Large Scale Central

Mdm. Mallet goes visiting.

Visited Tom Bakula’s beautiful garden. He did not expect this large a loco to run on his track, but she did fine on the mainline. Had a little trouble getting onto the mountain line.

I remembered, almost too late, to take pictures.

Is that hand laid track? Did he make or buy the switches?

Reason for asking is that the curvature of the switch does not look bad, hard to tell but looks like maybe a #5 ?

I’ve run mine down to 8 foot diameter no problem, and it actually tracked better than a mikado on the same track.

What do you think was the issue?

Greg

Has Madam Mallet been balanced? It seems a though she is sitting on her heels on the uphill approach. More weight up front could help the tracking…

Cha Ching;… Dos Centavos!!

It seems to be climbing the point on the frog.

All his track is beautifully smooth hand laid code 250 rail, straight, level, smooth, graceful curves. All his switches are hand made. Over on his wye, she runs through the switches so smoothly you wouldn’t realize a switch was there. He has a tight switch there to the mountain line. His small mountain loco just glides through it, but Mdm. Mallet can’t do that one.

Interesting, the switch looks smooth enough, much broader than the equivalent of 8’ diameter.

Have you had to modify the mallet pilot truck?

Greg

Greg, she’s almost a hundred year old and has a bazillion miles and one car wreck. Everything is modified, repaired, rebuilt…

I kinda remember! I also remember your store with the indoor layout with real dirt and water, and the kids playing on a loop of track outside in front.

Ahh… the memories…

Greg