Any Question Answered

[Sam Kennion]

2 hours ago, dpgibbons said:

Thanks Kevin. Just putting a shop 2 order together for a little 2FS test train.

 

With calipers I can see that Peco wagons take a 14.8/6 wheelset and Farish wagons are mostly a 15.2/6 so I'll get those two sizes. 

 

And I'll fit a couple of wagons with a Peco replacement chassis kit 2-382.  The instructions list a non-current axle part number - presumably it should be a 12.25mm axle set?

You might want to also get a small number of axles/wheelsets that are the next length up from what you have measured (or even both the next two sizes).  RTR axles are often quite a sloppy fit and you may well find that longer finescale axles actually run better than the same length you took out.

[2mm Andy]

20 hours ago, dpgibbons said:

Is there a comprehensive list of replacement wheels/ chassis options for converting RTR N Gauge rolling stock please?

It is by no means comprehensive (the information is approx. 5 yrs old now) but the list in this post might be of use;

 

Andy

 

[Izzy]

10 hours ago, dpgibbons said:

Thanks Kevin. Just putting a shop 2 order together for a little 2FS test train.

 

With calipers I can see that Peco wagons take a 14.8/6 wheelset and Farish wagons are mostly a 15.2/6 so I'll get those two sizes. 

 

And I'll fit a couple of wagons with a Peco replacement chassis kit 2-382.  The instructions list a non-current axle part number - presumably it should be a 12.25mm axle set?

 

As said the etched 2mm chassis all take the standard 12.25mm axles and designed to match the bearings. Peco have standard plastic moulded wheelsets which take the 14.8's. Farish have generally taken the 15.2's but in recent years the newer wagons have begun to use differing lengths according to need which has made things more difficult and why there are now differing axle lengths stocked in the shop. Be aware that the axle coning varies and can make a difference. The 12.25's & 14.8's use the same 60 degree angle while the others have a much longer profile. The thinner 1mm axles also affect the fit when the RTR N gauge generally use 1.5mm.

[Ian Smeeton]

I have just acquired a Farish Class 20 for a very reasonable price.

 

It's not the one I was looking for, but it will do for now.

 

However, I am unsure which 'Drop in' wheels I should be ordering.

 

As the Railway shed is in disarray at the moment, I haven't dug out my digital vernier, or got round to dismantling the bogies.

 

Could some kind soul tell me what I need.

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

 

[jonas]

20 minutes ago, Ian Smeeton said:

I have just acquired a Farish Class 20 for a very reasonable price.

 

It's not the one I was looking for, but it will do for now.

 

However, I am unsure which 'Drop in' wheels I should be ordering.

 

As the Railway shed is in disarray at the moment, I haven't dug out my digital vernier, or got round to dismantling the bogies.

 

Could some kind soul tell me what I need.

 

Regards

 

Ian

 

 

 

3-305, by the looks of this: http://www.2mm.org.uk/products/drop-in-wheels.html

[Ian Smeeton]

2 minutes ago, jonas said:

 

3-305, by the looks of this: http://www.2mm.org.uk/products/drop-in-wheels.html

 

That's great, thanks Jonas,

 

For some reason I hadn't come across that page before.

 

Time for an order.

 

Regards

 

Ian

[tapdieuk]

DG couplings on bogie stock.

To fit to the body or bogie? 

At the moment I have no layout but the points I have are B6. 

Is there a rule of thumb for the length of the bogie stock to the minimum radius a body mount DG would give problems at? 

The initial bogie coach i am looking to fit is 3" long with the bogie centres at just over 1 3/4"

 

[Caley Jim]

3 hours ago, tapdieuk said:

DG couplings on bogie stock.

To fit to the body or bogie? 

I have no experience of DG's (I use AJ's), but as a general rule I would say that any coupling which depends on it being on the centre line of the track, to at least some extent, needs to be fitted to the bogies.

 

Others will give you the specifics on DG's.

 

Jim

[Izzy]

I fit my DG’s on the bogies because of the tight curves they are required to go around. But... to do this means that they must be lower than the default height setting of hard up against the underside of the buffer beam that many use. And all your stock needs to be at this same height to match up. This fitting on the bogies applies to all my diesels, not just coaches. 
 

If you fit under the buffer beam then I think, but am not sure, others will no doubt confirm, that the minimum radius used needs to be about 24”. 

[D869]

+1 for mounting on the bogies although with your half length coach you might get away with it. I did try mounting on the buffer beam on some bogie diesels a long time ago. I soon changed.

[tapdieuk]

Thank you for the replys.

I am going with body mounted for the shorter bogie coach. I could do with getting  some track down and testing all the stock and couplings.

 

[Royal42]

2mm Tracks, Templot and baseboard

I have managed to produce a couple of templates with Templot and would like advice on how to transfer the tracks to the baseboard.  There's probably a recommended method, which would be better than my test version.  In templot, I produced the template, printed it, pasted it to the baseboard and then started to build and stick the track to it.  It looks OK but I am left with the paper template sandwiched between the baseboard and the track.  Do I try to remove the printed template or leave it in place?

 

cheers,
Mike - still asking the most basic of questions.

