Ox Mountain Railway

[trammayo]

So, with continuity sorted on the repaired section. it was time to shorten the rail ends so it would connect up with the curves leading to the bridge.


With that done, it was time to repair the red bridge.......



I used some stainless nails in the air nailer to cobble things together. It really needs a new bridge as the decking (plywood) is past its' use by date. Where the bridge abuts there is a slight difference in rail height for some strange reason - maybe caused by the thrashing the steel bridge received?



I think I'll have to lower the double abutment - I have already sliced the top off the the concrete one (below)....



So with metering the continuity - all OK - it was time to test a train!

 

[trammayo]

So I tested it out - an LGB diesel drawing a couple of Train coaches ......





and back onto the main line .....



And there it came to stop (really dirty track). As there were spots of rain, I decided to put things away in the shed. Mae was keeping me company and didn't seem to mind getting damp!



So, there's still much to do (new or rebuilt bridge, lowering the double abutment, maybe ballasting on the decking boards (or maybe not?).

More will follow as I get Round Tu-it.

 

[trammayo]

Although I have done some work on the track at either end of the long bridge, I diverted my efforts over the past few days to repairing shelving in the greenhouse and refixing the glass on the roof.

This afternoon, I've been busy removing dandelions from the main layout .......



A 20 litre bucket mainly filled with the offending plants. The other greenery is the daffodil leaves that were poking through the drive side trestle. The finger trowel can just manage to get between the sleepers or can easily get under them to cut through. I'd like to use weedkiller but I fear the cats might get harmed! So the rails need cleaning now and then maybe a train will run - but that will have to wait until tomorrow!

 

[playmofire]

Although I have done some work on the track at either end of the long bridge, I diverted my efforts over the past few days to repairing shelving in the greenhouse and refixing the glass on the roof.

This afternoon, I've been busy removing dandelions from the main layout .......

View attachment 264501

A 20 litre bucket mainly filled with the offending plants. The other greenery is the daffodil leaves that were poking through the drive side trestle. The finger trowel can just manage to get between the sleepers or can easily get under them to cut through. I'd like to use weedkiller but I fear the cats might get harmed! So the rails need cleaning now and then maybe a train will run - but that will have to wait until tomorrow!

Roll on tomorrow, Mick.

 

[dunnyrail]

Although I have done some work on the track at either end of the long bridge, I diverted my efforts over the past few days to repairing shelving in the greenhouse and refixing the glass on the roof.

This afternoon, I've been busy removing dandelions from the main layout .......

View attachment 264501

A 20 litre bucket mainly filled with the offending plants. The other greenery is the daffodil leaves that were poking through the drive side trestle. The finger trowel can just manage to get between the sleepers or can easily get under them to cut through. I'd like to use weedkiller but I fear the cats might get harmed! So the rails need cleaning now and then maybe a train will run - but that will have to wait until tomorrow!

Dandelions can be a real pain as they come back up if any root has been left plus of course the seeds blow around. I have a device that gets right down to a good depth if the root, does not get it all out but I attack every one with it as soon as they show flower - every time without fail. It causes them to work harder as they live to seed and by denying them that they overwork to replicate seed and eventually die off. Has to be a most rigorous program though any slacking with one seeding and you have a whole lot more to deal with. My garden when I moved in 7 years ago was a sea of Dandelions, the prevoius owner was into a ‘wild garden’ so presumably the Dl’s fitted in. After my program I just get the odd one popping up now and again presumably newly seeded ones blow in. Believe me its war with these dratted plants.

 

[trammayo]

Dandelions can be a real pain as they come back up if any root has been left plus of course the seeds blow around. I have a device that gets right down to a good depth if the root, does not get it all out but I attack every one with it as soon as they show flower - every time without fail. It causes them to work harder as they live to seed and by denying them that they overwork to replicate seed and eventually die off. Has to be a most rigorous program though any slacking with one seeding and you have a whole lot more to deal with. My garden when I moved in 7 years ago was a sea of Dandelions, the prevoius owner was into a ‘wild garden’ so presumably the Dl’s fitted in. After my program I just get the odd one popping up now and again presumably newly seeded ones blow in. Believe me its war with these dratted plants.

Yes, I too have a root remover. My biggest problem is the nooks and crannies that they started growing in. Normal soil depth isn't a problem. I pull the emerging flower heads off but, as you say, they strive to seed!

 

[playmofire]

Dandelions are one of the first plants to flower and with their bright colour are very attractive to bees and are an important source of nectar in the early part of the year before other plants are in flower. I let them flower, but behead them before they go to see. Once they've past the flowering stage, I apply a rub-on weedkiller to the ones on the lawn and hoik out the ones in the soil. Those that come up through cracks in the block paving are dealt with asap along with other weeds by pouring boiling water on them. A celebrity, gardener mentioned boiling water as a cheap and effective weedkiller on the radio and it certainly works.

