Eighton Bahn AKA testing testing RhB

Right then a rough track diagram...

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...now the names of the various parts have been laid out in today's daily chat, post number 10.


Now there is a saying that a map is out of date the moment the surveyor departs the site. Well that is very much the case here, as I have reinstated the curved point and connected up to the headshunt...

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So Collins Junction, could be renamed Collins/As you were Junction.

Now all I have to figure out is the return springing of point settings to force the trains to take the pass on the left routes, and fit the only two motors I need to install.
 
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Wow, that is some track scheme. It's giving me food for thought. My retirement plan is to rebuild my railway as best I can in a very small space, so your use of loops and fly overs is inspiring
 
Today has seen the setting up of the chord point motors. The plan was to use either the single channel point decoder or a pair of Evo-S motors to switch to the chord and revert back to the main line after a set time, about a min..

The single channel decoder has been a bit hit and miss, in the will it work or won't it, and it has now totally failed, but not before I installed it, so out it came and in with the Evo-S.
These are the only points on the railway which can not be trailed through as I have set the Evo-S to lock in either position.

P1030906.JPGP1030908.JPG

Now as i want trains to pass on the left when running through the passing loops, I needed a method of passive point return when pushed through. The two manual switches in the above photo works on that point, but for the rest I have tried another method involving mangling some of Swmbo's safety pins. The next photos will explain it better than words.

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Done, liberating five point motors in the process, not sure how they will hold up, but the lightest rolling stock rolls (trails) through and they re set afterwards.
Not sure if I have copied an idea used by someone else, but they are cheap, require the min of tools and effort, can be accessed and adjusted with ease.
Don't know how they will stand the test of time, but they are easy to replace.
 
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Nodrog1826 said:
Today has seen the setting up of the chord point motors. The plan was to use either the single channel point decoder or a pair of Evo-S motors to switch to the chord and revert back to the main line after a set time, about a min..

The single channel decoder has been a bit hit and miss, in the will it work or won't it, and it has now totally failed, but not before I installed it, so out it came and in with the Evo-S.
These are the only points on the railway which can not be trailed through as I have set the Evo-S to lock in either position.

View attachment 325205View attachment 325206

Now as i want trains to pass on the left when running through the passing loops, I needed a method of passive point return when pushed through. The two manual switches in the above photo works on that point, but for the rest I have tried another method involving mangling some of Swmbo's safety pins. The next photos will explain it better than words.

View attachment 325207View attachment 325208View attachment 325209View attachment 325210View attachment 325211View attachment 325212View attachment 325213View attachment 325215

Done, liberating five point motors in the process, not sure how they will hold up, but the lightest rolling stock rolls (trails) through and they re set afterwards.
Not sure if I have copied an idea used by someone else, but they are cheap, require the min of tools and effort, can be accessed and adjusted with ease.
Don't know how they will stand the test of time, but they are easy to replace.
Click to expand...
Very clever Gordon, a light coat of grease may save them from rusting though I think they may be stainless?
 
The safety pin springs have been greased, and tweaked in places and today has seen the first train of the year...

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...track inspection/rail cleaning/fishplate screw tightening overkill unit...

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...take care not to run over the wildlife. Daft thought, do male Ladybirds suffer from an identity complex?...

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...something smaller was also run.
 
Hm tricky question about the lady bird in our current society. But a very good point, see I introduced a railway term there.
 
Looks as if I may need to re visit my return point springing idea, as some of the lighter wagons don't have the weight to overcome the spring and thus derail.

I may need to try a thinner (Safety Pin) wire, or find and alternative. But whilst I ponder this, I have decided to add some extra weight to the wheels using washers on the inner side a la...

P1030924.JPG

...so whilst the wheels were done, must do some testing...

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...decided to do some work on a point decoder setting connecting it to the prog track, but I could not get it read the decoder read, so had to POM instead. I just could not figure out what I was doing wrong, only to discover the reason when I came to pack things up. Unplugging the central station reveled a snapped wire on the track/prog track plug, one of the programming track feeds, no the wonder I could not read the decoder.
 
