Modifying the layout with two switches

Adding a 2nd switch to have a parking track at the "station".

Had to put two gap joiners in the track, so that the switches would be able to "stop" the trains in tracks, depending on the setting of the switches.

If both switches are set to let the trains pass, then these joiners must be bridged for one rail, and the other must be bridged by a diode so that trains moving away from the switch are unaffected by its position.

Here is a train running through the track in "run-through" mode.

Bridging one rail of the gap joiners:

Adding a diode for bridging the other switched rail:

Here for the 2nd gap joiner:

Running with power from adaptor instead of batteries

I am now using the Rokuhan RC-03 controller with a 9V power adaptor instead of three 1.5V AA batteries. 

I also replaced one turn with a switch. This will be for the train to be able to leave the box and travel to another layout.

Runs well. 

Picking up the Shorty layout again

After one year break from working on my model railway stuff (due to taking care of my two cats which I got in March 2023), I have decided to continue developing the micro-layout based upon the Rokuhan Shorty layout.

Here it is in the box, without the accessories:

Here it is with the inverse layout:

Here is the layout ground plane with the tracks removed. They were attached to it by 4 screws from the bottom.

And here is just the track:

Problem with S-Curve

The tight space requires a lot of curves, and there is at least one S-curve in the layout. Due to the arrangement of the couplings between cars, there is a problem: a right-curve, followed by a left-curve, results often in a de-coupling between cars. This happens only if the cars are a certain size or longer: this is because then the offset due to the two curves is too large to keep the cars connected.

What helps:

• increase the curve radii, so that the coupling offset gets smaller. But there are tight space constraints.
• use only small cars. This limits of course the usability of the track.
• add a short straight section between the two curves. This could be done, but depends on space constraints.
• remove the left-right S-curve and re-plan the whole layout so that instead a right-left S-curve is there.

The latter one has its reason in the side-ways coupling of the cars, which is not symmetrical. In a right-left S-curve there is less stress on the coupling, and the cars remain connected. 

Using shorter cars:

Ultimately I decided to redo the whole layout and replace the tight right-left S-curve with a tight left-right-S-curve. This did for now solve the problem. The newly created right-left S-curve at the top level was "straightened" by inserting a longer straight part.

Preparing a base under the tracks

In order to avoid too much pressure on the tracks, I plan to support the whole track layout by a stable support underneath.

I cut this from a sheet of thin plastic, so that it follows the tracks all the way.

Trying out trains in the box

Running a few trains on simple layouts. This is quite a long steam train from Märklin.

Steam train by Märklin, which I got from eBay:

Experimenting with in-box layouts

For a few days I have been trying out options regarding on how much can be squeezed into a box, so that the whole Z scale layout could be carried easily. I do NOT want simple ovals, but I want something where the trains also is seen driven in other directions. Will be two levels, so there will be some sloping.

Possibly there will be a whole in the box wall, so that the trains can drive out and can connect to other layouts.

Finding a suitable Box Suitcase for Rokuhan Z-Scale Shorty Layout

After a while I again devoted some time to the Rokuhan Z-Scale project. I experimented with some metal box suitcases.

Finally I found a suitable metal box suitcase for this layout, inside dimensions 20 cm x 25 cm. The whole layout fits snuggly inside this box.

 

Adding some scenery

That plain cardboard layout can be improved with a view grass surface items.

Building the cardboard hose and adding it:

Rokuhan Shorty SS02-1 Mini-Layout

Rokuhan offers several nice "Shorty" layouts: made out of cardboard and plastic.

This one got my attention, because of the slightly deviation of the standard oval track and because of the tunnel:

And here it is, the  Rokuhan SS002-1Shorty layout:

Here a few pictures:

I also got a metal box case:

This is too large for this mini-layout, but one can see the options which this Z scale has:

I could here build a whole layout into one of these box suitcases! I will do this eventually.

This is the layout:

And here it is in operation - just powered by two AA batteries hidden underneath the layout:

Discovered Rokuhan Z-Scale

Found out about the Japanese Z scale manufacturer ROKUHAN.

http://rokuhan.com/

Tracks with trackbed.

In Deutschland: Vertrieb durch NOCH

https://www.rokuhan.de/

A board for the model railway

My neighbor Nicole gave me a model railway board that she did nor need anymore. It is a mobile board, to be placed on the floor, with wheels underneath so it can be moved. Cabling can be hidden under the board.

Size: 120cm x 160 cm.

 I try to mount feet, but the board is too heavy - the attachment of the feet to the board is not stable.

So I begin building a frame, onto which that board will be placed:

And now I can being to try developing a good layout:

HO Model Railway in the Roof

After moving into a new home I now finally have a whole room available for model railway, in the roof.

First I begin to put some rails on the floor.

Model Railway in Kirkstall Abbey

After visiting a few model railway shows in Northern England, I bought a few tracks and equipment, so that I could experiment with some layout choices.

Christmas 1967 - My first model railway

I still remember this moment, when I discovered this model railroad in a corner of the living room on Christmas Eve 1967. I had expected that there would be some kind of train as a present under the Christmas tree - I believe that is where a simple version of a model train (maybe out of wood) had been there at Christmas 1966 - but I cannot remember the details. I know, however, for sure that at Christmas 1967 I did expect that some kind of railway would be under the tree. And there was none... only a white Volkswagen car. So that Christmas Eve was about to become a huge disappointment.... until my parents pointed towards the corner. 

And there it was - way more than I had expected. Not just a simple wooden toy train, but an electric one, actually two trains: a passenger train and a freight train. With real landscaping, trees, houses with illumination inside which that could be switched on, even a tunnel! Little did I know at that time that the layout of the tracks did not make much sense... two circles with no way of switching into each other. But my enthusiasm for model railway has been ignited that evening, and it is still there more than half a century later.

(publish date should be 24 dec 1967 - but unfortunately one cannot post a date earlier than 1 jan 1970)