2014_07_30

2014_07_30  its starting to warm up, but its still raining! Hell of a drought ;)

So whats been happening?
Not a lot, apart from trying to sort out the servo motors and rewire the older sections of the railway.

And I have been running a lot of trains...

And I am laying track in Bullarto, hopefully sorting out all the derailments I suffered there since installation. We are tearing out the home made points and the hand laid track, sadly :) But it is just not reliable enough, the rail profile is not available, fish plates don't fit, and its just quicker to put ME code 70 points and track down so I can get trains rolling once more :)

Here are a few pictures

repaired the platform fascia and adjusted the track bed. Unfortunately the join is not perfect left where the modules needed to come apart, but I think I have sorted most of the problems with the new track. Just like real railway practice, I will try to leave some of the original hand laid track in place.

Servo motors are in and singlet control modules in place. Just need to program them in.

Another way of supporting my back working underneath. Its almost impossible to set the motors up in centre and screw them in place sucessfully, But I did get these two installed and working. It just takes time.  Because the servo motor needs to be at right angles to the movement of the blades. I tightly screwed one side in and climbed out from under, and realigned the blades to middle (Servo was already centered. Then drilled in another attaching screw. And it worked! Well its two out of two, but about 7 more to install to prove the method, I guess?
 

This my second attempt at installing these servos. I found Tam Valleys instructions hard to understand. I frigged around so many times that I confused the singlet logic and broke one pair of points. Had to replace the mech in this set with a brass sleeper. But it works just fine.
The servos can be reset, So I reset both of them and they again became operational. Well done Mr. Tam Valley.

Another ME No6 point goes in, and Bullarto is again linked to Trentham.

Cheers
Rod

2014_07_22

2014_07_22
It was so cold yesterday and I kept out of the shed, and today is not going to be any better.

About two hours after Dawn, so I guess it was worse before the melt started.  I would think the rails will shrink and pop fishplates, and I will need to be careful, especially on curves and in particular the Helix.
Cheers
Rod

2014 July 20 It did snow but....

2014_07_20

The poor old winter Doona almost let me down last night. Under the clearest night sky we have seen for more than a month, I turned in and wrapt the Doona all round and slept peacefuuly till 10.00 am :D
Apparently the whole place was covered in a thick white frost with some "snow" on the hills?
Missed it all, but this was what was left :(

About -0.7C under the verandah on the leeward side and -3 C in the open.
It was actually frost, but it looked the part :)
Cheers
Rod

2014_07_18 The Day the Russians Shot down another Passenger Airliner

2014_07_18

My heart goes out to the people killed and their families Hopefully justice will not be denied.

on the model I will simply show pictures of Honeysuckle  which is to become the branch line Terminus.

This layout was built by Tony Kociuba to demonstrate McKenzie and HOlland signalling systems, and is in working condition. A little bit outdated for its original purpose, but should fill an empty space on my large layout. To the right of the picture you will see two unpopulated modules which sit between the two ends (end +new+middle+new+end)
Rod

2014_07_17 still raining!!

2014_07_17 still raining!!  Bloody droughts!!

Still holding the enthusiasm :) In fact its a bit like I am determined to at least put up a fight with the bitter cold.

Before running trains I have to go out and check the rail shrinkage Ha Ha!

Some yard lengths on the Helix have popped the fish plates joinersand gaps are growing everywhere.
Its currently 4 C in the shed at night. I really cant afford to heat such a huge area 24/7.

Found another few sit down jobs, after working on wiring in the branchline for a few weeks. Installing point motors can become a PITA after a while and I took a break.
Mike Walther called in and showed me a trick or two with sound installations in BRM T Class and Austrains Y Class. He is a wizard installing sound in the Y Class in less than 20 minutes!
Unfortunately the new series of Y Class have some mechanical issues and the loco runs really nicely Long End, but clatters like Mothers egg beater Short End. I had to undo all Mikes work and strip the engine down to replace the bogie. The damaged Y 131 donated its bogie and the problem appears fixed.
Still impressed with my car wagons :)
Here another few pictures.

