00-SF Princes Risborough

I have laid this station out many times over the past year and after starting several times and watching several zoom meetings I feel I need to actually pin the layout down and start constructing track etc.

I'm modelling in 00-SF and starting at the north end crossover/divergence of two branch lines as I feel that once this crossover is sorted the rest should fall into place.

 

[Rob Manchester]

I was considering P4 but, I think this maybe a step too far as my layout seems to be growing in complexity and required time etc.

Hi Terry,
Is the effort of changing gauge worth it to you from a running or visual aspect ? If you are worried about the time involved why not continue as planned and put the time saved in wheel conversions into better scenery, buildings etc that will possibly offer more overall enjoyment of the layout ? If you are considering re-gauging of RTR wheels you won't benefit from the visual benefit of narrower wheels and if you are using the original wheels you may have issues with cylinder/crankpin obstruction. If you use finer wheels ( ie Gibson ) you gain around 1mm in this area ( 2 wheels each 0.5mm thinner ). What minimum curves is the plan currently designed to use ?

Sorry if this puts a fly in the ointment but worth a thought or two before deciding.

Hope that helps ( or not...)

Rob

 

[Terry Downes]

Hi Terry,
Is the effort of changing gauge worth it to you from a running or visual aspect ? If you are worried about the time involved why not continue as planned and put the time saved in wheel conversions into better scenery, buildings etc that will possibly offer more overall enjoyment of the layout ? If you are considering re-gauging of RTR wheels you won't benefit from the visual benefit of narrower wheels and if you are using the original wheels you may have issues with cylinder/crankpin obstruction. If you use finer wheels ( ie Gibson ) you gain around 1mm in this area ( 2 wheels each 0.5mm thinner ). What minimum curves is the plan currently designed to use ?

Sorry if this puts a fly in the ointment but worth a thought or two before deciding.

Hope that helps ( or not...)

Rob

Hi Rob, thanks for your comments. Honestly, I'm still on the fence here and I assume this is process many born again modellers face at some time. I have begun amending a copy of my layout from 00-SF to EM and as usual, really enjoying the Templot creation process. I have laser cut scissor crossing in 00-SF and resin printed many chairs so I'm planning on laser cutting timbers for EM this week. I will review layouts and wheel-sets etc at the EMGS Bracknell show on Sunday and probably make a final decision over the next few weeks.
Any thoughts, comments articles from others who have made these choices previously would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Martin Wynne]

@Terry Downes

Hi Terry,

A point to note is that if widening RTR 00 wheels (NMRA RP-25/110 profile) to EM, the required back-to-back is 16.4mm, not the usual EM 16.5mm back-to-back. Otherwise you will likely get some flange knocking against the crossing nose.

Sorry I don't know of 16.4mm back-to-back gauges available anywhere. You could ask about this at the show. Or perhaps you could 3D print them?

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Steve_Cornford]

G.W. Models used to do an adjustable B2B gauge that you set using a micrometer or verbier gauge.
Steve

 

[Rob Manchester]

G.W. Models used to do an adjustable B2B gauge that you set using a micrometer or verbier gauge.
Steve

George Watts ( GW Models ) do make an adjustable gauge. I lost my original one and replaced it with the same last year. They are nice and the adjustment can be locked at whatever you set it to.

Terry -> Ask if you want a picture of one see below.

Rob

 

[Rob Manchester]

GW Models Back to back gauge. One screw to wind the back to back distance in and out and another to lock it in place. Works well.

.....and also his rolling machine.

Rob

 

[Terry Downes]

Hi Rob, thanks for the info. I have just spoken to George at GW Models and unfortunately he is out of stock of the adjustable B2B gauge and has no plans on making anymore. I will try and locate a 'used' one from somewhere.

 

[Martin Wynne]

Hi Rob, thanks for the info. I have just spoken to George at GW Models and unfortunately he is out of stock of the adjustable B2B gauge and has no plans on making anymore. I will try and locate a 'used' one from somewhere.

