Continuing my effort to have a small layout.

S

Sarah Winfield

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Further to my previous posts.

The latest situation is;-,

1) I have only 7' x 11" of straight run (window sill) as I have moved it upstairs.
2) I have only the one 0-4-0 LGB DCC locomotive (at the moment).
3) No stock (yet) I imagine 1 x 4 wheel coach plus 2 or 3 wagons
Please try to imagine the following layout.
Two parallel tracks.
1)Upper track starting from the left hand side - 2 x 12" straight, 1 x short left hand point, 2 x 12" straights, 1 x short left hand point, 1 x 12" straight
2) Lower track starting from the left hand side - 1 x 12" straight, 1 x short left hand point, 2 x 12" straights, I x short left hand point, 2 x 12" straights.

I do have a spare right hand short point and other curved and straight track.

Thus my small locomotive has a run-round and I can store a short wheel base carriage and still shunt a couple of wagons for added interest.

I would be pleased for any thoughts about my little arrangement.

Many thanks,

Sarah
 
This excellent layout is only a little bigger than your space - best of luck.DSC00761 (Small).JPG DSC00762 (Small).JPG DSC00764 (Small).JPG
DSC00769 (Small).JPG
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Further to my previous posts.

The latest situation is;-,

1) I have only 7' x 11" of straight run (window sill) as I have moved it upstairs.
2) I have only the one 0-4-0 LGB DCC locomotive (at the moment).
3) No stock (yet) I imagine 1 x 4 wheel coach plus 2 or 3 wagons
Please try to imagine the following layout.
Two parallel tracks.
1)Upper track starting from the left hand side - 2 x 12" straight, 1 x short left hand point, 2 x 12" straights, 1 x short left hand point, 1 x 12" straight
2) Lower track starting from the left hand side - 1 x 12" straight, 1 x short left hand point, 2 x 12" straights, I x short left hand point, 2 x 12" straights.

I do have a spare right hand short point and other curved and straight track.

Thus my small locomotive has a run-round and I can store a short wheel base carriage and still shunt a couple of wagons for added interest.

I would be pleased for any thoughts about my little arrangement.

Many thanks,

Sarah
Click to expand...

What you describe sounds like a classic shunting puzzle or micro layout. It's a recognised art and there are websites dedicated to it. Hours of fun can be had with these.

http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/SPL-operate.html
http://www.carendt.com/micro-layout-design-gallery/

Eric
 
I have often looked at some of the micro layouts in Railway Modeller with an increasing sense of despair, that a large number of them afford no operational interest or rationale at all.

However, what Sarah is proposing is something that can be used and will work :nod::nod::nod:
 
Thank you for your continuing encouragement.

All I require now is some stock. Initially 2 or 3 skip wagons and one coach.

I'm going to construct a small platform between the track with a corrugated shed at one end. I will post a photograph when I have something else besides just my track.

Sarah
 
I really like what you're doing here Sarah. I took my garden line up earlier in the year due to lack of use, but you're beginning to make me consider something small and simple indoors on a couple of boards so I can at least exercise the small locos in my fleet! Have to complete some work on my N gauge system first, though.
 
I have been running my locomotive this afternoon, up and down my little layout though not without some difficulty.
In the past I have had DC layouts. Thus, if there was a problem I could use my AVO meter to check out if I had power to my rails or if I might have a short.

Since I am now DCC it seems this option is not available to me.

Am I correct in thinking that with DCC:-
1) I need only one set of feeds to power my layout?
2) There is a voltage supplied to the tracks all the time I have my controller switched on?
3) There is no way for me to check if I have power to all my tracks?
4) Shorts will not show up?

I have a funny situation where my locomotive will travel over a crossover one way but stops when run in the opposite direction.

Does this sound like a simple matter of the switch rails not touching the stock rails please?

Thank you,

Sarah
 
Yes, for G scale, you only need one set of feeds in theory.

Yes, you can still test it with your AVO because you have power to the tracks all the time, the chip in your loco tells it when you have fiddled with the controller.

