|
Post by havoc on Oct 12, 2008 10:58:38 GMT
I'm curious about how other smaller gauge live steamers run their trains. So just a couple of questions to get started.
Those here that do gauge 1 live steam (or gauge 0, Im, IIm) do you: - have a track at home? If yes, inside or outside? - is this just an oval or something more elaborate? - if you run on your track, do you just let an engine run light, with a train or do you run like a real railroad (with shunting, stopping at stations, dropping and picking up cars etc)? - combined with electric traction or not? - do you model a specific road/period? - do you model only engines or rolling stock as well?
Reason for this inquiry is that I would like to start thinking harder about a track in the garden. There isn't enough space to include everything and at the same time I would like to make it so that others would have fun running on it too. That's why I would like to get an idea what is the more common way of running trains.
Personally, I'm more for running a real train and I like shunting.
|
|
|
Post by spamcanman on Oct 12, 2008 22:14:15 GMT
Here in the UK most members of G1MRA go to peoples garden tracks known as 'Get togethers' there is a listing of the events in the G1MRA magazine you just turn up with your loco and book in your runs.
Indoor tracks are a 'no no' if the rooms are small one reason are the fumes given off by the burnt meths the second a fire on the loco could easily get out of hand into something disastrous.
When we do large shows with our portable layout we have to meet stringent guide lines like only having a limited amount of meths at the show, it must be stored in certain type containers and fire extinguishes must be present.
Most members have garden layouts ranging from simple ovals to some I go to having over 1000 feet of 2 rail tracks with sidings and working points and warning buzzers, these large layouts can run more than one train at the same time.
If your running live steam it's virtually impossible to do shunting with them it just takes too long to put the loco's in forward/reverse.
I do go to some GTG's where the owner would only like American loco's for that meeting but mainly people turn up with whatever they own and run.
Havoc are you not a member of G1MRA?
|
|
|
Post by havoc on Oct 13, 2008 7:09:35 GMT
No, I'm not a member. Bit difficult living in Belgium I fear.
With the club we run indoors sometimes, but then alcohol fired locs are rather rare. Most are gas, a few coal.
I don't see the problem unless slip eccentrics are involved. The only thing I'm not sure about are couplers. Chain or screw couplers in this size are a bit small.
|
|
|
Post by spamcanman on Oct 13, 2008 18:35:13 GMT
nearly all the couplers we use a chain 3 links only some people connect there coaches with Kaydee couplings which is what I will use on my Bullied's there will be a 3 link chain at each brake end just for connecting to the loco. G1MRA has over 3000 members all over the world I have just looked at the members list there are 10 in Belgium but in France,Netherlands,Germany and other European countries it's in the hundreds most will have garden tracks. You should join just for the Journal which is published 4 times a year it's 3 times thicker than any model engineering mag out there full of Gauge 1 items and dealers that only publish in the Journal. G1MRA also sell a DVD of there Jubilee year last year that's been filmed and produced by a professional movie maker it covers many members garden railways so you will get to see what locos and stock are run and some glorious layouts, all for a measly £15 (20 euros) membership. www.gaugeone.org/Newsletter%20&%20Journal.htm
|
|