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pipopak
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| Joined: | 13 Apr 2011 |
| Location: | Florida USA |
| Posts: | 2086 |
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... nice colours!. Jose.
____________________
Junk is something you throw away three weeks before you need it.
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Herb Kephart
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Well Bob, you solved one of the biggest (to me, and others of my vintage) detriments to outdoor railroads by building up off the ground--minimizing bending over!
What is the gray sub-roadbed material? Looks to be bendable, and yet sufficiently rigid to span fair distances between supports. Another good move IMHO, is to have a lead into the shed so that you don't have to handle the equipment at the start and end of each operating session.
Keep us ''in the loop'' (N. American pun)
Herb
____________________
Fix it again, Mr Gates--it still works!"
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Robert Comerford
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Hi Herb, I finally remembered I had promised you I would post some of my work here.
The base structure is steel C section. A friend cut and welded sections up for me as a favour for teaching him to fly r/c. I had suggested octagonal but he was keen to see a smooth curve. Basically the frame is his work, I just did what I was told.
The baseboard top is a fibrous sheet usually used here for lining bathrooms.
I have followed the lead of other O gauge modellers here who have had layouts up at table height outdoors for many years. Certainly easier on the back and the layout stays cleaner as the wind blows most leaves off down to ground level.
regards
Bob Comerford
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Robert Comerford
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Here is a closeup of the method used to switch the frog polarity.
The trackwork is Peco code 124. Not in any way correct for NSWGR but outdoors... who cares? It has the advantage of not requiring me to lay thousands of oversized matches and is the only brand of plastic O gauge track with proven ability to handle the UV levels in the Australian sun.
I have of course bonded the closure and point rails to the stock rails.
Operation is by DCC using radio control throttles. A while back I had to make a decision. I ran the layout for a while with both battery/radio and DCC. Track power won the day as I like to mainly sit and watch trains and I get to keep my sound decoders. Over the last summer I have not cleaned locomotive wheels and the only track cleaning has been to remove some bird poo once or twice. I use powdered graphite as a spark suppressant/ contact improver and if there is any sign of hesitation I just paint a little mixed with kerosene onto a couple of inches of track and let the wheels do the rest. I have saved myself hours of mucking about with battery charging. The ideal for me would be a combination of both methods, direct radio DCC, enough onboard battery (using the batteries of my choice) to prevent stalled locos and do away with point wiring and with charging through the track. Commercially it is under way but is not there yet for me.
regards
Bob
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Tramcar Trev
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I may try the kero and graphite trick, I'm fed up with cleaning track and overhead.
____________________
There once was a man who said Damn!!
I perceive with regret that I am
A creature that moves
in predestinate groves
I'm not a Bus, I'm a tram
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Robert Comerford
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Hi Trev, you must have more patience than me. I decided long ago that any more overhead would be dummy and I would run my electric stock as 2-rail. All that fun of watching the overhead spark means lots more cleaning I noticed.
Gordon didn't exist when I lived in Canberra. Those were the days when we could go skinny dipping at Kambah Pool and Pine Island. :>)
regards
Bob
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Robert Comerford
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Most of my stock is home made..... cardboard, scrap wood from my r/c plane bin, tie wire, styrene etc. I buy my wheels mainly from Slaters as there is no local supplier (or more correctly the only one is in his 90's) so I chose to use BRMSB/GOG standards by default.
Gearboxes are from Roxey Moldings and bogies and axleguards are from a variety of suppliers both local and overseas. Some of my locos have modified HO mechs.
There are a few 7mm finescale NSWGR items for sale these days but my budget won't allow me to wander in that direction very often. Prices reflect the small potential market.
The Hunter Valley had a sea of 4 wheel coal hoppers that lasted into the 1980's. As a kid I would be fascinated by the long rakes of these wagons being hauled behind ancient steam engines on yearly train trips to the city.
I am making a rake of 12 (to start) to run. Their shades of red and light grey should add a bit of colour as the government stock was basically 50 shades of (dark) grey. Here is a photo of part of the production line.
My usual method of compensation will not fit this type of wagon so I am making use of some sprues from Parkside Dundas which have axleboxes that slide up and down in the W irons.
Info on the real thing can be found here.
http://fourwheelsnoaircoal.blogspot.com.au/2009/05/hunter-valley-coal-wagons.html
regards
Bob
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Robert Comerford
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Here is a critter made on the cheap. It is a NSWGR X200 class rail tractor designed for one man operation within yard limits.
The model is made from scrap ply, paper clips, pc board, tin can, plastic bits, an old Hornby HO GM mech (that was on the way to the tip before I grabbed it) and Slaters rolling stock wheels.
It shunts around quite happily outdoors.
regards
Bob
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Robert Comerford
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Here's how I made a passenger rake. A mail train similar to what I travelled in for many years.
Several layers of cardboard, shaped wood pieces and some brass strip.
regards
Bob
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Bob D
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Ingenuity at its finest Bob!
Bob D.
____________________
BobD
O-SCALE BPRC
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Herb Kephart
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Really like to see scratch-building, in any material. And yes, I've used card a lot over the years. Some of my (less than spectacular) efforts from over 60 years ago, done with card, --shredded wheat cereal boxes--which where always in supply in the Kephart household--are no longer used on the layout, but are holding up just fine because they were well sealed with paint---model airplane ''dope'' in some cases. Many dismiss card as unsuitable, but they are wrong.
So carry on, Mate, and goodonya!
Please keep the photos coming
Herb
____________________
Fix it again, Mr Gates--it still works!"
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Robert Comerford
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Just a thought, anybody casually scanning this forum would be forgiven for thinking there is no O gauge to be seen here and move on if that is what they are looking for.
If there is a limit to the number of folders available why not rename the On30 folder "O scale" and move the O gauge content to it. There is after all 3 narrow gauge folders here (4 if you consider most large scale is narrow gauge not standard gauge on gauge one track).
regards
Bob
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