New Fiddle Yard On The Dunny Reichesbahn

[dunnyrail]

Having converted 2 Playmobil Opens to Sand Wagons for my mythical Lou Lou Bahn I decided that it would make some sence to give them a Siding to rest it during Operations. Also the Beer Train needs somewhere to hide as well plus the Lou Lou Bahn Rack Train. To cap it all after my recent works in the Garden there was a Shed Load of additional Bricks to use up and a Skip Bag full of Earth too. So the space behind Magdesprung was deemed fit for purpose and ment started to be applied. First 2 pics show the site during work, sidings will be behind where the pile of Bricks are in the first pic. Bags more of Soil to loose after digging out foundations, sure the stuff breeds overnight.

Note my Small Shovel obtained from Wicks, ideal for getting into awkward places. Just wish they did a similar sized Fork.
Foundations not too clever, just a trench dug to the Compacted Soil then surplus Bricks whacked down with old reliable Sledgie.
I also needed a decent Step Over for the Stream to Pond Bridge.
A plank between the two Brick Posts makes things safe, plank has now been covered with odd lengths of Felt for protection and to make the Wood Slip Free.
These will also be Planters as well as a base for the new sidings. Not too many plants or even Big Ones in view of the limited Foundations used.
Planks to be used as Track Bed prior to covering with Roofing Felt. Sat on top of Skip Bag of Soil.
Sidings completed. I had originally planned to do just a Loop, so I bought a Right and Left Train Line R2 Points from Glendale. Then I remembered that I already had a Right TL R2 in the Loft so that was used to make up a Loop and Siding. Each has a Capacity of 4 Wagons. About right for the use I intend. As this part of the Line forms the Continuous Run which is not used for Timetabled Operations all is well. Though Shunts from the Shed can come out a distance, the first Point is well beyond the max shunt likely to be made.
So now all is now ready for runs. There was some electrical work that involved mostly Jumper Wires to take care of Track Power where Isolated Fishplates have been used. Air powered Point Motors and the supply can be seen. A new small 2 Lever Gound Frame has been placed just to the left of the pipes in the first of the above two pictures. All ready for some Train Running. Oh yes and I need another Buffer Stop rather than just a bit of odd Rock. In view of the drop behind the end of the Siding it will probably need to be a Robust one.
JonD

 

[dunnyrail]

As of the last post the Yard was finished and ready for Operation. However those Wires offended so I decided this Week to tidy them up with my normal method of using Electrical Trunking. This replicates Railway Cable Trunking quite well I feel. I have used BnQ 16x16 for the stuff on the left Sprayed Black, the smaller Grey Bits comming from that are 16x12 Sprayed Grey. The Grey was already in stock and pre-sprayed Gray. Perhaps I will need to change the Colour on that to Black. Though the site is not visible from normal view, I still wanted it to be Tidy for when operators are pearing over to carry out Train Manouvers. Yet to be decided is Ballast, this will inevitably be Postcrete as I have run out of the stuff that I inherited from Andy of the Ruschbahn.


Think that the part Painted Larger Trunking up higher in need of some attention too, amazing what you notice on Pics that would otherwise have gone past the esthetics Police. Those gaps will be attended to as well with Balllasting by using off cuts of Roofing Felt then the Postcrete Ballast.
JonD

 

[dunnyrail]

This post is a bit out of sequence and should be before the Trunking Clear up. But never mind, the Train was run to check Clearances and Capacities of Roads prior to making up a small Signal Diagram. So first pic is with Battery Loco and full compliment of LLB Wagons. Most have been written up somewhere on this Forum.
The train ran via Magdesprung, Ran Round and descended via the Loop to go under the Bridge to access the New Sidings.

On Arrival the Train was shunted into the Siding to discover the capacity to be 4 Standard LGB Wagons, though 5 are Placed. The capacity is actually only 4 as 2 are Playtrain Wagons.

Next up came checking the Run Round. The Loop to the Right was deemed as 4, however the Loop where the Wagons below sit stands at 4.5. The Red Blob marking the Fouling Point.
Having worked this out complex manouvers were indulged in to Run Round 7 Wagons with only clearance for 4.5!

Suffice to say it can get messy with Loco in the Middle of the Consist at times.
Then on return the Grade and Curves only allows 3-4 Wagons being pulled up the Grade by this Engine. Hence below showing the Split Train.
But the final part manages to be moved.

The First Section tops the Grade to be remade into the return Consist for Magdesprung. Not by any imagination in the same order as it left. But that is a problem for the YardFuhrer at Magdesprung to sort out. Our day is done.
JonD

 

[spoz]

Nice! Particularly admire the buffer stop, two pictures up, looks just like something I might do... Seriously, that's a neat bit of work and the trunking is a very good idea; as in a "why didn't I think of that" good idea.

