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General => Trains! => Topic started by: playmofire on May 05, 2020, 18:54:17

Title: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on May 05, 2020, 18:54:17
In the present unprecedented circumstances I've been given permission to layout a railway in the dining room, and so the Loch Down Railway has come into existence. It's an oval with four straight lengths per side and R1 curves at each end, long enough to take the Playmobil 4052 tender loco with three Panorama coaches, although most of the traffic is drawn by either an LGB 2075 Spremberger tank engine or one of the Playmobil tank engines.

The two of longer sidings are each fitted with one of the Playmobil isolators, allowing one loco to be parked while the other is running or shunting. One of the shorter sidings is fitted with an old LGB uncoupler rail. It was originally intended to have both of the shorter sidings fitted with one of these, but as I don't have easy access to the window side of the layout, the shorter siding on that side hasn't got an uncoupler rail fitted. The uncoupler rail which is fitted isn't a 100% success as it really needs a hard surface under it for it to operate properly, otherwise it tends to lift up on one side when the uncoupler mechanism is depressed. I plan to remedy this some stout card or plastic under the section of track.

Accessories are kept to low level items such as platforms and vehicles as easy access is needed to draw the curtains on the window, so the last thing you want are signals and buildings sticking up.

Some photos, clicking on therm makes them bigger.  First, the overall layout, then two photos of the northern station and lastly, a photo of the southern station.

Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on May 05, 2020, 18:59:50
Now, another photo of the southern station, then the uncoupler rail and then two of the PM isolator.

I hope to make it the basis of a railway in the garage by adding a second oval with R2 curves and maybe a crossover into one of the sidings. I'm also thinking of making one siding at each side the end of a shuttle so that when not running round-and-round trains a gentle to-and-fro one can be running. I shall look into inserting a PM shuttle unit into the layout in the next few days.
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: tahra on May 05, 2020, 20:50:12
It's huge!

I feel very ignorant, since I really don't know what you are talking about :-[   But the trains are gorgeous :love:

Looking forward to seeing the progress - a shame it can't fully develop, but I understand the need to reach the window ;)
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: Tiermann on May 05, 2020, 22:15:45
Great looking layout Gordon
Nice use of the platforms. My trains are all put away now as I only have floor space for an oval around the diorama table, and the it becomes hard to do dioramas.
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on May 06, 2020, 00:47:44
It's huge!

I feel very ignorant, since I really don't know what you are talking about :-[   But the trains are gorgeous :love:

Looking forward to seeing the progress - a shame it can't fully develop, but I understand the need to reach the window ;)

Not so huge; I'll measure it for you.

I have realised that when I mentioned the shuttle I was actually mixing this up with an earlier plan!
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on May 06, 2020, 00:49:32
Great looking layout Gordon
Nice use of the platforms. My trains are all put away now as I only have floor space for an oval around the diorama table, and the it becomes hard to do dioramas.

Thanks, Tim.  Those platforms are very useful once you have enough of them.  I have a number of pieces undergoing the 20% bleach soak process.

What I really need are lots of the little yellow connectors.
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on May 06, 2020, 20:51:12
It's huge!



It's roughly 2.5m by 1.5m, tahra.
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: tahra on May 07, 2020, 06:33:27
It's roughly 2.5m by 1.5m, tahra.

Well.. huge - all the train layouts end up huge, I think, because the scale is so large... Maybe it is not huge for "train collectors".. :)
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: PMatt on May 07, 2020, 14:42:06
Though I know nothing about train layouts, I can't help admiring the one you set up!  :clap:
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on May 07, 2020, 18:17:57
Though I know nothing about train layouts, I can't help admiring the one you set up!  :clap:

Thank you  :wave:

Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: Junker Jörg on May 25, 2020, 20:22:02
Faszinierend, was Du auf so kleinem Raum untergebracht hast. Respekt! Da macht Fahren und Ranigeren sicher richtig Spaß! Hast Du bitte mal ein größeres Bild von dem Entkuppler? Der kommt mir sehr fremd vor.

Amazing to see how much track you squeezed into so little ground! Shunting and runnig trains must be good fun! You don't by chance have a bigger pic of that uncoupler? It does look very strange to me.

jj:
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on May 26, 2020, 20:29:46
Faszinierend, was Du auf so kleinem Raum untergebracht hast. Respekt! Da macht Fahren und Ranigeren sicher richtig Spaß! Hast Du bitte mal ein größeres Bild von dem Entkuppler? Der kommt mir sehr fremd vor.

Amazing to see how much track you squeezed into so little ground! Shunting and runnig trains must be good fun! You don't by chance have a bigger pic of that uncoupler? It does look very strange to me.

jj:

Thank you, JJ.  I'm wondering how much more I can get in but I think it could become too complicated.  However, I have an idea for a slightly larger layout which I will post about later.