Cheers
Rod Young

2014__07_ 12 Stawell Show

 2014__07_ 12

The decks and floor of my Studio are covered in the stripped plastic insulation bits as I enjoy the wonder of DCC You know, connect two wires and 1999 trains can run independently I guess I have made over 1000 connections just to hook 6 tortoise and 5 servo point motors into the extension which is in reality only 10 lengths of track long (10 m) However despite the fact that the two wire story was in fact unlikely to be of any use to anybody beyond the most basic of modellers, its all very much worth the effort. Today after a break of two days to go to Stawell Exhibition, I am about to test it and see if I got it to work :p

The Car Carriers arrived today also   :D
Don't ask me how much these cost me :(  Ask Rodney or Paul at End of Line Hobbies instead!

http://www.endofthelinehobbies.com.au/

Just search in this format substituting your railway name and letter code to find your model

VR WAGON KIT STRATH VR ALX CAR CARRIER KIT SKELETAL HO

In Stock

Price: $109.95

After buying the kits two years ago, I decided to get them built, mainly because with age and such a huge gap between when I did build kits, I was not prepared to have then sit un-built for ever. It took about a year to get 10 built and I simply direct debited $100 a month till the build cost was covered. It was easy and I did not notice it.

Now if only Auscision would allow this!

(Picture by Rob ORegan edited Mark Bau and found here Mark Baus VR Web site!
This is how I want my Ford train to eventually fill up :)

The Stawell Exhibition was 500 Kms away and I returned home after it in one long drive. Was good till I got to Glenrowan where I broke my oath never to visit a McDonalds store again, and purchased a cheeseburger and a huge cup of coffee. 10 minutes later I was ready to drive the last 112 km, and made it safely. Whose idea was it to let those bastards have a monopoly of the Highways in Australia?
No wonder everybody is looking obese!

On the way to the Exhibition, I explained to one of my "guests" (passengers) that all I really wanted was a  WABX. The Exhibition was huge!  And even though the Traders were limited to  1/3  of floor space their was a number of them there, and only End of the Line Hobbies had the wagon.
My guest who said he did not know what a WABX was ,was told it was a WAGR version of a VSX louvered van. That they ran on the gauge between Syney and Albury, and on the BG between Wolseley and Dynon. Oh! he says. After working my way around the hall my guest races up and tells me who has the vans I am looking for. When I get there, I find that he also had bought the only packet I was interested in. He almost walked the 200 km to his home :(

No way would I do that to a friend. And although I can live with it, I am not impressed. And the fix is to keep my mouth shut, but hell, you all know me, I guess :)
Cheers
Rod Young

2014_07_05 Building the branchline!

2014_07_05

Well the enthusiasm is still there and the body is doing what its told. Not as cold today, although raining again, Clouds only a hundred meters above and the Hills are out of site again.

But Trentham is now connected to the main line at Bowser. The track is down as are the main line points. Need to go back and install the Grain Silo when I build the kits and work out where the discharge / loading tracks need to be placed. Tomorrow I need to gather up the droppers and connect them to the bus, also wire in three more point motors and at least two switches.

Some pictures follow, as usual :)

The area towards the yellow capped bottles is reserved for grain hopper storage , need to add a point to connect in where the RH one is sitting.

Track runs through wall.

And enters the other section, ready to join the main BG line and head towards Bowser again.
That slope through the back drop actually looks wrong and I might have to smooth it out by lifting the ply a little this side of the wall.

Joining the Main BG which parallels the SG. Closest I got to running a train today :( Setting up the SG line to ensure enough room was left for it.
Track on the extreme left is the No 1 rd through Bowser (Code 70) with a passing siding No2 Rd to its right (code 70)
The next track is the BG Main Line (Code 75) and beside it will be the SG Main Line (Code 100)

The Shinoharo Code 70 is a pain to use, and should not be regarded as being flexible!

Took me a long time to get a 442 Class. This original production model was sold to me by a Club Member after I missed out on at least 12 of them on EBay.

 

The track becomes a little separated on the corner because of a pair of points placed around the bend which although in a wrong position, actually allowed the passing road to hold a standard train. Actually hated it until I laid the BG Main around it, and now it does look much better than it did.

 

Here is the point that caused the trouble. You can see the BG track has to sweep out to get around it.

The BG branck No1 track maintains 36 inch radius. The No2 road pinches down to 30 inch for a short time, but does reach 34 inch rad whilst the BG Main on the outside is at 36 inch and the SG Main 38 inch.

 

Looking over the three way point. Again the left trach enters the branch and you can see No2 track points towards the corner?

