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Re: The Circle Line

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

Don

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:14 am
by idlemarvel
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

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:11 am
by idlemarvel
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
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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 6537 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.:)

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 1:52 pm
by DonW
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

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:09 pm
by idlemarvel
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

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:54 pm
by tom_tom_go
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).

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2019 8:52 pm
by DonW
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

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 7:38 am
by FWLR
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:

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:03 am
by idlemarvel
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.

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 9:09 am
by idlemarvel
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.

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 1:20 pm
by DonW
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

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 1:29 pm
by idlemarvel
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 :)

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 1:38 pm
by idlemarvel
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
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Here is is with loco and driving truck/open wagon.
IMG_20190815_170414.jpg
IMG_20190815_170414.jpg (371.35 KiB) Viewed 6346 times
It needs the trim painting and logo, 1st and 3rd class lettering and a few other embellishments. I'm going for GWR livery.

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 4:58 pm
by DonW
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

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 5:21 pm
by tom_tom_go
Join us (in a zombie toned voice)...

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 5:22 pm
by tom_tom_go
When I sprung my points in 16mm scale I just used electrical wire placed under the track as a tension rod.

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sat Aug 17, 2019 11:30 pm
by Busted Bricks
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.....

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2019 7:00 am
by FWLR
Nice coach there. Looks the part. :thumbright:

Re: The Circle Line

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

Don

Re: The Circle Line

Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2019 10:00 am
by idlemarvel
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.