Weekend Update 12/05/10

[up1950s]

[up1950s]

UP 2899 progress


 

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I finished the body work for the cab of my E-One tiller. I started to paint it but the color was off so its now sitting in stripper.

The NMRA regional train show was today. It wasn't bad. Thank god its not like the Greenburg shows where 2/3 of the tables were die cast. Man those shows are going down hill fast. In any event, I picked up a CN SD40-2W, an LMS C40-8W, and several freight cars. Atlas seems to have fixed some of the issues with the CR C40-8W line. The cab does not have that gap as the first run featured and the cab end of the shell sits lower on the body. At least I won't have to worry about my three can opener schemed engines on pre-order.

I filled up my workbench again, so I have to start focusing my work. I think I'm going to finish off my X72 boxcars and MDc tanks first, then finish that SW1500.

[wcfn100]

  Well, after a dead squirrel in my fireplace and subsequent holes on my wall and vent pipe, a trip to San Fransisco, and Thanksgiving at our house, I finally got to start work on the bridge project.



  I hadn't filed the cap piece yet in that pick.

  The .050" styrene certainly has it's difficulties, but I think it's still the best way to go given the 8" steps.  I experimented with a couple different construction methods and the best result was what is seen in the pic.  This may still turn out to be a practice part.  It will depend on how it looks with a sandable primer coat (I will take a better picture at that time).


Jason

[BCR 570]

The wiring campaign continues.  This past week saw the installation of the Power Management Panel and associated wiring.  The first step was to pass all of the wiring through the opening in the fascia and then down through the passage hole cut into the base of the helix enclosure:




The next step was to secure the panel onto the fascia and then run the 24 pairs of LED indicator wires over to their respective barrier strip terminals on the circuit breaker panel.  Then came the positive bus wires from the SPST switches to the circuit breaker panel, and to a point above the breaker panel from which they can continue around the layout.  Here is an overall view of the wiring:




The 14 AWG bus wires fit nicely into the barrier strips once stripped, but the 28 AWG LED wires presented a problem in that they were relatively small and fragile, especially once stripped.  I required a solid means of connection, and found the answer at a local electronics store in the form of tiny ferrules.  These are small conductive cylinders with a plastic cone at one end.  I stripped the ends of the wires, inserted them into the ferrules and then crimped them with pliers.  The plastic cones offered an easy way to number the wires.  Here is a closeup:




And with that the Power Management Panel became operational.  Here is a view of the panel with the system turned on and all power districts nominal:




And here is another view with a short present in power district #5 East Pine (the helix):




There are a few minor things left to take care of, including a few more screws to get the panel to sit completely flush on the fascia, but this project is essentially done.  Next up is finishing the Helix Occupancy Panel.


Tim

[NorfolkSouthern9708]

The next step was to secure the panel onto the fascia and then run the 24 pairs of LED indicator wires over to their respective barrier strip terminals on the circuit breaker panel.  Then came the positive bus wires from the SPST switches to the circuit breaker panel, and to a point above the breaker panel from which they can continue around the layout.  Here is an overall view of the wiring:

I though DCC was supposed to make things easier?

[Puddington]

Tim is NOT wiring a train layout; he is actually near completion of Canada's first space shuttle...........

Unreal Tim...................

[Dave V]

I've been unpacking from our move, so no work on the layout.  However, once I have the chance, I'm thinking I'm going to put the Conrail roster on the Juniata Division, since I was running Pennsy for awhile back in Nebraska.

[Iain]

Tim, I've seen my fair share of panels in my time (I used to wire and troubleshoot them), and I have to say, that's as neat as any work I've done.

[woodone]

WOW,
That is a great power panel.  Very neat and will be easy to trouble shoot if and when any problems come up.
With a panel that looks like this I will bet there are very few, if any problems.
I will guess the rest for the layout looks just as good!
Great job!

[unittrain]

I've been starting to really jump into scenery and some structures on my modules also almost done with a scratchbuilt 230' truss bridge I have not posted pictures in a while but will soon. My next biggest project is a large factory that is composed of several mismatched buildings due to the additions over the years.

[Puddington]

I haven't been able to get anything done due to my commitment to our local Santa Claus parade; but with that having been last night and me now thawed out I will get back at it.

Here's an oldie I dug up from the now departed Puddington Valley.... Northhill junction....

[wm3798]

Here's the basic progression on Thomas, thus far...

Basic benchwork and track installed.


Ed applies the scenery base


Kingsford Charcoal added.


Design/build of company housing


Ready to paint


Rough in of housing and street grid


A few details...


and an overview of the scene.  I mudded over the base that Ed put in to smooth out the contours, and ease the "cliff house" effect.  A little paint and ground foam, and it's ready to bring in for a landing.  Still need to build two full duplexes and three flats and some more texturing on the roads, plus of course, track painting and ballast.  The final step will be trees, figures and vehicles.

Lee

[Chris333]

I vacuumed up spider webs and sealed windows... I did build a shelf for all my magazines.

[BCRail_FSJ]

I built this out of strip styrene which technically makes it my first ever scratchbuilt structure.  (The big bridge was a kitbash project).  This is a small transitional trestle between the north end of the Peace River bridge and a large dirt fill.  I used the plans and instructions for a Spokane Int't Rwy trestle provided in the Jan-Feb 2008 'N Scale Railroading' magazine.