@Terry Downes @Rob Manchester

Hi Terry,

If you have an EM check gauge tool, you could make a wheel setting fixture like this, which replaces the need for a back-to-back gauge:

https://85a.uk/00-sf/index.php#fixture

And possibly you don't need any EM gauges -- such a fixture could be made using plug track.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Terry Downes]

Hi Martin, After visiting the EMGS show yesterday I'm now starting down the EM (18.2mm) conversion. I did bump into Phil O at the show which was nice to chat and share our enthusiasm of all things Templot etc. Anyway, my query is regarding the checking of fee crossing rails etc. Is there a way in Templot to show the perpendicular checking positions as I have marked up below?

 

[Martin Wynne]

Is there a way in Templot to show the perpendicular checking positions as I have marked up

@Terry Downes

Hi Terry,

There wasn't, but there is now.

That's a great idea, thanks. Will be very useful when fine-tuning the check flares in tight spaces.

Switched on and off via the new tick-box above.

Will be in 244e very shortly. Edit: now available.

Martin.

 

[Terry Downes]

@Terry Downes

Hi Terry,

There wasn't, but there is now.


View attachment 9332


That's a great idea, thanks. Will be very useful when fine-tuning the check flares in tight spaces.

Switched on and off via the new tick-box above.

Will be in 244e very shortly. Edit: now available.

Martin.

FYI, the checking extents function work brilliantly and has enabled me to re-do my first board of Princess Risborough in EM Gauge (18.2mm). As I don't have any EM loco or stock converted to EM as yet can someone advise whether the 750mm suggested minimum radius is a reasonable minimum radius for off scenic return curves?

 

[Terry Downes]

Unfortunately, I have been offline for around 8 months for various reasons and only just returning to modelling again and although my ambitions have been muted a little, I do feel that I have settled on a plug track build method and quality which suits my abilities and tools I have.
After attending the Bracknell EMGS show earlier this year, I joined up and fully intended to begin building in EM gauge. But, the time and cost of converting my extensive RTR stock coupled with my desire to get a layout up and running by next Summer has meant that I have reverted back to 00-SF.
So, progress on the most complex piece of track work is shown below and I'm hoping to have this first display baseboard (1 of 5) complete (plug track, wired and ballast) by Christmas.

 

[Terry Downes]

I saw a recent post regarding automatically adding S1J chairs either side of rail joints AND adjusting sleeper spacings to accommodate/adjust/fit non-standard rail lengths but, I can not find it. Can Anyone advise how to automatically add correct chairs either side of rail joints on plain track etc?

 

[Martin Wynne]

I saw a recent post regarding automatically adding S1J chairs either side of rail joints AND adjusting sleeper spacings to accommodate/adjust/fit non-standard rail lengths but, I can not find it. Can Anyone advise how to automatically add correct chairs either side of rail joints on plain track etc?

@Terry Downes

Hi Terry,

real > timbering > timbering data...

change this to 12 inches:

The chairs will change to S1J automatically.

real > timbering > modify group to match to change background templates to match the control template.

cheers,

Martin.

 

[Terry Downes]

Platform Shapes.... Can anyone point me in the direction of any posts advising how to generate platforms and other buildings into the layout. I assume its within the shapes function and maybe using some of the dummy vehicle settings to generate bespoke curved platforms etc.

 

[Terry Downes]

 

[Phil G]

Platform Shapes.... Can anyone point me in the direction of any posts advising how to generate platforms and other buildings into the layout. I assume its within the shapes function and maybe using some of the dummy vehicle settings to generate bespoke curved platforms etc.

Hi Terry,
I have never played with it myself but I believe its in Real> platforms and it follows the Center line of the track.
cheers
phil,

 

[Martin Wynne]

Platform Shapes.... Can anyone point me in the direction of any posts advising how to generate platforms and other buildings into the layout. I assume its within the shapes function and maybe using some of the dummy vehicle settings to generate bespoke curved platforms etc.

@Terry Downes

Hi Terry,

Platforms can be added alongside a template as part of the template. To create an island platform you add one to both tracks, set the widths to overlap, and set the rear edges not to show in the output:

cheers,

Martin.