Andy Glascott

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Posts posted by Andy Glascott

  1. Posted

    I also don't get why Andy thinks the trains are "designed" to be 8 studs apart. There's no reason they couldn't be four or any arbitrary number, and if there is some valid reason, I don't see why it's only applied to 9V/PF.

    My comment was based on the gap between tracks when you add points/switches to a layout. With the 9v and PF tracks, the gap between tracks becomes 8 studs, whereas with the 12v system (I'm happy to admit being biased towards the 12v system) the points give you two tracks that are side by side.

    Here's a 9v/PF version 2861.jpg and here's a 12v sample x504.1103008488.jpg.

    Andy

  2. Posted

    I'm still running 12v, I've got 5 motors, and still think it's the best system yet (though I haven't tried either of the newer incarnations). I've also got 9v stuff, but would buy more 12v if I could. Raising the layout on a table doe make sense, I reckon I have about 80 ft (25 mtrs) of wiring to run my layout, but most of it is invisible. That said, in a loft space by raising the layout you lose building area. I mananged to persuade my wife to give me space in the spare room last time we moved rather than use the loft, and although it is smaller that I would have had up there, it's warmer and easier to get at. I can also fit the boxes under there when the spare room is pressed into service for guests....

  3. Posted

    It's one of the drawbacks of the 9v/PF era that the track is designed to be spaced 8 studs apart, very few railways have that distance between the different lines. To make this set 2 tracks wide, there would have to be 24 studs between the platforms, and that takes up a lot of space. There are bits of it I like, but I certainly won't be buying it. Apart from anything else, I like the platforms I build to be long enough for the full train, up to 160 studs....

  4. Posted

    Irish loco 071 MOC now updated with improved livery

    img_4415_1.jpg

    and with its coach

    img_4416_1.jpg

    Very impressive. I'm determined to have a crack at building one of the Irish GM Class 071/141/181 locos at some point, and this is a very good representation of it.

  5. Posted

    what if there is a crash in the tunnel...

    Then I end up on my side with my arm stretched inside the tunnel! Despite running trains to test clearances etc during the build, they still derail occasionally, and Murphy's Law of Lego Trains is that they always derail at the most difficult spot to reach!

    Andy

  6. Posted

    When I decided I was building on multiple levels, mountains with tunnels through them became essential, as did viaducts/bridges linking them. This pic shows the layout in progress with 7 portals easily visible. I thought about making the tunnels longer, but despite numerous test runs while building, can't guarantee the layout to be derailment proof, so access of some sort is possible to even the deepest corner...

    The viaduct at the back means I can access the points linking the two loops on the bottom, but because there is track running below it, I could only fit one support in along its length, so both mountains/tunnel sets needed to come around the corner to act as support for that as well. Equally, with the third level of track coming into play, the tops of the hills/mountains play a supporting role. The main one, here, is as planned, though the right hand side one went through quite a rebuild, coming forward and round the bend half way in the finished layout. (Compare the first pic of the layout part built with this one and see how it moved.) Otherwise I was going to end up with a lot of posts and pillars to hold the third track up. It's not massively realistic, but it works in the space I have.

  7. Posted

    I've yet to build something Irish though. Not easy as the older trains are orange while new ones are silver. Not the easiest colours in Lego. The fact that I've yet to find a pretty Irish train doesn't help either...

    Yeah, I agree about Irish trains. I grew up there, but with an eye on the more varied British system. Now living in the UK, I mix them up! Finding orange parts can be a bit pricey, and in 6-wide, the corners and angles on Irish locos can be very tricky. I've had a go though, and there are some other builders examples on this thread.

    Andy

    PS Voted High degree btw....

  8. Posted

    Time to register. I'm a 12v fan mainly, though I did get some 9v when it came out. I might get some PF stuff, it space and funds allow. Gallery here

    I currently have a corner of the spare room, so have crammed 7740, 7745, the Metroliner and 5 MOCs into a three level layout, along with a few rolling stock sets mixed into the trains.

    Andy

  9. Posted

    That would indeed be great if you managed to get all that rolling stock on a video.

    One suggestion for your freight trains could be to make the staiton more a combined people and cargo station, so for instance cargo loading bays in the lower part, and people on the upper two levels.

    Jan

    As requested. It's old footage, some of the locos have been updated since I shot it. Here's the link on Youtube. There's a video of the general layout and featuring a cab ride on all three levels.

  10. Posted

    One minor thing, I have the feeling that the roof at you station is bit out of balance, It looks so massive. I guess I would have chosen a roof with lots of glass, similar to the facades.

