Am now back in Spain and have access to more of my friend's photos. A selection below:
Tidenham Chase To Southern Spain
- Thread starter Orgiva
- Start date
A new edition to the fleet should be here next week. An entirely different direction for me and I'm looking forward to learning how to create and solve the problems involved in a rack railway. I'm intending on climbing up to a higher terrace in the garden, about 3 feet higher. Stock picture of loco below, more photos to follow:
Perceived wisdom is the secret of a rack-incline is the transitions from level to slope..
(No personal experience, just what gleaned from here..)
(No personal experience, just what gleaned from here..)
Yes Phil, and ideally on a straight section of track.Try not to let the joiners do the kink but bend a section of track smoothly.
One of the frustrations I came to realise with the layout was that there were no sidings on which to keep engines that were not in use. I had a large passing loop, which meant two engines could be out but any others would have to wait off the track. Pulling apart a well running line is always a pain but it had to be done. I used track from an old LGB loop set, together with some track cut-off extensions to gain the clearance needed for the points switches. Cleared the designated area, laid out the track to find the limits, laid the gravel, put down and ballasted the track, and finally checked for clearances. Just waiting now for the return of my rack loco for the next extension.
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We put a Rack Railway in on the Ruschbahn. One of the problems was with Couplings that tended to overude each other on the incline descent. Perhaps the Grade and some of the Curves on the descent were just too Steep and Tight. Cannot remember the Grade now, but it was within the alleged spec. Curves were R1, always a mistake.
LGB also do a Special Hook for Rack Stock as the Uncoupling Dropper catches the Rack Cogs.
I had intended to do a Rack Line on my new layout, but decided against it after the above experience. Though my Rack Locomotive does get used, I assume the Rack is elswhere and the bit seen is the Non Rack part of the Railway. Not unknown on the real thing. SBB Bruning being a well known example.
JonD
The rack line is yet to be started. The rack loco I bought had to be sent back because it didn't go in reverse; I'm waiting for the replacement to be sent out. I'm still not sure at which point on the line to start it from. The best point, in simple engineering terms, would be out of view, which defeats part of the reason to have a rack line! Photos to follow in due course.
The replacement rack loco arrived today and passed all its running tests. All I have to do now is glue on the light surrounds (easy job) and build it a rack railway to use (not so easy job).
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It's been a while since my last post. I've been enjoying running the rack loco but it really is time to get the rack part of the line built. Today was the start of the construction. A radius 3 point was inserted in to the line and the general lie of the rack line determined. It's going to climb the height of the stone wall and turn in by the tree stump on the right. A hole will be trimmed through the two bushes to gain the clearance needed. More photos to follow but I think it's going to be slow progress.
Always worthwhile when going through trees to think about a Tunnel sort of construction inside the tree as the pesky things grow and can soon be sideswiping the trains. Perhaps a clear plastic Tunnel?
A little bit more work done today. Bent the initial climbing track easily over a large wooden mushroom! Positioned the supporting plank and laid the track loosely on top with the rack in position. A small step ladder supported the other end to gauge the height right to get over the wall. The plank will be treated later. Tested out the climbing prowess of the loco, which is pretty amazing. My current concern is that at 25% this is on the limit of the loco's recommended maximum incline. More to follow...
