reasonable gradient of around 1:50 or even 1:60. Richard

Ahh, I thought you might say that I would have a problem. I hadn’t thought about the initial transition from flat to gradient which will add to the length required. What about using Powerbase, is that a possible solution? Richard

I've come back to the hobby after a 25 year absence. Previously only had a round-roundy in the double garage 16' x 16' just to run trains. I've now managed to agree a space in the spare bedroom and have drawn out the attached design. It has an L-shaped fixed area in grey and removable boards to provide the roundy-roundy as I do like to see trains running. My initial plan was to have a folded figure 8 to provide the maximum running length but then realised that I needed gradients. The attached plan shows the mainline around which will be double track including through the station area. I'm hoping that I can fit in an express straight through design with side loops to the platforms. Track off to the goods area, engine shed and industrial areas would be single tracks. Now my dilemma about gradients. As you can see to the left of the layout is the crossover which I'm thinking of having the min. clearance track to track of 80mm. I'm also going to slope track both up and down from the datum level which is the station area. Hopefully this will give less of a degree of slope. To the right of the layout there is plenty of track length from the storage area down or up to use at least 1:60 and maybe even less. But on the left hand side I'm struggling to fit in a 1:40 slope from the crossover area up to the storage tracks and that includes using the curves into the storage boards. I intend to run steam and early diesel so 50's/early 60's era and hopefully have enough space to run four carriage racks. So, will I have a problem? Especially having to include some of the curves to the bottom left. If so would Powerbase magnets provide a solution? All help would be well received. Richard