New here, looking for likeminded souls

[johan]

Hello all. I have been dabbling in model engineering for about 10 years now. It all started when going to the park, finding a live steam train event going on and even better gauge 1 live steam. Took contact with the club, went to a meeting and the next week I had a set of plans in the letterbox... Coming from an electronics background my only tools were a soldering iron, some small screwdrivers, some small pliers, a drill for pcb's and an assortment of tools inherited from my dad for diy around the house. Took about 3 years to get that version of Cracker running, acquiring and learning to use the needed tools while going along.



Made a few small things but not knowing what direction to take nothing really came to a good end. Then when the club was almost to loose its train track in the park I set about to build "quickly and cheaply" (*) a small electric 5" engine. Based on a chinese battery mining locomotive. Almost all welded construction as I was following a course in TIG welding at the time.



Still some detailing to do... But when the pandemic came everything just stopped. Didn't entered the workshop for 3 years.

But now I'd like to take it up again. Got a few ideas for a 5" engine, made some sketches and I'm discussing with our boiler supervisor about the feasibility of it. While that is going on and drawing up the plans for it I had an idea for a gauge 1 engine. And that is the reason I'm here... I'm really stumped on this one. It looks simple enough but I just can't get my head around it.

(*) famous last words... "wasn't going to take more then a few months to make"... Yeah right!

[JonL]

Pleased to meet you Johan. Where are you located?

[johan]

Hi Jon, I'm in Belgium on the border of Brussels. As far as live steam is considered: the desert...

[ilvaporista]

Yes it is but thin round there, but you have active groups in NL, France and Germany.
I am in Italy, so not that close.
Well done on your loco!

[flyingfox]

Greetings Johan, welcome to the group, hope you will find it interesting.
Is the Brussels track to close, very sad if it is, a have enjoyed my visits very much.
Regards
Brian B

[johan]

No, the Brussels track is still going strong.

I'm part of the Antwerp group as the Brussels group is more french oriented. (yes, Belgium can be complicated) Because of reorganisation in the park the track in antwerp was in danger of closing down. But with serious effort they managed to get the track moved to another location in the park and at the same time make it larger. As with all governemental/city planning, it was almost 2 years yes/no game before a clear "yes" came. And we were a long time without track.

[JonL]

If it isn't rude to say so, your written English puts mine to shame!

[johan]

Thank you, very kind to say so. Result of having an englishman as neighbour that got me into reading english books. He stayed after WOII and married a local girl.

[flyingfox]

That explains it Johan, I have run on the old Antwerp track, in a park, 5 inch elevated track, miles away from the model boat pond which I think was part of the club. Does the new track include a 71/4 railway?
Regards
Brian B

[johan]

No, it stayed a raised 5"/3.5"/2.5" track as before. But we could extend it a nice bit. And now we have a bit more of trees and shrubs around the track which is nice. The club indeed has a purpose build boat pond miles away from the track but that pond is now under threat of disappearing. So that is the next headache for the administrators. It has been a long time since I attended the meetings and I'm not involved in boat building so I have no idea where that stands now.