Page 7 - March April 1999

HO in the Garden?
Continued from page 5...
A Few Points About Points
After a year it became apparent that turnouts were the focal point of most of the problems. The most common was loss of electrical contact via the switch blades and their contact tabs. The obvious solution was to add Peco accessory switches to the point motors to route the power. As a retro-fit job, this was a pain but was largely successful. At the same time, I removed the now-rusty steel over- centre springs from all the turnouts and fitted shiny new ones to the Peco ‘shoes’ on which the point motors are mounted, inside their cosy boxes. My turnout push rods looked like brass but weren’t and have corroded enough to occasionally refuse to pass freely through the holes in their housings.
The biggest enemy to turnouts, however, is dirt. The HO mechanisms were never intended to put up with soil being splashed into them by rain and well- meaning gardeners. Twigs, cobwebs, leaves, suicidal ants, snail trails and so forth all take their toll and tend to gum up the works. Next door’s cat, delicate though he is, has routinely used the railroad as a dry walk-way to his next scratching place.
So, Was It a Good Idea?
On balance, it had to be done some time in my life and it did work for years, so it was a good idea. HO in the garden can be a practical proposition as long as the guy designing it is a confirmed pessimist. What I didn’t realise was how little time I would find to play with it and I would therefore suggest that outdoor HO is really for rabid enthusiasts.
Some of the convenience features which I planned in detail were never built, such as rapid electrical hook-ups and a maintenance train designed to dislodge cobwebs and snails from inside tunnels. Removable bridges are perfectly practical in their own right but, in future, I would ensure that all comers could walk to any part of the layout without climbing over or ducking under.
More than anything else, I would say it was a mistake to run track under and through vegetation - indeed anywhere that is not easy to reach for cleaning purposes.
Now What?
The WFRR is facing retirement and possible dismantling as I write this. It still runs when asked to but needs work which might never be justified by the likely hours of future operation.
If I do take up the track for re-use it will be with regret but also with the satisfaction of having proved that you can run...
HO in the garden!.
WANTED:
HO brass locos or rolling stock for Boston & Maine, Rutland or Central Vermont. Also American magazines circa 1940’s and 1950’s covering any topics.
Contact Tony Brunton on 01926 612191, at 33 South Parade, Harbury, Leamington Spa CV33 9JE.
FOR SALE:
“Trains” magazines 1950-94, 237 copies in total including some full years. Also “Railfan & Railroad” 1974-94, 46 copies in total. Offers for the lot, or will split.
Contact John Kelsey 01332 512580
FOR SALE:
C&O diesels and cars customised and finished to specific prototypes by John C. Paton in the US, and others.
Contact Ian Forsyth on 01923 222284
FOR SALE:
HO (all items mint)...
Mantua - 4-6-0 PRR, £49.50.
Proto 2000 - GP20 ATSF blue, £37.50; GP9 B.N. £37.50; PS2 CD covered hoppers N.P. £5 each.
Walthers Log, Woodchip and Centrebeam cars in NP and UP, and Pulpwood cars in CN, £5 each.
Kato 70 ton cement hoppers ATSF and SP £17.50 per three.
Spectrum Doodlebug NYC £27.50.
Book “SP in Oregon” full colour £21.50. Contact Neville Doe on 01502 588138
FOR SALE:
3/16 scale - Does anyone collect old “American Flyer”? Circa 1949/51 collection in very good, all-working, order, much in original boxes. Includes two Hudson tender locos, three passenger cars, one mail coach with working catcher and bags, one tipping coal hopper with original coal. Searchlight car, Stock car, Caboose. Transformer/controller, instruction book. Quantity of track including turnouts, crossing, uncoupler tracks, and tracks for operating the coal car
APRIL 1999 7
UNCOUPLED CARS
(All items by the Editor unless otherwise credited)
BEANERY
and mail car, plus some spares and accessories.
Further info/prices contact Phil Hallett on 01437 710440
FOR SALE:
One Cap, size 7.
Reason for sale, as a result of December and February issues of Roundhouse, I now need a bigger size!
Contact Derek Milby if you can help!
ROBBERY
★ Please be on the look out for the following items...
Richard Maxwell suffered a robbery, sometime around March 7th. The most prominent missing items are two brass HO Overland CSX diesels, a Dash 8- 40CW factory painted, and a Dash 8- 40C custom painted. Also a box of Rivarossi and Bachmann passenger cars disappeared, and a number of Athearn and MDC freight cars.
If offered anything like the above in suspicious circumstances please phone Richard on 01293 516533
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