About track (advice for a newbie)

[Allscales]

There is a photo attached to this, of the latest version. The key visible difference is a small pad that the point blade rests on.

The question is how do it put it where this writing you're reading is now?????

[Allscales]

Question answered!!!

My (new version) U classes, seem to do OK, although the coupling is very short. I have not experienced any kind of derailments as yet due to the length (or rather: lack there of) the coupling.

In fact I have more hassle with the little Roco's due to their overly long and very floppy (i.e. non self-catering) couplings. A real pain!

[Cambridge Paul]

A few years back there was an article on this in 009 news

[Allscales]

Hmmm, yes I have seen the evolution of the railway carriage..

One thing I have noticed is that my older stock of Liliput (2095 & coaches) seems to have a lot more play on the bogies so needs to go through the points more rapidly than the older stock.

If I go too slow then the track shorts for too long and the DCC booster turns off the power!

I can both hear and see it. The booster gives a little yelp, and the red light on the front blinks!

[petersmith1942]

I dont think speeding up is the way to solve your shorting problem! One of these times it could cause problems especially if you have a few locos on the layout. I would sort out the reason for the shorts and eliminate by replacing wheelsets or trucks/bogies. I assume you havent wired the point blades to the stock rails and fitted a switch so the wheels are shorting on the point blades
Peter Smith

[Graeme Dunbar]

My thoughts too. It sounds as if the backs of the wheels are shorting against the point blades and your points are not "DCC friendly". See the red and blue rails here:
http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/electrics-dcc-wiring-a-layout.htm

[B.Meldon]

Hmmm, yes I have seen the evolution of the railway carriage..

One thing I have noticed is that my older stock of Liliput (2095 & coaches) seems to have a lot more play on the bogies so needs to go through the points more rapidly than the older stock.

If I go too slow then the track shorts for too long and the DCC booster turns off the power!

I can both hear and see it. The booster gives a little yelp, and the red light on the front blinks!

Making the 12 inch (and Y) Peco 009 points

[B.Meldon]

Question answered!!!

My (new version) U class, seem to do OK, although the coupling is very short. I have not experienced any kind of derailments as yet due to the length (or rather: lack there of) the coupling.

In fact I have more hassle with the little Roco's due to their overly long and very floppy (i.e. non self-catering) couplings. A real pain!

The problem is not that the coupling on the Liliput U class is too short it is that the overhang from the rear driving wheels is long. What may happen is that the overhang will start to push on the coupling loop on the next vehicle. 

A test on your layout would be to try and push one of the Liliput wagons into the siding on the left in your layout photo using the rear coupling on the 0-6-2.

As to the Roco 0-6-0 tender loco the coupling on the rear of the tender can be fixed in the central position with a tiny drop of super-glue as there is very little overhang it does not need to move from side to side.

The front coupling does need to move from side to side. It is actually easy to make the front coupling self centralise by adding a section of elastic band behind the C clip of the coupling. You will have to very carefully remove the lower axel retaining plate and then add a section of elastic band behind the C clip in the coupling pocket.

The same can be done to the rear coupling of the tank loco, but this has a smaller pocket so the ends of the C clip on the coupling need to be shortened.

The elastic bands as used by Royal Mail in the UK just happen to be exactly the correct width for this job.

Personally I do not like the chunky couplings that come with these loco so what I do is use the other type of coupling that come with these locos (the cone and clip type) cut off the cone and fit a Greenwich coupling head at the correct height. This looks a lot better and the coupling outriggers that come with the locos can also then be fitted.

I will post some photos when I get a chance.

Brian Meldon

[B.Meldon]

I have started a new thread with the photos and basic instructions about improving and self centralizing the Roco HF110 coupling here:

http://www.009society.com/forum/index.php?topic=1109.msg6535#msg6535


Brian Meldon