Category: All english posts

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No.1 Porter: Chain Winch

Besides other insights, the Summer Operation Session 2020 revealed that my Porter needs a better stowing place for the shunting chain.

On the one hand the chain easily drops from the loco if it isn’t properly secured, on the other hand it’s quite fidgety to fixate the chain at a given lenght. So I more or less spontaneously got the idea to tinker on a chain winch.

The first steps happend on a whin and I was sure that they wouldn’t succeed, that’s why I didn’t take any pictures. But after I realized I was onto something, I made some after the fact.

Tags Chain Winch, Construction, No.1 Porter

All english posts Garden Railway Model Railway

Summer Operation Session 2020

Post author By Frédéric
Post date August 6, 2020
No Comments on Summer Operation Session 2020

The first short train, consisting of bulkhead, test waggon and the new flatcar.

This operation session was scheduled rather spontaneously and spurred me into building a prototype for a flatcar. Accordingly, I was quite expectant concerning the experience I’d gain with the new waggon.

Since we only had a relatively short time for operations and I was preoccupied with test runs, there are only a few pictures. In return, I learned lots of lessons.

Tags 100 Bulkhead, Bogie, Flatcar, Garden Railway, No.1 Porter, Operation Session, Operations, Shunting

All english posts Model Railway Rolling Stock

Flatcars Prototype: Floor and Trusses

Post author By Frédéric
Post date July 30, 2020
No Comments on Flatcars Prototype: Floor and Trusses

After preparing the frame and floor boards, construction can continue with the underframe. The main components are the body bolsters, needle beams and trusses. Unfortunately, I don’t have got a complete set of diagrams, so I had to guesstimate concerning the longitudinal and cross trusses. However, it’s not rocket science.

Tags Construction, Flatcar, Floor, Frame, Trusses

All english posts Model Railway Rolling Stock

Flatcars Prototype: Materials and Frame

Post author By Frédéric
Post date July 23, 2020
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The frame is fully assembled for the first time.

Based on my experiences from the flatcar experiments I’ve decided to construct a prototype for 26′ flatcars. The model is going to be built from red cedar and purchased Piko bogies.

Tags Construction, Flatcar, Floor, Frame

All english posts Biplane "Joyrider" Model Flight

Joyrider: Maiden Flight

After the first Center-of-Gravity tests my expectations have been thoroughly adjusted. I have to admit, at the beginning of this project I didn’t waste a thought on a possible failure. Meanwhile, the Maiden flight has become some sort of obstacle to me.

During the last weeks I’ve tried to accomodate weather, family and interested friends while taking patience and easing my doubts. That piled up too high: now or never!

A short remark: My wife thankfully took some video footage. However my PC has quit service, so I can’t postprocess. I will hand in the videos as soon as a new PC is at hand. Meanwhile, some still images will have to do.

Tags Biplane, Flight Report, Joyrider, Maiden Flight

All english posts Model Railway Rolling Stock

Flatcars: Experiments

Bogies by Piko and knuckle couplers by Accucraft.

Before I start the actual construction of my planned flatcars, I’d like to know first which limits the tracks will pose on them. I’ve only ever known classic model waggons, which have their couplers on beams attached to the bogies. This design ensures high operational reliability because the couplers can follow even the tightest curve radii. However, it’s not a pretty sight.

So I’d like to build a few test waggons in order to learn how the couplers perform when attached to the waggon’s body.

Tags Construction, Flatcar, Planning, Rolling Stock

Model Railway Rolling Stock

New Construction Reports: Flatcars

Post author By Frédéric
Post date July 2, 2020
No Comments on New Construction Reports: Flatcars

The drawings are printed on large sheets of paper. Courtesy of Union Pacific Historical Society http://uphs.org

For our next operation session I’d like to contribute a few waggons of my own. In that way I will stick to my intentions, that is to focus on a complete train for the time being.

One better starts small. That’s why I’ve picked the construction of freight waggons, precisely: flatcars. The reasons are natural: most US freight waggons based on flatcars or were closely related to them. Furthermore they make the easiest waggons to model, apart from disconnects and skeletons.

Tags Acquisition, Flatcar, Planning

Biplane "Joyrider" Model Flight

Joyrider: Setbacks and Corrections

Post author By Frédéric
Post date June 25, 2020
No Comments on Joyrider: Setbacks and Corrections

Finishing the covering was another milestone for me and I was very confident that the maiden flight would turn out just fine.
Then the first complete assembly came along and with it some new challenges. Namely undercarriage and center of gravity.

Tags Biplane, Construction, Crash, Joyrider, Repair, Undercarriage, Wing

All english posts Model Railway No.1 Porter

Porter: New Smokestack with Spark Arrestor

Post author By Frédéric
Post date June 18, 2020
No Comments on Porter: New Smokestack with Spark Arrestor

Big spark arrestor on wood burning loco.

Since my porter is serving as a working horse in the vicinity of a logging railroad, she’s burning wood, as one might tell by her tender. The original smokestack has only got a small diamond spark arrestor which doesn’t really fit to a wood burning loco.

Tags No.1 Porter, Planning, Smoke Generator, Smokestack, Spark Arrestor

Aerial Footage Model Flight

New Project: Aerial Footage

Post author By Frédéric
Post date June 11, 2020
No Comments on New Project: Aerial Footage

Alright, you got me: I’m talking about more than just aerial photography, but about footage made from the ground, too. But first things first.

As I’ve already outlined, I’m an active R/C pilot again since august 2018 and I’ve started to scratch-build a biplane in 2019, too. I ‘ve managed to post about the latter over the last few months and I do hope that some readers had fun reading those posts and maybe could even learn something useful from it.

However, the flying season is about to kick off in earnest. Of course, I want to fly and at the latest after the biplane is finished, I (hopefully!) won’t spend much time in the workshop. So what to post about here?

Tags Action Cam, Research, RunCam 5 Orange