Track Cleaning

"Elliott Cowton" wrote

I hope this doesn't become the norm as it then eliminates the choice as to the type of DC control system you can use (some decoder manufacturers do no recommend using DC with feedback controllers) and also it doesn't give the purchaser any choise in the type of decder which is fitted. I use Lenz 'Gold' and 'Silver' decoders as standard, so why should I have to pay for a loco with some inferior decoder ready fitted, which I'm only likely to remove and bin?

Such secondhand locos already exist. There will be a couple of Bachmann 08s on eBay later today which are fitted with Lenz decoders. You might like to check out items numbered 6025153979 & 6025155229 - but note that these listings will not become active until 9pm tonight.

John.

Good 'Ol 1200 grade wet'n'dry (used dry) and then a vacuum before use :-)

Malcolm

Sorry but the above makes no sense. Read what I wrote above and what you wrote below.

Our results are the same, how can what I wrote be "directly contrary" to your experience? I'd say it's exactly the same.

-- Happy New Year to all.

Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

"Roy"

Ha, the old "console" method of control.

My Great Eastern, while not large by North American standards being only 12 x 16 feet, was designed from the offset for walk around control. No central panel for the GER. Operators have to follow their train around throwing the switches/points/turnouts as they proceed around the line.

As the GER is supposed to be a secondary main and branch line, there are no signals and all switches/points/turnouts are operated at the head-stocks by the train crews. I've had no problem with gunk inhibiting the operation of any switches/points/turnouts.

I first used Rail-Zip something like 10 years ago and still have the original small bottle of the stuff that's still quite full. I use it quite sparingly, only a couple of six inch strips on each rail once a year or so as needed.

-- Happy New Year to all.

Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

Probably the worst thing you can use, an abrasive cleaner.

All you're doing is scratching the railhead and making it more susceptible to trapping dirt in the fine abrasions.

-- Happy New Year to all.

Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

Sorry Roger, it was my poor attempt at humour.... I'm well a wear that this is not the best way.. that's why I use a track rubber

Malcolm

Which, unless Peco have changed them since I stopped using them, is a block of rubber containing fine abrasive powder, perfect for leaving those fine scratches on the railhead :-)

FWIW, I clean things with a cloth with alcohol. But I don't run a big model railway, just some test track for stuff I build from time to time.

- Nigel

"Malcolm" <

OK Malcolm. Now I get it. :-)

-- Happy New Year to all.

Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

The operation of the rolling stock was fine. The point contacts filling up with nasty black gunk and causing indicator problems is/was not. Our results were not the same. We will have to strip clean all of the track and rolling stock wheel sets on our layout at least every five to six weeks to ensure that the points operate to our specific design spec. There is no way that this product can be applied and general cleaning maintenance forgotten long term. Okay maybe on a small seldom run layout but not on our type of set up. Rail-Zip is a very good preparation in some respects but unfortunately is by no means a replacement for regular track cleaning. I am also interested in how it affects Lima traction tyres. No doubt time and experience will tell.

Cheers.

"Roy" <

Can't comment on Rail-Zip and traction tyres/tires as, like the vast majority of serious North American modellers, I think they are just an excuse for poorly designed models and should be avoided at all costs.

-- Happy New Year to all.

Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

'SFunny, I could have sworn the question was "how it affects Lima traction tires", and *not* "what gratuitous insults can we get from someone who hasn't got any relevant interest or experience".

I mean, not to put too fine a point on it, there must be loads of North American newsgroups for the vast majority of serious North American modellers? Can we not have just the one little UK group to ourselves to talk about *UK* modelling interests without the US Marines steaming in, guns blazing, to put us all in our place?

I mean, I don't think there can be anyone on this group who isn't aware of all the shortcomings of the Lima products. I for one know from personal experience that a single molecule of Railzip left on the track will cause all the tires of any passing Lima locomotive to dismount themselves from the loco wheels. However, this does not stop me, or thousands of UK modellers, from continuing to persevere with models that we just find interesting and attractive. And we really don't care whether anyone else thinks this is "serious modelling" or not. We're just having fun.

Cheers, Steve

"Steve W"

I don't think it was an insult, gratuitous or otherwise. A question was asked and I answered it. How do you know I don't have any relevant interest or experience?

US Marines? Why would a Canadian use US Marines? You really must stop leaping to incorrect conclusions.

I never said you (Generic "you") were, or were not, a serious modeller. I'm well aware of the crappy products there were, until recently, all that was available to the UK modeller without either scratch building or building complex kits. Why do you think I switched over to modelling North American some 20 years ago? Even the Athearn blue box kits were better runners than those available from the UK.

FYI, when I lived in Montreal, I had a rather large OO BR(S) layout in my basement. It was built on the North American style of modelling a length of line, not just a station as are most UK models. The railway had four platform terminal with all platforms electrified with outside third rail. The electrified mainline being feed from a six track staging yard. The terminal station throat was built around a double junction, that became a steam hauled single cross country branch line and ran through four stations before terminating in another staging yard. The third station was a junction with a GWR branch line, also feed from a three track staging yard.

So, I'm not without some UK modelling experience. You really must stop leaping to incorrect conclusions.

Besides, traction tyres/tires still suck.

-- Happy New Year to all.

Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

"Steve W"

Tried to send Steve a photo of my long scrapped BR(S) layout but it bounced back.

-- Happy New Year to all.

Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

In message , Roger T. writes

So why have some high-end manufacturers (read that as expensive: $300 upwards) started using them?

Like who? Traction tyres are essentially a European thing and most European makers have been using them for many years, in whatever price range. Keith

"Jane Sullivan"

And they are receiving flak for it.

Other than the argument that traction tyres/tires are just there to supplement poor design, the other and more justifiable complaint is they can put undue strain on the motor when the locomotive and motor each their maximum performance and the loco stalls. This is especially true on a well built and weighted locomotive.

On a quality built loco, without traction tyres/tires, when the loco reaches the limit of traction, the wheels will spin. With traction tyres/tires, the loco will simply stall with the motor drawing full current, which could burn out the motor. This may be more of a problem on a large North American layout where a train could stall on the grades. Especially if the train stalls in a tunnel and it takes a while for the operator to realise that fact. Probably not such an issue on your typically much small UK railway.

Most quality North American locos that come with traction tyres/tires now come with a plain set of drivers to replace the one(s) with traction tyres/tires. For example, Walther's, who have recently re-released the ex Life-Like 0-8-0, did so with traction tyres/tires on one wheel set. I wrote and complained to them about the traction tyres/tires. They wrote back that they'd received so many complaints that they will ship you, free of charge, a replacement wheel set without tyres/tires

-- Happy New Year to all.

Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

Jane Sullivan wrote in news:hqXbCUVcwTtDFAY$@yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk:

...

You're just sulking because someone has finally run a train that's to big for even your layout. ;-)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all!

In message , Chris Wilson writes

LOL! Actually, the length of run of the mainline on my layout is 113 yards. Assuming 1 foot per coach, there is plenty of room for that train. Put 4 locos together and pull 308 cars and there would still be room. Just. Mind you, the train would probably break somewhere because of the weight on the couplers, and the locos would crash into the observation car.

"Jane Sullivan" wrote

Or fall off the track? ;-)

John.