 

[trammayo]

Dandelions are one of the first plants to flower and with their bright colour are very attractive to bees and are an important source of nectar in the early part of the year before other plants are in flower. I let them flower, but behead them before they go to see. Once they've past the flowering stage, I apply a rub-on weedkiller to the ones on the lawn and hoik out the ones in the soil. Those that come up through cracks in the block paving are dealt with asap along with other weeds by pouring boiling water on them. A celebrity, gardener mentioned boiling water as a cheap and effective weedkiller on the radio and it certainly works.

The boiling water sounds like a good idea and won't poison the cats! I also behead the pesky plants (or try to) before they seed. I don't mind the look of them it's just the multiplication factor if they run to seed . Even the goats don't eat them. Funny thing is, Dandelion & Burdock used to be my favourite soft drink. Don't see it in the shops over here! As for the Burdock, they are a plague too - at least I managed to get rid of those!

 

[trammayo]

Well I did some practical testing yesterday - the weather was a blistering 25 degrees plus! I re-discovered continuity problems on the main circuit - had to cure it with my usual drilling and self tappers in the connectors. More importantly, I found the coach (SPC) that I was sure I had but couldn't find. The failure to locate the item caused me to think about senility - did I have the item or not? Anyway, I bought one off ebay to join the other two recent SPC purchases. Yesterday, whilst trying to locate a suitable loco, I found the "missing" coach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. So now I have a rake of four (just two with the same stock number).

So, whilst getting things moving, I thought I'd plug in the feeder cable to the extension line. That brought the train to a sudden halt - dead short!
Soon sorted as I knew it must be the two black wires from the socket - and it was! A screwdriver soon sorted that.


So, apart from the continuity on a section of the main line - which wasn't discovered until the train came back and onto the inner loop - all was working. Yipee! Here's it travelling across the bridge on its' outward journey ....



..... and returning...



I still need to carry out some more weeding on the cross line - particularly near the lighthouse .....





Still plenty of grot and rot to sort out!

 

[playmofire]

A day well spent, Mick. I'm still hoping to find two LGB shuttle units I have put somewhere safe!

 

[trammayo]

Yesterday, I had a go at some more weeding. Managed to break the handle of the root extractor - only damaged one finger - can make a new handle I suppose. So the link line is now clear of dandelions (for the moment).





Having found my rail clamps a day or two ago, I decided to make use of some of them instead of the LGB rail joiners I had modified to sliders in the beginning.....



It was easier use the clamps than clean the original joiners. If it turns out to be a nice day, I'll clean and test the link line.

 

[trammayo]

Domestic chores always interfere with what one would like to do. Yesterday I snatched a few minutes to run a simple train - which revealed yet another conductivity problem! However, if I get chance I'll sort it today - just a few 2mm holes and some self-tappers. Here's a pic or two of yesterday's track "proving".....

Connections OK


The link Line OK as train joins the outer loop.....


...... wanting to leave the inner loop required a push .....


The wires are (or were) for the electric point. At the moment it's purely manual and not remote. Maybe I'll try my fishing line method of operation like I use on my trailer set-up. Maybe.

 

[playmofire]

A nice sunny day for track testing, Mick.

 

[trammayo]

Having sorted out the electrical continuity on the link line, I tested a train;-



I was also testing my latest acquisition (the D&RGW caboose)! All went well - no problems until the train was heading from the inner to the outer circle .......



I suppose I was lucky that mother nature had already softened the timber! The question was what to do about it? I needed to improve the height clearance without increasing the height of the "high level" line. Having a few thoughts, I finally made a shallow metal tray to span the gap and proceeded (with a pair of pincers) to remove the offending timbers. Apart from sheet aluminium I had a piece of coated steel flashing left over from a corrugated roof job. Being of a short arms and deep pockets disposition, the short piece of flashing was chosen.....

Shown in position with the engine just plonked there;-



So, now the tallest loco can access all sections of my line. There's more to do to make the "tray" blend in a little better - I sprayed the inside with a multicoloured rattle can - looks a bit like ballast!


(it did when wet!).

 

[Jasper]

If you want the "tray" to stand out less, how about making it into a Covered Bridge?

 

[playmofire]

A very neat solution.

 

[trammayo]

If you want the "tray" to stand out less, how about making it into a Covered Bridge?

Hi Jasper. The more I look at it, I think it should follow the R1 curves. It was just a quick fix to give clearance. I've always liked the idea of a covered bridge but, as the line is only a few centimetres from the main bridge I don't think it would be suitable in this instance. But thanks for your suggestion - I will bear it in mind.

 

[trammayo]

I had another look at things and then remembered I had some R2 curves. I slotted two together to see if I could make things look a little better;



I think that would look better?

 

[dunnyrail]

I had another look at things and then remembered I had some R2 curves. I slotted two together to see if I could make things look a little better;

View attachment 265559

I think that would look better?

While the track is off perhaps a change of colour to black or even dark brown for the bridge may help?

 

[Riograndad]

I like the r2s Mick,just a thought that if you made it a covered bridge on the curve you would need quite a clearance for cab roof and pilot on the BH locos to clear but I assume you would have thought of that already.