Trafalgar Road

Discussion in 'Members Personal Layouts' started by Thin Controller, Jul 5, 2017.

  1. Thin Controller

    Thin Controller Full Member

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    If you read my intro, you'll know that I'm currently building a 6x4 layout as practise for my much more ambitious ultimate layout. Since the oval on chipboard Dad built me as a kid, I haven't had a permanent layout and this one is my third attempt in the years since...but this time I'm committed to finishing it.

    The Plan
    [​IMG]

    I had limited space to work with and wanted a layout I could kick back and run more than 1 train on in a constant circuit. I also wanted to go with a set layout plan as opposed to creating one from scratch and then running into problems with the reality of its' execution.

    The above Hornby track plan provides double-track running plus a passing siding, in addition to a double track siding and a three-track yard for staging, which fit best with what I envisioned for the layout setting...

    The Setting
    As a kid, my parents both worked at a recording studio in the inner-west of Sydney. Riding in the back of the car, I'd glimpse sections of the old freight line from my window and look over at the Lilyfield goods yard as we drove past. I didn't understand why there was no passenger service that ran along this line? The inner-west was a busy area, it had a railway line already running through it so running passenger trains along it seemed like the perfectly logical thing to do. Naturally, I was curious about what it'd be like to ride this line- but figured I'd have to wait until I was a grown up and driving engines along it to find out for myself!

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The Story So Far...

    As a result, my layout is set in a fictional suburb located along this old line, based upon the hypothetical that it served as a passenger line also. The era is circa 1988-1992 and (at this point) I plan to have the following structures on the layout:

    * A double platform station between A/B 2-5, modelled on 1980's Homebush or one of the inner-west stations (Lewisham/ Summer Hill/ Croydon). I plan to build this out of cardboard or balsa if I can't find a kit that closely or directly matches what I'm after.

    * An rail maintenance vehicle depot at B4. I already have the structure for this (see photos below), and plan to paint it in that SRA green that the maintenance vehicles used to come in. I'm also going to put a sign with the candy L7 logo and '(Insert suburb name) Depot' printed next to the logo.

    * A diesel refuelling point at C5. I plan to kit bash a LifeLike oil station kit I've had for nearly 20 years in addition to getting the other parts to turn it into a refuelling station

    * An overhead, double lane road bridge stretching from A1 to the left hand side of square D5. This bridge is removable and made from balsa, serving as pedestrian access to the station platform and also to visually separate the layout into two sections, breaking down the 'Merry-go-round' effect for viewers.

    As you can see from the thread title, I'm yet to settle on a name for this layout. I'm trying to think of something that sounds like it could be a suburb from the inner-west, without sounding too similar (if you get what I mean). At this point I thought maybe 'Bankswood' or something with 'dale' at the end but...nothing has stuck so far...

    I got the table and most of the track at the end of 2014, and painted it a flat grey to start with, before laying the roadbed first (big mistake):

    [​IMG]

    First of all I painted the track. On every piece, a flat grey undercoat. Then a layer of brown acrylic for the sleepers, then two coats of rust wash.

    It took a looooong time. Many nights spent at the card table, listening to podcasts while painting each single section of track....Next time I'll have the luxury of my air compressor to paint it with at least!

    Then when I began to fit the track together, I realised it was virtually impossible for the sections of rail to fit flush with one another while the track sat evenly in the roadbed sections.

    It was at this point I made the tough decision to pull up the glued-down roadbed and re-lay it neatly beneath the sections of track as I went. It was a pain in the :bleep6: to chisel up- with not all the glue residue able to be cleaned away. However I finally managed to finish the job and then re-lay the track.

    The next difficult part was (a) making sure there weren't unrealistically large gaps between the rails in the joiners and b) practise running trains of different lengths and widths past one another on more closely spaced sections of track without fouling one another. As a general rule, if the single deck set cleared, the rest would clear.

