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Practical solutions for modelrailroading |
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Stow away your layout | |||
Aternative 1 - Folded to wall |
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Most modelrailroad fans have a dream about the unlimited space for the super
layout but reality (including your wife) put tings into other situations. Layouts on shelf's in the kitchen have been presented in various magazines to save space. Here is an example of a complete digital controlled N-scale layout with the size of 3,60 by 1,20 meters easily stowed away to make room for other activities. A full equipped layout with a various terrain is folded up towards the wall - definitely not a new innovation - but here some new ideas. |
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Two
adjustable hinges are mounted on each side at the back of the layout.The dual movement of
the hinges keeps the layout tight to the wall in down position with the background slimmed
to the landscape. In up position the layout will be folded out and with the necessary space against the wall to reside the terrain. The backside of the layout is easy accessible for installation of turnout motors, wires and various electronics. The layout is safe on the table (swing table) in down position. And the table can be folded down when not used. the dept of the table can be chosen to the needs. A nice drapery covers the layout and the table when not used keeping dust away. I can not see a drawback to remove the rolling materials - if you take care - its a good reason to remove it when not used. Houses, vehicles and people are glued or screwed to the layout. |
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At the time of moving to a bigger house I had the oppurtunity to expand my layout into sections. I would not call this "a modular construction" as I do not follow any accepted mudular standard. The sections are built on aluminumprofiles (SAPA) that is very stable with low weight. Rotary and lockable wheels for each section make it easy to access the layout from either side. A wooden frame carrying the layout is laying upon the aluminum profiles hinged on the rear edge. The layout could hereby be folded up and all electronics underneath are accessable. When folded it is secured by gas attenuator same as holding up the trunk of a car. I
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Helix - Hidden yard | |||
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A Helix project in N-scale |
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First
determine which total height difference is to be connected via the Helix.
Climbing should not be over 2.5% since the curves combined with the uphill
movement can be hard for long trains. The example of Helix, which I will
describe here has a height difference of 195 mm and a circumference of
2460 mm per revolution, a climbing of 2.3% which means that the height
difference between two turns is 55 mm and a total of 3.5 levels. The
Helix could have either single or double track. Since I will combine my
Helix with a hidden yard I have chosen double track because I want the
trains to operate simultaneously down to the yard while new trains can
move upwards to the visible part of the layout. The helix is preferably
made as an oval to get the total climb height of as little space as
possible and that the trains do not have to be in a curve during the whole
climb. I
selected a minimum radius of R2 (228 mm) of the inner track and R3 (262
mm) of the outer track. The smallest defined radius R1 for N-scale should
be avoided. With a cork trackbed width of 30 mm and 25mm free space on
each side the total width of the base will be of 80 mm for single track
and double track with standard track c/c distance 35 mm, giving a total
width of the base of 115 mm. Start by drawing up stretches of track around the oval on a large piece of paper. Draw lines equal to the track center and lines of the outer edges. Transfer the lines on the paper to the first piece of plywood (half turn) and use an electrical jigsaw. Use this as a template for the rest of the plywood half turns. Each level of plywood (4 mm) is divided into two halves with the seams on the straight part. With wooden laths (15 x 15 mm) fitted to the edges of the straight section and short pieces in the curves where the threaded rods will go through.
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Start
by fitting the halves together on one side. On the other side the
respective planes over / under are fitted. The
cork trackbed
is glued to the base following the track centerline. Begin to glue
the flextrack to the trackbed with contact adhesive. With the glue still
wet I put on the track that can be adjusted and shoot down temporarily
with a staple gun. These staples are removed when the glue has dried (about
20 min.) The seams of the tracks are joint together and soldered. When completed around the first bottom lap add on the next lap attached and screwed to the edge bar and then continue the trackinstallation lap after lap up. With the tracks in place the helix is now a flat package with the pitch not more than the thickness of each lap. Now drill holes for 6 mm threaded rods (16 pc) with a 7 mm drill for clearance. Threaded rods fitted with washers and nuts on both the upper and bottom of each plan. Start from the bottom at the entrance of the helix where the altitude is = 0 (zero). In my case, one revolution of 2400 mm and pitch of 2.3%, I adjust the height of each threaded rod on the first lap and adjust the nuts to the correct height. It is appropriate to have the helix mounted on a baseplate which threaded rods and assume that this base plate provides the reference for heights. Then adjust lap after lap with the nuts to one a fixed spacing between levels. In my case 55 mm.
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Mainsection open Mainsection down | |||
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Tracks for trams in the city Buildings in the city | |||
Loco cleaning | |||
The loco
wheels picks up a lot of dust that and together with fractions of oil make
"black dots" on the wheels with
missing contact to the tracks. Various methods like brass brushes will
clean the wheels but all mechanical cleaning will in the long run destroy
the wheels. You are better of with chemical cleaning like white spirit.
