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Author Topic: Back to Whimsy.  (Read 792 times)

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Offline Emettman

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Back to Whimsy.
« on: June 13, 2010, 04:32:42 AM »
Taking a break from my garden railway buildings, a little display layout is underway.

Very quick and dirty but, as with my pizza layout, with the idea that I can change the scenery and loco/stock bodies to give different themes.

3ft by 18" on one piece of thick foam insulating board, with the edges sealed with duct tape.  Track made from lollipop sticks and plastic curtain track cut in half.
45mmm  gauge, with 7" radius curves (to track centres)
(I just didn't have the right bendy section of plastic to hand)

Did anyone ever have a tinplate clockwork shunting engine with this trackplan?

The loco pushes its one wagon to one of the straight sections and then peels off on the diagonal to push it back to the other one...
The differential "switching"  is done by an extended wire on the loco and catch plate outside the track
The loco is an old battery powered 4x4 "Rough Rider" Jeep (see also "Stomper" for the same basic thing) picked up on eBay for £1.00 plus postage.

Now,  what themes shall I have?   An Emett one, probably.
A mine setting?  A commuter shuttle?

Offline rickdartist

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Re: Back to Whimsy.
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2010, 10:43:31 AM »
Looks like a nice start. I would like to see what you could do with a commuter shuttle. Whatever you chose it should be interesting. Have fun.

Offline adrian

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Re: Back to Whimsy.
« Reply #2 on: June 14, 2010, 06:02:04 PM »
G'day Emettman

Quote
Did anyone ever have a tinplate clockwork shunting engine with this trackplan?
A model shop, unfortunatly now closed, in Melbourne's CBA used to have a Marklin layout with the same track plan in its window for many years. The train just covered the whole of the track length but without any shunting.

Quote
The differential "switching"  is done by an extended wire on the loco and catch plate outside the track
The 'switching was done with spring loaded points. The points at one end set towards the crossing while the points at the other end set for the outer tracks.

Power pickup did not have any problems because it was stud contracts ( no problems with reversing loops.)

Everytime I went into the city I always went to the shop and the train was always going.......No idea how many miles it actually covered  :D

Good luck with your little display layout

Cheers,
Adrian
I might be daft, but not stupid

Offline Emettman

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Re: Back to Whimsy.
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2010, 12:30:08 AM »
G'day Emettman
A model shop, unfortunatly now closed, in Melbourne's CBA used to have a Marklin layout with the same track plan in its window for many years. The train just covered the whole of the track length but without any shunting.
The 'switching was done with spring loaded points. The points at one end set towards the crossing while the points at the other end set for the outer tracks.

That is an alternate display option with mine, too, with a carriage behind the loco instead of being pushed.  The *loco* traverses the whole track.  I haven't yet tested to see if the coach or wagon would need its own directional "hook" or whether it would follow the loco naturally.

I couldn't use spring points because for the shunting feature the wagon has to go in a different direction to the loco.

Baseboard now has a basic paint treatment: first basic loco and van bodies to follow.

Offline Emettman

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Re: Back to Whimsy.
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2010, 10:02:53 AM »
It's up, and working, and the loco and the wagon stay on the track, and it's getting smoother with use and a little attention.

The loco and van were supposed to be very simple, quick "first fix" bodies, but the loco got a little more attention than planned as it started to look worth a few rivets and bits from the scrapbox.  The sleeping driver explains(?) why it just keeps going.

Some scenery, perhaps as "flats",  to follow.
And definitely an Emett loco.

Offline Tommy Two Strikes

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Re: Back to Whimsy.
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2010, 04:01:22 PM »
Even the work you call offhand is really fantastic! I like the figure too, he's well dressed for the ride.

Offline adrian

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Re: Back to Whimsy.
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2010, 09:36:57 PM »
G'day Emettman

The little layout is coming on really well. Glad you got it working without too many problems.

Quote
The loco and van were supposed to be very simple, quick "first fix" bodies, but the loco got a little more attention than planned as it started to look worth a few rivets and bits from the scrapbox.  The sleeping driver explains(?) why it just keeps going.

Isn't it strange how 'simple' projects take on a life of their own and finish up totally different to the original idea ?

I am looking forward to what you come up with for the scenery.

Keep up the good work

Adrian Hoad

 
I might be daft, but not stupid

 

Hartland Locomotive
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