Murwillumbah Turntable

A few weeks back at a local model train Buy and Sell, I purchased a second hand turntable.  It looked to be about 60’ in size and would have been perfect for placing at Murwillumbah on my layout.  It looked like it had a mechanism, but the sign on it said that the motor was not working.  Well that would have been an easy fix, just replace the 12V motor.  The turntable scales out to about a 64' turntable.  I can put up with that.

On Friday after I finished work, I sat down at the kitchen table and started working on the turntable.  It was well assembled in between a couple of sheets of wood.  I realised that I could remove four screws and the top piece of ply would come off.  Then I saw that there were 4 screws underneath.  That allowed the bottom piece of ply to come off.  Further inspection showed that there were another four screws now revealed and that allowed the styrene outside rim of the turntable to also be removed.  Bit by bit I could peel back the layers.  I was looking into how I could apply power to the rails.  As I dug into it, it became obvious that I could solder wires to two points on the turntable base and that allowed power to be presented to the top rails.  What was interesting with this turntable, was that the whole pit turned with the turntable road.  It turned inside this styrene outer rim.  Not sure people will notice this as it is located in an interesting position on the layout.

As I was pulling the turntable apart, I was looking at how I could apply power to the turntable motor.  It became more accessible whenever I removed a layer.  Eventually the motor came to life.  I used a 9V battery.  There were a few cold solder joints and these were hit with the soldering iron and made good again.  I attached a DPDT centre off switch to the 9V battery and then to the turntable.  The turntable was working in both directions.  Although one direction was very noisy.  I might be able to oil that later.  I was very impressed by my Friday effort.  Everything was re-assembled and it was ready to take back down the shed.  One of the future plans is to remove the battery and replace that with a direct 2V feed from the layout track but which I will rectify.

The other week, I had already marked out where the turntable was to go in Murwillumbah.  I had already drilled a few pilot holes for my jigsaw, and on Saturday at midday I went down to the shed and continued working on the turntable.  I cut out the base for the turntable.  I had to adjust some of the cut lines slightly, and also cut the fascia of the slightly raised section for Murwillumbah around the turntable location.  This fascia was painted up and has started to be glued to the outside of the turntable.   So now it sits nice and snug in the baseboard at Murwillumbah.  I have also mounted the DPDT centre off control switch on the fascia near the turntable to allow operators to control it.  Next weekend I will try and run a loco onto it and off of it.

So today I had no idea where to start.  I made up three wooden buffer stops.  I cut the scale wood, stained it, and when dry, I glued it together.  These were later added to three locations at Murwillumbah.  The head shunt near the Cement Siding.  The Banana Siding got one, as I was sick of people running off the end of that siding, and now the turntable siding got teh last one.  The track leading to the turntable was reattached but one track feed came off when I was moving the track out of teh way to jigsaw the hole in the baseboard.  So that is a job for during the week – one afternoon.

I decided to bite the bullet and investigate why I was having trouble throwing accessory 1223.  This was the crossover on the narrow gauge from track 5 to track 6 in Clapham Yard.  I replaced a point motor and that provided no change.  I then started tracing wires, and it seemed that one of the two Peco point motors, had lost its common connection.  It was just sitting on top of its supposed connection to other common wires.  So I resoldered that back up and Voila, everything started working perfectly again.  I have no idea why this was the case.  The other point motor should have been working correctly.  But no.  Sometimes wiring does my head in.  This issue has been haunting me for over 12 months.  A really simple fix in the end.

Bit by bit, I am ticking off the tasks required to be completed before the upcoming December Operations Session.  I’m still waiting on a few operators to confirm their attendance.  However, the crew roster is starting to fill up.

Careful Planning

On Tuesday 9 of the Tuesday Nighters crew came over.  We start up in the shed, and they grab a yea or coffee and walk around seeing what has changed.  After a while I point out a couple of things that are different.  We then exit the shed and head to the pergola for supper.  It was a good night.

Apart from that, I did not visit the shed until late this arvo, after the cricket finished today.  I spent the weekend, watching the cricket, world cup soccer and V8s.  I ran a few trains, in particular the steel train from Grafton all the way to Acacia Ridge and back again.  I also ran a light engine, a stock train, and a shunt train.  This is just to identify any issues for the upcoming running session in late December.  One wagon has had its bogie adjusted slightly, another loco had its wheels oiled.  I still have about 12 trains to run complete the test run of the timetable.  Hopefully that will be next weekend’s activity. 

I am starting to create a list of tasks to complete before the Operating Session.  So far that consists of only a couple of simple tasks, including clearing the dispatcher’s desk, which doubles as my modelling workbench in the shed.  But it has a whole stack of half completed projects sitting on it.  I also have another list of tasks to complete post the Operating Session.  Some of these will include significant changes to the layout, so I do not want to risk changing something and not having it complete before the Operating Session.  That list includes adding a turntable to Murwillumbah.  But first I will need to fix up the turntable’s motor.  That list also includes some track work at Acacia Ridge Yard.

