Don't as I did, try to solder a wire to the underside of a Peco point where the frog wires are. A sticky brown mess of melted sleepers is guaranteed unless you have the touch of a plastic surgeon. Clearly, I am not thus blessed.
In a response to a question posted on the Yahoo! N Gauge Forum, I was guided to the bleeding obvious (to the initiated) answer which is to solder the wire across the two protruding rails that form the frog. Much simpler and neater, though I've had to trim the insulating fishplates if the solder spreads too far along the rail. Anyway, success. And it only cost me one medium radius point, which may be salvageable...
Showing posts with label Yahoo n gauge forum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yahoo n gauge forum. Show all posts
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
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.
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.
Friday, 11 December 2009
Layout inspirations 4 - Moorcock
Moorcock by Andy Calvert
Viewed at the N Gauge Society 40th Anniversary show 2007
I'd heard all about this layout on the Yahoo! N Gauge forum as it has legendary status. Was it worth all the fuss? Yep. A great example of N Gauge modelling - full-length trains, sweeping curves and great scenery.
Moorcock is still on the exhibition circuit despite the demise of its builder Andy Calvert. It also being reburbished - it's quiet old. Anyway, I didn't have my camera with me in 2007 when I saw it, but here are some great photos and a video on the N Guage Society web site.
Pictures are here.
Video is here.
Enjoy.
Viewed at the N Gauge Society 40th Anniversary show 2007
I'd heard all about this layout on the Yahoo! N Gauge forum as it has legendary status. Was it worth all the fuss? Yep. A great example of N Gauge modelling - full-length trains, sweeping curves and great scenery.
Moorcock is still on the exhibition circuit despite the demise of its builder Andy Calvert. It also being reburbished - it's quiet old. Anyway, I didn't have my camera with me in 2007 when I saw it, but here are some great photos and a video on the N Guage Society web site.
Pictures are here.
Video is here.
Enjoy.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Layout inspirations 3 - Basingstoke
Basingstoke by Farnham and District MRC
Viewed at Farnham & District MRC Show 2009
Featured in Railway Modeller Oct 98, Model Rail Oct 2000 and Hornby Magazine March 2009
Web page: http://www.farnhammrc.org.uk/basingstoke.htm
I finally managed to see Basingstoke after having read about it in various publications and references to it (mainly from Noel Leaver) on the Yahoo N Gauge forum. It's long - 28ft or so - which shows off the pluses of n gauge very well. Full length trains moving at scale speeds - the effect that I'm after.
I took some pictures. Stupidly I only took a telephoto lens with me, which meant that most of the photos have a tiny depth of field (and that therefore much of the picture is out of focus). Should have listened to my wife...
More (and better)pictures are here courtesy of Mike Boydon. Also here courtesy of the N Gauge Society (of which I am a member).
Viewed at Farnham & District MRC Show 2009
Featured in Railway Modeller Oct 98, Model Rail Oct 2000 and Hornby Magazine March 2009
Web page: http://www.farnhammrc.org.uk/basingstoke.htm
I finally managed to see Basingstoke after having read about it in various publications and references to it (mainly from Noel Leaver) on the Yahoo N Gauge forum. It's long - 28ft or so - which shows off the pluses of n gauge very well. Full length trains moving at scale speeds - the effect that I'm after.
I took some pictures. Stupidly I only took a telephoto lens with me, which meant that most of the photos have a tiny depth of field (and that therefore much of the picture is out of focus). Should have listened to my wife...
More (and better)pictures are here courtesy of Mike Boydon. Also here courtesy of the N Gauge Society (of which I am a member).
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Baseboard redesign issues
As I noted in this post, I'm planning to have a cantilevered board at either end, to allow the trains to turn 180 degrees and trundle into the fiddle yard. These boards are designed to be 600mm wide (roughly 2 feet) - same width as the main boards.
I also want to use as large a radius of curve as possible to minimise loco running problems. And eventually I'd like to run my locos with the scale-size leading bogie wheel that GF and others now provide (although the smaller size wheel still look pretty good). So large radius curve will help.
The largest standard Settrack curve is Radius 3 (product number ST-17), which is 298.5mm (11 3/4in) radius. This 'should' fit my baseboard. But it doesn't, according to XTrkCad. I checked with the N Gauge Yahoo group, which confirmed this - radius measurements are to the centre of the track, not the outside. Why does no-one tell you this?!
Anyway, the simplest solution is to make the cantilever boards 50mm wider at the back (hidden side) of the layout. Minimum of difference in construction, and little (if any) additional cost.
I also want to use as large a radius of curve as possible to minimise loco running problems. And eventually I'd like to run my locos with the scale-size leading bogie wheel that GF and others now provide (although the smaller size wheel still look pretty good). So large radius curve will help.
The largest standard Settrack curve is Radius 3 (product number ST-17), which is 298.5mm (11 3/4in) radius. This 'should' fit my baseboard. But it doesn't, according to XTrkCad. I checked with the N Gauge Yahoo group, which confirmed this - radius measurements are to the centre of the track, not the outside. Why does no-one tell you this?!
Anyway, the simplest solution is to make the cantilever boards 50mm wider at the back (hidden side) of the layout. Minimum of difference in construction, and little (if any) additional cost.
Thursday, 10 September 2009
My best investments to date
Without question, the best source of information on N gauge is… the Yahoo Groups n gauge forum. This must be most knowledgeable bunch of guys (and ladies), and they’re just gushing out useful tips and titbits from their vast experience. It costs me the grand some of zero pence to subscribe and read their secrets. They have some entertainingly silly arguments about the precise weight of a lump of coal and exactly how long is a fireman’s shovel. Keep it up chaps (and ladies). I've been lurking on the group for a while now but may enter the discussion actively when I've got some sensible questions to ask (and something to offer in return).
The second best investment to date is membership of the N Gauge Society. £23 including ring binder and joining fee. I’d been seesawing on whether or not to join – I’m not a great club joiner. But the first issue of the society journal arrived, and it featured an LMS layout – Springdale. Wow. Envy. And it was built 30 years ago. More please, editor.
The Society also seems a place to collate information on what products are available. It’s just a tad out of date. But the volunteers that run the society probably have better things to do than update lists…
The second best investment to date is membership of the N Gauge Society. £23 including ring binder and joining fee. I’d been seesawing on whether or not to join – I’m not a great club joiner. But the first issue of the society journal arrived, and it featured an LMS layout – Springdale. Wow. Envy. And it was built 30 years ago. More please, editor.
The Society also seems a place to collate information on what products are available. It’s just a tad out of date. But the volunteers that run the society probably have better things to do than update lists…
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