The Circle Line

A place for the discussion of garden railways and any garden style/scale portable and/or indoor layouts
DonW
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 261
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 12:57 pm
Location: West Somerset

Re: The Circle Line

Post by DonW » Sat Aug 10, 2019 8:08 am

you'll be needing a crossing keeper now. The gates really add to the line.

Don

User avatar
idlemarvel
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 1:59 pm

Re: The Circle Line

Post by idlemarvel » Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:14 am

DonW wrote: Sat Aug 10, 2019 8:08 am you'll be needing a crossing keeper now. The gates really add to the line.

Don
Thanks Don. A job for my grandson I think if I can wrest the driving control from him. :D
Dave Miller
currently building the 5" gauge Circle Line

User avatar
idlemarvel
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 1:59 pm

Re: The Circle Line

Post by idlemarvel » Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:11 am

tom_tom_go wrote: Fri Aug 09, 2019 9:06 am I still don't understand how you are going to connect the siding up but looking forward to seeing it when you do, I am sure it will become clear to me then!
Here is a picture of my newly acquired left hand 10' radius point (Maxitrak) placed on top of existing track to show how it connects up to the siding. I need to move the line of bricks to the left to make room for the point lever, but you can see I have allowed for that.
IMG_20190815_170502.jpg
IMG_20190815_170502.jpg (396.72 KiB) Viewed 6536 times
This "aerial" shot shows how lucky I was in my guesstimate of the curve radius. The point fits pretty much exactly over the existing curves. Even the end sleepers match up.
IMG_20190815_170538.jpg
IMG_20190815_170538.jpg (409.68 KiB) Viewed 6536 times
Just need to think how to make a point lever that little hands can manage, then I can slot the point in and add the siding panel, already prepared. Won't be for a few weeks though, this weekend and next are running days with family and then grandaughters birthday party, so I don't want to disturb the track right now, as it is running very well.:)
Dave Miller
currently building the 5" gauge Circle Line

DonW
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 261
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 12:57 pm
Location: West Somerset

Re: The Circle Line

Post by DonW » Fri Aug 16, 2019 1:52 pm

That looks just the business Dave. Regarding the lever if it operates too easily there could be a danger of it not holding tight or moving under a train. Not an issue if it is trailing but dodgey if facing. Ideally you could do with some kind of locking mech. I would be thinking of a lever against a quadrant with a pin though both t either end to lock it it place. I have seen something like that on US narrow gauge lines. Of course you could go to town and make a proper ground frame.

Don

User avatar
idlemarvel
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 1:59 pm

Re: The Circle Line

Post by idlemarvel » Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:09 pm

DonW wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2019 1:52 pm That looks just the business Dave. Regarding the lever if it operates too easily there could be a danger of it not holding tight or moving under a train. Not an issue if it is trailing but dodgey if facing. Ideally you could do with some kind of locking mech. I would be thinking of a lever against a quadrant with a pin though both t either end to lock it it place. I have seen something like that on US narrow gauge lines. Of course you could go to town and make a proper ground frame.

Don
Thanks for the useful points (hah!) regarding the lever, Don. I might make the lever a "dummy" so the grandkids can play with it but it doesn't do anything. The existing lever has a basic locking mechanism, not to stop you changing, it but to hold it in position.

Ride on Railways do a nice metal lever for 5" (in the foreground) and 7 1/4" which is lockable as you can see:

Image

Details here:http://www.rideonrailways.co.uk/accessories/page07.html
Dave Miller
currently building the 5" gauge Circle Line

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Re: The Circle Line

Post by tom_tom_go » Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:54 pm

Why don't you make the point sprung so it always resets so it is set for the siding (assuming you always go round the circle the same way).

DonW
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 261
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 12:57 pm
Location: West Somerset

Re: The Circle Line

Post by DonW » Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:52 pm

They look very nice and would do the job but I thought you might be going for something home brewed like your excellent signals. I hadn't realise the turnout included a locking mech, I had imagined a quadrant or semicircle of ply standing up from a base with the lever pivoted from the centre and using a peg into the ply to lock the lever in position. A simple rod from the lever would be attached to the operating arm.

Sprung or weighted turnouts can be useful but do have one problem you can stop with a train part way over the turnout against the spring or weight and reverse it. A friend has several on his 0 gauge garden line and people do it without thinking and are rather surprised to find the portion of train which had passed the blade tips taking a different route on reverse. Especially if you have a bogie vehicle doing the splits. Say you have sprung turnouts at each end of a passing loop and someone overshoots the end or starts off and then spots a train coming towards them. You cannot simply reverse.
Probably not such an issue on your line but I could see it being confusing for junior operators.

Don

User avatar
FWLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4262
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:45 am
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK

Re: The Circle Line

Post by FWLR » Sat Aug 17, 2019 7:38 am

Looks great your point Dave. Keep it simple on the lever though. Too complicated and you may end up with all sorts of hassle.... :banghead:

Running trains is supposed to be enjoyable.... :lol: :lol:

User avatar
idlemarvel
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 1:59 pm

Re: The Circle Line

Post by idlemarvel » Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:03 am

tom_tom_go wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:54 pm Why don't you make the point sprung so it always resets so it is set for the siding (assuming you always go round the circle the same way).
That's an excellent idea Tom. I might give that a try. I guess the trick is to get the tension in the spring strong enough to hold it open but not too strong to cause derailments. I should incorporate some kind of adjustment mechanism.
Dave Miller
currently building the 5" gauge Circle Line

User avatar
idlemarvel
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 1:59 pm

Re: The Circle Line

Post by idlemarvel » Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:09 am

DonW wrote: Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:52 pm They look very nice and would do the job but I thought you might be going for something home brewed like your excellent signals. I hadn't realise the turnout included a locking mech, I had imagined a quadrant or semicircle of ply standing up from a base with the lever pivoted from the centre and using a peg into the ply to lock the lever in position. A simple rod from the lever would be attached to the operating arm.

