Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Test trains over the gap

Test commences

This probably looks a little foolhardy. Running trains over track supported by nothing more than thin air ought to be a recipe for disaster. Luckily the Minitrains stock isn't very heavy and Peco track is strong so despite the mid-air curve, nothing bent as the little train ran around.

With the curves being fairly generous(!) I didn't expect any problems and that was the case. Just to be on the safe side I let the train run round and around for several minutes both forwards and reverse. This was proper testing, not just running trains for the fun of it. Heavens, no. And running the stock at top speed was essential to spot any future problems obviously.

From this angle you can see I didn't get my baseboard line into the bridge quite right and the trackbed around the sides is a bit more generous than it needs to be. Both of these can be fixed now I know exactly where the rails are going to be.

2 comments:

Michael Campbell said...

Crikey Phil, you'll have to watch you don't start enjoying this hobby...!

Phil Parker said...

Well, running trains isn't "proper" modelling is it ? I mean you don't cath those finescale modellers doing it - far better to have a loco move a few inches and then fall off. Then you can spend hours with a micrometer working out why.

Or better still, spend all the ime on a forum where you don't need real model trains at all !

No, if people find out I've been letting a little train just run round and round for the fun of watching it go, I'll never live it down. So don't tell them will you.