Early construction of a simple 00 garage layout

Cool that is good. I'll continue then! Glad you like the colours too, I did it to amuse myself!

Class 101 to Cambridge waits patently for the line to clear at the recently installed signal protecting the line South of Teasel Bay. The signal is connected to the TrainTech DDC controller.



Added another run of fencing to protect the users from the station cutting. Got the knack of creating this fencing now, other than my finger being sore after drilling 100's of tiny holes in the matchsticks. Posts are drilled 2.5cm apart. More information on the fences can be found on here: http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=16071&forum_id=14



The completed fence running down to the station. Needs a little weathering to tarnish the wires etc but getting there.



View of the whole scene from the top of the bridge.



Eventually there will be a removable section hiding the storage area underneath. 

Farmer Jack has had a bad day, someone has left the gate open to his field and half his flock have escaped.  Once he has round them up he's off for a well deserved drrrrink!

I’ve taken the plunge and just ordered the Dapol track cleaning carriage from Hattons. I’m struggling to get the track in a good condition in the last month, with even the trusted DMU stalling! Does anyone else have one?

I’ve also built a little cradle from some scraps of plastic foam stuff which a protected a rack disk array for work. The locomotive fits in nicely so I can clean the wheels without breaking bits off…..


Hopefully I can get back to smooth running doom, takes all the fun out of it!

Finally getting on top of track cleaning, I'll do a separate update on this at some point.









Finished off the edging of the station wall.  Need to add some signage, benches etc.






Passenger eye view down the station.






Even some Teasel's (Google Image search) have started to sprout. Maybe Teasel will finally get a seaside soon!!!

I recently read an article about track cleaning - I think it was in Model Railroad Hobbyist.  In particular about the fluids we use.  It suggested that we use the wrong things, and suggested using electrical contact cleaners.  It went into the science of it - something about ions and bonding and stuff I don't really understand.

So… I asked my head of chemistry at school, and she confirmed that for electrical conductivity, things like Isopropanol Alcohol, or, indeed, the products sold as track cleaners would not be good for track cleaning over time. (We did  a quick search of popular ones and she checked out ingredients).  Again, she went into the science and I nodded wisely, although none the wiser, and she suggested WD40 electrical contact cleaner as a much better option.  Which was also on the list from MRH.  

She explained that anything will clean the track…. but we don't want clean track, we want clean conductive track, which is different.  I have ordered said WD40 contact cleaner, and suggest it here as something you might want to consider or research further.  Maybe it is something a few of us could try and report back.

Regards

Michael

Very interesting and good use of your contacts.
I don’t know why but my track got so bad that nothing would run more than a few centimetres! I guess I got a layer of dirt or glue or dust or all of the above on the track. It was so bad that I had to manually push the track cleaner/clean with the woodland scenic track cleaning brush thing around for an evening before a train would reasonably pull it. This is using the standard track cleaning products. It would be interesting to see how you get on. 

I am currently relying on the switch blade for power on the turnouts which at the moment seems unreliable and I either get a jolt or a stall on multiple switches.  I plan to drill and solder a dropper on to each soon to solve this issue. 

My locos seem to be unhappy as well. My Castle currently won’t run more than a wheels turn before stalling. I’m planning on buying the Peco wheel brushes to try and clean the wheels and contacts. 

Not much scenic progress recently, just maintenance!  Been a few evenings where I’ve given up with a few choice words!

Wheel cleaning will be the same principle, I guess.  Cleaner is due to arrive tomorrow.  I have a very awkward part of the quarter finished layout that needs cleaning, so I will give it a go in the next couple of days and feed back.  I've used everything, but still have a problem so I will see if it is the cleaner or, possibly more likely, my track laying.

