G Scale Tram Project

PhilP said:
I would use this to clad the concrete.. See any of Mike's posts for the way to embellish the stonework..

This way, you have greater control of decoration and finish.

Otherwise, I think you would be into carving a section of the design, making mould-sections from this, and then casting in concrete..

PhilP
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Ok but if you clad the concrete using foamboard why not just make the compete thing out of foamboard? Ok driving over it (one side only) to make rough then scribing in the stones is perhaps the way to go. But yes a lot of scribing depending on the size, but an hour here an hour there soon gets the job done. I spent my evenings in Somerset scribing buildings material for slate shapes and the amount I did in an evening would certainly be enough for 1 pier. Glued together with UHU Power and a few fine pins makes a very strong structure.
 
I am extremely lucky to have a friend who knows templot so well and understands what I am trying to do.

Track templates for the double junction with an overlapping crossover is now complete, an assembly map for the various pages of the master drawing attached. Once the 915mm straight board has been completed I'll get on to the double junction which looks like its going to take some careful thought regards sequencing. This should keep me out of mischief for a few days once I have ordered yet more rail.

David
 

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DafyddElvy said:
I am extremely lucky to have a friend who knows templot so well and understands what I am trying to do.

Track templates for the double junction with an overlapping crossover is now complete, an assembly map for the various pages of the master drawing attached. Once the 915mm straight board has been completed I'll get on to the double junction which looks like its going to take some careful thought regards sequencing. This should keep me out of mischief for a few days once I have ordered yet more rail.

David
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Bloody hell, good luck with that spaghetti of pointwork.
 
dunnyrail said:
Bloody hell, good luck with that spaghetti of pointwork.
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And one of these to join the two lines coming together off the double junction.

The biggest challenge will be making sure I have a sleeper under all the correct places.

The original plan I had had three rails at the back of the tandem going in to one common crossing which would have looked good.


David
 

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Paul M said:
Now that is a junction
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Its actually not that complicated, it will be a little tricky to build simply because of the short rail sections, the one section I am very conscious could trip me up is this where I need to try and be a bit clever where a running rail crosses across the knuckle of the wing rails, I am hoping plenty of check rails will keep wheels where I want them to go.

The other area where I doubt I'll get away with my original plan if the the 2 turnouts which have to accommodate a change in the side the narrow gauge runs, I was hoping to get away with only one switch per turnout, drawing c/3, but I think I'll need one switch for the right hand rail in the drawing and a second one for the transition of the narrow gauge to the opposite hand, if that makes sense.

Sequencing the build for this junction will also be critical, but as an old fashion properly trained professional track engineer I would hope I can develop a build sequence okay, not the most complicated layout I will have built but I think it will be the most complicated in anything smaller than 305mm : ft.

Straight board 915mm first though.

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Well at least you'll be kept out of mischief for a couple of hours! Looks like it will be an interesting junction, I think we'll all look forward to seeing the finished item
 
Back from holiday and getting back to the important things in life.

Wife was out for the afternoon so the indoor bench (dinning table) was available.
All the templates for the double junction have been put together and I think I've found the optimum position for everything.

Now to cut and frame the baseboards before starting the track laying.

David
 

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Yesterday I visited a friend who happens to have some 45mm gauge track, so it was time to give the trams a wee run.

Use of the fleischmann coupling is not the way to go, a dab of blue tack was required on the coupling to keep things in place, but the teams ran faultlessly so I am more than happy with the truck conversion.

I had a few other unmodified trams which ran on track power so we had a wee parade of Bachmann trams
 
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I like the castle structure at the end of the line made from what look like real decorative bricks, including a keystone arch over the track. Very impressive!
 
idlemarvel said:
I like the castle structure at the end of the line made from what look like real decorative bricks, including a keystone arch over the track. Very impressive!
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If you like real stone structures, try getting hold of the latest Garden Rail! Serious real stone structures on Pavel's line
 
Last weekend the trams had their first real run and not unsurprisingly the fleischmann coupling proved it wasn't the one for my application, nothing wrong with the coupling it's just not what I need.
So some looking around and I found Piko do a similar coupling with electrical contacts, why didn't I find this coupling before was my first thought.
Roco also do a coupling with electrical contacts so a pair of both were ordered.

Bottom is the coupling I'm using just now and doesn't stay coupled.

