dasatcopthorne

I think a little modification needs to be applied to the concept.

Make it £70 per room per night whether it's one or two layout staff, (always twin rooms) then the layout with a single operator would still be able to afford to stay over. A layout with two staff would cost the same.

Our club often exhibits on a stay away basis and some of the hotels we've been put up in have been, quite frankly, terrible. I wonder if the organisers would stay there?

One particular show we have needed accommodation for on 3 or 4 occasions has put us in a hotel some of us refuse to use again. If the cost was given as Expenses then we could go to the local Premier Inn.

It's off putting when you walk into your room and find someone's old sock behind the door or the corners of the bathroom floor are dirty.

Dave.

We have now launched our revised and updated Website. Full details of the Club and its layouts as well as Exhibition Managers' info sheet Downloads included.

Fi d us at. www.csmrc.co.uk.

Dave

On 10/02/2024 at 15:42, TomCrewe said:

I have been trying to find the right combination of magnets for the Kirby type coupling.

On a test track I have replace sleepers with small magnets and using staples attached to coupling. Also larger magnets under the base board.

Another thing I tried was a magnet on the coupling repelled by the same magnets on and below the track.

To make things a little easier I plan to remove one hook from each wagon and the other end a staple or magnet.

I have added a chart of results. adding more magnets or longer ones increases the distance the hook is open while trailing but this is when the tension lock keeps the hook from lifting which is correct.

My problem is I would like to extend the distance the hook is open while pushing the wagon in front (Hook Leading) giving more time to stop and pull away while hook is up.

Can anyone help with how to extend the activation area of the magnets??

 

With Kadee magnets, the poles are side to side. Most bar magnets are end to end. Some disc are top to bottom but also some are side to side. Be careful. 

For the layout's appearance at the forthcoming Tonbridge Show I have converted SR Booster Loco 20003 to DCC.

Dave

looking good!

Dave.

On Monday evening at our Club I heard a weird tale, well the truth actually.

On a large American layout of ours, one member had three plastic centred axles melt.

He did a lot of research to discover that a wheel bridging a baseboard gap, conducted a high number of Amps through itself.

I still don't quite understand but here goes.

He wired the layout with feeds to each track at one end of the rails which consisted of around 4' rails incorporating a soldered joint using a fishplate to make up the length.

Apparently, the relatively high resistance of NS rail means that by the time the rails get to the far end of their length and meet track on the adjoining board where the next rails are fed close by, there is a difference in volts/amps. The wheel bridging the gap passes current from the next rail (freshly fed) to the one it came from. When there are second and or third locos asking for current on the previous track, the current passes through the bridging wheel.

I thought I understood electricity but that baffles me.

The answer is, if you have a long length of rail with no gaps, feed that rail at both ends.

Anyway, there seems to be a lot of research done and it's true.

I hope I have managed to make this at least semi-clear.

Maybe Nigel Cliffe can help.

Dave.

On 29/01/2024 at 21:37, Nigelcliffe said:

The "other sockets" on the PowerCab layout socket device area all the same, so secondary handsets (ProCab), or an extension to another set of sockets can be added to any of the spare sockets; front or back.     
What is critical is the primary socket, and the correct NCE cable for the PowerCab (as its the Command Station).    That's got the entire layout power going through that cable, up to the PowerCab, and back down again.    

 

This document from NCE shows one arrangement for extensions, which I think matches Colin's description above: 
https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/200259415

 

 

- Nigel

I think in your case it will be best to use Set Track but at the Baseboard joint, make sure a section of track straddles the joint. Bolt the boards tightly together, lay the track and fix down well. Then, with a razor saw, cut through the rails immediately above and in line with the joint.

Dave.

Many thanks to the Erith Club for a great weekend exhibiting Elbow Lane.

A well run and set out show.

Highly recommended.

Dave.

Brian Kirby, by the way.

3 hours ago, RBE said:

Not sure how they have the sound file. I assume it's their sound?

Yes, or course.

Dave.

DC Kits are showing Loksound chip for the Cavalex locos.

Dave.

New Kid on the Block.

Thanks to a Bargain from Rails, this Class 45 D15 has just arrived,

Sound chip has also arrived from DC Kits and there is enough room under the body to fit a Zimo Double Dumbo, There's even a pre wired plug so all that's needed is to solder the wires to a speaker.

Dave.

