Point motors installed & working as they should




the bracket at the bottom of the photo is for the upper level to go in.

The Upper level.

I  have been a measuring & I reckon I can get at least 3 more long storage tracks in by going up from behind the MPD at Tawnton, across the end of the layout, over the top of Anstey Halt & have a 3 way point near the house wall so the tracks will be at least 5-6" high above some of the St David tracks..  
 

starting of the gradient with the blue line ( yes I know, typical artist, all over the place !)




Norton Halt will be on the MPD side of the existing track




climbing over Anstey Halt ( I even changed the building from a small station building to a Halt)




then over the existing storage with 3 tracks near the wall for storage and a small station, like Mynend, slewed at an angle to allow Charde Op to be in charge




If I can make the new station removable like Charde is and do not fully hide the existing base level storage, access if required should be OK.

The following may as well get posted here as compared to me creating a new Thread.


While I will still read most threads as a Mod & comment occasionally, posting by me about the D&S will cease for some time for the following 3 reasons:
1. doing an extension to the layout with additional storage sidings & another small station  as per the piost above re the Upper Level - I hope to remember to take photos.
2. a completely new paper operating system using individual cards/waybills creating more flexibility ( plus more work for me !!)
3. rewiring all electrically operated points (55 of) from dedicated CDU's; DCCconcepts Masterswitch & the Canadian PCB units to that of a single capacitor & diodes next to the solenoid & requiring just one wire back to the panels combined with LEDs to indicate point direction will be from the toggle switch, not a solenoid mounted accessory switch & dead frogs so a reduction from 4 wires to one. A lot of work but it will be simpler in the long run. At least 3 new panels required to replace the existing.

Just a quick posting to show the planned baseboards for the extensions.

In red - the dotted line indicates where I hope to be able to split the station so it can be lifted off.




 

Perhaps give periodic reports on progress, Ron?
Be a shame to miss out on our ration of D&S.

The gradient has started behind Tawnton MPD



around the corner over Norton Jn. The gap in the gradient baseboard is for a Truss bridge en-route from Walthers



and over Anstey Halt



gotta seal the joins with PVA or similar before track is pinned, etc  & paint the brackets the pale blue.

Between the start of the gradient to the bridge, it will be rock face, etc - after the bridge. I will, I think, just paint the wood edge either  pale blue
or a tan colour.



 

Top left (last pic) looks like flexitrack, Ron.
Will you be able to pin it securely with the gap between the supports?

Good to see it coming on - some ingenious woodwork there.

Yes Pete. Peco Code 100 flex & it will pin OK as I pre-drill with about a #70 drill & use Peco pins SL14 and gently tap them in.

Hi Ron.

I will watch with interest as I have been messing about with gradients on my layout and have not been entirely happy with the results. Some lessons I have learned is that gradients with curves can seriously affect the pulling power of locos, causing them to stop with wheel spin. It is worth checking all your trains move easily with the maximum load they are likely to pull. Ensuring DCC decoders have back EMF capability is very important to ensure smooth running. Finally having points on or near the gradient can cause a lot of problems as the weight of the train can distort the track slightly causing derailments. I hope it works for you. Looking at your gradient and curve, from the pictures it should be OK, but lots of trials before ballasting etc is recommended.

Bob

Very true Bob ; the first 330mm, it rises approx 12mm making it 1:27.5


Right, some test results  - all starting from a dead stop right after the frog as the gradient commences


A Bachmann Pannier with 3 Surburban coaches  - no problems   and a Bachmann Class 25 with the 3 coaches, a Queen Mary brake van & 19 Bachmann hoppers,  easily handled it.   The Class 37 that normally has the hoppers also had no problems with a standing start.


The expected  longest train that will go up the gradient, will be 7 coaches hauled by a 47 class or around 15 wagons by Class 24 upwards.
But I do have an advantage, if necessary, I can double head using DCC as I will be adjusting loco speeds to be the same.


Just tried 6 coaches & a Bachmann Class 47 makes the first grade & curve & then a straighter section of track where the bridge will be & not so steep, gives it a breather.

A Class 45 not so good but with double heading with a Class 25, no problems.


I will have to wait until I get the track around over Anstey Halt to see how it goes with 7 coaches.


 

Looks promising - and an excuse for some 'testing' too!

Bob

Bob, after much more testing with various loco types & quantities of wagons & coaches, and discussions with a couple of the operating crew, the idea of splitting passenger trains & sending each part off to a different destination has merit.

This overcomes the naturally steep gradient right at the start of the curve. That is the problem one finds when trying to adapt an existing plan without too much track removal!

7 coach trains will come into  the main station from storage, are then split into 4 & 3 coach trains - 4 going to  another storage location  with 3 up the hill to Newton Abbott .  Have to keep the staff gainfully employed at the main station!


This is what I get in trying to have an "operating" layout for a group of mates - if I wanted just to watch trains run around & around life would have been easier!

That's a realistic solution Sol. :thumbs

Have you got as far as thinking about the timetable for the new route ?  You'll have to allow enough time for the splitting ……….:hmm

You'd soon get bored just watching trains go round and round …………….:cheers

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

That's a realistic solution Sol. :thumbs

Have you got as far as thinking about the timetable for the new route ?  You'll have to allow enough time for the splitting ……….:hmm  working on that as I type - real good fun working them all out.

You'd soon get bored just watching trains go round and round …………….:cheers agreed

Before I get too carried away with the upper level, I have to do some track changes & related wiring alteraions in the  existing storage that will be underneath the high level
for example
the 3 way point with the horizontal piece of chalk will be removed & replaced by the point with the vertical piece of chalk

ending up like this

just one of the many changes to be undertaken.

Being involved on a new replacement point control panel on other part of the layout, the gradient & bridges had been delayed but now back into it.

This is what I  plan to use



while I can provide realistic supports at the left hand end & in the middle, the right hand end is a bit problematical




not sure what to do - the idea of some tunnels springs to mind over the 3 tracks ….thinking….

Looking at that last shot Sol, is there room between the two rear tracks for a wall ?  The rear track could be in a tunnel with the next one tight up to the embankment wall carrying the bridge track ……….:hmm

Alternatively, you could do what they do with the road underpasses here in France - a series of concrete pillars rather than a solid wall ……….:roll:

Thanks Peter, that is something to measure up.

Out of this chaos, hopefully a Phoenix will arise

Maybe extended concrete 'rafts' to meet pillars at a convenient site on that right hand side, Ron?

I have photos of the real thing somewhere but can't lay my hands on them at the minute.
Possibly on a monorail.