Z Gauge Downunder

Moving back to the time line, after that rush of blood and actually doing some work on a layout, the final major “upgrade” running wise for the home layout was the addition of catenary to the top circuit, with a connection to a single track (#5) in the fiddle yard.

To plan this, I created two flexible psuedo track elements via the editor in RailModeller V4 (for Mac) for the two catenary wire sections available from Märklin - one of fixed length (165 mm) and the other adjustable (150 mm minimum to a maximum 180 mm). I also set the width to just the track gauge thus allowing the track underneath to still be visible. Then I created accessory items for the masts (standard and bridge mount), the tower masts, cross spans & mounting clips.


The isolation point between the fiddle yard and the main board is marked by a purple star, while power is supplied to the catenary via supply poles at the blue stars - no block isolations yet, but being contemplated. The information for the selected track at the end of the Fiddle Yard (red highlight), is displayed in the adjacent info panel. The padlocks show that that end of the flexible track is fixed.

The key points in determining mast locations being #1 fixed point at the buffer end of the fiddle yard; #2 fixed point at the junction between the loop and the access track from the fiddle-yard (also a supply point): and thirdly the need for there not to be one in the tunnel by the Halt (centre blue star). Finally I wanted to avoid using the adjustable wires along the main viewing section (between the supply points at bottom). Since the Fiddle Yard catenary is from one track only, I haven’t bothered with isolating the siding from the entry track, thus the multi way switch has to be set to track 5 before any Catenary operation in the whole of the fiddle yard.

The overall installation was relatively easy - I started in the fiddle yard, and moved through to and around the loop finishing back at key point #2. I couldn’t get the isolation point in the catenary between the the two controllers to exactly match the track joint, however the length of the one electric loco that I have seems to deal with that issue. So that area as planned …



and as built …


The Fiddle Yard is still able to be removed for maintenance once the catenary is freed at the isolator - a simple click with fortunately still nimble fingers. If and when I add any extra electric locos to the stable, I may need to move the track Isolator to be under the catenary one - bit of a operation at this scale, so I’m leaving it until necessary.

To allow me access the Fiddle Yard underside, initially in order not to damage the light poles, and after the catenary was added, to protect the overhead wires, styrene support blocks were made up as shown …


The three angle brackets holding the control deck are from an old Meccano set. The loop of wires to the multi way switch and from the points, are a precautionary measure in case I need to move the control deck further to the left - currently it is set to match the width of the H&M controller. The white labels are on the wires from the signal solenoid - new Märklin solenoid operated points / signals come with two blue wires and a yellow common return - the through track / stop wire is always longer than the other. This second hand signal came with trimmed wires, hence the labels.

Looking back, I see I haven’t posted an overall pic of the container terminal area, so here’s one …



The container loader, truck and 35’ blue container (based on 1955 Sea-Land standard) are from Märklin - the loading gauges also come from Märklin, while the Hamburg Sud ISO 40’ Containers are a US MicroTrains product. The small fixed traverser crane is part of a Kibri kit, the lights are from Brawa, while the wall and Transformer/Office building are scratch built. Also alongside the building in the background are the prime movers for the trailers on the “Piggy Back” low centre wagons on track 2, while track 1 has a rake of flats with removable container loads - a mix of 40’ & 20’ containers (all Märklin).

Just for comparison, the Sea-Land standard Container (not removable) versus the ISO container flats.


Maintenance :
The track cleaning stable is made up of a pair of the 5 pole motored cleaners labelled “Indusi Messwagen” (Indusi measuring wagon) - the most recent one with a matt roof so less of a ‘shiny’ than all the others. The roster is completed by a pair of the earlier 3 pole motored light grey roofed Schienenreinigungswagen (Track cleaning car) - one of which has been upgraded with a drop-in 5 pole motor - the other only arrived recently, so I still have to buy in the 5 pole motor. Both cleaners are based on the DB 793 rail-bus chassis, but with a weighted front end above the larger, faster serrated cleaning wheels. There are standard size serrated driving wheels at the rear, and to traverse the 145 mm radius curves, the front standard driving wheels are flangeless. The other half of the stable is a pair of Jorger System wagons hauled by Class 221 diesels - the only locos I have which have a low enough gearing such that they don’t stall when pulling the wagons over the points/turnouts on either layout. The track cleaners despite their extra grip stopped at every point/turnout when tested with the wagons.