I will need to change some signs on the various layout fascias before the Operating Session.  I will print these soon. 

Wait, One, Two, I Still Have Them. Good, I Must be OK

This week I was back at work.  On Friday my order of 4 x sugar wagons from Auscision arrived.  I certainly do not like the eco-friendly packing used to protect the wagons, I had paper everywhere but they did arrive safe and sound.  Only one coupler pin needed to be adjusted from the four wagons.  I placed the wagons on a track in Acacia Ridge Yard and the wagons proceeded to run away to the other end of the yard.  That was not good.  I will need to install some toothbrush bristles into that part of the loop, to hold the wagons in place when they are uncoupled.  I needed to acquire two left hand medium points to allow for a crossover between tracks 2 and 3.  So I decided to attend the local Buy and Sell on Sunday to see if anyone was selling some second hand Peco points. 

Saturday lunchtime was our NMRA Christmas get together at a local hotel.  Nice company, certainly very nice food, cold drinks and a great time talking to people.  When I got home I decided to do what I had not done for some time.  Run trains on Cassino.  The first train I ran was a container.  I noticed that the headlight and taillight on a 48 class where not working.  I pulled the shell off and could not work out why it was not working.  Everything seemed to be good inside.  I will take that loco to the Club in a couple of weeks and put it onto the JMRI controlled test track and see if JMRI will advise what looks out of place in the loco's configuration.  Another 48 class loco had one coupler too high.  I pulled the shell off it, and worked out that some wires were trapped on top of the motor, and once that was remedied, I had no further issues from the coupler height discrepancy.  As I ran this train, I oiled the track and noticed a couple of things to fix up.  Today after the AFLW Grand Final (where the Lions did not win – bugger), I went back to the shed and continued running about another 5 trains back and forth on the layout.  I am trying to test all the trains left in the timetable before my December Running Session.

So on Sunday morning, I went to teh Buy and Sell.  I walked in the door and the first seller was selling Peco points.  I bought 2 x LH Peco points and immediately put them in the car for safe keeping.  I should have stayed there!  On my way back in I ran into Clinton who was exiting.  He said there was no QR 12mm there.  Boy was he wrong!  I ran into the Toowoomba guys and gal, (Bill, Ben and maybe one was called Weed – I don’t know).  I picked up a 60’ turntable with a mechanism, but the motor did not run.  So I will get around to investigating this over the next few weeks.  I am planning on installing this turntable into Murwillumbah.  It will be an interesting exercise and a job for the December Holidays.

I continued around the Buy and Sell.  I saw some QR wagons.  In fact a train load (11) grain wagons.  Well they were coal wagons with a ecofab lid, converting them into QR grain wagons.  So I could remove the lids and turn them back into coal wagons.  Hmmmm!  I purchased 2 other 12mm wagons for a good price and then I walked around the Buy and Sell some more.  I ran into quite a few people that I enjoy talking to and hence spent quite a bit of time at the Buy and Sell.  I came back to the grain/coal wagons again.  Well, you guessed it.  I caved in.  I bought them.  Don’t tell Clinton, or the wife for that matter.  I’ll lose something that I’m rather fond of.  So I on-sold one of the wagons to Anthony, who had the same idea as me.  He was going to remove the lid and then put a load of apples in the coal wagon.  This occurred when apples were sent from Stanthorpe to the Golden Circle Cannery in Brisbane in about the 80s and 90 - I think.

So yes, I put the 12mm wagons on the track when I got home.  The couplers are a bit dodgy, but they run quite well.  The other two wagons have also made the layout.  One needed bogies and the other needs to have its wheels looked at, as it does not roll too well.  There is one wheel on each bogie that does not spin freely.

Plenty to do next weekend, as I will run more trains on the layout and fix some issues as they arise.

P.S. This is my 800th post on this blog.

Holiday Week

While on holidays I started off by doing nothing for almost the entire week.  I might have visited the shed, to get something, or take something to the shed, but no modelling was undertaken.  Tuesday night we went over to Glen’s place for our fortnightly meeting.  Glen is an ex SRA driver and he has a very nice modern-day layout with electric rollingstock and lots of diesels.  He even has a few steamers.  We had a good turn out and a natter about a few things.  As we were going, I purchased an Austrains 80 class off Darren.  Darren was trying to sell it at the RMCQ Buy and Sell two weekends back.  He has now.

On Wednesday afternoon, I went to the shed and gave Darren’s loco a test run.  It ran very smoothly, but I could not get the headlights on the number one end to work.  So I removed the 12V bulb and replaced it with an LED and a 1K ohm resistor.  This was a pretty easy change over.  So my next task is to work out where I will use it in the timetable.  Do I add a second loco to an existing train, or do I replace a loco from one of the train.  I then realised that I should do some work on the number of 44 Class locos that I have in various stages of (dis)repair scattered around the shed and in the office.  Then I can ensure everything is running well for the next Operating Session in December.

