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paul_merton
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 19
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 Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:45 pm Post subject: Coffee table layout plans |
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Here are my tentative plans for a compact layout inside my coffee table:
(or in super-high-detail PDF format: http://photos.jibble.org/scratch-browse/Tgauge/Tgauge.pdf)
The coffee table has two glass panels, and I'll be creating tunnels through the middle section. The whole length of track is essentially a single loop, so a single train can explore every section of the landscape without any switches/points.
The entire top section of the coffee table will be removable for access to the tunnel section, and with the glass in place, dust should hopefully not be an issue. More importantly, my cat won't be able to get at it :)
The controller will be neatly hidden away inside one of the drawers in the coffee table. The layout isn't meant to represent any real life location, it's just a way of making my coffee table a bit more interesting.
Now I just need to find the cheapest place to buy all that track from! |
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trainspotter-usa
Joined: 04 Sep 2008
Posts: 315
Location: Minnesota
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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Wow! How far will a train travel circumnavigating this plan?
Look forward to following it's progress
Ian
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I CAN see how cool this stuff is!!!
http://more-t-please.blogspot.com/ |
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paul_merton
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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| trainspotter-usa wrote: | Wow! How far will a train travel circumnavigating this plan?
Look forward to following it's progress
Ian |
Good question, I hadn't even wondered that!
If I've counted the pieces correctly, there are:
27 x 60mm straights
46 x 120mm radius curves
34 x 132.5mm radius curves
27 * 60 + 46 * 240 * pi / 12 + 34 * 265 * pi / 12 = 6869mm
So assuming my maths and counting is correct, that's nearly 7 metres. Not bad for a coffee table that's about a metre long!
Paul. |
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ken J
Joined: 11 Jan 2009
Posts: 13
Location: Birmingham UK
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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I really like coffee table layouts - they were all the rage here in the UK in the 1970's when I was at University and lots of articles were written at the time in model railway journals. My friend buit an 009 coffee table layout during the vacations and it still survives, unlike many others that over the years have been thrown away, sold or permanently damaged. You'll see my solid coffee table layout in N gauge which I built a couple of years ago on my website under layouts > Mynoras farm
Good luck with your T gauge coffee table layout
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visit www.kenjonestrains.co.uk and www.ngaugewmg.co.uk
Ken |
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paul_merton
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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| ken J wrote: | | I really like coffee table layouts - they were all the rage here in the UK in the 1970's when I was at University and lots of articles were written at the time in model railway journals. My friend buit an 009 coffee table layout during the vacations and it still survives, unlike many others that over the years have been thrown away, sold or permanently damaged. You'll see my solid coffee table layout in N gauge which I built a couple of years ago on my website under layouts > Mynoras farm |
I had originally planned to put an N gauge layout inside the coffee table, but that would have been a bit of a squeeze (and probably not much more interesting than a basic oval). As soon as I heard about T gauge, my coffee table's destiny was written in stone :)
I've never made a layout before, but this seems like a good 2-in-1 opportunity to give each side a different theme. I'm just pondering whether to spend the staggering amount of money on the track or wait until the flexitrack becomes available. I've got a feeling that I'll find the more expensive option the easier one, but £150 seems like a lot to spend on track! |
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oztman
Joined: 14 Jan 2009
Posts: 34
Location: Sydney, Australia
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| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 1:38 am Post subject: |
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That will be quite a layout when it's finished. Seven metres works out to just over three kilometres in 1:1, so you'll have quite a long run there.
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Gary
Z scale, but very curious about T - and who knows? |
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B 67
Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 277
Location: Stratford, Australia
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| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:27 am Post subject: |
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I think the flex track will be worth waiting for. Looks like the price will be around US$11.50 / AU$17.50 / UK£8.00 per length. Which is obviously considerably cheaper than using the set track. I'm basing this on the JP¥1050 shown on KK Eishindo's web site.
I also notice you have quite a few reverse curves in your plan. I found the trains tend to derail or uncouple more frequently at these, so perhaps best avoided. I may just have been unlucky. Perhaps somebody else had better experiences?
The flexible track will make it easy to put a short straight length between the curves - not to mention adding compound curves - gradually going from straight to the curve radiii you need.
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Darren,
Stratford,
Australia. |
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paul_merton
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 9:30 am Post subject: |
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| B 67 wrote: | | I also notice you have quite a few reverse curves in your plan. I found the trains tend to derail or uncouple more frequently at these, so perhaps best avoided. I may just have been unlucky. Perhaps somebody else had better experiences? |
Until they release some trains with lower gearing, which can run more reliably at lower speeds, I was planning on just running the two powered cars around this layout. Would that be prone to the same problem? (i.e. without the unpowered car being "pushed" around the track?)
