smooth moves

Recently I was helping my dad wire up a 2-track staging yard for his O-16.5, Welsh inspired portable layout. Dad already had the yard built and attached, so I just packed up my VOM and other electrically necessary tools for the job. The wiring itself was easy.

The staging yard is a removable shelf that attaches to the back of the quarry section of the layout. Trains enter and leave the sceniced portion through a hole in the backdrop.

The intent is to be able to park a couple of short trains off scene, and selectively power one track or the other. The layout is controlled with a Stapleton walkaround DC throttle so a simple on-off-on toggle did the trick in the new yard. A flying lead equipped with Anderson PowerPole connectors brought power from the quarry section.

The entrance to the yard was via a curve ladi across the edge joint and, due to some dimensional assumptions, there was a short slope from the backdrop down into the yard tracks. The included 18" radius section lead directly into the point end of a Peco insulfrog turnout.

And this is where the trouble all started.

One section of rail at the frog end of the "previously enjoyed and slightly shortened" Peco turnout had an intermittent electrical connection. In addition, the points are powered from their adjacent stock rails via small wipers attached to the base of the point rails. As a loco was moving across the turnout, slight shifting of the components made the electrical contact fail unpredictably causing jerky motion or stalling.

I was performing my functional tests with an HO P2K SW 4-axle diesel that (normally) runs beautifully. However, dad only uses 0-4-2 Bachmann and Peco/Branchline locos on the layout. When placed in service they wouldn't make it across the turnout without constant poking and prodding. A bigger issue turned out to be the track geometry itself. The short slope at the backdrop caused the cab end 2-wheel truck on the Bachmann locos to drop down and leave the track entirely, and the curve leading into the shortened point-end of the turnout caused the loco wheels to pick the point tips and derail.

While the equalised chassis of the Peco/Branchlines 0-4-2 engine managed the distance better than the rigid frame Bachmann "Anglacised" On30 Porters, the consistency of operation was not sufficiently high. Something had to be done.

After much filing and adjusting, Dad & I came to the decision to alter the brackets holding the yard shelf to eliminate the slope. He then tore up the track to improve the flow by inserting a short straight section just before the points. The turnout itself will be replaced by a live-frog version so that the short wheelbase locos can enjoy fewer interruptions in electrical pickup.

I'm still waiting to hear if the planned corrections have eliminated all of the problems. The physical distance between our homes makes it difficult to collaborate effectively.

Lessons:

• avoid sharp transitions in vertical and horizontal planes
• avoid curves leading into point end of turnout
• use guard rails where necessary
• ensure close fitting joints on curves

coulda, woulda, shoulda, didn't

I actually turned down the offer of many dozen Railfan & Railroad magazines (in proper binders) the other day. Who would have thought I'd reject yet more reading material? Could've taken up the space I just emptied last week...

Did receive 3 volumes published by Wild Swan in the UK from a bookseller I haven't dealt with before, British Railway Books. Great service. Two are by Gordon Gravett on 7mm Modelling techniques, and the third is about Narrow Gauge Modelling in the British style. If I was ever required to get rid of all my reference material except one source, I would keep the Wild Swan books.

Missed a chance to buy something that is now out of stock everywhere. Hadn't thought a mass-market item would disappear so quick. I guess times really are changing; even large manufacturers are no longer making thousands of the same SKU only to have the remainder sit on their shelves for years. Should get stuff while you can.

A portion of our S Scale group will be in Milwaukee for Trainfest next weekend. I expect about 30' of modules will make the 800+ km journey to the show. I didn't book time to go, as I couldn't justify the trip; too many other things requiring attention and funds at the moment.

up 'n running

Dad had converted an On30 Bachmann 0-4-2 to a more British looking engine using a number of 1:43 Bagnall components from KeyKits in the UK (now sadly closed). He followed the general process outlined on Brian Fayle's website for the conversion itself.

The Bachmann porter has a number of features that make it a desirable engine, but also some that make it a royal pain in the posterior. One of the worst aspects is the close clearance of the rods to the cab structure. Over time the motion has become sloppier, resulting in reduction of free space between the moving and non-moving parts.



Finally, the engine just stopped moving, but the motor kept running. Essentially, because of the rod ends constant banging into the underside of the cab floor, the wheels got so badly out of quarter that the siderods jammed up and the drive gear on the axle spun. Not a good situation.

