HCD layout adventure

[MichaelT]

Not a lot to report on the HCD this week. I did get plaster cloth down on all the needed areas where foam was showing from pulling up old PC (plastercloth) and roadbed. Also straightened out the siding on the hill, and installed a turnout to include a 180 degree siding going back the other way. One bright spot, after finding an old thread discussing connecting c55 to c80 track, I did solder c55 track to both ends of the c80 turnout on top of the hill, so both sidings topside are c55 track!!

Letting the plaster cloth dry the rest of the night, and tomorrow evening I'll start slapping down some paint and ground cover to get rid of the white from the PC.

[MichaelT]

So after getting back from the next door neighbor's house (I've been doing a small remodel job for her, she had some water damage over an entryway, had to replace the header and get wallboard up, tonight was tape and first mud coat) I pulled out a Kato SD40 and ran it on the HCD. There was one spot that it derailed a few times, and after checking out the connection, it was where the former owner had installed insulating joiners and the connecting tracks had gotten out of gauge.

I didn't like that so I pulled up the sections of track and laid down a piece of flex track to help the curve, and soldered both ends. One end the rails were up a tad, so filed them down a bit. The curve looks a little smoother and the joints at both ends look straight and flush. Once the glue dries (hopefully before bedtime) I'll test the SD40 again. It's a really nice running engine.

[MichaelT]

I came across a layout story in RMC mag last night; it's an N scale 30"x80" rendition of the Ann Arbor layout. The guy built 1x benchwork for it, but it's still an HCD template. The simplicity of the track plan is appealing. I'm considering copying that track plan for another HCD and connecting it to the current layout by a 12" shelf/staging yard. That would allow me to give the current HCD a more rural look to it, and build a small/mid-size town on the second one.

Small steps...

[MichaelT]

Well a small success for the evening; the SD40 runs very well over the repaired track section!

 ;D  ;D

[MichaelT]

Ok, here's a scanned copy of the layout I found in RMC mag. It's a simple little line with three siding areas, one a double at the elevator. One thought I would possibly include is to add another siding on the bottom to the right and add one more customer to the mix. The interchange lead upper left would be the ultimate spot to branch off from to connect this to the first HCD layout via a 12-16" shelf extending from one door to the other.

[wm3798]

You're having too much fun...  Better tone it down there!

Lee

[MichaelT]

You're having too much fun...  Better tone it down there!
Lee

Yeah well, better a late start than none. I'm just glad I've been doing some RR work and seeing some productive things going on. AND......I haven't gone back to square one again yet!! (knock on MDF, all I got here at the desk ).

 ;D

[MichaelT]

You're having too much fun...  Better tone it down there!

Lee

hehe, yes I have been. I put an MP GP15 in front of five car consist and it's been running for about 30 minutes now. Before that was the UP SD40 in the lead for about 20 minutes.

If I wasn't so late, I'd hook up the Digitrax buss and run my MP GP38's....maybe tomorrow night!!