Hello from Andreas, Berlin – I’m glad to be here!

[stockers]

Very nice pictures - and welcome.
Good simple track cleaner. Rock flour is new to me, and I expect some other people on here. I assume it is a fine abrasive paste?

 

[65 1057]

Thank you all for the warm welcome!
Concerning the abrasive paste I quote/translate: "This product easily solves oil, dirt, abrasion, paint residues, etc. Our cleaning fluid is based on alcohol and includes finest rock flour that bindes the dirt and generates a polishing effect". Please see here the set: http://www.schienenreiniger.de/g.html

 

[65 1057]

Sunny weather outside - so I made a few pictures. Let's start with 1:20,3 US NG Operation.
Since I don't have a "green thumb", this is a test area which ground covers do the best job.


The Climax rumbles down the hill from the forest camp and has to wait until the goods train comes to a stop.


Trains in the rail triangle.


And the ashpan flickers...



This happens when you ignore the switch position when pushing trains uphill - the main track is blocked now. I think there is a strong need of a signal box.

 

[Zerogee]

Andreas - as a German modeller, maybe you could help with a question I just posted in another thread....?

https://www.gscalecentral.net/threads/mystery-german-coupling.311011/#post-516782

Jon.

 

[65 1057]

Zerogee - it looks to me like a modified BRAWA coupling, see
http://www.miba.de/neuheit/06/09/brawa3.htm

More Background here:
https://www.themt.de/mr-1455-49.html#a3

I quote / translate the middle part:
BRAWA developed a coupling that works without a spring, it just requires a counterweight. At the same time, the leading angle of the hook was flattened by about 10 to 15 °. This new design allows now a beautifully soft coupling even with ball-bearing cars which roll easily away.

 

[Zerogee]

Thanks for the reply Andreas - but it does not seem to be the same as the one I have here.... the principle of operation is the same, with a counterweight in place of a spring, but the Brawa ones still appear to be plastic and about the same size as standard LGB ones.... I'd still love to know who makes the metal one that I have!

Jon.

 

[65 1057]

Now the german NG Operation - goods train arrives at station A

A mixed train is leaving station B in the late afternoon


The compartement lighting is a test-Installation with a 9V battery under the wagon roof. The cheap LED stripes can be obtained in various lengths here: https://www.fgb.berlin/fgb-led-wageninnenbeleuchtung-230mm-2-stk.html. The brightness is adjustable.

Here my initial steps of UK NG Operation:


LYN is leaving Station A


... and enters the bamboo jungle


Since LYN is still alone, I asked the Garden Railway Specialists for 45mm loco body kits of either Ffestiniog Prince incl. tender or Kerr Stuart 0-4-2 (DG 238).
Here is the answer:
The Prince kit unfortunately is now discontinued and will not be introduced. With regards to the Kerr Stuart, we are currently working on this but cannot give you a timescale at the moment. Details will be on our website when it is available.

Sounds great !

 

[Gizzy]

Welcome Andreas!

I like your ideas on using the S-Kuplix and close coupling wagons, but do you have any experience as to how they cope on R1 curves please....

 

[Slawman]

Hi Andreas, I like the lush garden layout. It looks like a jungle! The tan paint on the air brake tubing in the earlier pictures looks really good, with your permission I will apply that to some of my carriages as well.

Do I see the 27802 NWE Steam Locomotive puling the passenger car and two freight cars?

 

[65 1057]

Welcome Andreas!

I like your ideas on using the S-Kuplix and close coupling wagons, but do you have any experience as to how they cope on R1 curves please....

I just did a short check on the kitchen table: Two Toytrain wagons on a LGB R1 track. Both axle bogies point straight (not "curved"). I think it would work:





It could happen that the hook bends outwards, depending on the angle of the single axle bogies.
I recommend to test a 1:1 replacement first, later you can decide how close you want to couple, e.g. by "unscrewing" the round buffers. Only the final step would be to modify the draw bar (right word?)
Please also refer to: https://www.spur-g-blog.de/2012/06/s-kuplix-am-lgb-rhb-ew-iv-montiert/

(EDIT - I uploaded the pictures again, something went wrong yesterday)

 

[65 1057]

Hi Andreas, I like the lush garden layout. It looks like a jungle! The tan paint on the air brake tubing in the earlier pictures looks really good, with your permission I will apply that to some of my carriages as well.