Looks like you may need to go for my solution for self return points, I use thin springy wire soldered to a brass screw. The wire similar to that used for 00 point control, you may need to test on lengths but 2-3 inches worked perfect on the Ruschbahn.
 
So my idea of route resetting springy points, has seen further re thinking.

I invested in some 1ft lengths of 1/2mm dia spring wire, so there are now two differing versions of the re set spring...

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...version 1 is an overgrown over ctr spring that springs along the inside of the point blade, anchored at both ends, under the rail chairs at the wide end and in the over ctr spring hole at the other...

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...version 2 is an over ctr spring which is connected to through a hole drilled into the blade.

Both styles have been set up for evaluation, and have been tested by lightweight wagons pushed through.

A powered loco train run/test is penciled in for later this week hopefully.
 
Point routing resetting springy idea, has seen some testing today.

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...the theory is that if lighter locos and rolling stock can work them then the heavier and larger rolling stock should be O.K..
 
Nodrog1826 said:
Looks as if I may need to re visit my return point springing idea, as some of the lighter wagons don't have the weight to overcome the spring and thus derail.

I may need to try a thinner (Safety Pin) wire, or find and alternative. But whilst I ponder this, I have decided to add some extra weight to the wheels using washers on the inner side a la...

View attachment 326520

...so whilst the wheels were done, must do some testing...

View attachment 326522

View attachment 326523

...decided to do some work on a point decoder setting connecting it to the prog track, but I could not get it read the decoder read, so had to POM instead. I just could not figure out what I was doing wrong, only to discover the reason when I came to pack things up. Unplugging the central station reveled a snapped wire on the track/prog track plug, one of the programming track feeds, no the wonder I could not read the decoder.
Click to expand...

I read your post, but failed to grasp the washer on the wheels detail. What a novel idea ! Heretofore I have been adding lead weights to my rolling stock on all sorts of manner. Some were sheets of lead lining the floor of a gondola, let's say. Some were pieces of lead I had melted to fit various openings under a car. You've given me some food for thought however.

One thing I may change in your design would be on LGB metal wheels. They are good as they come from the factory, so I don't relish the idea of pulling them apart in order to install washers. In this case I think cutting the washer in half and installing the two halves on the axle might prove to be the better method. Bachmann metal wheels, on the other hand usually need some adjustment for gauge. They pull apart easily, so full washers would be simple to install.
 
I don't think the wheels I pulled apart were LGB, as they are after market upgrade or plastic wheelsets, so are probably Bachmann
 
I can now report that after trails with various items of rolling stock the springy point return routing resetting idea is a success...


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...routing as required to pass on the left, springing back when run through and no derailments.:)
Just a minor issue to deal with, as in random loco uncoupling on the main line in places, but when you try to repeat the circumstances nowt.

Something else was also noted...

P1030994.JPGP1030992.JPG

... I wonder what they are planning?
 
Nodrog1826 said:
I can now report that after trails with various items of rolling stock the springy point return routing resetting idea is a success...


View attachment 327460View attachment 327461View attachment 327462View attachment 327463

...routing as required to pass on the left, springing back when run through and no derailments.:)
Just a minor issue to deal with, as in random loco uncoupling on the main line in places, but when you try to repeat the circumstances nowt.

Something else was also noted...

View attachment 327466View attachment 327465

... I wonder what they are planning?
Click to expand...
You work marvels, sir. I tip my hat to you.
 
Well the civils have started, in prep for the Seaweed Stone Cutting/40 Ft straight passing loop and the extension of the Lawnmower Bridge/Junction loop.

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...but then Mr Smarty Pants here got cocky, and ran a train through the Lawnmower Loop the wrong way, by holding the point over as the train ran through, but forgetting that I had not reset the Evo point motors after diverting the train onto
Collins Junction West. Its all good as they reset to the main line after a time interval, see if you can guess when the Evo re set itself...

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...yep a bit of disaster, I may need to re visit a point indicator, but in this hobby you can not be disappointed for long as something will turn up to bring a smile...

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:)
 
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