Godders

Hi Hayfield I am a little puzzled by your use of the jig. You have placed pcb strips where it looks as if crossing timbers should go. I would have thought that the pcb strips would have been placed as if between the crossing timber positions. Am I wrong and if so what do you do with pcb ends and how do you place the timbers. Cheers Godders

As you mentioned the Steel works how about this. Middlesbrough to Saltburn section, passing the following Dorman Long Steel works with it's myriad of sidings for input of raw materials and output of finished steel rolls for example. Behind Dorman Long the reversing sidings for the Potash trains that go from the Mine down steep hill with hoppers, where it reversed at Dorman Long sidings and then to the dock where it reversed again. It did the same on the return journey. The line from Saltburn also carries Trans Pennine Trains and class 153 and 14x trains.

The speed in itself would not affect the electrical contact. The speed of anything compared to the speed of electricity is very low. I would suggest that it is more to do with the mechanical characteristics of the trains, perhaps wheels "crabbing" i.e. the wheel not parallel to the track. Probably won't occur in long wheelbases, 6 coupled for example. Possibly another case of BtoB too small.

I think you need to check the facts before making such statements. This is not true in the case of 4-SF (00-SF), which have exactly the same clearances as EM. Also if this were true N gauge would be better because the clearances are smaller than either 00 or EM. The fact of the matter is it doesn't matter what the gauge is from an electrical point of view.

Please explain why EM is different to: 00, H0 or any other gauge. Cheers Godders

You can also buy the vees from the EMGS but I'm not sure if it's a full crossing like the C&L ones

My comment, for what it is worth is, why didn't the OP go on the Templot Forum and not this one. There is a lot of information on there and there are a lot of people who would help if asked. Would you go on the Ford site to get a Mercedes handbook. I think we all acknowledge that Templot is a hard application to learn and requires a lot of hard work to get everything out of it. However, that applies to every aspect of railway modelling. If you wish to learn about DCC or signalling or operations, you have to work at them or if you want an easy life, be content with what you have got, Godders

Have a look at these: Cheap and accurate https://button-fix.com/ https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/product/button-fix-type-1-flush-fit-and-button-for-countersunk-woodscrew-pack-12-955650 Godders

Born and bred in Tod (Todmorden), 4 miles away. It was always Bake-up i' Tod.

Most connectors that are used by railway modellers are not really suitable for purpose. Anderson Powerpoles are, they are designed to be made and broken under power and are generally rated for 10,000 mating cycles. The same housing is used for 1.5mm2, 3.0mm2 and 6.0mm2 conductors. The PP30 is used by NTRAK as a standard connector. The PP30 can carry 30 Amps. They are available in lots of different coloured housings which can be slid onto each other to form multi-pole, polarized connectors (polarizing is the ability to stop the wrong plugs/sockets being connected by turning one or more connector so that the blade is at right angles). I got mine from: http://www.torberry.co.uk They are also available from RS , Farnell and https://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/anderson-pp15-30-45-powerpole-connector-housings.html If you want wiring standards for, board to board or module, DCC you can't do much better than the following: http://www.ntrak.org/documents/NTRAK Manual.pdf Cheers Godders

Has anyone tried experimenting with narrower loops. If so, how narrow can you get them without compromising operation on say 3ft minimum curves? Cheers Godders

Everything about this show was really well done; the signage, the exhibits, the food, the friendliness.... I spent ages talking to two of the MERG guys from Southampton, really friendly, really helpful. BTW I am a member but they didn't know to start with. It would be wrong to single out an individual layout as the best, I don't think I saw a bad one. Just one criticism, the toilets were ever so small and most lacked toilet paper. I would gladly pay £10 to see that quality of exhibition. Very well done to all of those involved in its organization. Cheers Godders

John Please don't see this as an attack, it's not. I am not questioning Richard's right to choose whatever metal he will. I am questioning why he chose SS. I was asking for any advantage over conventional rail materials. I have used every available rail material, except stainless, and have never had corrosion problems with any of them and I have lived by the sea; Dover and Scheveningen, as well as inland. If adhesion is a problem how about Stainless Steel with Carbon Steel; SS for the Wheels, CS for the rail. BTW I thought Richard was championing "Magnadhesion", "Powerbase".