Sprung or weighted turnouts can be useful but do have one problem you can stop with a train part way over the turnout against the spring or weight and reverse it. A friend has several on his 0 gauge garden line and people do it without thinking and are rather surprised to find the portion of train which had passed the blade tips taking a different route on reverse. Especially if you have a bogie vehicle doing the splits. Say you have sprung turnouts at each end of a passing loop and someone overshoots the end or starts off and then spots a train coming towards them. You cannot simply reverse.
Probably not such an issue on your line but I could see it being confusing for junior operators.

Don
You are full of useful advice Don, thanks.
I would prefer to make my own point lever. Your comment about sprung points are sound but I don't think I'll ever have room for a passing loop and my trains will always be going clockwise except when they reverse into the siding. I'll ponder this for a week or two but I do like the idea of a sprung point.
Last edited by idlemarvel on Sat Aug 17, 2019 1:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Dave Miller
currently building the 5" gauge Circle Line

DonW
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 261
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 12:57 pm
Location: West Somerset

Re: The Circle Line

Post by DonW » Sat Aug 17, 2019 1:20 pm

Dave

you may find a weighted point easier to do and adjust. A bell crank mounted in the vertical plain with the operating arm attached to the high end and a weight attached to the low end. A train passing through in the trailing direction will push the open point blade against the stock rail which will cause the weight to lift as each wheel has passed the weight will re-open the blade. It works on my friends O gauge layout and I know there was a weighted catch point at Doglellau to catch any runaways coming down the hill towards the platform

Here is a US example https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_ ... apolis.jpg

User avatar
idlemarvel
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 1:59 pm

Re: The Circle Line

Post by idlemarvel » Sat Aug 17, 2019 1:29 pm

DonW wrote: Sat Aug 17, 2019 1:20 pm Dave

you may find a weighted point easier to do and adjust. A bell crank mounted in the vertical plain with the operating arm attached to the high end and a weight attached to the low end. A train passing through in the trailing direction will push the open point blade against the stock rail which will cause the weight to lift as each wheel has passed the weight will re-open the blade. It works on my friends O gauge layout and I know there was a weighted catch point at Doglellau to catch any runaways coming down the hill towards the platform

Here is a US example https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railroad_ ... apolis.jpg
Thanks Don, nice idea, even better when there is a prototype for it :)
Dave Miller
currently building the 5" gauge Circle Line

User avatar
idlemarvel
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 1:59 pm

Re: The Circle Line

Post by idlemarvel » Sat Aug 17, 2019 1:38 pm

As if the new point wasn't enough excitement, I got my new carriage and have had a chance to test it with and without passengers.
IMG_20190815_170353.jpg
IMG_20190815_170353.jpg (339.84 KiB) Viewed 6345 times
Here is is with loco and driving truck/open wagon.
IMG_20190815_170414.jpg
IMG_20190815_170414.jpg (371.35 KiB) Viewed 6345 times
It needs the trim painting and logo, 1st and 3rd class lettering and a few other embellishments. I'm going for GWR livery.
Dave Miller
currently building the 5" gauge Circle Line

DonW
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 261
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 12:57 pm
Location: West Somerset

Re: The Circle Line

Post by DonW » Sat Aug 17, 2019 4:58 pm

Oooh! that looks nice. GWR livery will suit it. I may have to stop following this thread or I will not be able to resist 5inch gauge.

Don

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Re: The Circle Line

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Aug 17, 2019 5:21 pm

Join us (in a zombie toned voice)...

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Re: The Circle Line

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Aug 17, 2019 5:22 pm

When I sprung my points in 16mm scale I just used electrical wire placed under the track as a tension rod.

User avatar
Busted Bricks
Trainee Driver
Trainee Driver
Posts: 750
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 9:16 pm
Location: Denmark
Contact:

Re: The Circle Line

Post by Busted Bricks » Sat Aug 17, 2019 11:30 pm

tom_tom_go wrote: Sat Aug 17, 2019 5:21 pm Join us (in a zombie toned voice)...
Tempted but would probably go 7 1/4" if that were the case. I have close to 2.5 acre land to build on. Affording track would be an issue but I would probaly weld it up from rectangular lengths of steel. Then there is the lack of spare time.....

User avatar
FWLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4262
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:45 am
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK

Re: The Circle Line

Post by FWLR » Sun Aug 18, 2019 7:00 am

Nice coach there. Looks the part. :thumbright:

DonW
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 261
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 12:57 pm
Location: West Somerset

Re: The Circle Line

Post by DonW » Sun Aug 18, 2019 8:03 am

Although we have the room the ground slopes quite steeply.

Don

User avatar
idlemarvel
Trainee Fireman
Trainee Fireman
Posts: 136
Joined: Tue May 28, 2019 1:59 pm

Re: The Circle Line

Post by idlemarvel » Sun Aug 18, 2019 10:00 am

DonW wrote: Sun Aug 18, 2019 8:03 am Although we have the room the ground slopes quite steeply.

Don
That would be a problem. It's hard enough work laying 5" track on the flat, to have to build embankments and cuttings as well would be a tremendous amount of time and labour if you were doing it, or money if you contracted it out.
Dave Miller
currently building the 5" gauge Circle Line

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests