Model Railway Forum

Hi, I have been building my 6x4 N Gauge now for a few months and preparing it for DCC. I have now started the exciting part of making and adding the scenery etc. However, yesterday I put a loco on the track and with the old DC controller I ran an engine to see how the track performs. This is the silly mistake that I made, As the loco went over the points it derailed checked the points and thought hang on those points are brand new and I can not see a problem. So time went on, and I could see no reason for a derail. Then I noticed that at the end of the platform and by the side of the points I had installed some nice looking fencing. AS the loco came on the points is where the fence stopped, The loco was hitting the fence and derailing, so after quite a while I found the "stupid " mistake that I had made the fence was too close to the track.

I think We've all done something Similar in the past. Just one of the things that makes the hobby interesting. It would be a bit boring if everything worked out right first time

Not silly at all. I once glued down a length of platform too close.

I always believed regular ba**s ups were compulsory.

mine will start when HM 6000, arrives. Ordered to keep my mind active. This Blue tooth thingy is a mystery to me, and probably will remain so. Its the locos i feel sorry for. They wont know whats hit them.

I guess we've all had experience of things fouling against lineside structures.

Mine was one of my longest coaches catching the ladder of a signal gantry when using the curved crossover in my station area.

Ah! One of the first things we read is make sure the longest locomotive/carriage/rolling stock can safely travel around the track.

Then a derailment, we blame the locomotive. It must be, because everything else runs smoothly.

Proving that what we read, we sometimes ignore.

Glencairn

Trouble starts when you buy an even longer loco or carriage.

The only thing I know for sure is if anyone tells you they haven't "goofed" at some point, they're lying

The good thing about your "mistake" is it was fixable and fix fairly easily I would think

Funny one I did was to spend ages checking my wiring etc and I checked every single thing I could think of as to why nothing was working. Finally I checked the plug to find I had not switched anything on! It was so obvious I could not believe I had made the mistake!

Have you noticed also how perfect everything round when you are the only one watching... Once saw an exhibition which had an automated tram and a separate line for the loco which crossed at a diamond crossing. I had noticed the tram had over-run its isolation track section (I was well aware how they worked as I had one myself) and I told the layout operator who said "It stops automatically if it needs to"... 'OK' I thought as I watched with amusement as there was a collision with a rather embarrassed layout operator! I had my first GF with me at the time and she was highly amused!

Another time I visited a gentleman who is an excellent narrow gauge modeller who lives in West Wales. While the vast majority of his locos are track powered, he had one loco that was radio control, and as he was in the middle of layout alterations he went to try and show me his lovely radio control loco and you know those days when showing things off does not go to plan. Well... His loco would not stay on the track. Yet, as he told me later, that after I had gone it didn't once de-rail!

It is funny the things that happen like this. One just has to chuckle and enjoy the moment! Think how many 00 trains go round a loop to crash into their detached wagons or coaches!