Hi CNE Runner
Now that is interesting will have to see what sort of prices they are in AUS.
The article you lead to on the micro layout site said they where expensive
in the UK the home of Peco.
But if it works well its worth it
Will have to get one and have a look at it, if nothing else one holds 2/3 of the usable US freight stock I have, and can swap locos around without damaging them thats got to be a good starting point.
regards John

Hi
Did the US railroads have dedicated loco coal cars IE there only reason to exist was to move coal from the supplier to loco depots to fuel the locos.
They would presumably be marked XYZ RR LOCO COAL or something similar
Or is this a thing peculiar to the UK.
regards John

Hi CNE Runner
Thanks for the re-check and after note.
You have been of great assistance along with the other people posting on this topic
If I get it wrong the loco cleaning bill would be horrendous
not to mention the frustration that would go with it.
One of the benefits I am finding with a small space is you have time to think about stuff like this and other small details.
Even to the point of a heron watching a fish with the fish in the stream or pond,
the fish where in a wildlife pack where I wanted other larger creatures that where in the pack.
I am beginning to think smaller space with care can = much higher quality layout.
Regards John

Hi Doneldon
So if I understand this correctly your train would take a switch off the
continuous run.
Then run down an "S" shaped line cross another switch which
puts it back on the continuous run facing the reverse direction of travel.
And thats an "Ogee" track??
If thats the correct interpretation I know just where I can use one of those,
but the train room has to be finished first.
I assume it would be wired like a balloon loop??
Which has nothing to do with the layout being worked on now
regards John

Hi
I cannot find any reference to the Desert King set it is defiantly made as I have lay buy-ed two sets.
It is a BHP iron ore train an Australian one
What I am trying to find out is are separate sale iron ore cars and loco made.
Two locos and eight cars won't make much of an iron ore train for me to run on the rare occasions I can attend the club I belong to.
Given the loco type and ore car design I assume it was manufacture
by Bachmann USA.
Does any one know anything about the set.
regards John

Hi doneldon
I don't know about making plastic spikes but cosmetic fish plates are made in plastic
Hi CNE Runner
yes thats the sort of thing will see if i can find it.
regards John

Hi guys
what is an ogee track ??
The micro layout site mentioned a couple of times is what keeps me plugging away at this.
So far I have doubled the hidden storage/ staging I thought I would get,
and found a way to get another shunting operation IE loco coal.
I don't know how UK radius compare to the US but lets just say I have been around long enough to avoid first radius the min radius is second with third for the run around.
The steam power for the layout is an 0-6-0 tender loco for now freight
stock is from the Thunder Bolt Set a bobber caboose will eventually replace the one in the set.
passenger stock is a bit of a problem while I have a cab commuter car
It may be a bit long also I don't really know what loco should be with it.
No one seems to do short passenger cars any more other than old timers
which could be a bit of a problem.
regards John

Hi guys
I need a lot of over grown track on my layout including parts of the main line.
Any one got ideas how to do it so it both looks good and doesn't get picked up by loco gear trains .
regards John

Hi guys
Just an update of whats happened with this one.
Well using a Hornby planning aid 1/4 scale molded track bits that go together like a jigsaw puzzle.
Note these pieces match the geometry I will be using.
The main oval is squarish with a passing track and a dead end for a terminating rail car or push pull service on the left Side of the board.
On the far right is a small loco facility a one track loco shed and coal siding for loco coal hope the fireman has his PhD in shovel tech he's going to need it .
At the back I have two dead end staging tracks plus the main line
center front heading in wards is one siding hope to fit in two
but the puzzle bits have a representation of a point motor on the side
which prevents it being put in the right place.
I will be using under table machines so hope the two will fit.
Not bad for HO scale on a 4"6" square board.
Yes trains will be very short but you cant have everything in that small space.
The moment of truth will be in two weeks when work allows me to finish the table and start laying track the plan is good till at least then.
Any bright ideas for mini scenes and other things would be appreciated
regards John

