Petermac's Railway

You are moving along very well Peter. Good to see it all taking shape now. You have certainly made a great job of integrating Pudding Lane into the rest of the layout. If that left hand tunnel is proving to be too much of a hassle, you might try replacing it with a slightly larger diameter pipe. The one I used is close to scale for the diameter, but the bend is of course, much too tight.

As an alternative, I wonder if you have enough room to make that end of the underground loop with a larger radius curve and then reduce the bend on the pipe?

Watching with interest. I trust you will invite us all over for a play when you have trains running???

Thanks Geoff - I'm quite pleased with the way it's all going - although I say it myself. :thumbs

I've sorted that troublesome tunnel. ;-)

From what I could make out, there were 2 problems. 

Firstly, some of the paper lining was coming away - probably some damp from somewhere when it was in storage here.  I stuck that down OK with Evostick (or UHU - don't remember which)

The other problem I think was, as you say, the very tight clearances within the tunnel. 

I think the bottom of the outer archway wasn't sitting down on the base tight enough and the train was catching it half way through the tube. 

I solved that by cutting away the bottom outer pipe and re-attaching it with hot melt higher up the white foamboard edging. The flexi-tube now has the inner face as was but the outer face is cut away almost to where you'd cut the hole to see the signal. 

This has effectively increased the tunnel diameter although it's hardly noticable from the viewing position.  She runs through it perfectly now - at least she did when I last ran it a few days ago …………I've done some more woodwork on the baseboards since then ……….hope I didn't bump anything :roll::roll:

My next challenge with Pudding Lane, should I choose to accept it, is to make up a longer "umbilical" from the "set" to the "box of tricks" so I can bring it to the front of the layout - that beam is starting to hurt ………….:???:    Looking at it, there are lots of connections so I may not bother.

Wow, running that lot will be fun - trams, underground  and mainline will be exciting. I have enough trouble with just a double track and a few junctions. I assume the trams and underground will run on an automatic/timer basis. It would be a good project to set up I should think.

Bob

Yes Bob, I hope both the tube and trams will be semi-automatic.

The underground is already virtually there.  It has an option for "continuous running" where everything just goes round and round although the sound synchronisation doesn't work in "continuous" mode.  You still get all the noises and flashes, but not in time with the train.

Pressing the red bell push on the front of the module sets off the timed automatic sequence.

The station lights come on, the train sets off from the rear of the module, blue lights simulate arcing in the tunnel and the sound of a tube train is heard approaching. There's a fan that blows a (yet to be fitted) bit of tissue paper fixed to the station entrance - just like the draught from the real thing.  Then the train slows to a halt with the associated humming sounds of the electric generators and various indecipherable announcements. 

That infamous "Mind the Doors" echoes through the station, the signal in the tunnel changes from red to green and the train departs - again accompanied by the "rumble" of tube trains in tunnels and blue flashing from the arcing "live" rail.  Although I don't yet have one, a second train would then repeat most of the process on the second platform before the system shuts down to "re-charge" for the next run.

I wish I could say I'm clever to have devised it all but every scrap of credit goes to Geoff R (of Mangarth fame) - the "electronics genius" and builder of the module from whom I bought it.

The trams will not be anything like as clever but, if I can get overhead power collection to work well enough, it's a simple "mechanical" operation (more my scene) to get a tram to stop and then be triggered off again by a second tram bringing up the rear - and so on.  Otherwise, I could perhaps learn about electronic timers and "halt" modules ………..:roll::roll::roll:

The overland will be me …………………….:cheers:cheers

 Otherwise, I could perhaps learn about electronic timers and "halt" modules ………..:roll::roll::roll:

Many moons ago, I wanted a circuit that would gradually dim the lights in my bird room, as some of the canaries and the Chinese Painted Quail would get in a right state if 'sunset' happened abruptly.

After much head scratching and a few 'sploded' power I devised a foolproof method involving a length of catapult elastic,  two small paint-tins for sand, a box with a sliding lid [think big pencil box]an old flat-iron, a brass toggle-type light switch, a sash pulley and a length of knotted cod-line.

Method….

Swap the empty bucket for the full one thus pulling on the switch and raising the shutter on the box wherein lay the 40 Watt bedtime light. Allow the sand to run through the hole in the bucket [filling the empty one on the floor beneath] causing the shutter to slide down, the switch to eventually click off under the weight of the flat iron…..

So? Your railway room is quite high up and I am envisaging Maxmill Tramways Corp controlled by a length of nylon line, rove through several pullies to a weight out of the window together with a series of toggle switches tied to the main line at appropriate points……..

