Jump to content

FAULCONWOOD AND SPRINGBRIDGE RAILWAY.


cleanerg6e
 Share

Recommended Posts

I should say Tony, that extra boosters are only required when you have a lot of locos running at once. That is running, not standing in stations, sidings or loops. The single booster in the command station would be unable to constantly send the packets of data to the decoders in locos actually running hence the need for extra boosters. But if you have only three or four locos running at once then the booster in the command station should suffice.

When the command station sends the packets of data to the decoder in a loco or locos it sends it constantly not just once or every time you turn of nob or push a button on your throttle. So if you're controlling a loco and it's doing 30mph the command station is telling the decoder in that loco every 200 millionth of a second to move at 30mph. If your approaching a level crossing and you want a long loud whistle the command station tells the decoder to do exactly that at 200 millionth of a second. This is what makes DCC so successful.

Roy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 551
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Hi Roy, finding out more and more on DCC, its the amps on the locos on how many you can have running at one time before adding a boaster AMP, I always thought especially with Digitrax could run 120 cabs with NCE following behind with 63 cabs, it is good then all I will need is the one 5 amp trannie to start off with, Lens can only run 31 cabs

When the time does come I will have get hold of decoders that will run on both systems like my Bachman DD40AX 6900 with DCC on board does, will take some time change all my loco fleet over and four of my locos have duel motors in them.

http://www.tonystrains.com/productcompare/offthecuff.htm

Finely raining at last, not going to get the rain they say we are supposed to be getting, be back into the layout construction next week, buying three rolls of that Javis grass matting from a QLD eBay shop for the Tehachapi loop tunnel nine module, going to use either double sided tape or blue tack to glue down the matting on the sides of the of the cutting in case I have to get to the track wiring .

How is your layout going any progress I have been active on the other forum you were on.

Tony.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Tony, "cabs" refers to throttles not locos. An NCE throttle here cost $300.00 so if you were to have 63 NCE throttles that would be in the region of 20K :o

I'm making slow progress but at least I'm progressing. Once I've finished the track laying on this bit I'll upload a load of photos. Getting the ballast to adhere to the Hebel blocks is proving a bit of a trouble. What I thought was good wasn't so good as the blocks act like a sponge. As fast as I put the water/glue mix on the blocks soak it up. I'm going to try the Hebel adhesive and see if it works better than rapid drying cement. I'll find some way of doing it but it will take time. :idea:

It's not good asking the Hebel people as they'd say to cement render the blocks which would mean I'd be unable to pin the track to them.

Roy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

roddy said:

Have you tried priming the blocks with waterproof PVA glue and letting it dry before ballasting? That might seal them enough to allow your water/glue mix to stick properly.

Yes Roddy I have a friend who lives in Diggle (what a funny name) UK who said the same thing in using SBR PVA which I understand is an up market type of PVA. Unfortunately we don't have SBR here.

There is one good thing about putting track onto the blocks and that's that the pins I'm using (which are Hemline Bridal and Lace pins and are nickel silver coated brass and available from haberdashery shops) are easily extracted from the blocks although they are much longer than common track pins and are 25mm in length. Once it fines up again I'll coat a spare block in neat "Prep" PVA which is white but with a blue tinge to it.

Here's two photos one of the PVA glue the other of the pins.

The glue will adhere to timber, concrete, brickwork, ceramic, glass, wallpaper, canvas and most metals and some plastics eg: styrene foam.

I'm also using a rapid set concrete/ballast/PVA/metho mix.

Roy.

001.JPG

002.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Roy, how did you go with that Prep glue, had a look on the net and at the moment the closest place to get in here in QLD is in Southport Gold Coast, where did you buy it from, wonder if Bunning stock the glue.

The big question is how do you judge the mixing of the wood glue with water and they say a drop of detergent , will be a first time for me, using sand for the dirt roads on the module,at least the roads aren't very wide.

Bought some javis grass matting from a eBay seller in QLD arrives mid week, so I can finely get stuck into finishing the Tehachapi loop tunnel 9 module, planning to have a few trees also, then I can move onto finishing off the whole spiral loop and nail down the track and wiring, never ending.

That's not a bad price $300, so you haven't got the 63 cab NCE DCC.

