You must be lucky!

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I wanted to run a few trains. At first I switched a little bit. Then came the grain unit. I throw all turnouts at staging yard, starting point, International Falls. And all turnouts at the end, at South Jct. And slowly I run the train. Suddenly it stopped. And I recognized my big mistake:

The first engine has lost contact - and the train stopped. Perhaps it blocked someway. I was lucky, the train did not fall on the floor, 50’’ deeper!

This way the train should run:

No, until now I’ve no electrical device to stop a train with the open bridge. [:)]

Wolfgang

2

You were very lucky. It could have ALL ended up in a pile on the floor.

3

looks like the engine gas tank shorted out the track and everything stopped, if it was plastic I think the other engines would have pushed it off the layout.

4

I bet the bridge operator doesn’t have a job anymore!

5

Holey moley! Consider yourself blessed.

You need to revise the track wiring so power is not provided to approaches to the abyss unless the connecting track is fitted into place.

Mark

6

Could you hear the tiny screams coming from the locomotives???[:O]

7

I recently saw an HO Big Boy at my local LHS that was undergoing repairs after it had taken a dive off the layout… not pretty.

Glad yours didn’t take the plunge!

8

What shall I do with me ??? [:)]

Perhaps I will install a simple mechanical device, a post.

Wolfgang

9

I’ve done the same thing with a Bachmann 4-8-2 and a P1K RSC-2.

The RSC-2 needed some cosmetic work, as did the 4-8-2 needing a new marker light. However, both models run fine after their fall.

Those are SOOOOO close to falling off, I can’t believe it didn’t! Definatly a lucky day on the WT.

Phil

10

For the end of the bridge shown, you could perhaps install a spring loaded bit of rail that would push onto and contact the bottoms of the two rails of the approach track. You could also design it so that the bridge, when lowered, would press to “bit of rail” down and away from the track.

Thus if the bridge is open, the track will be shorted and you will run no trains to thePRECIPICE.

Ed

11

Erfreulicherweise, Dumm gelaufen nicht.

Mark

12

Speaking as somebody who has had trains fall off the layout, yeah its better when they don’t. That was an amazing stop, guess it just wasn’t meant to be.

13

I AGREE WITH MARK:

“You need to revise the track wiring so power is not provided to approaches to the abyss unless the connecting track is fitted into place”. - or it’ll happen again - also self centering alignment at the joint.

14

The model train gods were watching that day. Remeber the saying, “So close, but yet so Far.” [:D]

15

79 fully loaded grain hoppers with emergency brakes set, saved the lives of a train crew today. Meanwhile, back at the dispatch office, everyone is on suspension pending an investigation by the NMRTSB. Film at eleven.

My Marx train went flying off the 33" high table when the O-27 tracks seperated on the far end curve. Now, even tho it is a temp set up, every other track segment has one nail. The 60 year old train still runs just fine. No harm, no foul.

Track inspector seeking new job as highway department pothole relocation supervisor!

Cutting off power to the adjacent zones when the brige is up is good, but what is also needed is a means to prevent the bridge from being lifted when a train is within coasting distance.

16

Thank the Lord you was runnin’ slow, eh? One guy on another forum wasn’t so lucky. 2 of his tunnel motors fell off the layout and crashed. sucks for him.