The BG Main Line through the middle roads and the Quarry siding  takes the right road and crosses the SG Main line, which will run up to the Bg and space 2 inches off the BG at the corner.

Well thats about it for tonight. Inside about 9.00 pm. A pretty solid day, with a couple of breaks to watch the Motor Races at Townsville ;)

Cheers

Rod

 

2014_07_04 (continues)

2014 July 4th at about 8.30pm Work ends for the day :)

set about 10 m of track after tweaking the roadbed, and mounted two points. Wired two more ready to plant tomorrow.  Track fixed down and insulated. Just need 10 pairs of droppers and the point motors installed, and lay another 6 m of track to connect in on the Bowser end.
Hopefully this will be working tomorrow.
I just ran a train in using jumper cables to get an idea of the grade and how it looks. I think I am really pleased with it :)

Cheers
Rod

2014 July 4 Happy 4th of July USA

2014 July 4  Happy Birthday Nanny Gertie! Always remembered.  Happy 4th of July USA

So the sun is out first time in what seems like weeks. Last night it was 2 C and right now its 12.8 C.
The solar panels started up again after being dormant for weeks.
putting out 2028 watts with today's total  (so far) 5.73 KW that's feeding 7.5 amps into the grid :D

But inside the shed things are moving. I now have all the 12 volt feeds in for my tortoise motors and all the loconet UP5's are externally powered. The Digitrax sysem worked last night without a hitch.

Had a sound decoder self destruct last night, first one that shorted out the system. Almost lost a Traino V/Line S Class as well. It got mighty warm by the time I found where the fault was. Unfortunately it was in a section protected with an indicator globe, not a circuit breaker type device. Will have to finish upgrading this old system :(

Got moving a little earlier this morning, and decided to put aside my problems with the servo motors until I can get an answer from Tam Valley.

In the meantime I have sorted out the bench work for the branch line extension.

Looking along No 1 Rd to the end of the line and towards the new work

Small adjustments to the road bed and awaiting the base to settle (glue dry)

This is the bit Al and I worked on last Friday. It now has a higher road bed screwed down, a pad for the wheat silos at right and is connected at both ends

In the middle distance you can see the temporary diversion track off to the right whilst the branch continues on straight and climbs on to the trestle.

The temporary track sits on the sceneryand will enter a tunnel in the back drop hidden in a hill.. When the diversion is no longer needed, I can pull the track and model an abandoned tunnel :D

The trestle can be finished now and permanently mounted in this position ;)

Just stepping back a little. The new point will go middle right hand side.

Now looking in the other Direction back towards Trentham. The grain Silo and associated track will fill in the area closest Trentham (where the rail is sitting)

Well I have had a late lunch, so back out in the shed, see if the glue has dried and perhaps lay some track :)
Cheers
Rod

2014_07_01 (Continues)

 2014_07_01

So what is next?
Al Jeeves and I cleaned up the end of the branchline a few days ago, and as promised I can now show what we are doing.
Am afraid it leads to another temporary connection, but it is all in a good cause. To allow me to get trains running, and test what has been laid. Then perhaps I can attempt a bit of scenery?

Ok  After all the prep work was done and the deck cleared and cleaned, and clutter already was starting to appear! I am designing the area allocated to a rather large Wheat Silo which will run along the backdrop.

Eventually the branch will continue to the left over the trestle to the terminal station at the end of the line. But for now a temporary line will be built over the flood plain and into a tunnel and back towards Bowser where it will become the main line until construction starts on the other half of the Railway

I decided to modify the track by raising it the thickness of the five ply. This will reduce the grade to the trestle and out of the station on the old layout in the distance. It does create a few extra problems though.

This is Bowser on the other side of the layout, and definitely marked for a clean up!
The track to the left enters the branch and the one to the right crosses the SG and enters Glen Rowan Quarry. Yes a bit of compression is used here :) The middle line will continue on as the main line into the other side of the room behind the wall shown in the next picture.

So with both BG and SG running along the wall into the other side eventually, I decided to improve running in the short term, by using the BG main line and swinging it to the left and through the backdrop.

And rejoining the branchline across the flats and via the dead ended siding of the new Silo? or maybe not? I will see if I can find another way. (of entering the branch)
Another stuff up? yes the backdrop was cut back to front I think :(

Cheers
Rod