On Friday this week, I finished off a task that has been on my to do list for about 5 months.  I finally spliced in a set of 12 mm points into Acacia Ridge yard and created another run around siding.  At the same time, I also investigated what I needed to allow for 4 sugar wagons to be dropped off in the yard without inconveniencing through traffic.  I just need another two left hand medium turnouts and that will allow this to occur.  Following that, I started installing fencing along the right of way on the layout. 

Saturday was an early rise to get over to the RMCQ clubrooms before the NMRA members turned up.  We eventually had about 40 NMRA members in attendance.  We also had some presentations from Greg Beal on the ‘Modelling RM55 in G Scale’,’ Homemade DCC Wifi throttle that fits into your hand’ by Peter Akers, Laurie McLean doing ‘Animations in On3’.  RMCQ put on a BBQ lunch with some snags on bread with onions and sauce along with a cold drink from the Club fridge.  After lunch we had the normal ARC and Divisional news, and then Arthur Hayes spoke about another NMRA AP certificate, this time Scenery.  This was followed by a bit of a show and tell that covered the Diorama Competition from the New England Convention.  Four of the Div 1 members, put in an entry and they were all very good.  The attendees could then check out the various items from the presentation items up close or have a wonder around, checking out the clubroom layouts and facilities.

Today I continued installing fencing along the right of way on the layout.  This was primarily from Kyogle Stock Siding, past Cougal Spiral and into Border Loop.  I also added some from Hotham Street at Cassino past the Cassino Meatworks.  In total this amounted to about 8 metres of fencing being added to the layout.

Absolutely Nothing

So apart from heading to the Club yesterday and having a few very good chats with the guys there, I have done nothing modelling related in the shed this weekend.  I was watching a broadcast from Dave Abeles from his layout room basement this afternoon, until our suburb lost power for about 30 minutes.  That was a bit of a bummer.  So I did nothing after that, and I have not progressed any of my projects.

Hopefully I will get motivated this week while at home on holidays.  I have been thinking about buying another 80 class loco this time in freight rail blue, and following the announcement from Auscision that they had some NGGF wagons, I was thinking of getting a box to add to my miscellaneous train on the north coast.  There was a time that around 4 sugar wagons were attached to a train into Acacia Ridge.  They were then sent back down to Grafton where I assumed they dropped off the empties and picked up 4 full ones to go to Sydney.  I will potentially add 4 sugar wagons onto this miscellaneous train and drop them off at Acacia Ridge on the train's way to South Brisbane.  It will then pick them up again on its way south and that will be just a small bit of modeller’s license being invoked here.

Today was Buy and Sell Day

I went to the Club today to try and sell a few items at the Club Buy and Sell.  I also did have a plan to pick up a couple of books from Phil Overton that he had on sale.  I was checking these out a few weeks ago in a local hobby shop and nearly purchased them then.  Well I have now! 

The sellers for the Buy and Sell seemed to be slightly down on usual numbers, maybe 4 or 5 tables I thought.  The people through the front door also seemed to be slightly down.  Some of that could be that the NMRA had a weekend tour down to Warwick with a bit of a wine tasting and train trip organised, so I’m sure some of those guys would have turned up at the Buy and Sell, had the tour not been on.  I had my usual location and was near a few mates, Anatol, Phil and Anthony.  Darren was located inside the shed.  So from my point of view it was a positive experience.  I had a good natter to some of my modelling friends, made some money (well a bit), maybe I acquired a thing or two (shhhh!).  I also sold some more 3D printed items for Greg.  Maybe I have my eye on something a mate was trying to sell today.  That might change hands next time I see him. 

Just looking at the calendar, I have model railway activities planned for the next 3 weekends.  I also have some holidays approaching.  Maybe I can get some motivation back to do a bit more work on the layout.  I have some station buildings to complete and some fencing to install next to the railway line in some areas.  Maybe I also need to plant some more trees and bushes in November and December.  We need to do all we can to guard against climate change, even on the layout.

Monday Travels on the Way Home

Late on Sunday night (almost 2 weeks back now) I was conversing via text to our mate Rohan.  He invited us to drop into to his place on Monday morning on our way home.  So we left reasonable early, got petrol in Armidale and hit the road and made our way to Glen Innes.  We stopped at the local bakery for some sustenance and then went and met Rohan.  We had a great time checking out his layout.  Rohan had a couple of trains circulating and we might have taken a few photos.  It was great to catch up.

Post departure, we stopped at Tenterfield, and Warwick.  We got petrol at Aratula, when Modeller 2 went straight through, and we then made our way home to drop Geoff off at his place, PK at my place to collect his car and I had to unpack.  A great long weekend at the New England Model Railway Club's New England Convention in Armidale.  I can certainly recommend it for modellers.

The Crew and Rohan.