Quite a lot of the real trains around here are just two-carriage DMUs anyway, so it wouldn't look too out of place :)
Actually, that raises another question for me - would a 3% incline pose any problems for the currently available trains? |
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B 67
Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 277
Location: Stratford, Australia
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| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 9:43 am Post subject: |
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Before I built my layout, I tried a few things with the track that comes in the set - including end to end layouts so as to try the sensors provided. But whenever I had opposing curves joined, the trains tended to derail. Not always, but often. It didn't seem to matter if trailers were there or not, but it was usually these that came off.
It seemed to be the couplings not swinging sideways, and the bogies were rather stiff when new too. So I'm guessing it was a combination of these two things. Adding a straight between the curves did seem to help.
I guess the thing to do is experiment. Try it yourself. You may not have the same problem. But if you wait for the flex track - and it shouldn't be that long to wait, you should be better off anyway.
The only part that might look out of place is that the trailers have the driving ends in them. But you might be able to swap the bodies over. I've not tried this, but I don't know of any reason this couldn't be done. If somebody knows otherwise, I'm sure they won't take long to correct me. 
3% grade shouldn't be a problem.
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Darren,
Stratford,
Australia. |
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victorian t gauge
Joined: 02 Nov 2008
Posts: 109
Location: traralgon, victoria, australia
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| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 10:17 am Post subject: |
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WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!, flextrack $17.50ae!!???!!???? thats insane value!!  i sure agree thats the way to go with the coffee table, keen to see updates! i cant wait for flex track. they could even price there OWN set track out of existance! |
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paul_merton
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 11:44 am Post subject: |
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I'm not sure whether to wait for the flexitrack or just go ahead with the settrack now :) I was thinking that the small scale would make the flexible stuff a bit fiddly to cut and join up without leaving gaps, although it would be cheaper and better looking.
I wouldn't expect any progress reports in the near future - not until I've decided what I'm going to do, at least :) |
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B 67
Joined: 23 Sep 2008
Posts: 277
Location: Stratford, Australia
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| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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| victorian t gauge wrote: | | WHOA!!!!!!!!!!!, flextrack $17.50ae!!???!!???? thats insane value!! i sure agree thats the way to go with the coffee table, keen to see updates! i cant wait for flex track. they could even price there OWN set track out of existance! |
For us, there will be the GST to add, and part of the cost of getting the stuff here. But still, the price will work out quite attractive.
Set tracks are generally more expensive than flex track in any scale, and the ballasted roadbed types often considerably so.
Consider that flex track will be too fiddly for many and that set track is much easier to work with, and I don't think the price difference will stop it selling.
| paul_merton wrote: | I'm not sure whether to wait for the flexitrack or just go ahead with the settrack now  I was thinking that the small scale would make the flexible stuff a bit fiddly to cut and join up without leaving gaps, although it would be cheaper and better looking. |
I'm not quite sure just what Eishindo are planning as regards joining the flex yet. Using traditional loose joiners, as with other scales, is going to be far too fiddly for most. I'm sure I'd cope, as would some others. But generally, people would find them too small.
I've had a few thoughts of how it could be done. Such as a sort of plate that both rails would slide into. I'm also thinking they could come up with a converter track to join the set track and flex track together. Not that this would be necessary really. But a way to make things easier for those who aren't quite sure if they should really be using T gauge.
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Darren,
Stratford,
Australia. |
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David K Smith
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Joined: 03 Sep 2008
Posts: 435
Location: New Jersey, USA
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| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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I'm also wondering how they'll recommend cutting the flex. I have a feeling traditional rail nippers would be damaged by the steel (I'm not about to try it and see), and regular diagonal cutters would distort the end of the rail. That leaves a motor tool, which is the domain of more serious modelers.
Indeed, "too fiddly" is a good way of putting it. Glad they have the set track for casual modelers as well as the faint of heart...
Great coffee table plan, by the way. Reminds me of the Alishan Railway in Taiwan:
More information in this thread:
http://talkingtgauge.s2.bizhat.com/viewtopic.php?t=86
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—David
http://www.t-gauge.net/
http://1-450.blogspot.com/ |
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paul_merton
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 19
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| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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I think I might just wimp out, then, and go for the fixed track - I am new to this after all. Besides, I can get started more quickly that way :)
It's a shame that it's still cheaper to import the track pieces from Japan than to buy it from a shop here in the UK! |
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Adam Bastow
Joined: 15 Feb 2009
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2009 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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Don't ever buy from Gaugemaster. They charge double what the Japanese are charging.
There are a couple of model shops who are selling T gauge. My local one in town is selling the sectional track at £6.00 per pack. That's cheaper by about a pound. As opposed to ordering from JP.
The shop is called Milnsbridge Models in Huddersfield.
There's also here http://www.tgauge.co.uk/index.html for T gauge in the UK. |
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