I don't want to hijack this wonderful thread, so will start another, but just to clarify, there are polar and non-polar cleaning solutions.    Non polar solutions are good: they do not have a charge, it won't short out track, it is a good solvent for shifting grease and dirt, it is highly volatile so will evaporate quickly without leaving a residue and it repels water.  Polar solutions are pretty much the opposite - and IPA and other recommended track cleaning chemicals are all, ironically, polar solutions.
 
Michael

I have some electrical contact cleaner here called Censolve, looking at all the warnings on the can as Extremely Flammable and an Irritant warning users to wear gloves, eye protection and not to breath it in as it can cause drowsiness and dizziness I think I will stick to my trusty piece of hardboard used dry, and then apply my light graphite coating using a 6B pencil.

 :cool: :cool: :cool:

My office was binning some old computer bits and I managed to get hold of a touchscreen display, which is now my control panel for the layout. Controlling the trains and switching signals is easier than ever!

Pretty impressed with my freebie!

How cool is that!!!
:doublethumb


 The photos are great too, a lovely layout developing.


 Michael

Neat. 
Nigel

[user=1512]Headmaster[/user] wrote:

How cool is that!!!
:doublethumb


 The photos are great too, a lovely layout developing.


Michael

Sir, I think you might be Teasel Bays biggest fan! :doublethumb

Hahaha, I will make a badge!

Michael

No updates from Teasel Bay for a little while as I've been painting the hall stairs and landing…….  and having an affair with my other hobby





Normal service should resume shortly!

AV-8B or GR9 ?

Its a Spanish AV-8B from RIAT at the weekend.

Back to the trains..



I've finally managed to source a footbridge for Teasel Bay station, a second hand Hornby Skaledale platform bridge for £17 from eBay. Needs a bit of weathering but looks pretty good out of the box. Farmer Jack and his dog was the first users to watch some evening traffic…






Feel like the station is coming together now, need some signage and some benches etc but its getting there






At the rear I've started work building up the scenery to the upper level.  I'm building the land up so there is a slight cutting for the upper level.  This means when taking photos of the lower level, you won't be able to see the upper level.  This will help increase the views of the layout keeping it looking simple/county like but allowing me to run a second set of trains around the top (which will be a more modern feel).

Headmaster wrote:

I recently read an article about track cleaning - I think it was in Model Railroad Hobbyist.  In particular about the fluids we use.  It suggested that we use the wrong things, and suggested using electrical contact cleaners.  It went into the science of it - something about ions and bonding and stuff I don't really understand.

So… I asked my head of chemistry at school, and she confirmed that for electrical conductivity, things like Isopropanol Alcohol, or, indeed, the products sold as track cleaners would not be good for track cleaning over time. (We did  a quick search of popular ones and she checked out ingredients).  Again, she went into the science and I nodded wisely, although none the wiser, and she suggested WD40 electrical contact cleaner as a much better option.  Which was also on the list from MRH.  

She explained that anything will clean the track…. but we don't want clean track, we want clean conductive track, which is different.  I have ordered said WD40 contact cleaner, and suggest it here as something you might want to consider or research further.  Maybe it is something a few of us could try and report back.

Regards

Michael

 IPA is used industrially as ……electrical contact cleaner. Confusion starts if rubbing alcohol is used - it contains IPA along with lots of other chemicals such as camphor that get left on the rail and reduce conductivity. IPA is a polar chemical, better for cleaning than WD40 contact cleaner, which is formulated with heptane (definitely not polar) and …IPA. That lone pair of electrons in the hydroxyl group of IPA makes sure any hydrophilic or other polar molecules get picked up. Both work on oils and grease and do not leave chemical residues. Heptane does not usually attack paint. Track cleaning needs several goes to make sure muck is removed. Track cleaning should start before it is laid - the injection process leaves an oily residue and longitudinal scratches. 

Nigel

Nigel

You know those forum sites you visit when you've just pushed a button on your phone and the screen does something weird - the ones that have little boxes asking "Did you find the answer (a) helpful, (b) informative and © educational"?

I would give 3 big ticks to your last reply.

Many thanks

Barry