maxi-model
UK/US/ROW steam narrow gauge railways 1:1
As a result of musings on another thread (thank you Martino) I have come to the conclusion that air power is the way to go and with the Suset Valley Railroad (SVR) system . The LGB electric motors and Train Engineer momentary actuators were ripped out 3 years ago and I went all manual on my mix of LGB R5's and GRS 6', with a Piko (R5/R3 lgb equiv') curved point interloper. 12 switches in total, all code 332.
The proposed air powered set-up will have 2 sets of 2 switches and one of 4 switches operating grouped to "set a road". The remaining 4 operating independently.
Principal benefits I see are -
1) Ease of set-up and maintainace. Just pipe it up right, bury it and off you go.
2) More positive operation and less maintainace with the air powered motors than electric. Better with a ground laid floating track. Yes, you still got to clear the debris but less problem with the minor stuff.
3) No more having to remember to "set the road" right on groups of points thus avoiding annoying de-railments. You can build that into the set-up and just need a single throw of the air switch (toggle) to get everything going the right way. I never mastered that with the LGB set-up.
However there are some grey areas with the SVR system, of which I am awaiting answers, and I wondered if any of you had experience with and could enlighten me in the meantime.
1) Just how compatible with track systems outside on SVR's own are the point motors. Will there be a lot of hacking about of sleepers (spacing and otherwise) and fiddling with the throw of the mechanisms. I have looked at a site that seems to intimate this. Take a look here http://elmassian.com/trains/track-aamp-switches/air-operated-switches . The motors must not poke above the railhead, low slung and wide cow catcher/plow alert.
2) I really don't understand the bits about compressors and fitting szes, all a bit nebulous. I have a US made SIMair silent compressor that outputs 2.5 CFM. But it is not an automatic switch on to top up pressure nor does it have a tank. I have a spare sound Toyota MR2 wheel/tyre but I have no idea how to connect it to SVR's own adaptors (male to male, now don't go there you naughty boys and girls). Retailer just says "oh, users just jury rig something up". Sorry if I'm spending upwards of £450 on this system I expect a better answer than that. Oh, I do have a big noisy compressor with a tank but I would not wish to inflict that on the neighbours.
Anybody got any experience of of this system and some reassuring to the above. Or would you care to disuade me form my delusional idealism ?
Max.
The proposed air powered set-up will have 2 sets of 2 switches and one of 4 switches operating grouped to "set a road". The remaining 4 operating independently.
Principal benefits I see are -
1) Ease of set-up and maintainace. Just pipe it up right, bury it and off you go.
2) More positive operation and less maintainace with the air powered motors than electric. Better with a ground laid floating track. Yes, you still got to clear the debris but less problem with the minor stuff.
3) No more having to remember to "set the road" right on groups of points thus avoiding annoying de-railments. You can build that into the set-up and just need a single throw of the air switch (toggle) to get everything going the right way. I never mastered that with the LGB set-up.
However there are some grey areas with the SVR system, of which I am awaiting answers, and I wondered if any of you had experience with and could enlighten me in the meantime.
1) Just how compatible with track systems outside on SVR's own are the point motors. Will there be a lot of hacking about of sleepers (spacing and otherwise) and fiddling with the throw of the mechanisms. I have looked at a site that seems to intimate this. Take a look here http://elmassian.com/trains/track-aamp-switches/air-operated-switches . The motors must not poke above the railhead, low slung and wide cow catcher/plow alert.
2) I really don't understand the bits about compressors and fitting szes, all a bit nebulous. I have a US made SIMair silent compressor that outputs 2.5 CFM. But it is not an automatic switch on to top up pressure nor does it have a tank. I have a spare sound Toyota MR2 wheel/tyre but I have no idea how to connect it to SVR's own adaptors (male to male, now don't go there you naughty boys and girls). Retailer just says "oh, users just jury rig something up". Sorry if I'm spending upwards of £450 on this system I expect a better answer than that. Oh, I do have a big noisy compressor with a tank but I would not wish to inflict that on the neighbours.
Anybody got any experience of of this system and some reassuring to the above. Or would you care to disuade me form my delusional idealism ?
Max.
