The Kim Short Line

That is a very tidy layout you have built :)
Having a look through the thread I'm interested to know what are the tightest radius curves and points that you have used?
 
Hi, nearly all my curves are radius one of the LGB or PIKO type. If you are asking with regard the quite large locos i have in the pictures, (FA1/B and GP38). They run absolutely fine around the corners, but i found that they (the couplings of the locos) dragged the leading wagon off sometimes. I sorted this by just taking off whatever device the manufacturer had fitted to tension and centre the coupling. Now no problems what so ever. I know they look to have a big overhang on some corners, more so the GP38, but i really had no choice but to use R1 curves due to the width of the garden. You see, i didnt want a train set, i wanted a railway within the garden, as i love the garden too. A bigger radius would compromise what i have, of my garden. Thanks for the comment ceejaydee. Hope this helps.

PS- all my points are R1 appart from one pair, which is radius 2, to give a more mainline feel for its location.
 
Thanks Duncan - it was only one picture that made me look twice and consider that the curve may have been R1 but then I looked at the larger locos you run and thought - can't be, my eyes are playing tricks.
Your layout certainly doesn't look anything like a train set and proves that the use of R1 need not be the restriction on stock that I thought it may be.

Look forward to more pics ;)
 
I really do like your layout - and I think it shows how all the conventional wisdom about gradients and diameters can be got a round. It may not look prototypical but nor do full size people, paths, etc we all have in our gardens too. In fact I went to a lot of cost and effort (re laying to r5) so I could potentially run what you are running now!

BTW I had a lot of gradients and r1S, and found i could actually run long trains without stringlining if i just put a few weights in the leading half of the train (i actually put hammers, spanners etc in the boxcars as they were to hand!

BTW job for today is to get the 45 tonners couplers converted - will post pics when its up and runnng.
 
ahhh, the 45 tonner, that was really big that thing. On my r1s i dont think il try anything much bigger than the GP38. when i bought it, i was dreading putting it on the track for the first time, thinking it will de-rail on every corner, after the horror stories on here, and its perfect. (now i've cut the tension bar on the coupler).
 
Garden looks very tidy Duncan and your Santa Fe GP38-2 looks very nice running round your line .
 
Been very busy this afternoon, building a new short loop at the top of the garden to store the banking locomotive for the steep incline from there, on the high level line.
Also been trying to wire some isolators up with the LGB orange box thing. Two of which are working on the main loop, the other two on dead end sidings will not work, so i dont know. Seems more complicated than needs be for a isolator.
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duncan1_9_8_4 said:
Been trying to wire some isolators up with the LGB orange box thing. Two of which are working on the main loop, the other two on dead end sidings will not work, so i dont know. Seems more complicated than needs be for a isolator.
Click to expand...
If you can post/pm a diagram of how you've wired these, I'll have a look and see if you've done anything wrong....
 
Il have a go in a bit, but simply........
The insulated joints on my loops, are on the inner rail of the circuit.
One wire from the always live part of the inner rail, goes into the power in part of the lgb box.
Then one wire from each isolated rail goes into each respective switch. THESE WORK FINE.
On my sidings the same applies, but the isolating joints are on the outer rail, all else is the same as above.
The train works fine but will not work on the isolator section.
Think il just buy some simple toggle switches like i used to on oo etc.
 
duncan1_9_8_4 said:
Il have a go in a bit, but simply........
The insulated joints on my loops, are on the inner rail of the circuit.
One wire from the always live part of the inner rail, goes into the power in part of the lgb box.
Then one wire from each isolated rail goes into each respective switch. THESE WORK FINE.
On my sidings the same applies, but the isolating joints are on the outer rail, all else is the same as above.
The train works fine but will not work on the isolator section.
Think il just buy some simple toggle switches like i used to on oo etc.
Click to expand...

I think from the above you are setting up a short circuit?

Sounds like you are putting the power feed from the inner rail to the outer rail in your sidings as my understanding is that these boxes have a common feed to the switch input.
I refered to the wiring diagram of the switches on page 5 of the following LGB documentation to confirm this:

http://www.champex-linden.de/lgb_pr...85256A17006A1A94/$FILE/51750_51800_072002.pdf

This is my diagram of what you should be doing....
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I would suggest you put all your isolating joiners in the inner rail if possible? Otherwise I'll have to think of another solution....
 
il try that, its the only thing i can think of or see that is deifferent, cheers for your help.......... im only any good at laying track tutt
 
Hi Mate, it's looking good. Been doing similar myself this afternoon. Just one little thought, I guess the banker is going to sit between the yellow isolators while the main line goes round the tighter bend into the straight section. Do you reckon it might look better for the trains to go throught the gentle curve and the banker to sit on the straight? Just a thought. Either way it looks great.
 
Thats a very good point mr cogges! never even crossed my mind to be honest. it would look especially good with the longer trains. and i just happen to have two more isolating blocks............... thanks for the idea.
 
Hello people. It was me putting the insulated joints in the wrong place, derrrrrr. Tested it all today, got a few trains out. Now ready for running this year! Heres some pics from today..............
 
duncan1_9_8_4 said:
Hello people. It was me putting the insulated joints in the wrong place, derrrrrr. Tested it all today, got a few trains out. Now ready for running this year! Heres some pics from today..............
Click to expand...
Thought as much? Looking at your posted pix of your engine shed just now and I can see you've put the isolating joiners on the inner rails now!
Anyway, glad you're all sorted and running okay now....
 
Been nice out in the garden today, so ive enhanced my small tunnel with some mouths, and added a new building to my small station. what do you think...........?
 
awesome mate...loves yr neat layout!! wishes im same as u ..lol...so will send u a picture nxt...about yr tracks on the top..
 
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