Gordonvale

If you want something on all the time irrespective of direction you will have to put a rectifier in either from 4 diodes or a bought component and I would also put a large cap across the rectified voltage (often they are polar too) and a protection diode. Or use a bi-polar LED.

They're the spitting image of the one I use in Aus. Purchased from Jaycar, now Ozzy $33. Great product.

I'm a DC boy with loops of 24.776, 24.355, 23.296 & 22.875 meters (R4, R3, R3 & R2). For normal running, each loop is split in to 4 sections, each with its own controller. This is good for controlling multiple trains on one loop, as you can easily slow down a catcherupperer. I've got a feature built in to connect up all the sections of a loop so the loop runs off just 1 controller. I do this in order to test controllers. This is the same scenario as running 4 track power connections from a controller to 4 points on the track, preferably evenly spaced. In my case at about 6 meters. There is no slowing down, unless there's some dirty track or an incline. The overall speed in this scenario is slightly less than with normal running, which I assume is down to more track resistance.

Resistors and fuses will prevent this.

Further to Chris' post, I've had a peep at Jaycar. SPDT (on)-off-(on) momentary They don't appear do them, which I find unusual. They do DPDT version which could be utilised. Simply only use one of the rows of terminal legs and ignore the other. One per point required. ST0358, $4.95 Should you have two points which always operate in tandem, you could use both rows of terminal legs to change both points simultaneously, EG a crossover where both points are either straight or diverge. A CDU (see below) is required to do this. SPST momentary push button These are like doorbells, push the button in and the current flows, release the button, it springs back and the current stops. We are getting into CDU highly recommended territory. Two per point are required. SP0710 red, SP0711 black $1.95 Stud & Probe CDU is necessary. Connect the probe to the CDU output +ve terminal. Touch the probe against a stud (I use screws). The stud is connected to the point motor same as the switch or push button. One probe per layout, 2 studs per point. Probe PP0425 $4.95 (2 pack, so one spare) CDU Capacitor Discharge Unit, 1 per layout. The CDU input connects to your power source, AC or DC. The power source needs to have enough umph to drive the CDU. The output from the CDU is DC. The +ve goes to each and every switch/button or to the single probe. The common return from each point motor connects to the CDU output -ve. When a switch/button/stud is activated, the CDU gives a momentary big burst of power to the point motor. Without the CDU, if a switch/button/stud remains powered then the point motor will very quickly burn out. With the CDU, the power will cycle on/off and give the point motor a good chance of survival. The CDU will provide enough power to simultaneously change multiple points.

Thanks Tony. That's useful info.

Beware the RSPCA. I have a long grabber for taller people. It can pick up a flat lying coin and a shoe no problem.

Use the right foam and you can't go wrong. Mine's been down for 15 years, on plywood, in a shed, in the tropics. It's still as good as day 1.

Dug out my Peco 6ft Way Gauge SL-36. Top bit is spacing for standard 2&5/8 track centres, bottom bit is spacing for 6ft separation of rails of adjacent tracks. 6ft spacing between inner edges of adjacent near rails is 1&5/16". Therefore 10ft spacing is 2&3/16".

I've thought about, but not actually attempted, fitting some N gauge flexi track inside OO track.

Six foot Etymology From the nominal distance of six feet between two adjacent railway lines in Great Britain. Noun six foot (uncountable) (rail transport, colloquial) the area between the closest rails of two parallel standard gauge railway lines, regardless of the actual distance. Two standard points give a track centre separation of 2.625". It's too early for me to work out "the 2 two closest rails" measurement, but it's more than the 6 foot proportion. To get a bespoke separation you're going to have to use a cut-to-length straight.

I'll second that BB. Plus after cleaning track, dab a drop of Wahl Clipper Oil (your barber/hairdresser will use this) on each rail, then run a loco round the track to spread it out. I don't pretend to know the science of that, but I find it greatly extends the time before another track clean is required. For those in Aus, INOX does the job of IPA + Wahl.

For tension lock couplers. Acquire a piece of soft flexible plastic about 0.25mm thick. EG: supermarket veggie packaging or laminated A4. Cut a 10mm wide strip about 100mm long, and thread it in the centre of the track, so that it goes over about 8 sleepers and under two sleepers at each end. Check that it doesn’t foul the backs of the rolling stocks wheels. It forms a raised hump. Adjust for height by pushing items of rolling stock over it to ensure that the coupling hooks lift clear of the bar. Depending on your make of track and its sleeper spacing and stock manufacturer, it may be necessary to adjust these details. Pulling stock over the ramp just depresses it and doesn’t lift the coupler hooks as they pass over. Pushing stock over the ramp lifts the coupler hooks. Stop, then move off in the opposite direction and the uncoupling is done. Once adjusted, fix the ramp in place with a track pin at each end. The mechanics are similar to those of the Hornby R617 uncoupling ramp. The major differences are:• the R617 contains a spring to raise the plastic ramp back up after being depressed by a coupler, whereas the homemade ramp has natural spring in it; • the homemade comes free of charge; and• if using laminated A4, the homemade can come in many colours.