    I did, however, have to ad an extra curve to the outer main line at A2 to allow clear passing between trains. But at last all the trains ran without fouling each other or derailments...the only set I can't run currently is the U-Boat set, but I'm assuming I need longer shank couplings applied for that one. It's a fiddly model with the lower brake hoses at either end just clipping the inner guide-rail of the points, and being a model with interior lighting, the bogies are stiffer than normally found which could also be causing the derailments.

    Aside from that? One of the end couplings on the single deck set hangs a bit low and catches in the guide rail of the points, but that's it...for now.

    Getting my engines out and positioning them around the layout in a typical operational setting was more fun than I expected...even if there wasn't (yet) any scenery on the layout, I had a real feeling that this project had suddenly turned into an actual living 'thing' as opposed to a heavy piece of board with track nailed down on it:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I have since painted the entire board in the ground tones, laid down the road surface using poly filler and have painted half of it...I'm having an issue creating the railway crossing but that's for another thread.

    More to come...
     
  2. Dr Tony

    Dr Tony Full Member

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    Hi there,
    Great to see someone with similar interests to myself, and maybe similar plans, time will tell on that one.
    From what I have played with, a 6x4 layout can make things rather tight in the curves, especially for an inside track, not to mention any internal points.
    I have a set of the U-Boats and can't run them for the same reason, they derail a lot, the bogies having power for lights don't help, and the overhand from the bogie pivot point to the coupler at the end of the body allows the end of the body to swing quite wide, this will also put side force on the long body of the coach and tend to de-rail. I have had the same issue with 60 foot plus wagons, can't even dream of 80 foot container wagons. The 72 foot carriages are also an issue.
    This is why the old Hornby, Lima, Powerline...etc carriages had bogie mount couplers, it meant that could be used on a board that was compatible with life in a normal house, but this is a whole different issue too.
    A lot of the more modern Aussie locos don't like tight curves. Most Auscision locos are covered in sanding pipes and all sorts of things that hinder the rotation of the bogie. Also modern ones, basically anything including the 81 class and later are too long, they have too much overhang at the corners.
    The 80 class is a good choice, as are the others that I can see. The Lima 422 can run into issues if you fit Kadee couplers are there is not a lot of room, it can be done and I can show pics at some stage of how I did mine.
    The 48 class can have similar issues.
    I was always fascinated by the old yards as a kid, especially Rozelle, but also the cross over line that went there. Growing up on the North Shore I didn't see that area a lot, but I do remember the old sidings at St Leonards, and even the remains at Chatswood as well as various Newcastle locations.
    I'm leanring all sorts of things by doing on my layout. I have done my level crossing out of very thin MDF, then treated like the rest of the road. To help with the profiles of the level crossing I have stuck various grades of sandpaper to scrap pieces of wood, this allows me to shape things like this easily. I would like to try Luke Towan's method from his Youtube series one day on the better layout, but this was done quickly so my son could play with it and keep interest.
    My favourite station name for a not normal station was Clyburn, sandwiched between Auburn and Clyde.
    Could just put a "Heights" at the end of the suburb name!
    Cheers
    Tony
     
  3. Thin Controller

    Thin Controller Full Member

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    I'm not too fussed about the U-Boats (or the V-sets/ XPT sets I plan to get) not running on this layout. I imagine the interurban/ country services would have seldom run on the line, except in the case that the Redfern- Strathfield section was closed for track work or an incident and it was used as a detour.

    I fitted Kadee couplers to both the 48's I have- but the couplings sit lower than the trucks I've got so I don't know yet whether I'll need to raise/ lower the couplings on the 48's to hook them up with other rolling stock I get.

    I'd be interested in finding out how to replace the standard couplings on the 80 class with Kadee couplers but I'm not sure how to remove them in the first place? If the 422 is too much work I'll just sell the Lima one and keep my eyes out for an Auscision model. I'd prefer realism over convenience because I'm thinking long-term, after all...
     