    Are you also planning some facilities for all your freighttrains?

    Keep us updated.

    Jan

    I agree on the roof, sadly funds were limited by that stage so it was made from pieces I already had a lot of. Once the next viaduct is in place I'm aiming to replace it with something more subtle.

    At the moment I have no freight plans, there isn't really space. The freight train "just passes through" so to speak.

    Andy

  11. Posted

    My layout is confined to 8 feet by 4 in the spare room (guests have to use the room occasionally....), so to make the most of it I've crammed in 3 levels with therefore plenty of bridges/viaducts/hills/tunnels and 1 incline - the 2 12v levels are linked so trains can be swapped over. There are pics on Brickshelf here. (Some of the pics have just been uploaded for this post, so are awaiting moderation.)

    Getting the long grey viaduct/bridge at the back to stay solid with one main post was quite a challenge - there are multiple plates and technic bricks underneath, and the solid walls definitely helped.

    The station building plays it's part in supporting the top (9v) level, with "arms" being built into the building and extending to take the main running line. The siding is currently supported by a series of columns of 2x2 round bricks until I can buy the pieces to build that viaduct!

    Much of the rest of the top level is supported by the two mountains and tunnels at the ends of the layout, as is much of the second level.

    The incline is fairly solid, and was reinforced with a series of 1x8 plates running in between the track and conducting rails. Doesn't look much like ballast, but as there is another 12v line running right next to it, space on the inside was fairly limited, so all support is underneath and in the embankment. The points behind the incline connect the two loops on the bottom level, meaning any train on the bottom can get to the middle loop and vice versa.

    Hope these comments and images help others with their building.

    Andy

  13. Posted

    I've one attempt.

    train_resized.jpg

    You took on quite a challenge with that loco, there are a huge number of angled/sloping sides to it, which is why I went for the slightly more brick-friendly loco I did.

    I'm afraid I don't know if anyone has built Irish trains, but I just wanted to say I really like your model. I also really like your station on two levels, do you have any more pictures of it? I also noticed the cargo crane on your Brickshelf page, looks impressive.

    The crane was a project when I didn't have space for a layout, and the only pics I have are on Brickshelf. Thanks for the compliments on the station and model, to make the most of limited space I've built up rather than out.

  14. Posted

    traintech1.jpg

    I've seen a few pics or mentions of Irish rolling stock here and on Brickshelf, so thought I'd kick off a thread to see if we can gather the samples into one place. I'll start things off with my version of an Irish Rail Class 121, 2 carriages and a push/pull coach. I remember this consist running on the DART line in Dublin during upgrade work in the early 90's...

    Here's a pic of the set in front of the top level of the station on my current layout.

    http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/AndyGlas...sh_rail_set.jpg

  15. Posted

    I'm working in 8 feet by 4 of space, but have made the most of it by going up! This may not look like much of a layout 3 levels separate, particularly when you stack the three parts of it like this: 3_levels_stacked.jpg 3 levels stacked.

    However, it lets me run 4 of my 8 trains at any given time, and the other 4 are all in sidings that can be switched easily. I aim for layouts that mean I can keep all 8 trains (5 x 12v and 3 x 9v) on the layout. There's a folder of pics on Brickshelf here. The bottom two levels are 12v and linked by a ramp/incline. On the diagram the bottom level is blue simply to keep it visible!

    It's very much a work in progress, though progress has slowed at the moment.

  16. Posted

    Resize them. The board resizes them, but only after you've loaded the whole huge image, which takes a long time on slow internet. :classic:

    The file extension is too long. Shorten the name of the file, then re-upload it to your Brickshelf, This will shorten the URL and it will work. I saved the picture, shortened the name, and uploaded it to my BS. See my avatar. :grin: If you want, just use the one I uploaded, I promise I won't delete it, unless I'm really mad at you. :laugh:

    Thnak you, will resize before posting.

  18. Posted

    Evening all. I've been lurking for a while, though it's kinda easy to spot me as my user name (which happens to be my real name as well...) tends to be near the top of the list of those online. Currently living in Long Eaton (UK) I'm Irish by birth, hence the inclusion of some Irish stuff in my layout - pics on the way.

    Trains are my main focus, though town creeps in as I put layouts together, and I've got a Technic "bit on the side" so to speak. I've been working on a 3 level layout for the last 9 months and have just uploaded pics to Brickshelf, I'll link to them once I've worked the system out.

    Thanks for the tips I've already picked up, I'll gladly share my (fewer) tricks as and when.

    Andy