Edited May 20, 2021 by Royal42

[Caley Jim]

4 hours ago, Royal42 said:

2mm Tracks, Templot and baseboard

I have managed to produce a couple of templates with Templot and would like advice on how to transfer the tracks to the baseboard.  There's probably a recommended method, which would be better than my test version.  In templot, I produced the template, printed it, pasted it to the baseboard and then started to build and stick the track to it.  It looks OK but I am left with the paper template sandwiched between the baseboard and the track.  Do I try to remove the printed template or leave it in place?

Hi Mike,

 

If you read my layout thread (link in signature) you'll see that I printed out the whole trackplan (A4 sheets carefully joined together) and glued that to the trakcbed/baseboard, then proceeded to build the track directly on to that.  Provided the template is weel glued down, I used PVA, there is no problem with that approach.  My track has been in place for some 12 years with no issues.

 

BTW, don't be embarrassed about asking questions, that's what we're all here for!  I always say the only stupid question is one you already know the answer to.

 

Jim

[Royal42]

Hello Jim,

 

thank you for that.  I did assume that would be the case but I didn't want to go ahead and then someone comments "you didn't do it that way, did you?" 

 

I shall go and have a look at your threads and do some learning.

cheers,
Mike

[Ian Smith]

Bendy ply for baseboard tops is your friend here, then you can feed it through the printer and print directly onto it (works best on April the first though) 

[richbrummitt]

You could probably get thin ply suitably ripped through the bypass tray in some printers. No idea how well it would fair as a substrate for printing but paper is often made from wood so...

Edited May 20, 2021 by richbrummitt

[nick_bastable]

Just to muddy the waters  I laser etched my  templot plan  on  to 2mm  card built most units off the board and then glued on the board.   I found building points off the board where I could turn through 360 easier an idea Iain Rice advocated in his track book ( which is no where as good as the 2mm version )

 

Nick B

[5944]

This it a bit of an odd one, but hopefully it'll make sense by the time I've finished waffling! 

 

Is there any reason why a motor cannot be mounted away from the centre line of a loco? Obviously it'll mean the loco will be slightly unbalanced so will need some weight adding to the opposite side, but will having an offset motor cause any problems, create performance issues, etc? 

 

I've been slowly working on a DJLC layout, based on a small Italian tramway. Goods traffic was operated by a pair of 4-wheeled steeple cab electric locos.

 

 

As can be seen, the cab was a lot wider than the bonnets, which are quite low. I'll start a thread when there's some visible progress, hopefully in a couple of weeks. 

 

Obviously low speed control will be necessary, and I've been through various combinations of gear arrangements, motor gearboxes, belt and pulley drives, all the usual, but none seemed to be satisfactory (too bulky, above window level, too high a gear ratio, etc). In the end I've worked out that if I put a 6mm x 12mm motor to one side of the cab, by using a couple of spur gears driving a shaft with worms either end, I can get a ratio of about 60:1. It also leaves the cab and underframe see through, and there's space in the bonnets for about 15-20g of lead as well. 

[Ian Morgan]

I think you will find many loco chassis end up with the motor off-centre. Provided the weight distribution puts the centre of gravity near the middle you should be fine.

[5944]

1 hour ago, Ian Morgan said:

I think you will find many loco chassis end up with the motor off-centre. Provided the weight distribution puts the centre of gravity near the middle you should be fine.

Thanks Ian. Just wanted confirmation from someone who has a lot more experience than I have! 

[D869]

On 21/05/2021 at 15:10, Ian Morgan said:

I think you will find many loco chassis end up with the motor off-centre. Provided the weight distribution puts the centre of gravity near the middle you should be fine.

Modern coreless motors are not very heavy - their main factor in weight distribution is the room they take up without adding any useful weight. I suspect that with those bonnets full of lead the motor won't be a factor in weight distribution.

[tapdieuk]

Stock boxes

 

After a DG coupling making and fitting session, most of my wagons and coaches have couplings.

 

So far i have been using a variety of  ice cream, butter tubs and plastic business card holders for storage both during and after construction. They have been lined with either some close cell foam off cuts or kitchen roll. Its all a bit thrown together and not idea but for long term storage. Although at home on the work bench its ok. The main issue is getting the wagons out with out damaging the couplings, or fine details. Also if i (hopefully build a layout for exhibition ) have to transport wagons i need a more positive restraint to stop any movement/rubbing together.

 

What systems do people use? or what are pitfalls to avoid?

 

Will 

 

 

 

[Caley Jim]

When going to a show my stock gets transported in cassettes in which they are held by pieces of foam on top (see my article in the Feb and April 2009 Magazines.  If only taking a few items to a meeting or the Roadshow, I roll them loosely in folded tissue hankies and pack them loosely in plastic boxes, locos on the bottom, they being heaviest.

 

Jim

[DuncanFogg]

This is what I use:

 

The boxes come from a local plastic box company but are similar to those sold in DIY shops. The base lining is a mouse mat with a few strips of timber and some foam strips intended for reducing draughts through windows. The boxes are designed to stack.

 

Duncan

[-missy-]

Hi Alls.

 

Is a Sprog still the best way to programme a decoder?

 

Thanks

 

Julia.