I keep reading this thread and for the life in me I cannot see any reason to use Stainless Steel for rail. As far as I can see it has no advantages over existing materials. On the contrary it has many negatives; it doesn't look like carbon steel rail, it is difficult to work in almost every way, drilling, soldering,drawing, it has poor electrical characteristics and it is expensive. DCC Concepts say it is a 3xx series SS but this series varies so much in it's composition that it means nothing. I worked with Stainless Steel for 50 years in the Petrochem industry. It was used there because of it's anti corrosion abilities but that was in a very aggressive atmosphere. Even there we used it with sparingly. So please somebody tell me what I'm missing.

Thank you very much

Hi Hayfield, I would like to try your method but I am having difficulty in finding the C&L components, that you have specified. So far I have the following on my list but the C&L product codes would be extremely helpful; Strip for scale 12in turnout timbers (laser cut) - 300mm long x 1.5mm deep (50) E4SL 302C * I hope these are ply. 4mm scale chairs - 1:5 6 7 8 and 10 Common crossings (1 set) E4CH 502A BTW Thank you for your guidance in these matters, I hope to be another convert to hand built track, I'm only 72 so there's time yet. cheers Godders

Hi Andy, I'm intrigued by your statement. What can DC do that DCC cannot? What would you have in your hybrid system. This is not meant to be controversial, I can see Pro's and Con's with both systems, particularly financial and the requirements for another steep learning curve. I look forward to your reply. Cheers Godders

Johnarcher, I agree with you, that to watch trains running through countryside is pleasurable but definitely borderline on my scale. However, I described a much more restricted model. I would answer your other point about meaningful operation as follows; in general, people who build these layouts with wonderful scenery usually only concentrate on the landscape. They don't put the same effort into the trains. They leave the great big ugly couplings showing, they have great big gaps between coaches. This is not an aspect of railways, it is an aspect of countryside modelling. So they should call it, "Model Countrysiding".

Hi Martyn, you've lost me. Where is the, "bottom", of the template Cheers Godders

Mine also, I get a little bit tired of people on here talking about a model RAILWAY when they mean diorama. I see no interest in a layout composed of 1ft (300mm) of track with no turnouts, no signals, no possibility of any meaningful operation but 60,000,000 blades of grass, 8,000 trees and a beautiful waterfall with families frollicking in the river with a perfect scale model of a car next to them. Bah Humbug, what next, turkey for Christmas dinner Cheers Godders

Agree with that a brilliant book and yours from free or $14. I downloaded mine, legitimately, from the University of California library via an online project called Gutenberg, not sure if it still exists. It is also available as a paperback for $14.24 from Amazon. Mikes obviously got the later edition he got at primary school in 1920, mine is dated 1910.

It is quite complex but I'll try to summarise. Between 0730 and 0830 there are only 3 trains that go from Three Bridges to London Bridge all of them are run by Southern. The tickets for these are £5000 pa. There are generally two FCC trains per hour that go to London Bridge. My son uses the FCC service because it is £1000 pa cheaper than the Southern. However during the morning rush hour the Fcc trains bypass LBG and go via Blackfriars. He therefore has to change to a Southern service at East Croydon. This is because his ticket allows travel on any franchise inside the TfL area. During the rest of the day it appears to be 4 FCC 2 Southern per hour. Hope this helps, certainly doesn't help my son. Cheers Godders

Please read again then withdraw your mistaken statement Godders

Three Bridges to London Bridge is 30.5 miles by road or rail. So cost per mile is higher than you state. However, that's not the point. Please compare like with like i.e. the train fares. Paignton to Exeter is 25miles so the equivalent of Three Bridges to London Bridge is factored up by 1.2. The Paignton to Exeter price is £1904 therefore the equivalent is £1904 * 1.2 which is £2285 a difference of £1700 or 75% So if you think my son is getting a good deal, it's positively a steal in Devon. Godders

..."communities are less populated than others does not exclude them from the benefits of the rest of society"... Unfortunately Ian, you are wrong. People who live in less populated communities do not get the benefits of those who live in larger more densely populated communities. Try looking at Ambulance, Police, hospitals, RAILWAYS, roads, sewers, broadband speeds, restaurants etc. That is why we became a prosperous country in the industrial revolution. We built cities where everything was close together and we didn't have to move bits and pieces vast distances to make finished products. Are you suggesting that someone who lives in a remote village should have all the amenities of a city dweller, because I can tell you now, it's not economically viable. even the town I live in which has a population of 100,000 no longer has a hospital and I have to travel around 30 minutes by car to get there. Have you any evidence to show that the remote areas of Wales and Scotland benefit from being rail connected? Cheers Godders