I had a great day today. I actually ran a train for the first time in a year! Admittedly it was a cleaning train and I ran around all of my storage yards and main line. Running down from the upper level was fun as my train stalled in the section where it runs through the eaves of my loft. Getting it going again required a squeeze through the hatch and battling with quite a few cobwebs!
I’ve taken everything off and am trying to tidy and generally streamline everything.
My layout is covered in dust following some decorating so the hoover is my number one friend. The water is especially bad:
My cleaning train is made up of a roller cleaner with Woodland Scenics track cleaner, two long multiple pick up locos, a couple of box cars with masonite pads underneath and a couple with Noch cleaning pads. I have a bottle of Track Magic by Deluxe Materials to try next before I put anything back.
I’ve also been trying to find some cheap bulk trees from China on eBay – not easy! Most come out bright green. I need to spray these up to a better colour!
I think these are better – a pack of 20 is £7 so they are not exorbitant. I’ve ordered a couple more packs to fill the bank up.
I need so many trees to model New England and I will use a mix of bought, super trees and home made. I can’t afford the bought route for everything but it is useful to have some for padding purposes.
Your river is absolutely superbe Kathy. I tested all my track and brought it to perfection. Fine! Then I acquired some six axle 86′ passenger cars and wow lots of trouble now. How about 3 lit passenger cars for £16 at Ally Pally whilst I was on our stand there? Irresistable bargain.
We live and learn but I thought I would share that one with you just in case.
Mike Ingham shared a tip on this problem. Ease out the centre wheels on the 6 wheel trucks using the Micromark device. See my article in next (Possibly the following) Roundhouse. Fortunately a member, bless whoever it was, made me leave a foot straight between reversing curves. Otherwise that would have led to massive track re-laying. So much to share, so little time! Regards Ron Gager
Hi Ron
A useful tip. My passenger cars do not run as well as they should and of course the 6 axle ones are the worse. The couplers are also rather droopy on my Bachmann coaches. All on the very long list to do but for now, everything is off the layout whilst I’m doing scenery and cleaning track.
Kathy