Here’s a general overview from the doorway end (excluding most of the Fiddle-yard) …



Nearly the same view on a ‘moonlit’ night - includes the whole fiddle yard, while the factory area to the right of and below the signal box, being still under development, is in darkness.



After thinking about it, not quite done - next post, I’ll cover access to the hidden bits.

Peter

 

While most of the rare derailments on the hidden tracks can be accessed from the side slots, there is access via lift out panels to the hidden points/ turnouts for occasional cleaning of the flat contact sections (red ovals - when you get to those pics) that both types of track cleaner miss. I find that the flat sections on the covered points don’t need cleaning anywhere near as often as those out in the open. Only one of these panels is disguised, the rest are still to be done.



The background to the side slots has been left Styrene white, as it makes the trains easier to see for the ankle biters looking in at that level ...
(Oh, and yes, Kim & other Sandgropers, that is an out of focus caricature of a WAGR X class [2-Do-2] at top left of the top pic )

The first access panel off ...


it's the only disguised panel so far ...


There are several sections of the Peco flexi-track visible in this pic ...


While I have this one off, it’s a chance to show the wiring run required for the nearest lamp post at the Halt, which sits above the centre of the tracks below ..

The support at the bend in the wires is a J shaped pin that came in a Fleischmann box of oddments (mostly not Z), thrown in as “freebees” in an otherwise Z gauge job lot.

and hidden away again …


This next panel provides access to both the points on the bottom level, and to the catenary on the hidden part of the upper track …

There is another section of Peco track here, and the point adjacent to it has been moved, hence the wires trailing off to the original feed hole. The old design predates the purchase of the RailModeller software, so there’s no surviving record of it.

and hidden ...

A mix of Hans Fischer & Marklin vehicles outside a Vollmer fire station kit marketed by Märklin. If required, the scratch built road bridge lifts out to provide access to the catenary supply mast beneath it.

Um, some sort of domestic crisis, I’ll post this and be right back

 

Sorted - SWMBO thought we had visitors - just the electricity meter being read - ah well we'll soon know what the impact of the rate increases from 1 July means

OK, so moving to the immediate right of previous pic, this lift out is mainly for electrical maintenance …

The wiring connections are Green - House lights; Brown - Street Lights; and Yellow - common return. The clear plastic sheet is to stop the wires when connected to the lift out section from dropping down, while giving a clear view of any issues below. Also visible to the left is part of the original hill side (previously vaguely shown in the 7th post of this topic - pic three), when the portals were planned to go about where the shadow line is.

and hidden ...


Vehicles are from Noch, the street light and the house driveway light from Brawa, the building kit and interior light from Märklin, while the guard rail / fences are scratch built. The hedge is from Faller - the back & side sections are in line for some major surgery to loose the squareness, while the “Impressionist” trees came in a packet of strew material.

A bit of detail from the back yard of the house (Merten figures) …


This next (& last) inspection cover was only cut after a 4-6-0 loco on the clockwise (left) track initially came to grief at the point by the crossover (hidden top left) - evidenced by all following carriages being derailed - before totally derailing in the middle of this section, and then being collected by a train on the other track. While all the carriages were recovered from each end, the locos simply didn’t want to be extracted by any of my “magic wands”, so drastic surgery was required. The surgery was successful in that the loco’s were retrieved, however post-op scenery repair/recovery is still ongoing.



So that’s it for the current home layout - there are still plenty of things to do, and with the exhibition layout requiring less time, I hope to get back to them soon. One key item is the completion of the cork underlay, having obtained more IBL cork stock after an auction win - wow time flies - two years ago. That’s one reason I haven’t re-populated the layout with rolling stock, etc after the exhibition - resulting in the somewhat bare current photos.

Peter

 

Thanks Toto. Topographically, I largely go by where the recycled styrene sheets/blocks take me, fitting them to the track locations.

Since you liked it, here’s another pic of the Container Terminal from over the river. The crane is capable of rotating a load and/or a trailer through 180°. so there only has to be room for the prime movers to turn.



Pete, I can only claim the arrangement of the items in that commercial set. I haven’t tried re-painting any yet.

Toto, please may I have the sub-title of this topic changed to “Development of home layout”, as there will probably be further posts on this layout in coming months, so I’ll need to start a new topic for the exhibition layout.

However I won’t be starting that new topic just yet, as we’re off to Melbourne shortly to visit the youngest pair of grand-children, plus SWMBO’s mandatory visit to QV Markets.
What, no “empty pockets” GIF, well, take it as read.