Turn the loco upside down mounted in a fixture. Apply power to the weels
and clean the wheels with a piece of thin fabric or tops. See figure. A
hobby clamp and "a third hand help" will do the job. |
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Track cleaning | |||
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See TOMIX with lots of cleaning utilities. | |||
Electrical Couples | |||
Most
railroaders are struggeling the problem to get proper contact to the
tracks specially on turnouts and dirty sections. This is applicable
specially on tha smaller scales (N and Z). To late I have experienced that
a perfection of the initial track installations on the layout is extremely
important. The
answer is:
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![]() ![]() Scharfenbergcouple from
Imotec in N-scale |
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Scharfenberg couple in swedish DU-loco |
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The
Fleischmann swedish DU-loco in N-scale is a typical exampel of locos that
have a poor contact to the tracks. The stiff axis will make stop in almost
every turnout. With an electrical couple to the next wagon or a
tandemcoupled loco will help to get a better contact. The company Imotec
offers Scharfenbergcouples to interconnect the supplyvoltage (DCC or
analog) from loco/ loco or wagon. |
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Scharfenberg coupling installed to tandem coupled swedish DU-locos | |||
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My own solution to electrical coupling | |||
All locos will not fit to the Scharfenberg couple above an will need an alternate solution. After som experimental tries I found a working solution for my trains keeping the standard couplingpocket with modifications just to the hook. The couplinghook is modified to carry a 2-pin microconnector (se picture). A rough solution - but it works nice. Very easy to return to original shape witout remodifying - just replace the hook back to standard.er. |
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Material:
- Couplinghooks - Spareparts for most rolling stuff from Instructions:
1.Remove
the couplinghooks from the pockets on the
5. The thin wires are carefully soldered to the |
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![]() ![]() Bend the pins Secure coupling |
Unchanged distance Wires and resistor |
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Tram Catenary | |||
Trams on a N-scale layout is an interresting complement. The choice of trams in N-scale is limited since Arnold has "disappeared" as an own company. Hopefully the new owner will come up with the production of trams. I had good luck and found two Duwag trams. Tram catenaries is a part of a town with running trams. If you just use catenarys for the scene and not electrical you don`t have to buy expencive stuff. I decided to build from scratch to a very low cost. |
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Materials:
- Copperwire 0,8 mm (single wire) Instructions:
- Cut the tip and round off one end of the toothpick.
- If this catenary is to be electrified the stability of the post
has
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![]() Final result |
![]() Trams in the City |
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Signals | |||
The goal with this project was to bring down the costs for signals as many are to be used. Even if I should try to find swedish signals I will get lost. The decision to build the signals by my self have given a final result close to the original.
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Built procedure
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I started to build headsignals controlled by the PC-software influenced by the feedback from train movements and routes. The signals are connected to Littfinski DCC-decoders capable of controlling 8 individual Leds. |
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Motor driven turntable | |||
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Cut off
the center tap 3 mm:s underneath the bridge not to stick out under the turntable. Mount
the bridge temporary and check for free rotation with no touch that could stop the bridge.
Adjust with a file. Motor and gearbox
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Turntable speed and supply The rotation speed of the bridge is depending on the motor supply voltage and the gearbox ratio. I have counted on a maximum angle speed of 12 degrees / second ( 2 turns / minute) with a 12 V DC supply and a gearbox ratio of 1:20 from a motor speed of 40 turns/minute. The bridge controlled from an analogue pulsed trottle "Gaugemaster" with above parameters gives a smooth rotation to various speeds stops to tracks by exact precision. The turntable can alternative be connected to a fixed DC voltage (12V) with a fwd-stop-rev switch In this case preferable with a gearbox with higher ratio to be able to stop by precision. The suggested motor is avaliable with a broad choice of different gearboxes. The tracks adjacent to the bridge track is supplied through a standard turn switch to stop locomotives to run down into the turntable when its not positioned.
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Parts list PECO standard turntable NB-5 N-scale wheels 4 mm brass axis Motor with gearbox Gear wheel (straight) Gear wheel (worm) Lockring AL-plate 1,5 mm Turn switch |
![]() Motor mounted underneath the turntablewith 90 degree gear wheels. Observe the whole in the Al-plate to secure the bridge axis. |
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Make your own trees | |||
With this method you can fast and easily make your own trees. Make sure you have an AWG14-16 multi wire cable, Woodland Scenics "Foliage" FC57 and 59, enamel paint and hairspray. Cut the cable in various lengths and keep 20 mm of isolation. Tailor the branches from the wires and glue pieces of the Woodland material and strew with various materials from Faller. Use hairspray to to fix the materials. Paint the trunk and let dry. Do one step a time for all trees in massproduction and tailor the trees for individual shapes. |
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Rocks and water | |||
This part of modeling is probably
taking the most efforts to obtain a good result. Lots of stuff "ready
to put on the layout" are avaliable but looks !? Materials from
Woodland Scenics and Faller mixed with a careful study in avaliable books
and magazines and a good portion of patience is a good start. Bring your
camera and study the pictures. Of course its up to the modeler where to put
the priority - the rolling material - the scenics - or the electronics. Lakes
and other areas of water are painted on the layout base with a mixed color
suitable for open sea or narrow canals.The surface is then covered by a
curled transparent plastic sheet from Faller. The result is fantastic
from this simple method. Take a look on the pictures below. |
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