After a suitable period of squinty-eyed consideration, I was able to requarter and regauge the wheels, add a drop of CA to the ends of each axle, and grind a pair of clearance slots into the underside of the cab floor above the left and right rod ends. Reassembly yielded no unexpected spare parts and the engine actually runs better than it did when new, as there is no longer even a slight drag of the rods on the structure.

project shuns

There are a few projects which I feel must be completed before too long. The first two, small efforts involve 3D modelling and brass kit building.

The former relates to the WDLR (War Department Light Railways) steel and wood wagon bogies. There are a few modellers who would like to be able to buy (nearly) RTR bogies for their 7mm scale models. I will be converting the available 2D files into 3D, and uploading them to a 3D print service. With planning and a bit of luck, this should be a straightforward excercise (despite a certain rustiness with the 3D side).

The latter involves a long-overdue review kit that was sent to me for evaluation. Apparently I was the only one foolish enough to think burnt fingers and strained eyes were a desirable experience. It is an Irish OOn3 (1:76 scale, 3' gauge) coach. The sides and ends of the structure have been cut away from their frets and soldered together with minimal damage to the thin plates. The under frame is awaiting W-iron and wheelset installation. I was fortunate to obtain properly gauged wheelsets and accompanying bearings from the UK.

portly porter problem?

Dad purchased a Bachmann On30 porter (0-4-2) to use on his proposed 7mmNG, Welsh quarry inspired portable layout. From KeyKits in the UK, we obtained suitable Anglicising pieces (Wrightlines W996 cab kit and W963 chimney). The conversion itself was prompted by Brian Fayle's 7mm micro-layout workhorse and other examples from his website. The Bachmann chassis is a known "good runner" so we anticipate good service.

It did run well right out of the box, however, once the whitemetal cab pieces were substituted for the plastic details, the ends of the siderods started banging into the underside of the cab floor. "Too much weight!" was the initial thought but, upon partial disassembly, it was observed that one of the rear axle U-grooves in the plastic frame was deeper than the other. This caused the rear axle to tip out of true with respect to the front axle and the engine developed a list to one side.

This tilt caused the engineer's side of the cab floor to interfere with the siderod motion. ACC'ing a ~.015" thick pad of shim brass at the bearing surface of the over-deep U-groove solved the problem. Now the engine sits level on its axles and travels without any apparent binding.

The new cab assembly is secured to the stock footplate with flat head 1-72 machine screws countersunk into the underside of the floor. A stemwinder brake stand has been added to the footplate. The Bachmann steam dome needs to be removed from the saddle tank, and a simplified water fill hatch needs to be fabricated. The engine can then be painted and lined for service.

nickel-silver chassis

O-16.5 Talyllyn 0-4-2 chassis (Branchlines). The trailing bogie and the rear axle share some compensation via a 3-point pivot arm. In practice, however, the range of motion appears somewhat limited. A can motor drives the rear axle through a worm reduction. Pulling power is enhanced by the weight of a whitemetal superstructure.

This was quite a "trial by fire" for me as I had not undertaken assembly of a British kit before. The manufacturers do expect you to have a certain level of knowledge of their local prototypes; a fact emphasised by their omission of "obvious" information that would assist the neophyte.

At this stage the siderods and main rods had not been fitted. The unit had to be disassembled to install the motor and gearbox. The gearbox rides with the driven axle, so the worm stays in mesh at all times.

The kit is simplfied due to the prototype having "inside" valve motion which is hidden from view and therfore not included in the fretwork or castings that need to be assembled.

Welsh narrow gauge locomotive

7mm scale, 16.5mm gauge, Branchlines 0-4-2 Talyllyn chassis under a Peco whitemetal body. Covered with automotive primer and ready for finishing. The unit will traverse < 15" radius curves. The nickel-silver chassis was assembled using a standard 30W pencil soldering iron; a process I will avoid in future projects. The whitemetal body was assembled using 5 minute epoxy.

brass model of Welsh prototype

A miniscule Meridian Models O-14 (7mm/ft) Llechwedd slate quarry rubble wagon. A very nice little kit, but it generated a lot of burnt fingertips using a standard Weller TCP soldering iron.

I managed to pick up three small quarry wagon kits at a Meridian display table while in the UK visiting a preserved railway. They make terrific little kits in several scales. Their WWI equipment in 4mm scale was incredibly tempting. I'm actually sorry I didn't buy at least the Baldwin while I was there, despite not having any other 4mm models in my collection.

Hindsight is 20-20.