Lachlan's diesel is operational again and the tunnel entrance work resumes

Lachlan's diesel
Well last week saw me trolling through various websites about the best way to fix the universal joint problem I had with my son's Alaska Railroad diesel from Bachmann. I contacted Bachmann via the web and they replied that they don't stock the universal joints separately as spare parts and I would need to order a new motor assembly (US$15 + 16.50 p&h). I then thought about maybe just buying another GP40 and replace the shell. This would be close to what I paid for the original. I then had a look at Micro-Mark and they stock universal joint kits. Four metal shafts plus nylon balls and sockets for about A$25. I was heading down the path of the Micro-Mark option when I spoke to my mate PK. He suggested maybe getting some K&S piping of suitable diameter and cut a small piece off as a collar to go over the universal socket.

So Friday night I got out the magnifying glass headwear and took the diesel apart for a closer look. Surprise, surprise as Gomer Pyle used to say! My eyesight was playing tricks. The socket hadn't splayed apart at the ball end, it was fine. What had happened was that a small crack had developed at the end that compression fits on the gearbox spindle. So naturally taking the cheaper option first I when and purchased a length of 4mm diameter brass K&S tubing on Saturday morning. That afternoon I got out my multitool and cut a small (3mm) piece off and then had to cut a lengthwise slit in it to reduce the diameter to fit as the socket gearbox end was marginally to big for the 3.5 mm or 5/32" diameter tubing in stock. Glueing up the crack and then using pliers to compress the brass ring down on the plastic socket, seemed to do the trick as I then tested the chassis on the track and it moved ok. I then put the shell back on and did a further 1.5 hours of medium speed running with no load coupled up, on Illavearf.

Now Lachlan wants me cracking on with making his layout as soon as possible!

The tunnel entrance work resumes
Late Sunday afternoon I had a spare thirty minutes to see if I could resume this work. Out came the balsa bits and bobs. I cut down some square lengths to use us the side uprights, as well as some 2mm thick sheet to use as the fascia. These were glued together and kept insitu as the glue dried as it was then time to go and sort the kids and dinner out. Hopefully this week I can get around to experimenting with the Scalescenes rock work sheeting and the Metal Beam photo mentioned previously. The latter might be ruled out for sheer simplicity sake and the fascia rendered in the rock work as well (modellers licence might be is that there is an unseen steel lintil holding up the stonework!)