Another mistake, or when not to use PVA

All the books, all of them, say to use PVA to stick down your track, if you're not using track pins (which IMHO) look ugly. So board one track was laid, wired and tested. Trains ran! To compete a circuit I temporarily pinned some rack to the rear of the board.

Then I noticed that when the loco ran over the temporary track it was nice and quiet, but the stuck down track was noticeably loud. Of course this is actually a well-known issue with PVA, as it sets solid and transmits sound. What to do? Start again by lifting the track, or soldier on?

In the end I decided that, at this relatively early stage, it's best to do it properly, so I've lifted all laid track (sob!) and am now sticking it down with Copydex, a Latex based flexible glue. Hopefully that will work more quietly.

Hiatus

Not for the last time (I think), not much has happened in the last month. I've dismantled the boards to fit the cross-braces to the legs, and in the process discovered that taking the layout apart at the baseboard joins is difficult. This is partly to do with the tightness of the bolts (M10 size) in the (10mm) holes, and partly the length of the bolts (a tad too short). So I'll take the opportunity to widen the holes slightly, use washers glued to the board ends to ensure alignment and have bought some longer bolts. Track alignment will be maintained by the brass cabinet makers dowels already fitted.

Also taking the opp to reconsider the track plan (oh no!). Currently most of the viewable track is on the straight with a curve at the ends to get it back into the fiddle yard. But now I'm thinking it might be better if the whole length is on a gradual, large radius curve.

Trains are running

I couldn't resist a 'Can't wait' moment, so I've laid some temporary track around the boards and wired up an old Gaugemaster controller. To hand was my trusty Union Mills 3F, my two new Stove 'R's and a couple of GF Stanier coaches. On simple DC, in case anyone asks...

All recorded for posterity...







What this shows up is the lack of good lighting in the loft, which I haven't even thought about. It's not a priority - loft insulation is - but it will need careful thinking...

Wiring thoughts

Was directed to Brian Lambert's site via the N Gauge Yahoo! group. Brian's site is excellent, loads of detail and practical experience, clearly explained.

I need to think about wiring now, before laying track, as holes for dropper wires will have to drilled for wiring as track laying progresses, and I don't want to make it up as I go along.

From Brian's site, and other readings, here's my basic track wiring plan:

Use a bus architecture for the main rail power feeds. 'Bus' is a fancy word for cable, and it will run around the underside of the baseboard following (roughly) the track main line. Two wires are required (live and neutral) and I'll use the red and black wires from household electric mains cable (2.5mm twin core and earth).

I'll then drop wires from the rails at appropriate places. Probably I'll use the wire-soldered-to-rail-joiners method - easy to solder first and join later, rather than faff around with soldering to the outside (ugly) or underside (easy to melt sleepers) of the rail.

Dropper wires will then be connected (terminal blocks or soldered) to wires that will then run to the bus.

Point wiring can be considered separately, except when track polarity needs to be switched by a point motor. The only place I think this applies is the long crossing. Polarity of point frogs is switched automatically from the switch blade making contact with the stock rail. (I'm using Peco code 55 electrofrog points throughout.)

Questions:

Should I draw up a full wiring plan? Probably.

Do I want to wire the switch blades of points, or depend on contact with the stock rails? My inclination is to rely on the stock rails, as wiring up the point blades involves intricate soldering (with the risk of messing everything up).

At least I don't have to worry about isolated sections, as my DCC decision removes this requirement.

Choice of track

No competition really. I’m going with Peco finescale code 55, with electrofrog points. I’m also trying to use large radius points only in the scenic areas, and they look better.

Fiddle yard, when I’ve decided how this will work, will use any code 55 point, so long as it’s cheap and reliable.

I had been following the various discusions on the yahoo n gauge group re track realism, and in articular the thread on the 2mm FineScale Easitrac system. In the end, I've plumped for ease and proven usability over threading rail onto sleepers. I think Peco track will be just fine when ballasted and weathered.