Peter

 

Well, as is usual with this hobby, plans change. On return from Melbourne, I found some more cork off cuts, so after joining them up, expanded the top level cork a little further (brown tracks), thus completing the underlay of tracks easily visible from the viewing side…


… only to create a clearance problem with the catenary under the top road bridge. Prototypical engineering would require the track bed to be dropped, modelling-wise it’s easier to lift the bridge, and ramp the road down from it.
While I was at it, I gave the wires a bit more than the previous barely touching clearance - so now how to deal with the gap


With new panelling insert on board edge

and a pic where I can get the ruler in ...

Those are mm by the way.

So a shuffle through the structures bag came up with the unused halves of a single & a double tunnel portal, and some cutting & gluing later I had the infill I needed ...

The missing stone at the bottom left, is to clear the Catenary mast base & supply wire, while the whole bottom section above that, against the panelling, has been replaced.


That’s not enough offcuts I can hear someone muttering, well no, the other halves were used on the exhibition layout this way (sneak preview pic) …

So there was a full height half width off-cut from the single portal to ‘play’ with.

Next thing to deal with is the road and adjacent light pole …



Still have to be OH & S aware when leaving the layout, in case there are any unexpected “please, run the trains, please” requests over the weekend.

Peter

 

Thanks Kim - one good thing about Z is that you can store a lot of "maybe useful in the future" items in a small space.

OK, on to raising the road. So a bit of butchery with craft knife and scalpel, then the lamp post was moved out of the way, followed by insertion of a couple of spacer blocks …



… then replace the road - multiple pins to hold the slight stretch required for new alignment/profile - this removed the ‘corrugations’ visible under truck (lorry) in last pic of previous posts at same time …



… finally a bit of weight while PVA sets/cures - one of a useful set of bookends - the random shape comes in handy at times.



Just reinstatement of the light post, and some remedial plastering/painting to go.

Peter

 

Continuing with the road restoration after the bridge lift - yesterday I reinstated the light pole - to allow for future replacement, a section cut from a drinking straw and then split lengthways was placed around the supply leads and slotted into the original hole. The remnant pieces of styrene foam that surrounded the pole were then glued in place. I masked the relevant bits of the bridge structure with magic tape - thin enough to leave a minimal gap, but strong enough to take a bit of rubbing while the plaster was being applied, then plastered along the sides of the lifted road, and re-shaped the tops of the embankments by the bridge …


I also fixed up around the base of the recently replaced light pole at the junction on the left (the old 2nd hand pole must have been bent at some point breaking one of the internal wires - the light was constantly flickering, even after replacing the globe).
With the relatively small areas of plaster at this scale, I use a putty blade for bulk application, followed by final trim with the scalpel (#23 blade), and finish off with well wetted fingers - slightly messy but effective.

Today, after retouching the road surface at the junction with a bit of Top Coat “Asphalt” paint, I removed the bridge (to in turn remove the tape with its excess plaster) and applied a coat of KaiserCraft ‘Green Grass’ to the bare plaster using a 5:1 water : acrylic mix and water colour brushes. Popped the bridge back in …



As usual I made up too much mix, so gave the long neglected inspection section (see last pic of post 23 above) a first coat …


Bit more work to be done here, mostly with some strategically placed hedges & trees.

Now back to sourcing pics for the tale of the exhibition layout.

Peter

 

Ron wrote:

Um, no - as this preview pic from the exhibition layout shows, I've used my 'Z' flock (of sheep) there ...

As the ground cover in between path & fence at bottom left shows, any flocking would bury the flock, so to speak.



Peter

 

Kimbo wrote:

Hi Kim

Tale of woes after my last post - despite flu jabs at beginning of down under season, a bad case of flu laid me low for a month or so - suspect I picked it up on the flight back from Melbourne, where they've had a bad flu season.

Then the winter weather impacted on our local land lines with fluctuating service and numerous call outs for dead lines.

One side effect, is that it has left me apparently logged into Platform 1 when there's been a drop out - maybe something for the techies to consider ?

Phone issues are still ongoing, although the ADSL2 line is holding out at present, so will get onto the Exhibition layout story shortly.

Regards

Peter

 

So, the exhibition layout thread has started - it's at ...

http://platform1mrc.com/p1mrc/index.php?threads/z-gauge-layout.2281/