Dad-1 - Workbench - West Bay Wagon Works

[Dad-1]

Thought I'd add here as it refers to Dapol Lowmac wagons.
I've had the odd reply from YouTube videos of me to running my Lowmacs
where people say they derail. Odd mine don't, so there must be a reason.

https://youtu.be/YdDyhWMcShM?si=MPJeXPL44zKJOX0d

As an aside, I don't need any more Lowmacs !!

Geoff T

[Mountain]

Different width couplings. Lack of weight as they could do with a slight bit more weight but not a lot. Maybe wheel flanges maybe too low profile or the tread anglebis too flat or the curve to the flange needs changing... Actually a few reasons for de'railing. Yes, I have a pair myself (Or had a pair. Think I had three though unsure if I still have them). I think the weight is the main issue to be honest as Airfix glued on the box loads which added just enough weight. Hornby who eventually hought the moulds from Dapol? (Or elsewhere) had them made with detachable loads. Is only when run without loads they seem to be an issue as mine ran fine before I detached the loads (The plastic ripped off with the boxes, so I had to fill this with filler and paint over the top... I wanted to use them on B.R. blue era trains carrying rails where one of these would be used either end of the formation to allow for any longer rails to overhang).

[Bufferstop]

Yep! it's the weight that's the problem, empty they derail with the slightest side force on the coupler. I packed the hollows beneath the deck with ersatz Blu Tak which someone ordered then abandoned in the back of the stationery cupboard when they discovered why it was so cheap. I spotted that it was a similar consistency to modelling clay and "tidied up" a couple of open boxes. I've used one as the jib carrier for my breakdown crane.

[Dad-1]

Sort your couplers and they don't derail that easily.
I have pulled 14 wagons behind a VERY light wagon without problems, like just 8 grams !!
Adding too much draw bar weight creates as many problems as it solves. Once the draw weight
reaches a point where a light wagon is lifted off the rails you are on course for disaster !!

Poor track is almost as bad because 'light' they are very unforgiving. As I was making this
video I had my Bachmann 3F tender loco derail. There were two places on the line I was
using that I was aware of - so I'd taken a collection of files, some 500 grade wet-n-dry and
reduced the track faults. However none of the Lowmacs derailed during my track
modifications and testing.

For anyone who thinks filing rails is awful, it is. That is why after working towards finer
files I finish with lubricated grade 500 wet-n-dry which brings the surface to an acceptable
finish. If it were MY track I would then do a final polish with Brasso giving a surface better
than new unused track.

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

No comeback resulting from my last comments.
Weight - Quite an interesting subject when related to model railway running.
There are so many different elements that combine to give any wagons weight.
Over the last few years I have made 10 Parkside PC-90 hopper wagon kits.
These while superb little models are very limiting in the ability to add weight
to an empty wagon, and they are very light. Some interesting comparisons.
11.1; 11.7; 11.6 & 12.2 grams; all empty and using Alan Gibson metal rimmed plastic wheels but those
fitted with Kadees come out heavier due to coupler weight.
17.1 & 17.2 grams; Again all empty, but here I used Hornby 100% metal wheels.
These are all light, but running on good track doesn't cause me any trouble at all, but rough driving could
cause problems particularly an emergency stop with a heavy train behind them !!

The remaining 4 are loaded 100% with my coal, no light lower strata as that would give a higher centre
of gravity which would not be desirable. These are solid fixed loads that I prefer.
50.5; 50.5; 52.1 & 54.1 grams; I didn't note what wheels, or couplers were fitted to these. They all fall
into my heavyweight class. Although they can & have run behind the others without causing problems.
One wouldn't normally expect both full & empties in a train and were I to do so I would put the heavy
wagons between light stock & the locomotive.

From those with recorded weight my heaviest at two loaded bogie bolsters with old Hornby resin girders
that come in at 125.3 & 125.8 grams these are never placed well back in any formation !!
There are many assorted wagons in the 12 to 18 gram range, they don't cause problems so why add weight.

Geoff T.