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well Tony I'm mixing rapid drying cement with the Prep glue. The glue can be bought at Mitre 10 stores. Selley's has the adhesive shelves at Bunnings. Prep glue is made in Milperra NSW.

There is nothing scientific about the glue to water ratio, near enough is good enough for me. I use Mentholated Spirits rather than washing up detergent. Naturally at the present time I can't do anything because of the long overdue rain we're having.

I only have two throttles as I only have two hands.

Roy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The current trend here in the US is to use clear painters caulk to glue track down. It holds it, yet maintains flexibility. If you do not use too much it is possible to pry the track up if you need to move it. The idea is to use a spatula to smooth it out before setting the track.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Roy, you sure are copping more of rain than what we got some areas more than other, all we got was 40mm's be ready there is more coming a band of rain coming in on Thursday staying for a lot longer , sure need as you say.

Mixing that glue with rapid cement, what does that do make it set quicker and stronger.

I was going through your post yesterday and came across a plant, looks like a Hydrangea , biggest I have every seen, can't grow them up here too hot and humid, great idea with the gazebo giving you some shade while working outside.

Not many Mitre 10 stores, up my way will have check them out on line, my other hobby is wood turning and need a good strong glue to glue spindles on a wood blank that you are turning into a bowl or platter, I like turning pens, great gift got ten to turn for my Uncle's and Aunties, you buy the pens in kits, resin ones are the nicest, that is what the purple pen is resin, nice to turn.

Had a bit left over if front of the pens, the pens a twist stile pen can get other stiles and different coloured resin blanks, I am after the ones that have the sparkle in them, about $8 a blank , thanks to the cheap Chinse ones hitting the market, not worth it trying to sell them.

Tony

railway%20construction%20003.JPG

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I found I must get the glue cement ratio right. More cement than glue or ballast.

The Hydrangea is a special variety. It was in the garden when i bough the place and above it was an enormous cooking apple tree that died and it took 6 weeks for the stump to burn out underground too. As you can see the flower heads can be huge and as much a 1ft across.

Here's a photo taken on garden shed curve.

post-19545-0-49345800-1371443582 MR 1000.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've reached a stage in my extension in which I must consider how I'm going to get the Hornby Skaledale tunnel mouths to adhere to the Hebel blocks.

I have an adhesive which has on it "adheres to concrete" but naturally it mentions nothing about adhering resin to concrete.

So any suggestions? :idea:

Roy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No More Nails or something similar. This adhesive comes under a variety of names here in the UK, sometimes called Builders Adhesive on TV shows. I have stuck ceramic toilet bowls to stone floor tiles with it. Be patient as it takes 24 hours to cure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I too Roddy was thinking something like that. There are adhesives in the Selleys range here and one is a Landscape adhesive. So I'll give that a try. My tunnel mouths will be higher than is normal because I will want to run my camera auto coach through the tunnels and it's outside the OO loading gauge.

I'm taking photos of my progress as I go so I'll have lots to upload in the future.

Roy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have found an adhesive to use on the Hebel blocks and it's called Fuller Ultra Clear Flexible Sealant....oddly enough. I got the idea after looking at the Sandstone Termite railway website which is a garden railway constructed here in Sydney.

The trouble with the Hebel adhesive is that it comes in 20kg bags and once opened it needs to be used in one application. If not and you only use a small amount the rest goes "off" and is useless.

Roy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Roy is that what the tunnel ends are called tunnel mouths, I have finely got stuck back into finishing off the Tehachapi loop tunnel 9 module, still more work a head, quite happy with the way the tunnel mouths came up, had to paster them as the screws stood out like a sore thumb.

Not all that happy with the Javis grass mating all the stuff is coming off will have to get more of the grass sprinkle stuff and wasn't easy to put on but at least the way I have glued the matting on can come of with easy, used that paper tape, will see how it turn out once I add the stuff you use for small bushes and weeds,posted the pics the progress pics o my post.

OH well I wont need to send that link of the bloke you are taking about, funny that I found his link on looking for that adhesive, wonder if you can use it on bird baths, thanks to a cat next door, it

jumped up trying to get the lorikeets while they were having a bath and broke it, I had to turn the base stand around to give it a new lease of life, you guessed he did it again, we have all sorts of native birds come in or a bath in clouding King parrots.