  4. Dr Tony

    Dr Tony Full Member

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    On the 80 class the coupler unclips from both sides just behind the pilot or cow catcher. Should just be able to install a #5 there. This might leave a bit of a gap. If the gap is not to you liking then Casula Hobbies sells a 80 class pilot that should do the trick. I seem to remember a Sydney Hobbies one too but can't find it.
    With the 48s I didn't have that problem, are you using the Powerline Kadee adaptors in yours, as they line up perfectly.
    Another trick with #5 Kadees is put the spring on the underside of the coupler, a bit awkward to do, but it stops the sag down effect. Last resort would be an offset head coupler.
    The 422 is not difficult, and the Lima is a good model. All the speculators have bought the remaining Auscision ones and they go for ridiculous prices on Ebay. Sure the new ones have fancy lights (and a good drive system) but the Lima can be made quite acceptable and costs a lot less.
    Don't buy one of those expensive second hand ones, wait until they do a re-run of them. They are re-running a lot now, partly I think because they are running out of new models that haven't been done before. So unless they actually start getting into steam or states like WA or Tasmania (with the different gauge), they will make new 422s again before too long, with possible improvements.
     
  5. Thin Controller

    Thin Controller Full Member

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    I'll have to check the 48's because I installed the couplers quite a while ago.

    Re. the 422's, I'm in no hurry to buy more. It's one of those loco's on the "long-term" list- along with a whole stack of other loco's and passenger/ freight rolling stock on the list for my ultimate layout. By that point, money will be little issue.
     
  6. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    So what's your thoughts on the name for the layout then ? :avatar:
     
  7. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    I have a suggestion,

    Summerfield........a cross between Summer Hill and Lilyfield.

    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo
     
  8. Thin Controller

    Thin Controller Full Member

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    Summerfield...it has a bright, breezy sound to it. I may store that and use it for one of the country stations on my ultimate layout...

    I was actually thinking more on the name today. I looked at a map of London and scanned for names that sounded like an appropriate fit. Nothing really stood out, though. With shorter days and clear weather outside I figured I'd go for a walk, play my tunes and let the very small dilemma of 'What will I name this station and the layout?' play in the background of my mind...

    Then, while out for those couple of hours, I thought of Trafalgar Studios at Annandale- which is where my parents both worked and was usually reason I'd ride out that way in the car to begin with. I thought of Trafalgar Square in London and (considering the road bridge spanning the layout) came up with the following:

    Trafalgar Road.

    It's a nod to the inspiration for the layout, it fits with the older/ more traditional inner suburbs of Sydney being given British names, plus adding 'Road' to the name answers the question of what the road that crosses the line is named but also keeps the exact location of the layout suitably ambiguous:

    Does it suggest there's a suburb called Trafalgar, or just that the road is called Trafalgar Road, the depot is the Trafalgar Road Depot and so the station was named as such?

    As Trafalgar Road is on the inner-west line, I imagine it'd be considered part of the Bankstown Line, with services running from Bankstown to Central (and vice-versa) via Leichardt, Lilyfield, Trafalgar Rd, Glebe etc. With the seating and station signing fitting in with the red/white City Rail branding of the era, the horizontal line beneath the station name will be brown.
     
  9. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    A bit of thought has went into that. If you have made up your mind, let me know and I'll change the name of your thread to suit. I'll hold off in case you are still deciding for now but Trafalgar Road sounds great.

    Cheers for now

    Toto
     
  10. paul_l

    paul_l Staff Member Administrator

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    For the couplings and pipe work, a lot of models here have the front fitted with the pipework etc, and no coupling, the rear being the end that always connects to the train. It only becomes a problem if you need the loco to pull trains in both directions.

    If you're using Kadee coupler, you could use the No 232 Draft boxes, mount them on a plasticard bracket attached to the bogie to overcome problem body mounted stock.

