On Friday I went down to the shed and took some video footage of the XPT
running from Grafton to South Brisbane. Some of the videos are on the post before this one.
On Saturday I decided I would work on three track sections that were giving me some issues. The first was the dual gauge track in Acacia Ridge Yard at the end of the blob where the tracks makes its way around a 180 degree curve and makes its way back towards Clapham Yard. I ripped up this track, and reshaped the large sweeping curve. In doing this the third rail of the dual gauge has been temporarily removed. I am currently very happy with this piece of track for standard gauge trains. I ran a container train of 80 foot wagons up and down this section and it runs very smoothly. I also ran the XPT back and forth through this section, as the XPT previously uncoupled at this location. So my attention then moved to a set of points in Clapham Yard that causes a short when they are thrown to the curve position. So I added an insulated joiner on the third rail and when I get around to adding a Peco switch under the point to switch the frog, all should be good. So the next set of points in Clapham Yard was not making electrical contact when the point was set to run into the no. 1 track in Clapham Yard. So I tinkered around with the points and it now seems to be making good electrical contact. So I believe that for standard gauge trains, we can select any of the first three tracks and all the trains should have no issues with running through the yard.
I then spent some time making up a structure that will eventually hang from the shed roof and provide a light source above Border Loop. This is a length of pine with four pieces of aluminium plasterer’s angle set up to form a light valance. The aluminium was painted gloss white to assist with light reflection. A string of LEDs is between the aluminium frames. So I just need to hang this from the A frames in the shed.
On Saturday I decided I would work on three track sections that were giving me some issues. The first was the dual gauge track in Acacia Ridge Yard at the end of the blob where the tracks makes its way around a 180 degree curve and makes its way back towards Clapham Yard. I ripped up this track, and reshaped the large sweeping curve. In doing this the third rail of the dual gauge has been temporarily removed. I am currently very happy with this piece of track for standard gauge trains. I ran a container train of 80 foot wagons up and down this section and it runs very smoothly. I also ran the XPT back and forth through this section, as the XPT previously uncoupled at this location. So my attention then moved to a set of points in Clapham Yard that causes a short when they are thrown to the curve position. So I added an insulated joiner on the third rail and when I get around to adding a Peco switch under the point to switch the frog, all should be good. So the next set of points in Clapham Yard was not making electrical contact when the point was set to run into the no. 1 track in Clapham Yard. So I tinkered around with the points and it now seems to be making good electrical contact. So I believe that for standard gauge trains, we can select any of the first three tracks and all the trains should have no issues with running through the yard.
I then spent some time making up a structure that will eventually hang from the shed roof and provide a light source above Border Loop. This is a length of pine with four pieces of aluminium plasterer’s angle set up to form a light valance. The aluminium was painted gloss white to assist with light reflection. A string of LEDs is between the aluminium frames. So I just need to hang this from the A frames in the shed.
Today I went down for a potter around. I had the football on the TV and ran a small train from Grafton Yard to Rocla Sleeper Siding and have added it back into the timetable. I then decided that I might test the headphone system for tomorrow. When I turned it on there was a massive scream in the system. After taking each plug in socket off and checking it, I found two loose wires and one dry solder joint. These were fixed, but it did not fix the scream. That was found by checking a point near the headset base station, that all the headset plug in point runs connect back to. I had a wire that had come off the last wire I soldered on. So I resoldered that wire and all is now good. I also tested each headset and ensured that they all still work. All of my Staff Systems also all work. So everything is now ready. I just need to wash up all the coffee cups. I did stock the fridge up earlier today, but mysteriously there seems to be less in it tonight than there was earlier. I have no idea what happened?
So bring on tomorrow for my next running session. Also "Go the Broncos" tonight! But I can live with a Cowboys win.
You'll have to settle for a Comboy's win ;-)
ReplyDeleteBut in the end "Queenslander!"