Dimboola

Dimboola
Dimboola station. This great photo was taken by my son Craig

Sunday 20 July 2014

More Layout repairs.

The trouble with building a layout in a garage is that, unfortunately you have share the space with cars. At the moment, in the double space, there is only room for one car, as a table tennis table takes the remaining space. It also means that I have to removable sections.
One corner has a drop in section, the other corner has been hinged. It is this one that required to be repaired. At this time, I decided to rebuild the section, away from the L girder construction to a more traditional baseboard frame.
My first attempt was to use 5mm ply separated by 19mm blocks, to reduce weight, but this turned out to no rigid enough, and the tracks would not line up once the clamps were released that were holding the section in place while I was adding the upper level.
I returned to the 70x19mm pine lengths, but drilled holes to reduce the weight. This time, it all lined up, and actually provided a more stable base than it was before. I still have to change over the hinges to probably a piano hinge, for more strength.
The non track area at the end of the lower level is to be filled with some Fleishmann Profi track, as it is probably the strongest set track on the market, and should with stand the odd knock when the modules are all assembled and disassembled. (This has been a problem in the past, with even track soldered to circuit board, been ripped out on one occasion).
Next stage is to undertake some adjustments to the top level and place some MDF as a back screen on the lower level. From then on, it is to build a spiral crossover, as the two levels have to join, to provide the continuous run. This also has to be removable, and to be stored somewhere, when not in use.
The other corner section, also needs attention, as it is too heavy when been lifted in and out of position.

One week later, and I have installed the piano, or continuous hinge. Re-wired again and tested once more.