    The plan is great and brings back memories of when a layout had to slide under the bed for storage - shrewd move on my Mum's part as it meant I had to keep the underside on my bed clean :avatar:

    You could easily split the layout scenically in half - diagonally with some high-ish multistorey buildings, so when you are at either side its difficult to see the other side.

    Paul
     
  11. gormo

    gormo Staff Member Administrator

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    That`s a great name....:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

    http://www.click:tophat:Gormo
     
  12. Thin Controller

    Thin Controller Full Member

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    Hi Toto- you can go ahead and change the name. It ticks all the right boxes, plus if I ever have the layout at an exhibit and some muso comes by and says "You named it after Trafalgar Studios, right?" then my work is done.

    Paul, the overhead bridge is what'll split the layout in half scenically. It'll be high enough to form a visual "barrier" between both sides of layout.
     
  13. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Consider it done good Sir. :thumbs: good luck with Trafalgar Road. :tophat:
     
  14. ianvolvo46

    ianvolvo46 Staff Member Moderator

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    Great name and a good thread to follow :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:
     
  15. Thin Controller

    Thin Controller Full Member

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    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
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    [​IMG]

    I've completed all the road surfaces now, painted them and detailed them to look like resurfaced/ patched asphalt.

    The issue now is creating the railway crossings. I took a look on some of the threads here earlier but couldn't find anything on creating crossings.

    As you can see, in one case I've got to create a ramp to go over the roadbed and in the other the track is nailed straight to the table so it only requires a slight incline.

    Suggestions?
     
  16. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Ratio do a kit to build a level crossing I believe, or you could scratch build crossing in card and make the gates/barriers out of plastruct using photos as a guide. If you google level crossings in google images you will find loads of photos of the prototype and models.

    Pete.
     
  17. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    Scribed 2mm thick balsa wood for the crossing works. :thumbs:

    See how I have done my crossing on Jay Dubyew Nth Yard : http://www.platform1mrc.com/view_post.php?post_id=25181

    I have used a similar product as Das Clay to build up my roads and in between the individual tracks. The cheaper Crayola version is what I have used in the past and is available from Officeworks : https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/crayola-air-dry-clay-white-1-13kg-crr575050

    Air dry clay on Jay Dubyew Nth Yard : http://www.platform1mrc.com/view_post.php?post_id=23526

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  18. Thin Controller

    Thin Controller Full Member

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    Awesome, thanks. Will take a look shortly!
     
  19. Thin Controller

    Thin Controller Full Member

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    I'll get to the crossings soon. In the meantime I collected dirt from under the house, sifted out the stones and larger clumps through a spatter shield and have applied it to sections of the layout.

    I mixed 25% white glue with 75% water (plus a dash of detergent), applied the mixture to sections of the table with a paint brush then (using a tea spoon) applied dirt and spread it across the area. I used a small foam brush to even surfaces/ stop the dirt falling onto the road surface.

    I did a trial section then poured the mixture into a spray bottle and sprayed all the dirt, leaving it overnight. I just checked it then and while the dirt mostly holds when I run my hand over it, there are some sections with loose sediment. Not sure if this is typical or I've done something wrong?

    I went over the trial section with the spray bottle once more just in case...
     
  20. SMR CHRIS

    SMR CHRIS Staff Member Moderator

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    25-75 may be a bit week for the mix
    I have found 50-50 gives no issues dries quicker as well.

    With sand and dirt I spray it with 100% isopropyl alcohol over the top as a last thing when your happy with the look of it.
    This has the effect of wicking the mix up to the surface as it evaporates give better penetration to the soil mix etc
    Often you will find som of our local sands/soils have a water resistance and even with the detergent the water beads misting with the isopropyl first before adding the 50:50 mix will generally stop this happening then again when finished a second mist of the isopropyl and it will set very solid:thumbs:

    Best of luck with it remember photos :thumbup:
     

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