Shorts will short the whole set up, so you don't have a short.

It does rather sound like loco pickups to me - check the skates?

And wait for someone who really knows about DCC
 
Clean skates, tyres, and the wheel-backs where the carbon brushes rub.. Check the brushes are not worn, or stuck in.

With no power on.. Use your meter to 'bell' (bleep. or resistance check) between each of the outer rails and the point-blades.

Small loco's (short wheelbase) are a little susceptible to this.
 
ntpntpntp said:
This kind of thing...
http://www.gardenrailoutlet.co.uk/power-buffers
Click to expand...

If I'm remembering correctly, didn't Paul "Stainzmeister" post a design here a couple of years back, for a simple stay-alive capacitor circuit costing just a couple of quid for three or four discrete components? OK, it only provided a few seconds of current backup rather than the thirty-odd of a "proper" power buffer setup, but it was more than enough to get a short wheelbase loco successfully over a point frog....

I can't seem to find anything via the forum "search" function.....
Anyone kept a link to the old post...?

Jon.
 
Last edited:
small but perfectly formed, love it
 
Sarah Winfield said:
I have been running my locomotive this afternoon, up and down my little layout though not without some difficulty.
In the past I have had DC layouts. Thus, if there was a problem I could use my AVO meter to check out if I had power to my rails or if I might have a short.

Since I am now DCC it seems this option is not available to me.

Am I correct in thinking that with DCC:-
1) I need only one set of feeds to power my layout?
2) There is a voltage supplied to the tracks all the time I have my controller switched on?
3) There is no way for me to check if I have power to all my tracks?
4) Shorts will not show up?

I have a funny situation where my locomotive will travel over a crossover one way but stops when run in the opposite direction.

Does this sound like a simple matter of the switch rails not touching the stock rails please?

Thank you,

Sarah
Click to expand...
If you do not have any fancy test kit you can use an Old Speaker from say an old phone or whatever if you have one. It will Buzz when you touch each wire to each rail. A small Lightbulb 12v (not LED) will also work by lighting up. Though your DCC is higher Voltage ans AC rather than DC the bulb will light. Though not for ever if you leave connected for a long time. Follow it through each Track Join and each route of the Point.
JonD
 
Zerogee said:
If I'm remembering correctly, didn't Paul "Stainzmeister" post a design here a couple of years back, for a simple stay-alive capacitor circuit costing just a couple of quid for three or four discrete components? OK, it only provided a few seconds of current backup rather than the thirty-odd of a "proper" power buffer setup, but it was more than enough to get a short wheelbase loco successfully over a point frog....

I can't seem to find anything via the forum "search" function.....
Anyone kept a link to the old post...?

Jon.
Click to expand...


Replying to my own post, after a lot of rummaging I have located this, which i believe was the thread I was thinking of - actually the "Budget buffer" design is in post 25 of the thread, though the whole thing is worth reading to see the discussions that led up to it..... and part of my memory was playing tricks, though Stainzmaster was involved in the discussions the actual circuit diagram was posted by Rik following something from the Massoth forum!

https://www.gscalecentral.net/threads/diy-power-buffer.277032/page-2
 
Thank you all for your in-put.
I think I have found the problem. On the switch rails there is a step which mates with the stock rails. I have noticed a build-up of gunge and a quick clean up with the end of a small file has already improved the running.
Another question please. If I electrically bond the switch rails to the stock rails what effect will that have please?
Many thanks,
Sarah
 
Sarah Winfield said:
Thank you all for your in-put.
I think I have found the problem. On the switch rails there is a step which mates with the stock rails. I have noticed a build-up of gunge and a quick clean up with the end of a small file has already improved the running.
Another question please. If I electrically bond the switch rails to the stock rails what effect will that have please?
Many thanks,
Sarah
Click to expand...
Sarah, it won't have any negative effect; in theory there should already be electrical connectivity in the way that the point / turn out is manufactured o_Oo_O

In practice, electrical bonding will make a sometimes 'iffy' connection a very good one :clap::clap:
 
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