[Phred]

Dad-1 wrote:
loaded 100% with my coal

Phred wonders: What does he make his coal from... where does he get it
Wishes there was a Gollum smiley.

[aleopardstail]

suspect a fair few "weight" problems are not specifically the weight, more the weight not being enough to mask other issues

e.g. light wagons but with rubbish high friction bearings will derail on corners, where as light ones that are free rolling are less likely to. ditto on decent track without hard transitions and kinks weight matters less. metal wheels help, clean wheels help more, flanges especially so they are smooth and don't 'grip' the rail and ride up

centre of gravity also matters on tighter corners, as does the squareness of the chassis, and twists and a lighter vehicle has problems.

as you note light wagons with heavier behind will be a problem unless care is taken, DCC can help here with acceleration and braking enabled for softer starts.

and yes good couplings matter a lot, especially on longer wheelbases and tighter curves

if weight along was the issue N & Z gauge wouldn't work.

I'm actually amazed some of my stuff stayed on the track in N gauge but it generally did, and the class 47 that fell over every single time across one point wasn't a weight issue

[Dad-1]

Hi aleopardstail,

Sounds like we use the same crib sheet.
Not often a simple-fix answer.

phred,

My coal is a strange mix of different ballasts & mock coal products
that to my eye gives me a better load than real coal. Trying to break
coal into a uniform small size is almost impossible - I have tried.

Geoff T

[aleopardstail]

Hi aleopardstail,

Sounds like we use the same crib sheet.
Not often a simple-fix answer.

phred,

My coal is a strange mix of different ballasts & mock coal products
that to my eye gives me a better load than real coal. Trying to break
coal into a uniform small size is almost impossible - I have tried.

Geoff T

from the model gaming world, if you want small rocks on a models base you can often use small rocks, but you have to paint them otherwise they don't look like small rocks

coal is the same, that glint actual coal has flat out does not scale, never found actual crushed coal looks remotely coal like

[Dad-1]

Another YouTube video.

Working a few wagons on Chalkhill, using my lightest Dapol Lowmac as a shunters truck.
The 5 loaded coal wagons weigh an astonishing 280 grams, yet it wasn't enough to force
a 12.4 gram Lowmac off when pushing back through a couple of points.

https://youtu.be/EUPlRb-2OTk

These points give rough riding and have over time derailed a lot of reliable stock.

Off tomorrow for a 2 day exhibition at Wimborne, Dorset, run by the Wessex Association.
Thomas rides again !! I'm retiring 'Thomas' next year, that will be 10 years of exhibition
use. The layout still works, but I'm worn out.

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

After leaving this alone for over a month I put the gantry walkway
and ladders on, plus some of the decals. I have yet to make up
my chosen running number.



Another one of these, I now have 4. This one needs some more touch-ups
and weathering.

Geoff T

[aleopardstail]

These Dapol kits, while a bit basic can certainly turn out nicely and are a not bad way to pad a rake out. I mean if you have one wagon yes you want a good one, but if its with 8+ others they sort of blur together and the overall effect is excellent.

I've got a bunch of Hornby Railroad covered vans, more basic than one of these kits, less colourful but its the same, they become part of the scenery

[Dad-1]

Back Halfway down page 20 of this thread I started making a Roxey Mouldings white metal
'Loco' kit, Mini was hardly big enough to be called a Locomotive.
I can't recall when it was finished, but probably by the end of December 2015, no doubt
somewhere in the thread.
So Mini was out at the weekend doing a few laps on my 'Thomas' layout. It caught the eye
of a host club member who was running the 'O' gauge. So darned small, but he thought it
a great fun item and fancies making one himself. That prompted me to take a photo.





Built 9 years ago still running perfectly, as one would expect with a Lenz decoder. It probably
cost me just over £100 then. If one can find a Tenshodo spud in 2024 it would probably cost
£150 to make today. Well worth it for the 'Fun' factor !!

Being white metal it's very heavy and can easily pull 20 wagons.

Geoff T.

[Phred]

Dad-1 wrote:
Being white metal it's very heavy and can easily pull 20 wagons.

Wow - impressive!