GNRi1959

I could have one switch operating a paired crossover but I don't mind going separate with each point as there are only 6 in total anyway

Dear friends, I think I have all my point motors in position and almost all wired. The question I have, I am now taking cable from each motor back to the individual switches, so I assume that I cannot loop these, I must feed each point motor from its own switch, makes sense I hope.

Patrick, lovely layout and echos of what I have been working on lately. Back in the day when Tony Miles and my old friend David Goodwin were modelling Adavoyle, there was some conversation of motorising a horse by running a drive shaft from within the tram into the horses ‘rear end’.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158439868082393&id=86508027392 it was really nice to see our own Jonathan Beaumont speak so well on this new UTV series last night, well done JB

Nice to read all comments. This is the first layout where I actually spent more time under the baseboards, than above. Previously, in a rush to get some signs of scenic life showing, I lost sight of what was absolutely essential underneath. So, at the moment I’m taking it in stages and find the under-baseboard challenge interesting for a change. I think, ultimately, when all works well I may replace all temporary Connectors for solder joints.

By the way, I’m using these snap connectors as I find them much better that screw type

What I done this morning was tinned the ends of the cables and put the back into their connectors, seems to be fine and I can keep an eye on things. Thanks

Is it best to solder any ‘multiple’ looped cables under a baseboard, as opposed to using block connectors? It sure would reduce risk of break in sound power supply from possible frayed cable, wouldn’t it?

My complete lack of understanding in the past when soldering was solved by a few YouTube tutorials. My failed joints in the past were because I was carrying solder on my iron to a cold surface. Now I heat the object enough to melt the solder, allowing it to flow between and around joints. The tram was built in 0 gauge because I thought back in the 90s that it would have been an impossible challenge in 00. Norman (Johnston) and I were in Cultra to photograph the tram for his book and I got the idea to build it. He launched the book and I launched the tram!

I think I was pleased with the look of the joint as it looked like a ‘blob of silver’.

I tinned the wires and used a fibre glass pen on the underside of the rail joiners and also on the sides of the rails at the baseboard joint. When I tugged on the cables they were sound.

Does solder come with flux? I didn’t use any and the solder just melted into the joints.

Things were going well up until a few days ago.......... I decided to change my control are to the opposite end of the layout so I could facilitate manually operating my points. In doing this I decided that my attempts at inserting two additional droppers were far from good. (a good workman never blames his tools!) well, I proved myself wrong in this case. I bought a really good soldering iron that can achieve temperatures up to 450degrees and I set about replacing two sections of track and my baseboard joints using this new gadget. After watching a new videos, I was so proud of myself, making up wired railjoiners and getting shining bright silvery solder joints. I was amazed at how easy it was, all down to a much better iron.

Anyone know what is the correct sizes of copper/brass tube plus piano wire to make manual point controls.

JB, in America, they have a lazy Susan sitting in the middle of the dinner table with various varieties of food on it. It revolves, giving you access to all the samples

Do point motors, in general, cause any harm to the springs and locking of Peco streamline points?

0 gauge model of Fintona Horse Tram that I built when my friend Norman was writing the book. Purchased by Folk and Tranport museum, plastikard and brass. Spiral staircase made from plastic and also, to perfection.

I've just scrolled through some amazing pics of your layout JB and it is inspiring, well done.

Thanks guys for the useful guidance on uncoupling possibilities, I guess I am thinking ahead because today I started making preparations for the baseboard joint and soldering my track. I decided to go with a tip Dhu Varren expressed back in 2018 where he suggested using his tried and tested method of inserting copper pins into the baseboard, tight to the outsides of the rails and soldering to these. I took the heads of my copper pins and inserted them into the baseboard, l then soldered the rails and made a perfect cut of the track using a brand new track saw, perfect job.

Colin, glad you brought it up. I have used Cork on four layouts in the past and after all the care and attention I paid in chamfering the shoulder, there was little reduction in sound transmission. However, the noise is that of a moving train and to be honest sounds good.

Your diagram was most interesting and offers ideas that will help. I presume the magnets are for uncoupling? Can these be used on Dapol type wagons for this purpose? Thank you for sharing David.

I’m at a fairly important part of my layout where I have laid my track, fitted all insulated railjoiners and droppers and I’m now underneath thinking about connections and where everything should go. I don’t envisage wanting to display it at a model Railway show just yet but l have made it in two sections, bolted together with 3” bolts, washers and wing nuts. What is the best way of connecting cable under the boards, with a view to quickly separating them if it does need to be moved.

David, I looks really interesting and well thought out. Good luck with it.

Bit of track laid today but not fixed, wired temporarily and ready to test loco. Runs pretty well too. 20211107_161329.mp4