A pity he models 0 gauge wonder if we can get him to join the forum.

With that pic you took I saw a post with the bracket on are you planning to extend the layout, between the fence and garden shed, looking good.

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I needed some more Prep super PVA glue and so I went to Mitre 10 at Blackheath which turned out to be a junk shop and although Prep in Sydney said that their glue can be bought at Mitre 10, this store said they don't stock it and have never heard of it.

So I went to Home Hardware at Leura. Yes they have Prep in 100ml,500ml,1 litre and more. They also stock the Fuller adhesive and it's cheaper than the Mitre 10 junk shop.

Oh yes I did buy both at Home.

Roy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Roy, have you ever thought of buying online, Mitre 10 should have that service, if one store doesn't have the glue they will get it from another or the main wear house we buy a lot of stuff online now especially my son being buying a lot of DVD's and blue-ray movies and seasons that way.

I was at Bunning the other day and came across they had a two sizes of foam sheets stacked up on a pallet, is that what you are using, be good for scenery, what I could use when I built the Tehachapi loop hill.

image.php?album_id=90&image_id=3082&display=popupgaller ... play=popuphttp://www.oogardenrailway.co.uk/gallery/image.php?album_id=90&image_id=3082&display=popup' alt='URL>'>

On a high I finely got my Flying Scot running with the two tender drive tenders, couldn't get the second tender going on its own so I bit the dust and jump wired the both tenders together, came up with an idea in hiding the wires and painted them black to make out they are the air hoses, looks good, the pics are on my post page 11.

The big test will be tomorrow at my train club, start off pulling 7 and build up to 9 or 11 depends on how busy the club layout will be.

Do you know if the Flying Scot is still running or off the rails getting work done on it.

Winter is still hanging around, cold morning but very nice days, I should of made the most of today out on the layout but I wanted to sort the out and hide them, another project finished.

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4472 is off the rails undergoing a full overhaul. Unlike over here where locos run until they get continuous recurring faults, in the UK they have to have a major overhaul every 7-10 years, no ifs or buts. They are stripped right back to the last nut and bolt and everything is meticulously checked. If something is worn out it is replaced by a newly made part. There are no "quick fix" jobs done. Even if a loco is running perfectly it still has to have a major overhaul when it's "ticket" expires. Most of their overhauls cost in the region of $500,000 to over $1,000,000.

In 2004 A4 pacific 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley had an overhaul costing 550,000 pounds or (for us) $1,200,000 dollars. If you want to operate on the mainline at high speed then everything on the loco has to be in first class condition.

The boilers are inspected by people who are totally independent and with no connection whatsoever to who ever owns the loco that the boiler belongs too.

Over here 3801s boiler was inspected by a railway boiler inspector with connections to the people who were running the loco. 3801 at the time was in need of a new boiler and it kept breaking firebox stays but the boiler was passed fit.

That's one of the reasons ITSRR came about. ITSRR stands for Independent Train Safety Rail Regulator. They set the rules and if you don't obey them you lose your accreditation to operate.

Roy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Roy, thanks for the info on the Flying Scot I read that it was getting some sort of a rebuild on another forum.

What class is the 3801 a Pacific Class, I have a Lima version and was running 3801 yesterday at the train club double heading with a Lima 42204 class diesel, pics on my post and gallery

Also ran my pride and joy Flying Scot with the duel powered tender drive tenders, pulled 11 coaches with flying colours, my train club has the train length limit of ten feet was one coach over the length, wasn't too busy yesterday got away with it, busy running days I wouldn't be able to.

How's the progress of your outdoor layout going.

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't do a damn thing on my railway at the present time due to heavy rain giving way to heavy intermittent showers.

A little while ago a steam loco went past the back fence. She's a Baldwin Loco of the 1950's I filmed it with that tiny action cam of mine. Not a handheld shot, more of a palm held shot. If I'm going to film anymore locos out there I'll have to cut down the green shrubs. I'll have to do that at 2am as there are very few trains out that hour.

Roy.

http://youtu.be/YyqdLFFT88Q

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share


×
×
  • Create New...