what are people doing on their layout right now

[D1042 Western Princess]

There's a strangely awesome amount of crud that accumulates between the stock rails and switch rails so every now and then I pass a rounded needle file between the rails and follow up with a pipe cleaner wetted with.........you guessed it...............IPA.
It seems to do the trick - until the next time.

Thanks - an interesting idea. I'll try it, but I have given the rails a fair clean all around the points anyway.

[Jerry Howlett]

Visitors coming,  so have decided to go for the "big push", finish the town and get something running. Moved the control panel for the fiddle yard, then I found that I had various loose wires followed by a broken solder joint on a rail.  Ran a test train over the newly (first ever attempt) ballasted track and heard the crunch crunch of wheels. I had forgotten that some of the older GF carriages have Pizza Cutter wheels. Swapped out for new o
nes and changed one set of bogies for Ultima commonwealth bogies a success.  Then , decided to open a bottle or 2 of wine so as I will at least have a cork or 2 for track cleaning tomorrow.

What fun is modelling...

[paulprice]

I have started to relay the fiddle yard....oh dear  :'(

[Tdm]

Well I have finished modifying it for the time being, and am enjoying running various train combinations on the layout with just the odd "hiccup" every now again (hope I have not spoken too soon).

Before something goes wrong thought I would video it, and show off some of my recent purchases such as my 3 Ibertren car transporter wagons and latest locomotives.

Not the best of videos, but I don't have a lot of time for refinement right now as tickets for our Norwegian Fjords cruise artived today and need to start getting things ready for it.

Also wanted to make sure my old Sony camcorder was still working as I will be using it on the Flam railway trip.

Not added any sound to the video except for the part where I experimented with one of the Train-Tech sound modules I purchased. There is so little spare room in my layout storeroom that it is very difficult to film the layout other than from one end.

That's my excuse for the way it has turned out, although I did use the new tripod I recently acquired.


http://youtu.be/u8J0QEfA0tM

[D1042 Western Princess]

Well I have finished modifying it for the time being, and am enjoying running various train combinations on the layout with just the odd "hiccup" every now again (hope I have not spoken too soon).

Before something goes wrong thought I would video it, and show off some of my recent purchases such as my 3 Ibertren car transporter wagons and latest locomotives.

Not the best of videos, but I don't have a lot of time for refinement right now as tickets for our Norwegian Fjords cruise artived today and need to start getting things ready for it.

Also wanted to make sure my old Sony camcorder was still working as I will be using it on the Flam railway trip.

Not added any sound to the video except for the part where I experimented with one of the Train-Tech sound modules I purchased. There is so little spare room in my layout storeroom that it is very difficult to film the layout other than from one end.

That's my excuse for the way it has turned out, although I did use the new tripod I recently acquired.


http://youtu.be/u8J0QEfA0tM

Thanks for sharing. An interesting collection of locos, and of course its always nice to see Westerns working, even if you are stretching Rule One a bit - two Deltic prototypes?
Enjoy Norway, my favourite country  , and the Flam railway is spectacular. You're making me want to pack my suitcase!

[D1042 Western Princess]

   I'm quite pleased with myself this morning. I ran a Hymek from the main line to the shed without it stalling on the points.
If you think that not worth noting then see a post from me a couple of days ago when I was ready to rip the whole layout apart! :'(
It took a lot of scraping and cleaning and  and things but it finally worked.
I hear a lot about "IPA"  - NO, not that sort, a cleaning fluid that many here swear  by, er, I mean recommend  for its excellent properties.
Can anyone tell me where to get some?
Thanks in advance.

[Bealman]

Most electronics chains sell it. If you use the search function you will find several posts as to where it can be sourced. 

[NeMo]

Can anyone tell me where to get some?
Thanks in advance.

I get mine from eBay. Generally very cheap that way (1 litre for £5-6 including postage seems typical).

Cheers, NeMo

[paulprice]

how hard is it to cut copperclad board into strips or is it just me

[austinbob]

how hard is it to cut copperclad board into strips or is it just me

No. Its not just you if you're trying to use a saw of some kind.
The best way to cut it is to use a PCB guillotine if you can get access to one.
Another possible solution is to use the pre-cut copper clad sleepers you can get for track making (I know you can get 00 and 0 gauge sizes but can't remember where from.) That's if you're only looking for small pieces.
I'll stop rambling now!

[paulprice]

problem sorted, I unleashed my mini drill and everything was sorted

[dannyboy]

NeMo - re IPA -

As already stated, it is available on ebay, but I went into my regular chemist the other day, (I say 'regular', as I go in every month and ask for my next instalment  ). I asked about buying some IPA and was told that, whilst they did not have it in stock, they could get me some easy enough. Taking into account that I would not be paying any postage, (what some suppliers charge to get stuff to Ireland is  ridiculous), the price was quite reasonable. Worth asking next time you're in a chemist. David.

[Newportnobby]

It's true some chemists sell IPA but you may get grilled as to the end use.

[daveg]

You don't want to get anywhere near a grill with IPA! 

Dave G

[Newportnobby]

You don't want to get anywhere near a grill with IPA! 

Dave G

Please practice safe modelling and keep the grill 'off'