G`day Marty,

Cracking stuff going on there and superb pics of the loco :thumbs:thumbs. I agree also that it doesn`t look like N gauge….it appears much larger.

:cheers  gormo

[user=1505]toto[/user] wrote:

another cracking scene with the western. looks well used and abused.:thumbs

Just for you Tom!




G'day Sol and Gormo… glad you like it …. more to come.






Part of a discussion on how to cut away the webbing between the sleepers held earlier in this topic I've settled on what works best for me.

That is using a razor saw to cut through the webbing down to the rail, I can easily feel through the saw when the plastic gives way to the rail and stop.











After cutting the webbing on both sides the craft knife blade is used to chisel the tab of plastic out. Easy, and no chance of over cutting.










cheers

Marty

I'm with the others. I completely forget that this is N gauge which to me just speaks volumes on how such detail can be achieve at that scale. Really tremendous.

Cheers

Toto

agree with all, I like the G W R  hat , kool:doublethumb

:thumbs;-):cool:

Thanks Tom… and Owen!

The hat was a Christmas present from SWMBO (lover 'er to bits) a modern replica (apparently the badge isn't authentic but I don't care it shows people what I model) and as the last avatar photo was over five years old it was about time for an update. Blowed if I know where all that white came from! Sigh.
Never mind, the hearts still young(ish)!

The debacle with building the Llandyfriog Junction plank upside down (pg 58) was really disheartening and knocked the mojo into the stands for a while. Then work got manic for a while and the whole thing sat in the workshop gathering dust.
Pottering and winding down in the workshop a few weekends ago there was one of those "Oh why not" moments and the dust was blown off, a cutting disc was put into the power drill and the supporting rails underneath the plank were attacked.

2 seconds later a filter mask and safety goggles went on, sleeves were done up, hat went on, MDF…. brother, does that stuff get EVERYWHERE.

The two long side rails came off with the disc, slow and steady and reasonably straight.
The remaining cross braces came of with a chisel and a few light taps. PVA glued you see. No screws or nails.
Then, over went the plank and out came the PVA again.




Side rails clamped on and glue drying.

The Llandyfriog junction track plan was printed out on several sheets of A4 from Anyrail, sticky taped together and glued onto the plank. Below the plank is resting in place on the track that will eventually be removed. Points and stock strategically positioned to check how it looks. Looks good to me!




The advantage of the plank is that it can be constructed off the board, flipped for doing electrics and trains can still run on the old line.
A couple of coats of modge podge went on last night to seal the MDF, 3 points have been wired up and on we go.
Mainline points and track will be positioned next and then the double slip (that'll be fun…. I hope.)

cheers to all…
Marty

Some progress today while waiting for the carpenter to fix our front door.

The first two points are on the board and the SEEP point motors are wired up, one has been lined up and screwed down and the other should also be fixed by the end of the day.





Some time ago there was some discussion about using what I call "punch down blocks" instead of chocolate blocks to connect wiring. I found one in the electronics bits pile, the white block in the bottom left of the photo and although it's a bit chunky it has potential. I just can't find my proper punch down tool!? I do have a cheap version that might do the trick but I'm unhappy about misplacing the proper one. Mind you, there hasn't been a need for it for 8 years.

Cheers

Marty

Hi Marty,

I have used these blocks when I worked for British Telecom. " krone strips " we call them and the wires are connected using a Krone tool.
I had thought about these before and raised a thread on the subject but the wires that they accept are only really heavy enough for the likes of very short runs due to the potential for volts drop. Ideal for Cobalts etc as they only require milliamperes to operate them.

Hope you find your tool ( forgive the expression ).

Cheers

Toto.

Thanks Tom,

I plan on keeping those lines short. We shall see. Thinking of dispensing with the Krone block and just soldering the feed lines straight to the power bus.

Anyway, a day off today and it's eyes down… At track level getting the alignment right on the Llandyfriog Junction main lines.





The aim is to get all track down today. Reality may interfere with the goal, as will Mouse who is insisting on lap time!





Cheers

Marty

Lookin` Good Marty,

I like your considered approach to things…….planning is everything I reckon.!!

On the subject of those wire connectors……I would dispense with them and solder straight to the bus. The less joins the better and only use connectors where absolutely necessary ie….between baseboards if the boards need to be removable or transportable.
:cheers Gormo

Yeah, that's my thoughts too Gormo. The idea is to make replacing failed point motors easier.

