... small S7 layouts on the S7 web site http://www.scaleseven.org.uk/Showcase/S7layoutshowcase.html and all of the standards are there as well. posted: 1 Mar 2011 17:26 from: Rob Manchester Thanks to all for the interesting replies, certainly plenty of choice. How do I push Slaters wheels in by 2mm. Surely the rolling stock wheels are on shouldered axels( unless the S7 ones are different?) and the loco wheels are fixed in terms of B to B by the square to round transition of the axle. Mike's point about 'anything' that is handbuilt looking better than Peco is very sensible and at present I am probably favouring this approach. We shall see. Rob posted: 1 Mar 2011 19:02 from: Jim Guthrie Rob Manchester wrote: How do I push Slaters wheels in by 2mm. Surely the rolling stock wheels are on shouldered axels( unless the S7 ones are different?) and the loco wheels are fixed in terms of B to B by the square to round transition of the axle. Rob, ...

... topic: 2560 How much sideways movement on loco chassis posted: 27 Oct 2014 11:59 from: LSWRArt How much 'slop' should be allowed between the wheels and the chassis? For example, I model using 0-MF track. If I have an 0-6 -0 loco with a certain wheelbase (85mm) running on curves with a certain maximum radius (1200mm), how much movement should I allow on each axle? Is there a simple formula into which you can enter dimensions? This would allow me to decide how much movement to allow on the loco and also whether to gauge widen the track on the tightest curves. If so, can you easily extend this formula to something like an 0-4 -4? Assuming minimal sideways movement on each of the axles, how much sideways movement should be allowed on the bogie for a certain wheelbase? I know this is not a track question, but it seems that the two are closely connected. Thanks, Arthur posted: 27 Oct 2014 13:09 from ...

... with no notching in other cases. But then it is necessary to fine tune all the rolling stock. Getting the wheel back to back gauge is the most obvious and easiest to achieve. Then comes getting the vehicles sufficiently weighted. I tried MJT compensated bogies on my Ratio coaches, but found that the extra flexibility made them more liable to ride up over switch/closure rails. I found that with enough weight, the more limited flex of the plastic Ratio bogies made for the most reliable running. But if the two axles in each bogie frame aren't exactly parallel with each other, they will ride up and over turnouts when that turnout is set in the direction of the crooked axle. Then there are the 4 wheel goods wagons. So far, I've stuck with rigid wheel mounting. But non parallel axles create the same derailment problems. But how do you achieve parallel axles when using pin point axle bearings which allow the axle point to float around in the bearing? I spent around 11 hours fine tuning the suspension of an Alan Gibson framed ...

... from: Hayfield Another very easy, quick and cheap way of buying locos to work on EM gauge is some of the ready made kit built locos. Just to show EM gauge locos do not need to be expensive I have a kit built Cotswold LMS 3F, It has a solid brass milled chassis with Romford wheels, and will be a doddle to convert. It has an Airfix/MW MRRC 5 pole motor 1 Remove the wheels 2 fit 40 thou plasticard sides to the chassis, one at a time and drill the axle holes as you go 3 Replace the wheels using Romford axles 4 Adjust the pickup wipers A quick and easy conversion, at a minimal expense, I have done the same with a K's pannier tank. And I am now partway through an EM gauge conversion of a K's Adams Radial, but I an fitting a High Level Slimline plus gear box with a Mashima motor, these probably doubled the cost of the loco, so still at a modest cost If required it is now an easy job fitting Gibson plastic brake shoes and ...

... connected as a pair and always move in opposite directions. The reason for needing a switched diamond, as Martin has explained earlier, is due to the difficulty in checking the wheel set through the fixed K crossing when the angle is too flat. As the wheel set approaches the middle of the diamond a situation can be reached where it is possible for the wheelset to go either side of the "point rails" if the check rails are no longer checking the backs of the wheels. If you doubt this take a single axle and attempt to rotate it in the diamond, you will see what I mean. I know this is not a situation that happens in reality as the axles are restrained by the sideframes, but it illustrates the principle. Switched crossings overcome this situation by removing the gap in the running rail. Tony. Last edited on 15 Mar 2012 21:38 by Tony W posted: 15 Mar 2012 21:54 from: Tony W Hi Andy. It should look like this. I have also changed the box file title ...

