Today I finally got on with laying some track in a large scale. I was able to put down the roadbed, install two bridges and set up the entire mainline, which is about 150 feet I think, I haven’t calculated it yet, but somewhere between 120 and 150 anyways. It felt great because I was finally able to run my Walther heavyweights on a proper layout.
First run was by my IORE. It ran without a single derailment on perhaps ten laps around the layout. That felt pretty good. The heavyweights didn’t derail eihter, but there couplers came of from time to time on random locations, straight level track, bang, coupler off. Man they must be worthless. Good thing I have 80 pair of Kadee #5 waiting for them.
My 2-10-2 ran over the layout and it derailed at one spot twice so I will look in to that spot. Otherwise there seems to be no major problem but I will test some more locos tomorrow to try and find the weak spots before I get on with the yard.
I must say that I’m quite satisfied with performance so far. I haven’t installed any feeder wires yet so I was somewhat surprised that the engines didn’t stall anywhere on the layout since it only gets power from one spot.
Lillen, Congrats on the first run! I remember the first time I ran the trains on my newely laid track, Man what a thrill, especially as I watched as she pulled onto the trestle and across the river, and away she went. I did have to go back and take a look at some of the curves as after a few weeks they would start to derail at a specific point. Seems I would fix that place and it would move to another place. I finally got all the bugs worked out. Don’t get discourged if this happens, take them one by one and before you know you will have masterpiece. Good Luck and keep on chuggin’ Mike
Very happy for you, Magnus. For your 2-10-2 trouble spot, I suggest you look first for a dip within 10 cm on either side of the location…either end…to see if that causes lifting where it shouldn’t, especially around a curve. Alternativel, a slight rise, or maybe a joiner that is improperly mated to the rails causing one rail to be high at the join.
One other thing that you may have forgotten, or not known to do, Magnus, and that is to use a metal file and bevel the flange faces and top ends of each rail segment where there is a gap and a join. This will prevent the flanges from picking the corners of the rail segment ends and lifting the entire locomotive. On close joins, ones less than 1mm gap, it won’t be nearly the problem as it will be when the gaps are 3 mm and larger. With the larger gaps, the flanges will be allowed to travel tangentially a longer distance and the flange will actually dig into the face of the end of the rail.
I take it that your curves are generous, nothing with a radius smaller than about 48 cm? If so, you might have the problem right there.
Thanks for the advice. I haven’t done any filing yet, I haven’t had time. This was just a rough trial since I was so happy to finally be able to run the trains on long tracks.
All the curves are about 36" or 90 cm so that’s not the problem My heavyweights just loves those curves, couplers are bad but the wheels stay on the track.
The 2-10-2 derail at a spot where there is a joint on a curve so I will be going through that tomorrow. That engine have always been sensitive, that is why I tested it. Tomorrow I will run my Y6B and see how that goes with some BLI coal hoppers. But I will look for a dip, in fact now that you mention I think there might just be one, I remember something about that spot when I laid the track.
I have been identifying and fixing problem spots. One spot was only a problem for Walther’s heavyweights and nothing else. The most sensitive engine is now officially my PCM Big Boy, my PCM y6b is my least sensitive steamer. The only problem I got with that one is that the contact between the tender and the engine seems to fail on it’s way up hills. My BLI F7 have so far not derailed ones. Hope that holds.
I’ve noticed a Huuuuge difference with Kadee couplers, now the cars actually stick together. There is a lot to learn but I’m moving forward rapidly I feel. One problem spot couldn’t be just altered so I replaced about 15" of track and now the problem is gone. This is fun despite of the issues that arise from time to time.
Wow, I’m impressed. Mostly, I’m impressed by your patience. I would have built a little loop and run trains around it. You’ve been able to wait long enough until you are ready to do it right.
Your investment in Kadees will pay off. They are just so much better than anything else on the market. When I get a new car or engine now, it gets Kadees before it even gets on the tracks.
I’m looking forward to more pictures. Thanks for sharing your progress with us.
Well I did build a small test layout last year for my kids, but the curves where to tight for most American equipment. But I did wait until I had all that I needed before I built it. I also experimented and read a lot to try to avoid the most common pitfalls. I think I have done OK for my first real big test. Hopefully I will soon begin the building of a larger and even better layout if me and the wife decides/get the loan to expand our house. But this will serve me for at least a year or two. That patience you describes got me called a liar on this forum and that I wouldn’t do it, that I was just bullshitting when I asked questions so it feels great to be able to show that I did precisely what I said I would.
The Kadees did a huge difference and everything well get some. To bad they don’t come as standard on the more expensive locos and cars.
Where in Sweden did they come from? Did you mean Tak=thanks? Because if you did it’s pronounced as you wrote it and it is spelled Tack. Just thought you wanted to know.
OK, I’m making some progress. Today the PC; BB was able to make multiple runs without any problems while dragging along Walther’s heavyweights. Now that feels great, soon I can start working on the yard now that the mainline is experiencing less and less problem. I’ve learnt a lot from this.
Outstanding! Looks like a nice main line. I do like the curves… I think it helps to show off the train and make it more intersting to watch. I know when I got my first mainline finished, I was pumped for months! I couldnt get away from the layout.
Congrats on the first run. I know you’ve been collecting that equipment for some time. Must have been great to see those heavyweights on some decent turns.
When you decide to do the #5s on the heavyweights, you may need to use care when removing the covers. About 1/2 of my B&Os had some of the assembly glue for the steps that seeped under the coupler cover. Careful rocking and prying did loosen them though. On one the steps loosened and needed to be reglued. Your passenger cars are from the same run and you might find the same trouble. Some of the tabs on the cover may break off, but they don’t cause any trouble for coupler operation.
Perhaps he meant Dag? (as in god dag— meaning good day) which would be “guten tag” in German.
Just my [2c].
BTW: The layout looks great. Nice progress! I too remember getting my 100+ foot mains together and running the first trains. Take lots of photos of your work as you do it. You’ll never be sorry.
Thanks for the support and positive response. I’ve noticed the problems with the heavyweights coupler pockets. One of the observation cars was a real problem getting fixed. Today I kept working on the track. My new Zephyr cars realised some new problems with the track. But I must say, it’s a good thing that I have a LOT of different cars and locos to run. Had I just have had my BLI coal hoppers and diesels I would never had to fix anything at all.
So today I ripped up about 10 feet of track and totally reworked the entire area from bench work and up. Making sure that everything now runs smoothly. Next I will do the same to a poor piece of track that occasionally causes derailments. Perfect tracks are the goal, this is after all something as I see as a trial layout with some permanence.(2-5 years) Flex track is after all cheap.
The heavyweights I’ve been working on now runs perfectly. It takes a lot of adjustments to get them perfect but man they do look and run great when they are done. Now they can run at full speed for lap after lap without even the smallest issue. The zephyrs do have coupler problems. Slightest kink in height and they derail.
