{"id":243973,"date":"2025-06-30T10:06:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T00:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?guid=97d51140c59a148daead1b0a372e9a1e"},"modified":"2025-06-30T10:06:00","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T00:06:00","slug":"installing-the-ramp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=243973","title":{"rendered":"Installing the ramp"},"content":{"rendered":"

 The long ramp installation <\/b><\/p>\n

After my ramp testing, it was time to install.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Still wearing reminents of Genesee & Wyoming livery, SSR CLF2 awaits in Junee for its next assignment – probably a grain train<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

The ramp is to go behind the future Bomen station area<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A string line was attached to the wall –  rising from the staging yard, and extending to Shepherds<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The brackets were just touching the string line.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The white plank was then secured to the brackets with screws from below.  Easier said than done – very awkward to drive in the screws <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A wooden block installed at the bottom of the ramp. This block is also sloped with spacers. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Track on the ramp is just placed prior to securing the track to the double crossover (out of sight).  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Preparing the track.<\/u><\/p>\n

Electrical connections around track joiners is one of those tasks that is mind numbing, but to rely on just the track joiners for electrical connections is a recipe for frustrations later.  So, before the track on the ramp was installed, I soldered a wire jumper to the ends of the rail, around the joiner.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
This was on the staging track, but the process was repeated for the ramp track segments<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
The wire I used. Flexible, and rated at 3Amp<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Wire stripper is essential.  I have owned this for over 30 years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Foam roadbed<\/u><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
At the bottom of the ramp, there was a need to raise the track from the double crossover to the wooden board.  I had some scrap blue foam, which I sliced into strips, and glued into position<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
I needed to pin the strips with nails whilst the white glue dried<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Never have too many clamps<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
After shaping and sanding, track installed off the Atlas rerailers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DCC Concepts Power base installed under the track starting at 2 metres up the ramp.  The 6 lengths of flex track prewired with jumper wires, placed onto the power base.  There are a few rail expansion gaps between the lengths of flex track.  The contractor engine pictured is a tribute to days of olde. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 The end of the ramp is just shy of 17cm above the staging yard, but will continue upwards around the Shepherds loop.   Something that I hope to start before I host the NMRA Div2 meeting on July 19th<\/span><\/p>\n


<\/span><\/div>\n
Some other activities<\/u><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/u><\/span><\/div>\n
Whilst I had the bench saw out to reduce the width of one of the white planks, I cut a shelf from surplus timber, for one of the cupboards for the kitchenette bench. <\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
There were no holes in the cupboard for the shelf supports, so I made up a height jig, and drilled the 5mm holes at a consistant height<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Some essential supplies stocked, ready for the meeting<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n


<\/span><\/div>\n

Conclusion<\/u><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
This post should should have happened a few weeks ago, but a combination of non railway activities, and a bout of Covid has delayed things somewhat.  But progress, is progress.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Until next time, build a model or two<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

 The long ramp installation After my ramp testing, it was time to install.Still wearing reminents of Genesee & Wyoming livery, SSR CLF2 awaits in Junee for its next assignment – probably a grain trainThe ramp is to go behind the future Bo…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[13943,6529],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-243973","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-benchwork","category-ho-layout"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t