Window sill layout questions and suggestions

[Kiran]

So I recently moved into a corner office. Nothing fancy. Sharing with 2 other colleagues. But there are long windows on 2 sides of the office. and I have reached an agreement to use them for a window sill layout.

 

I am thinking of small terminus stations at both ends. Neither Kato or tomix seem to make any terminus platforms which I thought was a bit odd.Any suggestions?

 

There is also a pillar in one corner. The track can't go behind the pillar and so has to curve around in the front. I was thinking of a using Unitrack viaduct curve track there and putting up a mountain there. I have permission to have a little shelf around the pillar. How much groud clearance would I need for the peers + the viaduct?

 

I would like double track and I plan to run small commuter trains. I was thinking of trams but I don't know much about those.

 

Thoughts and suggestions welcome!

Edited February 23, 2019 by Kiran
Forgot to attach pictures of the pillar

[toc36]

Kiran,

 

What is the length of the window sill on the left?  It appears that you have about 4" of width.  I thought if I was ever faced with that limitation (or opportunity), I would consider a multi-tram point-to-point using the Tomix TCS Unit or Arduino.  This might give you the opportunity to have continuous operations. 

 

I don't know the dynamics between you and your new office mates, or the footprint of the space, but building around the pillar may be viewed as infringement.  Assuming that the pillar is 2’ x 2’, you will need an additional 9” to 12” on the two sides and 6” to 9” at the corner if you use the double viaduct track.  A smaller pillar doesn’t help you.  If you use the 9 13/16" single viaduct, you will need 4" all around.

 

From a supervisor's point of view, it is one thing to have decorative items that show off hobbies or interests, versus the perception that you are playing with trains at work.  Not trying to put a damper on your plans, but going too big or too elaborate might send the wrong signal.

 

Mark

[Kiran]

On 2/23/2019 at 9:42 PM, toc36 said:

Kiran,

 

What is the length of the window sill on the left?  It appears that you have about 4" of width.  I thought if I was ever faced with that limitation (or opportunity), I would consider a multi-tram point-to-point using the Tomix TCS Unit or Arduino.  This might give you the opportunity to have continuous operations. 

 

I don't know the dynamics between you and your new office mates, or the footprint of the space, but building around the pillar may be viewed as infringement.  Assuming that the pillar is 2’ x 2’, you will need an additional 9” to 12” on the two sides and 6” to 9” at the corner if you use the double viaduct track.  A smaller pillar doesn’t help you.  If you use the 9 13/16" single viaduct, you will need 4" all around.

 

From a supervisor's point of view, it is one thing to have decorative items that show off hobbies or interests, versus the perception that you are playing with trains at work.  Not trying to put a damper on your plans, but going too big or too elaborate might send the wrong signal.

 

Mark

The length on the left is about 120". Slightly shorter about 90" on the right. I did consider tram system but as I said I haven't researched it much.

 

Everyone in the office is onboard with the idea and encroaching won't be a problem. I measured using the double track viaduct. I need about 10" on the let and about 15" on the right. I can encroach more on the right as the desk there is farther away.

Our workplace is pretty cool with stuff like this. This is simple compared to some of the other stuff that my colleagues do at their desks. Facilities will even help me install shelves...

[Kiran]

Any thoughts on terminus platforms/stations?

[toc36]

Kiran,

 

Great!!!  I didn't want to be a wet diaper on your project.

 

Post pictures when it's done.

 

Mark

[Martijn Meerts]

Make sure to check the heat as well, it can get really warm behind glass. There have been instances of models that were in a window display that have started melting, or at least heavily warping.

 

[Kiran]

8 hours ago, Martijn Meerts said:

Make sure to check the heat as well, it can get really warm behind glass. There have been instances of models that were in a window display that have started melting, or at least heavily warping.

 

 

Good point. I was not planning to leave trains on the track for too long.

[Welshbloke]

This looks like a job for Bandai B Train Shorties!

 

You may be limited by what you can get the parts to complete, but if anything in the range intrigues you then go for it. They'll handle curves down to 103mm radius with no problems. They're N scale in width and height but shortened lengthways. They use standard motor and trailer chassis with bodywork provided by clip-together prepainted kits. So if for example you want a four car EMU you need the body kits, a motor chassis and a pack of trailer chassis.

 

Loco hauled is a bit more complicated as Bandai seem to have abandoned the four wheel motor chassis. You can still find the DD51/DE10 kits and the bogie motor chassis for them, but the latest batch of passenger stock seems to be based around a dummy loco with the motor hidden under a coach. Fine until you want to run around at the end of the line...

[defor]

On 3/3/2019 at 5:37 PM, Welshbloke said:

This looks like a job for Bandai B Train Shorties!

 

You may be limited by what you can get the parts to complete, but if anything in the range intrigues you then go for it. They'll handle curves down to 103mm radius with no problems. 

This is a great suggestion, and exactly the way I’m going for a 84x12” shelf layout above my work desk as well- shorties are great at handling tight curves and will likely allow you to maximize the space rather than being limited to a dual terminus layout. One suggestion however, if you do go the b-train route is to add some weights to the loco and cars if you have any turnouts or you may get a bit of a bounce that can cause derails.

[Welshbloke]

Mostly I find the weights in the Bandai chassis kits are enough, although I tend to cram all three of the oblong ones into a powered vehicle. You can avoid a lot of problems by minor track tweaks, such as not having a curve leading directly into the toe end of a turnout.

 

For some reason the Bandai trailer wheelsets attract dirt, to the extent that I've had to scrape a coating of the usual grey gunk off them before now rather than just wiping with a paper towel or cotton bud and lighter fluid. They're so finely balanced with regards to traction vs friction that this made the difference between a DD51 spinning its wheels with six TaKis and hauling them with no fuss.

[cteno4]

That’s interesting the Bandai trailers picked up muck fast. I’ve not run mine that much I guess as I’ve never seen any mucky. I wonder if being light weight allowed stuff to cling better with not getting scrapped off with track friction. I’ve usually noticed that muck on regular car wheels seems to be all or nothing and appear rather quickly when it does (although I’ve not been scientific about it just what it feels like from observations) which has always made me think that once something sticks onto the wheels it give purchase for more muck to cling on fast and things snow ball from there — that’s just speculation though...

 

cheers

 

jeff

[defor]

10 hours ago, Welshbloke said:

Mostly I find the weights in the Bandai chassis kits are enough, although I tend to cram all three of the oblong ones into a powered vehicle. You can avoid a lot of problems by minor track tweaks, such as not having a curve leading directly into the toe end of a turnout.

Ah, sorry, most of my issues are with Koki's which don't have any weighting- I just cram in a ball of sheet lead into the containers and  it's all good.

I can't speak to passenger chassis as I don't run any (at least until there's a B KiHa100 series)

[Welshbloke]

Ahh, yep, I did the same with my TaKis. An offcut of roofing lead is extremely useful stuff! Weirdly I find the KoKis are reasonably stable without extra ballast. I'm contemplating more of both as I currently have four green and grey TaKis, two dark blue ones, and a pair of KoKi 107s which could do with forming into coherent trains.

 

I've had the dirt problem with the passenger and freight bogies, which makes me wonder if it's related to the exact composition of the metal in the wheels. I'll post a photo next time I have a spectacularly grungy one, they're not too bad at the moment after a mammoth cleaning session last time I had the fleet out.