Weekend Update 1/2/11

[up1950s]

The curtain rises on a new year of show and tell .

[up1950s]

UP 4-6-0 1242 tender almost ready for paint , started work on the tender for its sister UP 1243 .
 

 

[BCR 570]

During this past week I manages to finish the last two layout projects scheduled for 2010.

First up this week was installation of the helix occupancy circuit, which was waiting on completion of the power management panel.  After pre-loading the indicator panel with the LEDs and wire leads, the panel was attached to the fascia:




The LED wires were routed down and underneath the bottom turn of the helix to a barrier strip attached to the inside of the helix base.  The emitters and detectors were taped in place on either side of the track on each level and the wires were routed down and underneath the bottom turn to the barrier strips.  The lead wires from the power supply were also routed over to the barrier strips and all of the wires were connected to the barrier strips with the same ferrules I used for the circuit breaker panel.  I then ran a test train down the helix to verify that everything was working.  Here is the test train completing the bottom turn of the helix, with most components of the circuitry visible:




Out on the fascia, the green light on the indicator panel informs us that the descending train is completing the bottom (first) turn of the helix:




The last item I wanted to accomplish before the end of the year was to install the first phase of the control bus.  I have been operating with a throttle connected to the rear of the command station which is now underneath the rear of the helix, and the cable keeps snagging on the circuit breaker panel.  It was time to get the control bus going. 

Openings for the Lenz LA152 panels were cut into the fascia at either end of the Pine River bridge section on the lower level.  A four-conductor wire was run from the terminal block on the rear of the command station to the terminal block on the rear of the first LA152:




From there a six-conductor wire with RJ12 plugs was run underneath and up behind the backdrop to reach the CVP ALR900 receiver for the wireless throttles, which I have sited on top of the helix light canopy:




Another six-conductor wire was run along the underside of the benchwork and over to the second LA152 panel:




This is as far as I will go with it for now, as the remaining portions of the lower deck will have control panels and I do not yet know exactly where they are going.  I did take the opportunity to install a throttle pocket for the Lenz LH90 throttle, and velcro mounts for the CVP T9000e wireless throttles:




I can now plug in my throttle and hang it on the fascia.  The LA152 panels also display a system status light which is handy as the one on the command station is not visible from outside the helix.

I will now take a break from layout work for a while.  A lot has been accomplished in the last few months, and the layout is now completely ready for the resumption of tracklaying.  However, I have been itching to get back to work on some model projects, and they will be the first items on my modelling agenda for 2011.

Best wishes to everyone for 2011,

Tim

[wm3798]

As an antidote to Tim's neatly packaged dust free environment, I give you the completed Connellsville line siding.  I closed the west end with a #10, and equipped it with a Switch It decoder, so I can manage the points at both ends from the hand held.

As you can see, I used the "Rat's Nest" method to wire the assembled lot.  With this little business out of the way, I was able to press on with some other benchwork in this area, which will support the mainline through Cumberland.


Looks like it's going to be time to work on the station again, soon!

Lee

[Guilford Guy]

Just out of curiosity, how will the Elkins line be either blended in with, or separated from the Cumberland area?

[SkipGear]

I spent the day and probably $2000 helping a buddy replace our main sewer line. Would have much rather been playing trains but at least the plumbing works again. No new trains for me for a while.

[up1950s]

I spent the day and probably $2000 helping a buddy replace our main sewer line. Would have much rather been playing trains but at least the plumbing works again. No new trains for me for a while.

You and somebody did it , wow . Cost me 5K about 8 years ago to farm it out , Backhoe and operator , 3 or 4 laborers , dump truck and operator , and a chief whippersnapper , maybe more . Had them replace my water main also as it was old an just a foot to the side .

[SkipGear]

He is a master plumber that normally contracts out large construction jobs. He had to bring another buddy with a small trackhoe because all of his equipment was too big. It was buddy job, I raced RC cars with him for many years and have painted his bodies forever. I hope the price is friendly too. Haven't gotten the bill yet, just guestimating. I may be broker than I realize. LOL.

Fortunately the distance from the break to the street tap was only about 10'. The worst part was it was under our deck, which is no more now and I still have to clean up the remnants of the deck.

[wcfn100]

I haven't had much free time but I was able to follow up with some texturing.  I wasn't happy with my first results and wanted to give it another try using a different applicator. It turns out that it's the paint that controls the texture.  If you apply it too dry, you get the too large texture.  If you keep things nice and damp as you work, you can get much better results.



And to give it some scale.



I don't know if this is what I'll use, but I at least feel it's a good sample to compare against any other techniques.

Hopefully I can finally get the air brush up and running, close this out, and move onto the next phase.  Whatever that may be.

Jason

[Chris333]

I got about 25 feet of double track mainline in, but it is all hidden trackage.

[Philip H]

Does it count if you manage to flatten all the empty present boxes that got stored in the train room and get them to recycling?

Tim, That's great work.  You may have posted it in another thread, but how do you like the CVP wireless/Lenz wired combination?

Lee - Dang bro, at this rate you will get yours rebuilt before I get mine built!  I have a few recent Cumberland pics if you need them - the station is clean noiw ya know!

[conrail98]

Does it count if you manage to flatten all the empty present boxes that got stored in the train room and get them to recycling?

Not saving them for cardboard scenery strips?

Phil

[wm3798]

Guilford:  I haven't sorted out the details of the blending, but there will be a backdrop mountain that rises up from the town to catch the tunnel portal at the top of the helix.  It'll look a tad odd in person, but from a photographic standpoint, it'll be pretty easy to isolate the two scenes.  It's one of those "model railroady" compromises that makes the hair stand up on the back of Ed's neck... I try to include as much of that as possible!   ;D

Phil:  You've got plenty of time.  Getting the yard rebuilt to make all of this function is going to require a fairly major investment, which ain't going to happen until a couple of cars get paid off and the wife becomes a productive member of society again...

I like pushing ahead with scenery, because it's cheap!

Lee

[John]

Not much for me ..

I spent the weekend wiring tunouts to slide switches, and cussing at my Atlas C5 curved turnouts .. The gauge is tight on these, and fixing them required a bunch of fiddling. I ended up widening the gauge by heating the outside rails and moving them out. Still not happy with them, so will probably do like Dave F and rip them out .. build my own when time permits. ..

Today - Ravens vs Cincy and hopefully Cleveland beats the snot out of the Squeelers

[dwyaneward]

Here photo of my new hobby room with the door layout setup, there is more to do to the room but for now is usable, until I get more funds to finish the room.

Now back to working on the layout