... in whatever scale you want, check it with every gauge available and it is good. You put a loco on it. It runs from the switch end through the straight and vice versa perfectly. It also runs from the switch through the branch perfectly. But when you run from the branch to the switch, it will 'split' i.e. derail. And it always happens this way and probably only one or two locos in your stock and certainly not on any wagon or coach. You have goods sideplay on the centre axle(s). So what is the problem? My theory is that whilst sideplay is understood, the restraining forces of the coupling rods receive little or no consideration and it is these that are preventing the centre axles from moving with the curve of the crossing. The solution? Adjust the branch check rail. Probably no more than a tenth of a millimetre- hardly visible to the eye, but a huge improvement in operating. (This is one reason why I do not approve, in modelling, of combined stock ...

... : Rob Manchester Hi Andy, I too have some Hornby Gresley Suburban coaches of the latest generation and the wheels are indeed 2.5mm wide( 0.1"). The back-to-backs are between 14.2 and 14.3mm as supplied. I also have a few Hornby BR( ex LMS) surburban coaches purchased recently and they are the same in wheel width and BtB settings. All other RTR coaches of recent vintage from Bachmann/Hornby etc seem to have 2.8mm wide wheels. The wheels can of course be pulled out on the axles with a NWSL puller or similar if required. Rob posted: 3 Oct 2019 21:34 from: Andy Reichert Rob Manchester wrote: Hi Andy, I too have some Hornby Gresley Suburban coaches of the latest generation and the wheels are indeed 2.5mm wide( 0.1"). The back-to-backs are between 14.2 and 14.3mm as supplied. I also have a few Hornby BR( ex LMS) surburban coaches purchased recently and they are the same in wheel width and BtB settings. All other RTR coaches of ...

... this you may find it worth joining the EM Gauge Society who have a detailed manual covering all these matters, and more: http://emgs.org Generally EM and 00-SF are fine for anything other than outright toy train sets, i.e. a minimum radius say around 24"/ 600mm and turnouts no shorter than say 1:4. A lot depends of course on what rolling-stock you will be using. Not just locomotive wheelbase, but also matters such as buffers and couplings, wheel profiles, and axle sideplay. Generally where the radius goes below say 30"/ 750mm it is advisable to add some gauge-widening, which happens automatically if you use the 3-point track gauges. If you won't be going as tight as that on radius you probably don't need any gauge-widening. RTR models are made to run on curves down to around 18"/ 450mm radius at 16.5mm, so will easily run round 30"/ 750mm at 16.2mm. You can see the smallest radius in a turnout on the info ...

... posted: 31 Jan 2017 23:52 from: madscientist im designing my magnum opus layout at the moment, but in the main station I have three crossovers in a row. As usual I'm constrained by space Given I don't want to go below 30" radius anywhere and I will want to propel 2axle wagons over these crossovers, what's the best turnout in 00-SF to give me the greatest radius in the shortest length Thanks Dave posted: 1 Feb 2017 00:58 from: Martin Wynne Hi Dave, 2-axle wagons will be the least of your problems- they will go round almost any radius unless very long wheelbase. You might have problems with couplings and buffer-locking. Generally it is 6-coupled or 8-coupled steam locomotives which create the limiting condition. For the shortest turnout with the largest radius, you could: 1. set a generic type V-crossing (or curviform, but not for crossovers). 2. use a short curved switch. For example, these are both above 30" radius ...

... an extract from J.S.Mundrey's 'Railway Track Engineering', substantial parts of which can be previewed on Google Books. I think it was this that first drew to my attention some of the problems that arise from a wheelset passing over a loose heel joint. There is also a section in the HSE's publication about mine trackwork dealing with loose heel switches containing the following commentary: "136 A loose heel switch can open inadvertently when a vehicle passes over in the facing direction of travel. This is caused by the guiding wheel on the leading axle passing over the hinged joint and giving it a 'kick', which opens the switch slightly, allowing the guiding wheel on the following axle to 'split the points'. To counteract this effect, switch blades should be longer than the longest wheelbase of any vehicle using the track." Despite the focus on keeping switches longer than the longest wheelbase in both these publications, it seems to me that a substantially similar problem must arise when the distance between the trailing wheelset of one vehicle and the leading wheelset of the next is ...