Aaron I think you need to treat yourself to a nice goods or shunting engine to go with all those express passenger loco's May be a 30 Class tank it would fit the theme nicely perfect for the pick up Freight and to be the Station shunter http://www.austrains.com.au/index.html Sounds like a good excuse if I do say so my self. Attached files
Nice selection. The 5 car HUB set could be used on a Newcastle Flyer... or any Intercapital Express. Would be nice to have a RUB set too ! The mix of FS and BS could be used as a Central West Express or South Coast Daylight Express... Have you considered just building a mini model of Central then have an off set staging area where you can run individual trains ?? Use the layout as a minories like Paul does with Victoria Road... This would be quite feasible and you can have something to run whilst you build the other two thirds of the layout, the Hawkesbury and Newcastle... You may find this page quite interesting for marshalling up coaching stock : http://locofonic.alphalink.com.au/nswgr_marshalling.htm Check out the composition of the Moree, Wyalong and Forbes trains... Cheers, Gary.
Well, this is the large project that I really want to do. I'll get bored half way through, take a break and build a shunting layout or something. I have been tossing up if I should start that first, but with the planning going along well for this right now. I'll keep going here.
Took me a little while to copy your design Gary, a good learning experience though. The only addition I was thinking of was a left turn at the end there, or further back. If designed as such, it would run to a fiddle track/yard behind the layout or such. i'll leave it there for the time being while I have a quick look at how the Hawksbury layout may go and if it could fit behind there. Potentially the same at the Newcastle end I guess. Central2_2400mm by Aaron Smith, on Flickr Or this.. Central3_2400 by Aaron Smith, on Flickr
I've been thinking (and measuring!) "How do I create the second stage of this layout?", which is supposed to be the Hawkesbury River. The bridge alone is 785metres in length, which will scale to about 9 metres in HO. That's very impractical for this layout. So perhaps just modelling the scenery along the rivers edge is the smarter bet. Hawkesbury River Rail Bridge: 785 metres steel truss railway underbridge, consisting of 2 x 44.81m trusses, 2x 135.64m trusses, and 4 x 105.92m trusses. Symmetrical design consists of the short Pratt truss, the K-truss, followed by the large Pratt trusses in the centre. *gumbles* So that is definitely ruled out, as I don't really think modelling a small section of the bridge will look the same. So instead we'll model a little further north along Mullet Creek, perhaps include Wondabyne station? (do we really need a station on each section of this layout?, really?). Thanks to Gary for the (second) kick in the pants about scale. I was completely fixated on fitting everything into the transportation limitations, that I completely and utterly forgot that everything needs to be scaled to the appropriate HO size. Edit: My missus has informed me that we will be building this bridge.
Aaron re the Bridge if you angle it in the scene you could effectively model one side with the tunnel and approach and say two partly compressed spans and have the third disappear behind an out cropping section of the bush land as the view block. And it would look as if the bridge continued beyond the out crop
I managed to get out into the shed today, as it's a bit cooler and nobody else is home. I know this is really basic stuff, but I had surgery early December and it's made moving a pain. So this is quite a happy milestone for me. And quickly cut a board down to size, this 600mm by 400mm board will be a test bed for myself and Xi (Noah) to have some fun with when she gets back from China later this month. We'll probably scratch build a house, add some scenery and call it after that. So I'll throw up another thread for that as we come to it. Might clean up some old track and lay it as well.
And here are the newest additions to my collection. Purchased from Hobbyland at Hornsby, who I was told had one only to find two available! (with a painted 3807 in black for $1695) C38 Non-Streamlined by Aaron Smith, on Flickr C38 Streamlined by Aaron Smith, on Flickr C38 Streamlined 2 by Aaron Smith, on Flickr C38 Face to Face by Aaron Smith, on Flickr Both are DC operated at this time, and require a little oil and care before running them again, but they do run very well as tested in shop. Looking forward to having these running as pride of the fleet in the coming sessions.
Very nice ! I have a brass streamlined 38, but I'm envious that you have two brass 38s ! Painting them will be fun... I would suggest getting them painted by someone who has done a few brass locos as they need etch priming before painting and lining. Cheers, Gary.
Bump. Started cutting boards today for the Central section, I'll keep the 200mm cutoffs to make another board which will be used for the scenery section. Unfortunately the Project Manager didn't order enough pine, so I'll have to go get some more tomorrow. Then fit the frame and board together. Will also need to purchase some additional track. I don't have any points available, just a box of flexitrack (just needs a clean). It's not a dead project, just a very long term one.
Aaron great your making a Start Bit hard to sack the project manager as if he goes the plans go with Him I always get an extra length or two when starting a new project it’s cheaper than, making the return trip back to get more if not use will always come in handy for the next project Re points Check out Hunter Valley Model Railway supplies at KurriKurri good prices on peco points and track Link http://huntermodelrail.com.au/c/197429/1/hooo-code-100-insulfrog-range.html
Aaron,I haven't forgotten about your request for some cross sections of central. Work has been flat out busy for some time and will be for the foreseeable. Not time to do any foreign orders,even my own. But sounds like your pace of work won't cause a problem here. cheers Tony
Thanks Chris, I plan on visiting Ivan tomorrow if I feel upto it (been sick again this week). Grab some points and that gives me enough rail to work with for the time being. And Tony, definitely will not be a problem. Thanks very much! Question! We used to use those little feet to connect the track together. What is generally used these days? Probably will go for insulated points here, I've read a lot of arguments either way, but I'm not sold on either method.
Aaron I’m guessing you talking about joiners or fish plates, as they are sometime called, I could be wrong when you say those little feet to connect the track..????? Link to the peco ones at HMRS http://huntermodelrail.com.au/p/650220/sl10-joiners-code-100.html Or are you talking about at board Joins at the edge of each base board I use copper clad sleepers at The joins Or Gap master pre cut copper clad sleeper sections depending on the track I’m using I have 10packs of these in stocks originally designed for making insulated sections by pre soldering then cutting resulting in a perfect gap great for on curves etc holds the track in the set curve as is soldered to the PC but can also be used at board ends as a 4 or 2 sleeper end piece
Thanks Chris, That's what I love about this forum, you get to know stuff that did not even exist, those Gapmaster sections look so much better than my cut copper pc board, and so much easier to deal with for a board end than using individual sleepers and soldering each one. I like supporting local small businesses and the only one I can see around here is The Railcar, but he is closing down soon. Have to find another supplier or jump the gun for my next layout and buy now. Just hope I don't lose them in the meantime. Cheers Tony
Yea, the joiners. Spot on with what I was asking. That looks beautiful, I'll have to get some. With this wind still blowing, I'm definitely not going out today. My cough is getting worse so all the progress for this weekend is canned. (Booooooooo)
Still drooling over those two loco's The rail joiners are a neat idea, my only concern would be how do you allow for expansion / contraction ? Paul