Meanwhile, you wanted more information on the uncoupler rail, so I've started a thread here:

https://www.playmofriends.com/forum/index.php?topic=17226.0
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: Junker Jörg on May 29, 2020, 10:22:41
Thank you, JJ.  I'm wondering how much more I can get in ...

I fancy it's R1 curves and four 30cm pieces of straigh tracks at the long sides and parliament represented by your wive ordered the carpet to mark the limits? I tried to add one more siding without overcrowding. I'd change position of one other siding - just to avoid a "mirrored" impression; but there's no influence on the additional track:

(https://abload.de/img/teppichbahno0k61.jpg)

Schätze, Du hast R1 Kurven und je vier 30cm Gerade an den Längsseiten sowie eine Vorgabe Deiner ehelichen Regierung, nicht über den Teppich hinauszubauen? Dann könnte es so gehen. Ich hab noch ein Gleis verlegt, damit's ned so gespiegelt aussieht, muß aber ned sein.

jj:
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmovictorian on May 29, 2020, 11:25:10
Wonderful display Gordon  :wave:

I love the "Loch Down" expression  :lol:
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on June 07, 2020, 19:41:57
Wonderful display Gordon  :wave:

I love the "Loch Down" expression  :lol:
Thank you, Karim, much appreciated.   :wave:
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on June 07, 2020, 19:52:14
I fancy it's R1 curves and four 30cm pieces of straigh tracks at the long sides and parliament represented by your wive ordered the carpet to mark the limits? I tried to add one more siding without overcrowding. I'd change position of one other siding - just to avoid a "mirrored" impression; but there's no influence on the additional track:

(https://abload.de/img/teppichbahno0k61.jpg)

Schätze, Du hast R1 Kurven und je vier 30cm Gerade an den Längsseiten sowie eine Vorgabe Deiner ehelichen Regierung, nicht über den Teppich hinauszubauen? Dann könnte es so gehen. Ich hab noch ein Gleis verlegt, damit's ned so gespiegelt aussieht, muß aber ned sein.

jj:

You're quite right about the track used.  The green material underneath the track is a sort of artificial  grass from Aldi and I put it down because the LGB Spremberger loco has a habit of dropping carbon dust.  I could have had more track down, but as it represents only a short branch line, I limited myself.  A couple of extra straight each side would have been nice  but awkward to get round to cupboards.

Your suggested changes are interesting and I will try them out but meanwhile I had made some changes before your post.  I don't mind the mirror image as smaller railway companies in the UK often used to have a standard layout for stations.

The changes are in the post below.
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on June 07, 2020, 20:10:18
Over the past couple of weeks I've been redesigning the Loch Down Railway by replacing the single point on each side with two single points. This makes the two sidings slightly longer and more usable.

In addition, the points are being electrified to make operations easier, especially at the long wall side. Three of the points have been done so far and the wiring is in for the fourth. They are controlled by a 51750 LGB control box fed off the Playmobil controller.

The first photo shows the new layout of the sidings.

The second photo is an overall view of the wiring for the points and the third shows the connections between the point motor and the power feed from the LGB control box.  The choc blocks are plug and socket types so that they are easily disconnected when the layout is taken up without having to disturb the final connections to the point motors.

The last photo shows the Playmobil controller and the LGB control box for the points.  At some point I will mount these side by side on a small board, together with a second control box for the signals and, possibly an electric uncoupler.
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: Junker Jörg on June 15, 2020, 13:26:51
Die sehr symmetrische Anlage ist weniger mein Geschmack, aber die Idee mit den Steckklemmen für die Weichen ist ziemlich genial!

I'm not overfond of symmetrical track layouts like that, to be honest. But using plug and socket chock boxes to connect point motors is pure brillant!

jj:
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on June 15, 2020, 13:55:21
I follow your line of thought on symmetry and I have an alternative layout in  mind for displays which isn't symmetrical and which will have more spectator value.

The choc block system works well, although i will be interesting to see how it works should I alter the layout and point motors are further away from the control box.  Do I insert another length of wire using choc blocks, which means more connections, or rewire?
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: Junker Jörg on June 15, 2020, 14:23:42
Bei meiner Gartenbahn hatte ich bis zu 20 Meter Abstand vom Stellpult zur Weiche und immer mindestens eine Steckklemme + eine normale Klemme dazwischen, und es gab nie Probleme.

Points on my former garden layout where operated over a 22yd distance with one set of plug and socket choc blocks plus a normal set of choc blocks each - no problem!

jj:
Title: Re: The Loch Down Railway
Post by: playmofire on June 15, 2020, 14:46:52
Bei meiner Gartenbahn hatte ich bis zu 20 Meter Abstand vom Stellpult zur Weiche und immer mindestens eine Steckklemme + eine normale Klemme dazwischen, und es gab nie Probleme.

Points on my former garden layout where operated over a 22yd distance with one set of plug and socket choc blocks plus a normal set of choc blocks each - no problem!

jj:

Thanks, that's very useful to know.