Workshop VII

Not everyone owns time and space for the realization of a fixed set for permanent use at a convenient location. Living in a small apartment or sharing space with other family members one has to limit the hobby on »borrowed terrain«, as e.g. Andreas Zitzmann, who contributed the following lines:

»I was meanwhile busily acquiring further material, especially rails as well as a block loco plus three suiting passenger cars - I knew it! Since I also will have no space for a permanent set for the near future, activities will have to continue on the (meanwhile extended) dinner table. Already as a child I always wanted to have overpasses: During these times, LEGO bricks had to serve as pillars, followed by matches being glued together.«

»Now I have built a 'real' bridge from balsa wood, 3x3 mm and 4x4 mm longerons, respectively. Seven pieces for the up- and down ramp plus an overpass. Of course the whole construction is highly fragile, since all pieces are only loosely assembled and not glued because the bridge has to be dismantled and to be put together in another configuration. Also the rails as well are only put on top - everything just like a light railway. But it works!«

»The bridge is high enough so that also the crane car may pass underneath and the trains are easily mastering the slope (also in the curves), as long as not too many cars attached. The block loco is nicely mastering two four-axle passenger cars, however, with three cars she is moaning a bit.«

»Construction time for the 'mobile bridge': Two weekends. Material costs: some ten Euros in a well sorted hardware store. Tools: ruler, pencil, sanding paper, jig saw, small file, Ponal-Express glue. Maybe a suggestion for other 'EGGERlings' who only want to attach their rails on occasion, just for the fun of driving.«

For showing so much enthusiasm and engagement, we generously accept Andreas' two Roco locos that can be seen on his pictures... ;-)