Hi petdrus
You must be referring to the real Hornby trains the two rail ones just before Triang took them over?? don't know who runs the show now.
yes I will enjoy the train.
The Dewitt Clinton looks rather interesting as well and that will have its own couplings given its even smaller size does any one do a Grass Hopper
loco.
Can any one tell me which Model Railroader or other model train mags had the articles on making stock of the era in question.
Then it might be worth a look in the AMRA library next time I am in the big smoke.
regards John

Well if you want economical.
arrival road 1 departure road 1 team track 1 loco stow road 1 freight shed track
A three track double ended shunting grid one track off to the examiners shed from one end of the grid.
from the other up the neck swing off the yard to the left and into the
industrial and inter modal sidings.
Yard tower and office building is opposite the loco stow road.
no loco facilities they are fifteen minutes away in town and caboose track not bothered with as thats so full of junk and you could not get a caboose in there even if you wanted to.
yard entries are at the east end center of the yard center access allows direct access to the arr & dep tracks as well as the neck so oil trains can go to the Shell BP and Caltex Depots other things down in the industrial area Saddler's transport, Hampton transport, a small cement plant the old stock yards.
Between the main yard and industrial sidings is an untidy area which has
a per way material dump the water board pipeline, scrubby vegetation and a couple of dirt access tracks so that yard crews, shunter's and examiners  can drive their light trucks to where they are needed to work.

While maybe not quite what you want it does give a good rough description
of a yard that would work reasonably well in model railway terms
regards John

Hi all
Thanks for the information and tips.
I always keep the boxes things come in not to preserve any perceived collectors value but to protect the trains when not in use.
My pet hate is collectors they buy the trains inflate the second hand value.
and don't use them.
Collectors don't like me because I will get that collectible if it is of use fit modern wheels destroying its perceived cash value so it can be used.
As an example I have a Triang loco collectors value for original condition
$200 Au value of mine a reasonable value of $75 Au a far more reasonable value and it can be used because it has modern wheels fitted.
I also realize Pegasus is a pre Knuckle locomotive, but have trouble with the idea any manufacturer would make a train that doesn't have the same coupling as the rest of their product modern unit trains excepted.
I had visions of maybe doing something similar to an old movie
having an old loco pulling a depressed center car with a coach body of the locos time period on it and a 4wh caboose as a revenue service.
would not be allowed these days but thought it might be a fun project
to try the loco is the right period .
Oh well looks like that service will be the train as manufactured, doesn't stop me being impressed that such a small HO loco actually moves
when the controler knob is turned.
Its a very nice model in its own right as well
regards John

Hi
Today I received a Pegasus set.
I am very impressed with the set just being able to get a HO loco that small
to work is pretty impressive.
And coming with nickle silver track even better
But I am also disappointed as well.
The source of that disappointment is the coupling on the Loco and coaches
it looks very prototypical but looks very fragile and is not compatible with other Bachmann stock
How would I go about fitting knuckles to it to have that compatibility.
Reading the box I wonder if it would be worth doing a UK version of the set
after all the loco is already made all it would need is a set of UK freight stock of that period just to make the set different Oh and a different box.
I was unaware Norris locomotives had been exported to the UK
regards John

Hi guys
With Bachmann making a few Dawn of trains, model trains. but no freight stock of the same period.
I wonder does any one actually model that far back and if they do what they use for freight stock.
Why is the freight stock  not manufactured?? or is it and its obscure manufacturers making it.
regards John
PS this was prompted by a discussion on another forum bemoaning the lack of UK trains of that Dawn period.

Hi guys
I am using Peco set track & switches as it is close to the operator,
the plan is manual switch operation.
The whole layout is tucked in a corner and the location of the triangle
fouls a door way.
The house I live in is very small with small rooms so no matter what I do something will end up fouling a door.
regards John