Teasel Bay
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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!
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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.
Last edit: by TeaselBay
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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!
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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!!!
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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
Last edit: by Headmaster
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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!
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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
Last edit: by Headmaster
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:cool: :cool: :cool:
Last edit: by Campaman
Cheers
Andy
Andy
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Pretty impressed with my freebie!
Last edit: by TeaselBay
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:doublethumb
The photos are great too, a lovely layout developing.
Michael
Last edit: by Headmaster
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Nigel
©Nigel C. Phillips
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Sir, I think you might be Teasel Bays biggest fan! :doublethumbHow cool is that!!!
:doublethumb
The photos are great too, a lovely layout developing.
Michael
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Michael
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Normal service should resume shortly!
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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).
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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.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
Nigel
©Nigel C. Phillips
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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
Shed dweller, Softie Southerner and Meglomaniac
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