 

[dunnyrail]

Thanks Spoz, buffer stop is certainly a Temporary Measure. I rather fancy an LGB one in it's place. However I think that they are a bit Space Hungry so it is more than likely to be something Screwed to the end of the Brick Wall with a Hole to protect Coupling Hooks. After all tis only a Fiddle Yard.
JonD

 

[dunnyrail]

Well today I decided to hit the scenics of this new area. It has not really been used in anger yet as I need to rewrite the Timetable to allow for LLB Trains, plus as yet I have not had an Operating Session with enough bods to make it happen. Also still after today's work, the Buffer Stop has not been attended to. If I do not sort it out soon I know it will end in tears.

But first a little of what I am trying to achieve. At the real Magdesprung there were quite a few small Factories producing during WW2 and indeed in Communist Days all sorts of unknown stuff. On my visit in April I picked around the complete site unmolested (try that in WW2 or under Communism) took loads of Pictures and decided that I could not replicate it too well. Firstly I have Tracks where a River should be plus due to accessibility issues Buildings all the way to the fence were not going to be feasible. The following pics taken from the Station Area show the site.







Most of the above Buildings are Houses of some sort, below some of the now derelict Factories can be seen.

Start of work saw all the bits required except for some Mind Your Own Business (MYOB) Cuttings. These were sourced from my little MYOB Nursery that is just behind the Large Conifer behind my small Tank Pond. This can be seen in some of the earlier Postings.

This is the West End of the Location. First thing was to get out the Weeds that had grown in the area, then cut Barrier and Plant The Conifers. There are 4 in this area all in their pots. Horticulteral Pink Grit completes the look. Some MYOB has been planted and as this area is quite shaded I hope that it takes over softening the effect of the Brick Wall just seen Painted Black. The Fern helps in thus respect, when it dies off in the Winter a rather nice Winter Scene is created. Eventually my 2 Postman Pat Buildings will grace this scene. The Post Office has already been started on, the Sorting Office will end up as some sort of Small Factory Unit complete with a High Chimney to settle its use. The existing Brownish Building was some kind of Kids Toy that was a Horse Stable, a cheep Boot Sale aquisition many Years ago. Just been sprayed Halfords Rattle Undercoat Brown with the Roof similar Grey plus some Matt Black for Ageing. All very subdued and quite East German Scanky I hope. It is interesting to see how this area has been softened by the Fern from some of the Pics in Post 2.

View as seen from normal Operating Position.

The East End was attacked in a similar way, this end has just 3 Conifers again in their Pots.

As seen from normal view. I might just try another Factory or two here, half relief sitting on the Bricks.

I think that once the Conifers have grown somewhat the Area will capture a bit of look and feel of the real area, never perfect had I a Wider Garden things may have been so very different. But I am very happy with what I have and as I Operate the line I can believe that I am indeed back in the East in 1981. That is after all what it is all about.
JonD

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I noticed you have some air operated switches, are these from the California and Oregon Coast place in the US?

Greg

 

[dunnyrail]

I noticed you have some air operated switches, are these from the California and Oregon Coast place in the US?

Greg

Presumably you mean the Sunset Valley Railroad crowd?

http://www.sunsetvalleyrailroad.com/pneumatics.html

I started with Air Operation on my line at Hemel Hemostead after seeing it in Operation on Barry Reeves (of Pilgrim Diesels fame) line in North Harrow UK circa late 99's. Brandbright used to supply them in the UK and in fact had odd bits right up to their Retirement. Those days it was all Del Air Kit, nowdays I have some Easy Air and a Couple of Sunset Valley bits bought when I did some extensions. I prefer the DA and EA Point Levers as they are quite suitable for a Signal Box type of installation. The SV ones are like a Sub Miniature Electric Switch and though I have a Couple of these I have never used them. I would if I had sufficient numbers to use them as my Power Distribution Levers to differenciate between normal Box Levers. I would imagine in Operation that they will be just as effecient as the DA or EA Switches.

The EA Point Actuators are very good and came with Mounting Plates that allowed them to fit directly to LGB Points, not so good for Peco Points as you need to Modify them a little.

The DA ones as bought came with Springs that eventually rusted in the Garden. Barry had the same problem and sourced Stainless Steel replacement Springs. Fortunately he had thought to buy a big batch and I was able to source the 25-30 Replacement Springs that I needed from him.

In the penultimate Picture on Post #3 you can just make out the Mini Panel of 2 levers on the Green Wood below the Black Bridge.

Happy days, I would not consider any other way of Operating Points or Signals now.
JonD