Middle is the Piko one with electrical contacts, I suspect it could have similar problems staying coupled to the bottom one, but being slightly bigger I can tweak something to stop it un-coupling.

The top one needs to be forced to couple and is a real pig to uncouple, not really what I am looking for .

Using my simple electrical circuit I can get away with 2 wires between powered tram and trailer, so all trams will be fitted with the piko coupling and that has the added bonus of not needing to fit jumpers between trams.

Slowly this adventure is coming together.
 

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Ok another option. LGB couplings or whatever with small magnet each side of vehicle on wire just long enough to couple to a similar setup on the next vehicle. Must not be such that the magnets attract on the same vehicle! Wont come uncoupled auto but a gentle pull apart will work. Bit like air or vacuum pipes thinking.
 
DafyddElvy said:
Last weekend the trams had their first real run and not unsurprisingly the fleischmann coupling proved it wasn't the one for my application, nothing wrong with the coupling it's just not what I need.
So some looking around and I found Piko do a similar coupling with electrical contacts, why didn't I find this coupling before was my first thought.
Roco also do a coupling with electrical contacts so a pair of both were ordered.

Bottom is the coupling I'm using just now and doesn't stay coupled.

Middle is the Piko one with electrical contacts, I suspect it could have similar problems staying coupled to the bottom one, but being slightly bigger I can tweak something to stop it un-coupling.

The top one needs to be forced to couple and is a real pig to uncouple, not really what I am looking for .

Using my simple electrical circuit I can get away with 2 wires between powered tram and trailer, so all trams will be fitted with the piko coupling and that has the added bonus of not needing to fit jumpers between trams.

Slowly this adventure is coming together.
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These are what you want

 
Rhinochugger said:
These are what you want

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I can see where you are coming from, I was originally going with the idea of a vehicle coupling and separate electrical connection between vehicles, but what the Piko coupling does though is provide a means to couple the tram and trailer and give an electrical connection between the two vehicles, which means I don't need to fuff about with jumper cables when I couple vehicles together.
 
DafyddElvy said:
I can see where you are coming from, I was originally going with the idea of a vehicle coupling and separate electrical connection between vehicles, but what the Piko coupling does though is provide a means to couple the tram and trailer and give an electrical connection between the two vehicles, which means I don't need to fuff about with jumper cables when I couple vehicles together.
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These lock together nicely, but can easily be unclipped

Concealment is probably the only issue
 
Next.

After some moment of contemplation another Bachmann tram conversion has commenced, this time its the turn of green/cream number 3.

Lessons learnt and some different methods this time. Batteries will still be hidden away in the seating, however the truck is a wee bitty different this time, the only thing that will be mounted on the truck will be the axles complete traction motors MelbourneSparks style, all electrical components will be mounted directly on the underside of the tram itself which should cut down on electrical connectors.

Truck is now ready for a clean up and painting.
Underside of the tram has been prepped for fitting out.
 
My first LGB tram arrived today, which I managed to pick up relatively cheaply because it was void of a power truck, which obviously doesn't bother me, because I would be replacing it anyhow.

I can now satisfy myself that unless another LGB tram came up for sale equally cheaply I have zero interest in getting another. The model is about as basic as it can get and needs a fair bit of detailing work.
As someone else has previously said, quite a few LGB items are intended to be viewed for a distance and that is definitely true of this LGB tram.
Happy with my purchase, and extremely glad I hadn't been inpatient and purchased and working model at the price they seem to go for.

If my purchase has been from someone on here could you please advise what the toggle switch inside the body is for?
 

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DafyddElvy said:
My first LGB tram arrived today, which I managed to pick up relatively cheaply because it was void of a power truck, which obviously doesn't bother me, because I would be replacing it anyhow.

I can now satisfy myself that unless another LGB tram came up for sale equally cheaply I have zero interest in getting another. The model is about as basic as it can get and needs a fair bit of detailing work.
As someone else has previously said, quite a few LGB items are intended to be viewed for a distance and that is definitely true of this LGB tram.
Happy with my purchase, and extremely glad I hadn't been inpatient and purchased and working model at the price they seem to go for.

If my purchase has been from someone on here could you please advise what the toggle switch inside the body is for?
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Standard LGB, turns off motor and cant remember what other position is for, possibly to turn iff lights?
 
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