I have to go now, as the nurse has told me to take my little yellow pill and drink my nasty medecine……

Doofer[Emmet]Dog

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

My next challenge with Pudding Lane, should I choose to accept it, is to make up a longer "umbilical" from the "set" to the "box of tricks" so I can bring it to the front of the layout - that beam is starting to hurt ………….:???:    Looking at it, there are lots of connections so I may not bother.

Do you just want to move the main control box, Peter?

If so, all you need is an extension lead between the two halves of this connector:-




If you tell me what length you need, I will make one up and send it to you.

Doug - I'm studying your idea.  I'm sure it must have some merit - if only I was a canary or a painted quail (does it only work on Chinese quail and would knotted haddock line work as well ?)………..:hmm

Geoff, it is just the control box I'd like to move.  If you're serious about making one for me, that would be fantastic. :pathead:pathead

I'll measure it up tomorrow and let you know. :cheers  Do you still have the wiring plan available or should I identify those too ?

Fascinating.

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

Geoff, it is just the control box I'd like to move.  If you're serious about making one for me, that would be fantastic.
I'll measure it up tomorrow and let you know.   Do you still have the wiring plan available or should I identify those too ?

Yes, I am serious. I do have the wiring plan still, but it is not really necessary as it is just a one to one connection needed across a pair of matching plugs and sockets. I know that I have used different size and colour wires, but I can make the umbilical universal - a bit like a mains extension lead, but with more wires!

I completed the woodwork and laid some track on "Maxmill Bank" today - the link between the high level "Town" area and the lower level circuit which incorporates Chocolate Pudding Lane.

The extreme right hand track is fixed as is the right hand "Y" point.  The next left is fixed to within a yard of the "Y" but I need a large diamond crossing before I can join it all up.  The two tracks on the left are just there to see how the curve looks going off to the low level circuit.  The missing sleepers at the joints will be replaced with dummys when I'm happy with everything.




I've had a Class 47 and 6 Pullman coaches up the bank without it even  realising it's not level.  The grade is a tad over 1 in 80.  The curves  are slightly tighter than I'd hoped and in the odd place, are down to  3ft radius but in the main, it's a 4ft radius on the bank.

Charging along now, Peter.  :thumbs

Are those spaces between the right of way and the edge of the framework going to be hillsides?

Yes Max.  The idea is to have a river between the two routes then exiting baseboard left under the left hand route - I have a vision of some low-lying land (the flood plain) with the tracks on bridgework "stilts" then a "proper" bridge over the river.  A wier will create a head of water to drive a corn mill.  Some of the "Bank" tracks will be on the edge of cliff-like terrain with the river in the bottom.

At least that's the plan ……………

It's going to be spectacular, Peter.
You may have problems finding the right shaped 'diamond' but you can always cut them I suppose.

Thanks DD.

According to the Peco track design possibilities on the back of their paper templates, this junction is made up of 2 x large "Y" points and a long diamond.  Until I get the diamond, I don't know exactly how it will work out - hence not fixing the second "Y" nor any of the other 3 tracks yet.  As it is, there's only 1 track and 1 "Y" fixed in place.

I suppose I could print off the paper templates and see how it looks (good thinking !!! :roll::roll::roll:).

We'll see ………………………..:roll::roll:

The peco templates are reasonably accurite Peter. Remember when I built most of potters before I laid any track …… ;-)

ps. I herd that a certain pair of A4s from overseas are due to arrive at shildon next week.:cool:

Boy Peter, that is looking great. Don't suppose you could work in a small waterfall anywhere.  :lol:

Wayne

[user=22]Wayne Williams[/user] wrote:

Boy Peter, that is looking great. Don't suppose you could work in a small waterfall anywhere.  :lol:

Wayne

Thanks Wayne. :thumbs

I'm waiting for you to do your Niagara before I do mine ……….:roll::roll::roll:;-)

I have an idea to have a rock face at the far end (where the two levels cross) with a waterfall coming down the face at the start of the river. The river would be fairly shallow at that point - a sort of "babbling brook" with lots of stones and boulders in the bed before being backed up by the mill wier :hmm

Perhaps not very prototypical of a UK scene - more in line with your side of the pond - but it might look good.  I'll read your tutorial when you've done yours ……………:cheers 

[user=1084]Westcoast[/user] wrote:

The peco templates are reasonably accurite Peter. Remember when I built most of potters before I laid any track …… ;-)

ps. I herd that a certain pair of A4s from overseas are due to arrive at shildon next week.:cool:

That must be "Dwight D" and "Dominion of"  Dave ……..:roll::roll:

Unfortunately, I'm not over until later in the month.  How long are they staying at Shildon ?  Surely they'll also make a visit to York.

With any luck, I might get to see them somewhere ………………:cool wink

Thats the ones Peter. Im sure I read somewhere they were due to be painted. Also due at shildon next month is restreamlined dutchess of hamalton. :cool:

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