Technical hitch

[RogerB]

Track laying is going well and I am very pleased to report that the coaches and wagons run nicely around both the end curves which was a bit of a surprise as the inner loop has a radius of about 9.5 inches. The issue though is the wheels on the coaches and wagon are the old course variety whereas the track is fine scale meaning all the wheels ride up on the point frogs and derail themselves. At the moment and as far as I am aware no-one is making finescale wheelsets to convert old stock or indeed new rolling stock with finescale wheels already fitted - apart from the class 31's that are due next year.

So, that gives me a year to complete the track, sell my OO stuff [already underway], wire everything up, apply some senery ——- and wait.

R-

[Mountain Goat]

A few ideas come to my mind and some of which I have already tried. The first is to carefully deepen the point frogs. I have done this in the past with Peco points (Both streamline and settrack where needed but it was the streamline points I recall doing it to) so I could run a loco I used to have which was Triang Albert Hall. One opens them up by using a small part of a broken hack saw blade and carefully (By hand) cut away the plastic. The beauty is that I ended up with points I could run all my locos on. I realize that deepening flanges may not be ideal and voids any warrantee but it worked fine for me.
The second idea is to work on the wheels themselves instead and a little lathe is good for this but need not be needed as a minidrill will do the same if used carefully. Plastic wheels with plastic axles are the most difficult as one has to cut the axle in half and glue it back after (Where as if one had a little lathe, one can drill out the wheel centres and find new axles), and then one mounts the axles in the drill or the lathe ad starts to turn or file down the flanges. (The drill method is easier to find a smooth paving slab and use like a sanding block and finish off by carefully clamping the drill and (Be very cautious doing this) carefully using a file to ensure flanges are not too thick.
A lathe is preferable as one has a turning tool to do this instead though one needs to take it easy. Plastic is understandably easy to turn and practically all lathes will turn plastic. Metal wheels one needs a good lathe so if buying, is worth buying something nice, but there is abalnce between budget and what one intends to do... A cheap lathe for plastic wheels does make sense BUT most of us get carried away and think "If only I could turn harder metals" and our eyes turn towards stronger tougher but more expensive lathes! Usual dilemma. What one has there will always come a moment of "I wonder if I could get ... to do...." senario!
But as a reference to what is possible without a lathe as one need not spend out for doing simple jobs if there is a cheaper way, and that is I filed the middle flanges off my Lima class 09 chassis so it would turn round my sharp curves by dissasembling so I could end up with a wheel sitting on its axle, and using the minidrill and the smooth paving slabs outside our house, I filed the flanges off. Maybe a bit basic but it works.
You need to keep some flange left but it shows what can be done. Maybe mount a file in a vice? Whatever method go easy and be safe, as a wheel turning at speed can suddenly jump if doing things freehand so take it easy!

[Steve M]

I admire your faith in converting to a new scale Roger and I can’t say I’ve not been intrigued by Peco’s decision. A few TT locos are in the pipeline but launching what is effectively a completely new product (new TT is, I think, 1:120 while much of the existing stock was closer to 1:100 - I may be wrong) is a brave choice.
Development of a ‘complete’ model range may take some time. Not sure my eyesight will last that long.

[RogerB]

Thanks MG for the extensive reply however I am fairly sure I would make a complete Horlicks of anything connected connected with filing such a small pieces of plastic. R-

[RogerB]

Not sure about brave Steve, more out of necessity. Yes the new product is 1:120, and eyesight is already past any fine work. Cataract pre-surgery assessment Friday week may help. R-

[Mountain Goat]

Hope cataract surgery goes well. My gran waited years and died before she had it, but those who have had it done have been glad as it made quite a difference.

Regarding wheels, it helps to have some old wheels that don't matter to mess about with but get your eyesight done first. That is more important.

[yelrow]

my wife had surgery yesterday. For the first time in 40 years, she does not have to wear glasses. She will have other eye done next week. What service. I had one done this year and second one scheduled for jan. I have 20/20 vision in new eye, and heather seeing consultant later today to assess first eye. Rog, confused. I run triang tt happily on peco track. Can you not use Tillig points.

[yelrow]

There are 2 u tube videos showing coaches happily running on peco points, after diddy mod. worth a look ? john

[RogerB]

Rog, confused. I run triang tt happily on peco track. Can you not use Tillig points.

Thanks John. Interestingly, I am in contact with Garry [author of video] via a FB group. He is very hands on with access to a large range of appropriate tiny modelling tools. I, on the other hand, lack the dexterity, eyesight and courage to attempt such a modification.

Having already invested in Peco I am loathe to change horses now. Are they are compatible?

R-

[RogerB]

Just had a play with the B2B and there is a definite improvement in running. Not perfect so more fiddling to do. It seems as though the critical difference between great and rubbish is down to about .33mm. At that degree it is trial and error. R-