03-20-2011, 07:09 PM
Hello All.
Well, the last couple of days have been spent quite productively outside in my little haven working on the layout, and I'm pleased to report that tracklaying on the fourth board is now complete.
Some judicious filing has made the ride across each road of the 90* crossing a lot smoother and the cuts across the baseboard joins are also relatively smooth - razor saw worked marvellously thank you Koos
and a little more filing and adjustment with the soldering iron around the switch rails has improved the entry and exit points to the crossover - to be fair, this was the first time I've had an opportunity to attach some extra lengths of track to each end to test this so, I'll allow myself a little credit here, but no more (one mustn;'t rest on one's laurels). One of the frogs is not as smooth as I'd like, but I'm loathed to mess with it any further now it's laid, lest I make an even bigger b*lls of it 
Still, I'm glad I've had a bash at making my own trackwork, especially when I consider it's gone a long way to making this a real bargain basement layout
Anyway, to save waffling on, I've taken the liberty of shooting three new videos to show how testing went. Yes, it stars, yet again, my little Chessie and sole 40' box car, however moves were made over the weekend to add to my stock list, although I shall say no more until they're safely in my possession (another bargain!!).
Due to the length of time it takes to upload on youtube - about two hours for under 8 minutes worth of footage :x - I can only attach two of them, however, I'll try and post the third tomorrow unless I receive a signed petition from you all in the meantime begging me not to
There's a warning to go with this footage: don't drive or operate machinery etc. while viewing - your patience is requested in other words. The quality is absolutely awful, so add camerawork to the ever burgeoning list of things I'm rubbish at. This is what happens when you're trying to drive a train, operate two sets of points using blu-tac and a screwdriver that's seen far better days, switch the SPDT switches that accompany them, familiarise yourself with the successful operation of Kadee uncouplers whilst balancing a controller on your knee and holding a video camera in the other hand. All I need is a clown's outfit to go with it
Incidentally, Chessie worked remarkably well in the process and any erratic movements were due to the lunatic at the controls. I assure you she didn't stall once throughout, it was just me abjectly trying to correctly position her and accompanying car at the correct point over the magnet and trying to avoid recoupling by going to quickly in the process - I was also trying to give myself enough time to handfistedly shift the points over before the bogie wheels beat me to it!!! Bachmann really do produce beautifully smooth running locos - even after I dropped her not once but twice last week requiring 'body off' remedial work I simply cannot praise them enough.
So here goes and thank you in anticipation of your forebearance,
Jonte
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Well, the last couple of days have been spent quite productively outside in my little haven working on the layout, and I'm pleased to report that tracklaying on the fourth board is now complete.
Some judicious filing has made the ride across each road of the 90* crossing a lot smoother and the cuts across the baseboard joins are also relatively smooth - razor saw worked marvellously thank you Koos
and a little more filing and adjustment with the soldering iron around the switch rails has improved the entry and exit points to the crossover - to be fair, this was the first time I've had an opportunity to attach some extra lengths of track to each end to test this so, I'll allow myself a little credit here, but no more (one mustn;'t rest on one's laurels). One of the frogs is not as smooth as I'd like, but I'm loathed to mess with it any further now it's laid, lest I make an even bigger b*lls of it Still, I'm glad I've had a bash at making my own trackwork, especially when I consider it's gone a long way to making this a real bargain basement layout
Anyway, to save waffling on, I've taken the liberty of shooting three new videos to show how testing went. Yes, it stars, yet again, my little Chessie and sole 40' box car, however moves were made over the weekend to add to my stock list, although I shall say no more until they're safely in my possession (another bargain!!).
Due to the length of time it takes to upload on youtube - about two hours for under 8 minutes worth of footage :x - I can only attach two of them, however, I'll try and post the third tomorrow unless I receive a signed petition from you all in the meantime begging me not to
There's a warning to go with this footage: don't drive or operate machinery etc. while viewing - your patience is requested in other words. The quality is absolutely awful, so add camerawork to the ever burgeoning list of things I'm rubbish at. This is what happens when you're trying to drive a train, operate two sets of points using blu-tac and a screwdriver that's seen far better days, switch the SPDT switches that accompany them, familiarise yourself with the successful operation of Kadee uncouplers whilst balancing a controller on your knee and holding a video camera in the other hand. All I need is a clown's outfit to go with it
Incidentally, Chessie worked remarkably well in the process and any erratic movements were due to the lunatic at the controls. I assure you she didn't stall once throughout, it was just me abjectly trying to correctly position her and accompanying car at the correct point over the magnet and trying to avoid recoupling by going to quickly in the process - I was also trying to give myself enough time to handfistedly shift the points over before the bogie wheels beat me to it!!! Bachmann really do produce beautifully smooth running locos - even after I dropped her not once but twice last week requiring 'body off' remedial work
I simply cannot praise them enough.So here goes and thank you in anticipation of your forebearance,
Jonte
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_vvzg3bvzQ">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_vvzg3bvzQ</a><!-- m -->
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZtWFnXl4EU&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZtWFnXl ... er&list=UL</a><!-- m -->