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Well it finally happened… I finally got fed up enough
to just get in and build the last section of the layout. This I managed
to get done in two days surprisingly enough.
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So the layout (or at least the main line anyway)
is complete. The total length of run is 280 feet. At this length,
I can comfortably run three 30 wagon trains without causing too
much grief.
Of course this is also the time I discovered
that I only have two locos in a satisfactory working order… I
was overjoyed at this little surprise.
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| So after having spread my joy all round
the house in a raised voice for some time, Jade informed me that the letterbox
may be a less than comfortable place to sleep and life returned to normal
(well as normal as it ever gets in our house anyway). |
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I have decided to have mechanisms made and sold
under the Wuiske Models brand as I am sure I am not the only one
to be fed up with having to wait for months on end to have a product
turn up to complete that particular model.
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I have also become obsessed with the noise being
made by my locomotives. Once you remove the windows from a room,
you would be surprised just how noisy your locos become.
Anyway, we'll get back to the mechanisms in the
next chapter… hopefully with some good news.
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My next little project was to lay the track in
Summiton Yard… all 200+ feet of it. Over the last couple of days
I have been laying the track at around 12 lengths per day and
I am happy to say that the end is in sight. The final figure for
the amount of track required is 525 feet, this we all hope will
keep me entertained for some time to come.
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I have been putting my trackwork through its
paces by running two trains consisting of, 2214D and 15 VAK coal
hoppers (half a train) and 1726 pulling 15 mixed wagons. I have
left the room and left 2214D pull its train for 7 hours without
incident and was very impressed with how everything panned out.
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The lesson I have learnt here is that when you
are laying track, take a couple of your lightest wagons (I'm using
unloaded KOJX cattle wagons) and push them (at speed) through
your points in both directions. If you get a single derailment,
then something needs to be modified on the track.
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The two most common things I found that required
modification were the insulated joiners needing to have a tiny
bit filed down to rail height and the outside rails on the points
being pushed 0.5mm back, this means that the switch rails do not
make proper contact and causes derailments nearly every time.
But it will only do this with your lightest wagons.
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So now that the yard is nearly done and four of the
seven roads have been connected, wired and tested there are only three
to go… But that's next weeks project.
We shall see how we go.
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