Monday 23 July 2012

Wiring done

Well just completed the wiring for the crookwell section of the layout,test run 4803 up & down all track,no shorts or derailments. Its just a simple power bus with track droppers to all lengths of track no matter how short they are,do not rely on fish plates to carry power they are there to join track only.The wire in tube point switches i made work a treat,and as i said in my last post each one was made for $5,just a bit of time to make the brackets.For those interested i used 39 thou piano wire,1/8 OD brass tube,25thou flat brass for the mounting brackets cut to 1/2 inch lengths with a 1/8 mounting hole,1x1 inch alloy angle for the switch brackets & STDP slide switches from jaycar.The next step for this section is to start the scenery(time to make a mess with the polystyreen foam).On another note i was talking to my uncle tonite and he menchaned that there has been a passing loop layed at Gunning station behind the up platform where the line use to run in front of the cattle dock siding.Will have to make the trip down there in a few weeks to investigate and get some photos,also mite go to Crookwell to get some photos as well.
tube & mounting brackets
Switch wiring black & red track power,green for frog power.
(well frogs are green)
4803 in the stock siding.
Anyhow till next time Booly 

Friday 20 July 2012

Crookwell progress

Well since my last post i have been busy getting the base board & track down.I have also been pondering on which way i was going to go in regards to switching the points & frog polarity.Since this is a terminous station & wont see much traffic, the cost of tortoise point motors would add another $300 to the cost($300 better spent on another Auscision 422 when they are released) so i have been looking in to wire in tube using a DPST switch.After a trip to Jaycar to get more wire for the track droppers i found the perfect switch,DPST & the slide distance is spoton for the peco point throw.So off to the hobby wholesalers near my workshop to buy some brass tube & piano wire.I just made a simple bracket off the side of the baseboard support beams.Worked out the brass tube & wire lengths soldered on 2 brackets to the tube to screw down & hey presto cheap point switches.Also my Auscicion goods shed turned up,all in all a good model,just 1 front support beam to fix up under the decking.


Simple but it works,i can make each one for about $5
 

 


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Looking down towards the station area

Anyhow till next time Booly

Thursday 5 July 2012

Still here

Yes i am still alive,its been a few weeks since my last post.Work has been busy & also drag racing as well,last month racing took up a fair bit of what little spare time i have,with winning the NSW division title,my engine expired on the last run of the season,so been working late to get a new engine built.Now onto the modelling front.In previous posts i said that i was lifting the layout upto 1.5m off the floor,well half way through this i had a brain storming idea to make more work for myself and build another station.This station will be loosely modelled on Crookwell and will be the termious for the branch line,this was previously going to be Dalton.Now i dont have the width to do this as the yard layout sits in real life so the modellers licence is coming into play (again)the turntable area is going to be just after the platform & the stock siding back up the yard off the goods siding.I have half built the station building which is a A5,the data sheet as always a great starting point for measurements & info,also i am scratch building a sellers 60Ft turntable.On my last visit to Casula Hobbies i found brass AM models turntable sides which gave me a starting point for construction,this will not be a operational part but will represent what was when Crookwell was run by steam as the period i model is late 70's-mid 80's.I also just found a auscicion G4 goods shed which i am lead to belive is a copy of the Crookwell shed,so 1 less thing to scratch build.The only structure i can not find where it was located is the gangers shed so if any one out there knows where it is located it would be apreciated.
Anyhow, time to bear the cold and get back to some more work. Booly.