2 hours ago, DCB said:

I think there is scope for 5 areas of independent operation. Four locos /operators running / shunting simultaneously  I would arrange for all controllers to be able to access all areas, maybe like me you have an expensive controller with wander lead and some  old stuff without, makes sense to use the good one most of the time.   My terminus is wired with 6 sections fed from 3 sources and each SECTION  (Not Controller) has a multi pole rotary switch with red /green /Black/White   black being off. An "OFF" position is very useful, my main station does not have one.    Common return on a simple layout does simplify wiring and  allow single pole switches  but I would not use common again on anything complicated. I have no problems using fishplates for connection indoors but limit sections to five pairs of fishplates , that's six yards from the feed or 11 yards 33 feet 30 metres of plain track or maybe 5 points like 2 metres when feeding from the toe, its the number of fishplates which is critical    My Terminus panel is a row of six 4way rotary switch knobs poking through the baseboard framing with the switches behind on a sub panel which pull out when the knobs ae removed.   Main station rotaries poked through Hardboard. and the controllers are spread around the room.  4 of them can each operate over 90% of the layout so you can run a loco from just about anywhere to just about anywhere on any one of 4 controllers (The one with the wander lead usually)      see doodle black arrows feeds

5 areas of operation?

That probably means 5 people to make sense of the layout. (or two and a half people juggling with both hands).

And why would a 'complicated' layout not work with Common Return. Surely it would be simpler?

Dave.

Here is a pic of a 4Rep.

They had the same bogies but without the shoebeam, of course.

Dave.

4 hours ago, chuffinghell said:

 

Formally owned my Mr.R.Sole

Odd you should say that because R Swypp bought the business when there was a run of their shares.

Dave.

As the window prints have gone so well, I decided to ask my friend if he might be able to produce a window style for one of the layout's old buildings.

This is a window produced to fit the R. Swypp building. It's looking very promising. Whilst the current 'printed' facia seems to work well, I want to put lights in some windows.

D.ave.

Tom.

Whilst I understand the 'basics' of magnetism I don't know the ins and outs.

However, I have staples on all couplings and I use two magnets 25 x 10 x 3mm N52 strength fitted end to end.

I fit these on the underside of my baseboards. This way, they can be retro fitted and moved. Baseboards are 6mm + 3mm cor + track. These seem to work well without attracting steel axles.

Bought from Spider Magnets.

Dave.

2 hours ago, n9 said:

I've been tempted by these products, but they usually come with a warning regarding traction tyres. Have you found that to be a problem?

As Mike Buckner says.

No problem with traction types or plastic wheels.

It evaporates so quickly, it'll never get near them.

Remember though, A clean cloth or pad every time, otherwise you could be laying down dirt.

Dave.

I've found the original article that convinced me.

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/mrhpub.com/2019-05-may/online/index.html?page=9

Also notice the 'Mineral Spirit' is fairly high on the list. Called White Spirit here in the UK.

Dave.

What you want is WD40 'Contact Cleaner'

Its brilliant but a good alternative is genuine 'White Spirit'.

A fairly exhaustive test was published in Model Railroad Hobbyist a while back. I cannot find it again now, but I went straight out and bought a can and I out use anything else now. The test included many common fluids used for cleaning rail and this came out tops.

Dave.

Nomisd.

I would agree wholeheartedly the previous posters. Common return is the way to go.

With your three 'areas' each complete are could be fed through a rotary switch, as above. Then take this feed through your isolation switches. That way, all three areas could be controlled by any of the three controllers.

May I also ask about ML1 and the other blue siding to its right (no number) If purple is in use, what can be done on ML1 using the blue contoller?

Common Return?  Don't worry, it's a piece of cake. Used it on all layouts since 1970s. And Pete is quite correct in describing how to change later to DCC

Good luck

Dave.

Might have bought stock from Hattons.

Dave.

2 hours ago, Geep7 said:

Will that be the short, or long version?

 

I will also be there for the day, ably (debatable!) assisting with setting up / operating Horsebridge Wharf. It'll be my first time back at The Angel Centre since exhibiting my own layout Bad Aston in 2014.

Short one as I haven't even started the new board.

Dave.

Try Halfords for matt spray.

Dave.

20 hours ago, SRman said:

Kernow have some mainly BR blue-based liveries on sale at a shade under £85 at present. I'm tempted to get a large logo blue one. These are all from later production runs (i.e. not the first run that had lighting problems).

Thanks for your post. Nearly ordered a JA from Rails at £99.

Have now ordered from Kernow at £84. Also found I had a. £10 credit with then so only paid £74.

Result!

Dave.