Do I see the 27802 NWE Steam Locomotive puling the passenger car and two freight cars?

Thank you, slawman! And please, apply this colour on your vacuum brake hoses.
The Steamer is a 1988 LGB 23802, equipped with Uhlenbrock 77500 Decoder plus Intellisound from 99 72xx class which provides the characteristic Troffimoff- valve "Clack"

 

[Slawman]

Many thanks Andreas, The 23802 looks like an earlier version of the same prototype, one of my favorites:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NWE_No._21

Have you driven this one (the real one)? Do you know if the Intellisound module playback is recorded from the original engine?

 

[stevedenver]

Welcome Andreas.
Beautiful garden and train photos.
Thank you

 

[royale]

Welcome aboard, Andreas.

 

[65 1057]

Many thanks Andreas, The 23802 looks like an earlier version of the same prototype, one of my favorites:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NWE_No._21

Have you driven this one (the real one)? Do you know if the Intellisound module playback is recorded from the original engine?

As guest I had a cab ride last year Gernrode - Quedlinburg - Gernrode ("high speed track"), and the engine condition was rather bad..clacking main shaft sleeve bearings etc.
The sound is from 99 7243 ("Harzbulle"), so not really prototypical, but the model will sound on your layout differently anyway.

 

[Paradise]

Hi Andreas, I see you like trains from all around the world. Me too. You have a nice garden setting.

 

[65 1057]

Thank you, Paradise! And running trains from around the world on the same layout can be a trap... What about buildings, signalling, bridges etc. I cannot ride through a german railway station with a Climax, and a Harz 99 6001 on a wooden trestle does not convince me.
I'm thinking about "transportable outdoor sections", mounted on wheatherproofed boards (e.g. thin cement boards). It could be detailled & repaired over the winter period, and installed on the operating days. Than I could choose between UK, US or German operating days and had the right lineside detailing ready.

 

[Zerogee]

Thank you, Paradise! And running trains from around the world on the same layout can be a trap... What about buildings, signalling, bridges etc. I cannot ride through a german railway station with a Climax, and a Harz 99 6001 on a wooden trestle does not convince me. ...........

A lot of folks on here are happy to run anything on their lines, we refer to it as "Rule Eight" (briefly, "it's my railway so I'll run whatever I like!"), but I do understand what you mean - last year I took a lot of my Harz locos and rolling stock along to a friend's G Scale Society open day, and we temporarily removed his Swiss RhB station (A Pola "Susch" model) and replaced it with my Drei Annen Hohne model, changing his Swiss-themed line into the Harz for the duration of the open day!

I do think your idea of moveable scenic areas is a good one, if you particularly like having the "right" type of buildings and infrastructure for the kind of trains you want to run that day; it all adds to the fun.....

Jon.

 

[65 1057]

I would like to share a link to the german journal GARTENBAHN PROFI, section "Downloads & Service".
http://www.gartenbahnprofi.de/Service-Termine/Downloads-zum-Heft

This page contains information to specific articles published a while ago, e.g. HARZ-KAMEL soundfile comparison, drawings for kit bashing, comparison of Massoth, Dietz and Heyn automatic de-coupler, building drawings like Steinbach Water Tower, and also some video links. Interesting for US modeler: "Slow Motion"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAB-0KbpD18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ9VcWGo0do

 

[curtis]

Andreas, sorry to bring the thread back from the dead but I got to see in person how effective this creation was. I'm curious, what is the black flat squad you attach th felt to? I want to try an reproduce your approach! I would have messaged you but figured the community may be interested!

Curtis

The track cleaning is done by "THE TRACK CLEANER" - a liquid with rock flour on a felt padView attachment 237588

It fits under a standard LGB wagon
View attachment 237589

No problems on the pointwork (derailing or so) - it just glides
View attachment 237590