Time to introduce you to Mr Brian Lambert Click the link below https://www.brian-lambert.co.uk Then Click on "Electrical" tab

For tension lock couplers. Acquire a piece of soft flexible plastic about 0.25mm thick. EG: supermarket veggie packaging or laminated A4. Cut a 10mm wide strip about 100mm long, and thread it in the centre of the track, so that it goes over about 8 sleepers and under two sleepers at each end. Check that it doesn’t foul the backs of the rolling stocks wheels. It forms a raised hump. Adjust for height by pushing items of rolling stock over it to ensure that the coupling hooks lift clear of the bar. Depending on your make of track and its sleeper spacing and stock manufacturer, it may be necessary to adjust these details. Pulling stock over the ramp just depresses it and doesn’t lift the coupler hooks as they pass over. Pushing stock over the ramp lifts the coupler hooks. Stop, then move off in the opposite direction and the uncoupling is done. Once adjusted, fix the ramp in place with a track pin at each end. The mechanics are similar to those of the Hornby R617 uncoupling ramp. The major differences are: the R617 contains a spring to raise the plastic ramp back up after being depressed by a coupler, whereas the homemade ramp has natural spring in it; the homemade comes free of charge; andif using laminated A4, the homemade can come in many colours.

He who never makes mistakes never makes anything. You've just got to wheely give it a go!

Turntable Bridge Rail length 277mm Turntable Bridge diameter 280mm Turntable Unit diameter 382mm, motor housing bit extends a further 30mm

Those troublesome contacts should, in my humble opinion, be removed. They are not required if the TT is used solely for turning 180. The TT bridge rail is permanently powered (when TT is not in rotate mode). To make contact with any other outlet track, the outlet needs to be powered. Wires via switch from inlet track to each individual outlet track do the job. Be wary of polarity, as bridge rail polarity changes as TT rotates past a certain point.

Those contacts have a reputation for being problematic. Many of us remove them. In doing so, you can still drive a loco on the TT, rotate it 180, and drive the loco off. The contacts are only required to provide power to any other offshoot tracks. This power supply can be achieved with DPDT switches between the powered track and each offshoot. Note, as the TT rotates, it changes polarity at certain positions, so this needs to be addressed to avoid the polarity of the TT bridge rail being opposed to that of the offshoot. Not complicated, merely connect the wires the right way round.

Hi Frankie, The Peco PL-13 Accessory Switch for Point Motors will do the job. These units fit neatly on to both the Hornby R8014 and Peco PL-10 point motor. They are wired to their own DC circuit. They indicate the actual current lie of the point rather than the position of the toggle switch you were thinking of.

It's a brakeman's cab. Lifted fromWiki and translated from German If trains had no continuous brake cables or lines , the vehicles had to be braked by hand. In Europe, the brakeman was usually sitting on a brake seat or in the brakeman's cab on appropriately equipped railroad cars. They locked and released the brake with a hand crank.

I attach directly to the point and use a 45mm hole saw rather than mess about with "rectangular". A bit of paper, painted to match the baseboard, covers the hole.

101 Squadron 69145 Set R1134, DMRF Driving motor: first class open with kitchen. Car 1 69445 R4273A, MF (with disabled seating) Trailer 1st Open, Car 2 69545 Set R1134, PTF "Quiet Zone" Intermediate trailer with pantograph, first class open. Car 3 69645 Set R1134, MF Intermediate motor: first class open. Car 4 68845 R4272A, TS Trailer Std Open, Car 5 69745 R4274C, MS Trailer Std Open, Car 6 69845 R4271A, PTSRMB Std Buffet with Panto, Car 7 69945 R4274D, MS (with disabled seating) Trailer Std Open, Car 8 69245 Set R1134, DMSO Driving motor: "Quiet Zone" standard class open (with cycle storage). Car 9

I've got a 9 car 45 rake. Consist is 4 from a set plus 5 addons.

250mm x 13mm, divided in to 14 panels. The "pins" below the panel borders, which plug in to 15 retaining holes are 2mm.