Has anyone made or installed a working rack on a steep gradient to engage with a suitably fitted loco? If so I would appreciate your advice/thoughts on the job. Many thanks Alan
There is a rack electric loco and rack track - both N scale - available from Fleischmann that could be used.
http://www.reynaulds.com/products/Fleischmann/7305.aspx (http://www.reynaulds.com/products/Fleischmann/7305.aspx)
Thanks for this have had a look and the track may be suitable, however I am looking for a rack to install on existing track. Alan
The Mevagissey model railway has a rack section in it.
An electric overhead shunting type loco runs on it, ho scale methinks.
http://www.model-railway.co.uk/
We looked into having an H0e rack section in the past and came to the conclusion that there was little point as the rack sits above rail height and as a consequence many vehicles would hit the rack. We even have some separate rack section to fit into the track (Fleishman I think?) The rack system would also foul on the Bemo couplings. The best solution was to have a separate line and if we were going to do that we may just as well use 12mm gauge and be able to use all the Ferro-Train locos, track and stock:
http://www.winco.uk.com/FT-HOn3loco.html
We did not follow the idea up, but it remains a possibility for an extension to Westdorf.
Brian Meldon
Ferro-Train make one, but it's 10.5mm gauge.
Yes that's what I thought as well, it's not 12mm... Re using the Fleischmann N gauge stock with suitable bodies you could use the standard N gauge couplers?
Quote from: Hobby on April 28, 2012, 10:25
Yes that's what I thought as well, it's not 12mm... Re using the Fleischmann N gauge stock with suitable bodies you could use the standard N gauge couplers?
Yes it is indeed 10.5mm gauge.
Other problems encountered when testing the Fleischmann N gauge rack equipment were that it was very difficult to make a transition from level to the grade or indeed to change from one grade to another. This is because of a combination of the Fleischmann rail used, that in common with most rail does not like to be bent up and down, and the rather week chairs on the Fleischmann rack track. This was not helped by the fact that the cog wheel on the loco is on the centre axel. As mentioned we also tried to use a section of rack in some Peco track but this was not easy as the peco 009 rail is shorter than that used by Fleischmann so the rack was too high.
The slightest imperfection in the track caused problems with either the loco jumping the rack or the wheels lifting off the track and losing electrical connection.
The action of the rack also has the effect of lifting the loco and as a result the rails have to be kept very clean at all times. This makes it considerably more sensitive to dirt on the wheels and rail than with normal 009 locos that are bad enough in this respect.
Cleaning the rails is not as straight forward either as the rack is higher than rail height so a flat track rubber will not work.
Now I would say that I am quite good at laying 009 track, and that all the track on the layouts I have is absolutely spot on, but the experimentation showed that laying this rack track would be a real challenge for me to get it correct. In fact I doubt that I would have been able to get it good enough for reliable long term running.
These are only my findings, others may have more luck (or skill) in getting the system working well, but it was clear that I could not.
Brian Meldon
Would the cog off the Ferro-Train work with the Fleischmann, Brian?
It would also explain why whenever I've seen the N gauge stuff there's never any flat track, it's all been on a gradient... Though many of the stand-alone mountain lines are like that anyhow, its the longer "combined" ones that have the flat bits... Perhaps that's the answer - a stand-alone line starting next to the conventional NG line... Isn't one of the Austrian lines like that?!
Quote from: Hobby on April 29, 2012, 09:40
Would the cog off the Ferro-Train work with the Fleischmann, Brian?.............Perhaps that's the answer - a stand-alone line starting next to the conventional NG line... Isn't one of the Austrian lines like that?!
I have no idea if the gearing is the same profile/size, or even if the rack is the same height.
Having a totally separate line was the conclusion we came to as well.
Brian Meldon
Quote from: B.Meldon on April 28, 2012, 11:17
Other problems encountered when testing the Fleischmann N gauge rack equipment were that it was very difficult to make a transition from level to the grade or indeed to change from one grade to another. This is because of a combination of the Fleischmann rail used, that in common with most rail does not like to be bent up and
It seems it's very diffucult to do, but achieved by Jonathon Scott on a couple of his micro layouts.
SprocketBahn (http://www.scottpages.net/SprocketBahN.html)
Wall Mountain (http://scottpages.net/WallMountN.html)
Len
I would agree with everyone who has said that imperfections of any kind in the track bed cause problems. I have tried ferro-Train and the same applies for that as for what people have said about Fleischmann Yes, it is 10.5mm but I must say that the locos and coaches are well made although expensive.
Not sure how much use this idea is, but would it be feasible to try and regauge the Ferro-Train to 9 or 12mm gauge? This would make it more standard with other stock and track because 10.5mm is not as commonly use as 9 or 12mm (not being based on a commercial standard gauge).
I think it would be easier to build a chassis from scratch than try to narrow the gauge on a Ferro-Train rack loco.
Brian Meldon
Yes. Ferro-Train is quite expensive to be trying things like that.
I would certainly not like to re-gauge Ferro-Train rack locos. The motion is very complex. You would also need to be sure that your track matches the Ferro-Train spec. Their track is based on a plastic moulding with the rack integral with the sleepers and chairs which would be difficult to rebuild to 9mm.