Great Chesterford Junction Part Two

G`day Folks,
I have created a long run through my layout using the new camera car.......also not without it`s problems.
I had some Velcro strap securing both the camera compartment and the battery compartment......once again the straps snagged on the tunnels.
An easy fix though....just take them off.
The second issue was the camera. The other night I had finished quite an extensive session of filming, and when it came to turn the camera off, it would not turn off for love or money. In the end I just left it to run out of battery and would re-charge and see if it worked.......it did.
This is an ominous sign though of things to come....
Any how I have a video for you below........settle in with beer, popcorn, crisps or whatever takes your fancy, as it runs for about half an hour.



Gormo

 

Thanks Sol,
Glad you enjoyed it...
Gormo

 

Thanks Gary,
Yes well it was time to bare it all............figuratively speaking of course...
Gormo

 

G`day Ron,
Well it really depends on how many operators I have. The layout is set up to have three operators, however most of the time I`m the only operator.
By myself I can run four comfortably.
To do that I can have two circulating on the Main Lines, the Branch operated by an Auto Shuttle which runs from GCJ to Bamford and back on timed runs.
And I can shunt GCJ or Bamford yards also at the same time.....so that`s four.
With two operators, we can potentially run five and with three operators it`s possible to run six.
Any of the three options are possible because the destinations are able to be electrically isolated from each other and therefore can be controlled independently from each other. Links between destinations are only connected when a train needs to transfer between them.
Anyway it`s fun and a test for your concentration to get it all going at once.....
Gormo

 

G`day Chris,
Good to hear from you.
The tunnel portal on Bamford can barely be seen without a stretch from the operating position and really does not justify a nice 3D printed tunnel portal.
I think I explained in an earlier post that the track in that position is actually on a curve which requires a double track portal to achieve enough clearance.
I actually tried the portal you gave me, but being single track, it just was too narrow.
Anyhow.....it`s another job done and ticked off the list.......what next.....don`t know....I`ll see which way the wind blows.....
Gormo

 

G`day Folks,
Off onto a slightly different tack once again.
Stock storage is becoming a problem at GCJ, although it`s only a problem because I have not built all my fiddle yard cassettes yet.
Time to build another one and maybe some more after that, but one will make a difference, so that`s a start.
I am building another one 1200 mm long, the same as the one below, and after that I will have to assess what lengths will follow.
The storage drawer for these cassettes can hold seven cassettes this long, however not all the trains stored on cassettes will require that length..
We`ll work it out as we go along.



The bases are made from Marine Ply, which has been previously routed to give a trench along the middle, length wise.
The trench will easily accommodate any large flanges.
Here we are drilling the base to establish a centre hole, that locates the cassette on the turntable, and also holes are drilled at each end to take the pins from the end stops.



The sides / rails are made from 30mm x 30mm Aluminium angle and holes have to be drilled and countersunk to allow the rails to be screwed to the ply base.



The screws should be flush with or below the surface. This makes maintenance easier if you need to run a track rubber over the surface to improve electrical conductivity.



The rails are now all drilled and countersunk and they are a nice fit on the base.
The ends of the tops of the side rails have been rounded off this time to remove the sharp corner which has caught me a couple of times over the years.
The other cassettes I have made have also been modified with this improvement.



The underside of the cassette has skids or runners, which make it easier to slide away from its connectors when on the layout.
Two of the skids are specifically there to work with the release mechanism.



Once again holes are drilled to fix the skids to the base, and countersunk to recess the screws so they don`t impede the sliding action.



More as it happens
Gormo

 

Moving along folks,
Supports for the two handles have been cut, drilled and shaped.



Skids have been fitted to the bottom of the cassette



The first rail has been fitted. In order to reach 1200mm, a second shorter section is added to one end.
The join where the two meet has to be aligned perfectly.
I could have bought long sections of angle that would have overcome this problem, however the cost was greater when compared to buying the same quantity in short lengths and there would be more wasted off cuts.



A short piece of Aluminium flat bar will be attached to the top two holes either side of the join to keep everything rigid and also ensure we have good electrical connection between the two pieces of angle.



The second rail is now being fitted. I use a piece of ply as a track gauge.
The gauge is checked every time a screw is inserted and clamping is essential to keep everything true.



And now complete except for handles and end stops.



Ready for testing.
I have been testing various wagons on the cassette during construction checking for errors.....so far so good.



And a short test run.......sorry about the shaky camera.



Gormo

 

Thanks Jim...
I did a video some time back which shows in detail, the cassette, how the turntable is made and works, and the storage system for the cassettes.....if you want a heap more detail.


Gormo