In the seven years that I've been building this layout I think I've replaced one motor, if that. If I do need to replace a motor… I'll work it out.


Progress is being made, albeit without strict adherence to the paper track plan. Either the first cross over wasn't lined up quite right with the plan or the anyrail point templates aren't quite true to the real thing… I'm punting on the former… However I'm adapting of course. There should be enough flexibility at the extremities of the plank to join up with the existing track.

Using the small screws to fix down the track allows for this flexibility to a certain extent. The plate laying crew are confident of a result.





The critical aspect for me is getting a smooth flow of track.

Time for a cup of tea and a sandwich then back into it.

Marty

Hi Marty , the look on your cats face is the same one I get ( sometimes times 3 ! ) " What do you mean you've got to move ". Great to see the mojo is back :thumbs

My problem is lack of time at the moment   :roll:

Hi Matt,

Yes, she's very good with "the look" and if you ignore that it's a claw in the goolies or thigh… Moving often isn't an option. She has her own chair in the layout room, it was the only way to keep her off mine! Hers is the chair closest to the heater.

Luckily, once pats have been administered she'll curl up on it and sleep the day away as long as I don't leave the room for too long.

The downside is that cat hair has to be removed from the workings of locos occasionally.

Yup, Mojo returned, partly because there is a little more time now that work is a bit quieter and partly because nephew is due in a couple of months and there should be some progress to show and test.

Sounds like your busy, hope that's a good thing.

Marty

G`day Marty,
As you know I used XtrackCad to print my full size track plan and then glued it down like you have done with the ANYRAIL version.
I found that it was slightly out, which doesn`t become completely obvious until you`ve stuck a good deal of it down.
I don`t know if it`s the program or the computer or the printer or a combination of all three. A number of checks and re-checks were done at the time to no end result or explanation.
Therefore as 95% of it seemed to be lining up pretty much as I wanted it, I accepted the fact and fudged the rest.
I have concluded that if any part of the process is out by 1 or 2 mm, which is not noticeable over a short distance, by the time you`ve stuck down 10 feet or more of plan, you can be out by 10 to 20mm.
So the full size plan is an excellent guide to track laying as long as you prepare for some minor corrections along the way.

:cheers  Gormo

G'day Gormo,

Yup, as long as it's close I'm happy to fudge the rest… Just… Got…to… Let… It…go…. Something I have to do in the day job on a regular basis.

What do you mean you can't weld the beams together at 137.1342 deg angle? I can draw it in CAD!

Well I didn't get all the track down, this is the state of play at stumps, just starting to drill the wiring holes for the double slip, more than half way I reckon… And tomorrow's another day.






You can see how much it doesn't match the plan, but then no plan survives contact with the enemy.


Cheers

Marty

it is not the plan that`s out Marty,reckon you should have gone to specsavers mate,the first point is off and the line from it is curved to the top point,blimey mate I am half a world away and I can see it,:pedal
:thumbs;-):cool:

 Never knew specsavers were track layers ? You live and learn !    Yeah Marty  just busy atmo and trying to clear the decks so I can go and give mum a hand next week so layout progression on hold  ( not that it was going that fast in the first place) + Tom has been on at me to get a thread open lol. Too many tasks and nae time ! :cool:

[user=1698]Silver fox[/user] wrote:

it is not the plan that`s out Marty,reckon you should have gone to specsavers mate,the first point is off and the line from it is curved to the top point,blimey mate I am half a world away and I can see it,:pedal
:thumbs;-):cool:

Great eyes Owen

:lol::lol:  My excuse is that the curve is following the bank of the river… It had to after that first point wasn't quite straight. :roll:

However, everything flows quite smoothly and if it's not parallel to the baseboard edge it is a win.

Cheers

Marty

Hope it all settles down for you Matt.

Just start a topic, a couple of words and a picture as a place holder and you'll be surprised how quickly it will take off.

Cheers

Marty

A couple of hours work this morning has seen all of the track in place.

Point motors need to be fitted for the left hand at the bottom of the page and for both switches on the double slip.

Then droppers to each bit of track.

Then bus wires and connecting droppers…

… And so on… But it's a big step forward for the NE branch.





Cheers

Marty

come good Marty,I see what you mean now nice flow,you certainly crack on too,
:thumbs:thumbs;-):cool: