Lazy Grange Bay 3...a new start

[mike]

while waiting for someone to arive.. i dida bit more, small steps ,in the right direction marm

 

[George]

I havnt been on here for a while obviously and wow Mike your railway is looking brilliant!!

 

[brianthesnail96]

Strides in the right direction I think mate, not steps (especially considering the length of your legs...). Gets better every time I drop in

 

[mbiff]

jesus sir mike , tiss looking ding dang do buddy

 

[mike]

cheers folks..
today ,sandy harreit max,and philp,called in for a testing session

 

[jublybug]

Its looking good , likeing the look of them cakes aswell.

Jim

 

[mike]

sorry ,all cakes spoken for!!
hans called round today,and just to rub it in.. brought the object of disire..

was grreat to sit and chat, catch up,
after hans had gone, striped the wanagrow down, to sort out a sticking skate.. the spring had over heated, melting the plastic, drilled out, neddel filed out, rebuilt and tested

 

[Rhinochugger]

I s'pose one has to ask about the added value of skates.

The Wangerooge appears to have plungers on all wheels, thus skates are only going to assist in providing an additional positive contact.

However, it may explain why dirty track is less of an issue with some LGB locos :thinking::thinking:

Has there been any definitvie trial of identical locos with and without skates ? I always assumed that skates substituted for wheel pickup/contacts

 

[minimans]

I s'pose one has to ask about the added value of skates.

The Wangerooge appears to have plungers on all wheels, thus skates are only going to assist in providing an additional positive contact.

However, it may explain why dirty track is less of an issue with some LGB locos :thinking::thinking:

Has there been any definitvie trial of identical locos with and without skates ? I always assumed that skates substituted for wheel pickup/contacts

As you said the skates do a good job of pickup because they have more contact with the rail than just the wheel and they do keep the track cleaner!!

 

[mike]

well ian, its like this.. it used to run silky smooth over all the points, tracks ands sideings..
then it started to stall, ever so slightly on the point blades.. it was noticable, as all my locos are sounds equiped..so the sound cuts out.. loco stalls,..then splutters back into life..
a thorugh look with a multi meter showed the points were fine/showing good conductivatiy(unlike other makes.PIKO!)so my atention turned to the loco.. the multimeter test showed all the wheels were showing good conductivaty..1 skate was.. the other, was stuck, and showing no conductivaty..so.. haveing striped it down, removed the faulty bit, and fettled it back together, futher testing with the mulitmeter now showed full conductivaty across all wheels/skates..
and now its back to normal.. silky smooth across all the points/track/and sideings.
so yes.. skates do add to smooth running...imho

 

[whatlep]

Has there been any definitvie trial of identical locos with and without skates ? I always assumed that skates substituted for wheel pickup/contacts

Definitive it may not be, but I did document trials way back here: http://www.gscalecentral.net/fb.ashx?m=9472
Skates undoubtedly add a point of contact with the rail, but they have big disadvantages in terms of drag, which of course increases motor current draw and haulage capability. As another poster said later "it's like cycling with your feet dragging on the floor". After the tests, every one of my LGB locos had its skates removed.

Incidentally, my best performing locos in term of haulage and low maintenance are LGB Mallets, which are not factory-fitted with skates! Presumably LGB recognised that with enough pickups, skates are unnecessary.

 

[mike]

i think not peter, correctly funtioning skakes ad more than they take..

 

[whatlep]

i think not peter, correctly funtioning skakes ad more than they take..

We'll agree to differ on this minor point! The scenics get better and better, by the way.

Paul - I had a Rugen (no pickups on that by the way ), but sold it to another GSCer. It didn't really like my R1 loops I'm afraid and somehow I never quite gelled with it. That said, its haulage capacity was beyond impressive.
Sadly I remain in thrall to LGB Mallets. :love:

 

[jameshilton]

Great looking progress Mike, really starting to see your vision for the line now

 

[mike]

bit wet last night, had kimbrit round today ..its grim up north

 

[mike]

 

[mike]

its weired how stuff happens, weathers returned to the drought, is dam near droughting it down today..so with that in mind , iwent in search off food surpllys and beer..
lidal/aldi turned up trumps.. id found my smalll vice wasnt up to the job, when cutting the brass section on the wheel chock,so i was on the look out for a better vice.. i know,i am a man off mulipull vices..heres todays top 3

 

[trammayo]

its weired how stuff happens, weathers returned to the drought, is dam near droughting it down today..so with that in mind , iwent in search off food surpllys and beer..
lidal/aldi turned up trumps.. id found my smalll vice wasnt up to the job, when cutting the brass section on the wheel chock,so i was on the look out for a better vice.. i know,i am a man off mulipull vices..heres todays top 3

With No.1 on top

 

[stockers]

I am in favour of skates. My old Mallet (no skates) which has done a good few thousand hours is down to the brass. In the evning as the dew arrives its running becomes lumpy, even after hours of perfect running all day. The Rugens, which has good chrome on the wheels still shows this trait but to a lesser extent. A loco with skates carries on running OK. I guess the skate scrapes the rail surface clean. I do agree that skates cause drag, especially if stiff or sticking - like on my old Scheoma which couldn't pull the proverbial skin.

 

[mike]

its grim up north, carnt aford the colour film..