Adding a load

One thing which is noticeable about Eskalon is that nothing is actually being carried at the moment, the passenger coaches are empty as are the trucks! I've rectified the latter with respect to my open wagon adding a coal load. A technique i've tried is to glue the "coal" onto cardboard and then insert this into the wagon instead of having the load loose (a disaster waiting to happen) or gluing it to the wagon itself. In theory this should mean removing the load easier if i need to do it in future. I think it looks pretty good so will try this on some of the industrial wagons too.

The issue of coupling

One problem i have with Eskalon is keeping the stock coupled together! The problem is a design flaw with the otherwise excellent Liliput diesel locomotives of which i now have 2. The NEM socket is a fraction too far back so a NEM coupling with a hook (NEM 360 is it?) can't be used as the hook cannot lift high enough to allow for the other stock to couple properly. Its just a matter of a millimetre  or so alas!

That means i have had to use the non-hooked coupler that comes with the locomotive. Thats fine to an extent, and that extent is when the track isn't level or a bit bumpy as Eskalon is at parts of its main loop. The stock becomes uncoupled from the locomotive. If both loco and stock could loop each other's hook then we'd be fine but as above thats impossible.

I'm now trying Kadee couplings (which came with the loco) and these seem to work. One problem i have though is that my new equipment van has a non-interchangable coupling so its stuck with the loop and hook method. My open wagon is thus acting as a match wagon with a different coupler at each end.

As for the passenger train well the only way i managed to get that to work in push mode was to use the flat semi-permanent coupler. This reduces flexibility of course as the only way to uncouple the loco from the train is to physically lift it from the track but with 2 mainline locomotives now thats not so much of an issue.

We'll try the Kadees for now, i probably need another wagon with interchangeable NEM sockets so i can top and tail any stock like the van which cannot use the Kadees.

Vine video

I made a Vine video of Eskalon in action, take a look!

Some more photos

Some more photos of Eskalon after the arrival of the new motive power.

A new loco

Its about time Eskalon had a new locomotive, and a friend for our mainstay D16. So welcome D13! The same type of loco as D16 but in Zillertalbahn red. It and D16 will alternate on passenger train duties. A new equipment van has also arrived so there is now a small departmental train too which D16 will take charge of for the next couple of months.

Scenery update

The scenery of Eskalon is (and maybe always will be) a work in progress. Over the last couple of weeks i've added more trees (think we are up to 45 now!) and some lichen too. The Dr's surgery now has its own tarmaced area too. My approach to model railway scenery is to continually built things up in layers and this will continue.

Eskalon station is open for business

I decided to combine the station and shed buildings to make one complex for Eskalon station. People and a little paint here and there have been added, the station can be considered open for business!