Weekend Update 7/31/16

[jmlaboda - RIP]

Wow!!!  Nice!!!

[garethashenden]

How's the line go? "Long time reader. Seldom poster."

My wife and I have been discussing locations and ideas for a layout. Leading in locations is the blank wall in our living room. For this shelf layout, I figured I'd finally try out a new (to me) benchwork idea: foam clad in plywood. I'd read several articles such as one in Model Railway Journal by Gordon Gravett and also a great blog post by Mike Cougill. In an initially unrelated act of shed cleaning I discovered I had enough plywood and foam to actually try a test section of this baseboard so did.

Core is 1-1/2" beadboard clad, top and bottom, in 1/8" door skin plywood. I wanted to use the same plywood to edge band it but didn't have enough lying around so used some 1x2 strapping. Once the glue was set I ran the baseboard through my table saw to square everything up and here's a quick grab photo showing the outcome:


I'm so impressed with how rigid yet lightweight the finished 9X40" board is. So impressed, I revved up Templot and plotted a quick section of my track plan so I could mess around with the next step. Thought I'd place some stock on the plan:


Feels good to be making some progress after so much hand-wringing.

Cheers

/chris

If you're planning on handlaying track, be aware that the "N NMRA" option on Templot does not set proper US tie/sleeper spacing. If you're using flex track then it's not an issue, but before you get to invested in a templot plan I thought I'd mention it. Martin explains how to set the spacing to North American standards here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94365-setting-sleeper-spacing/

[conrailthomas519]

I picked up 4 Kato Volvo tractors from someone who bought a whole vehicle lot on a FB for sale page, and dug out my Deluxe Innovations Decal set I bought years ago.  It took me about 15 anxious minutes to find them.  I only screwed up one decal, of course the set only provides extras of the smallest decals (tractor numbers and us dot numbers) so now I have one tractor that is missing Swift across the roof.  If anyone has an extra decal, shoot me a PM.

swift by Adam Henry, on Flickr

need not to worry about that Chris, missing decals was the normal at Swift.

[bnsfdash8]

Wrapping up some patched MACs for a customer. I've become a fan of the ex UPs that NS bought recently.

[MichaelWinicki]

When building my layout I did not do any sort of prep work on my Atlas code 55 turnouts...

I simply took them out of the packaging and installed them as needed. 

Since that time I've had a small number experience a "dead" point.  Essentially what happens is a very small copper plate exists in the spot were the point meets the closure rail.  The point and closure rail "rest" on the copper plate and that is how the point is powered.

For whatever reason the point can lose contact with that copper plate, thus a "dead" point.

Instead of running a wire to the point or whatever, I've simply dropped a very small bit of solder at that joint where the point meets the closure rail.  The point, closure rail and copper plate become one.

Recently I performed that needed repair on a #10 turnout (the distant point & closure rail):



After soldering I hit it with a file and then some weathering and it's barely noticeable.

It's a 5 minute repair at the most and I've yet to have a repaired turnout fail again at that same spot.

[Cajonpassfan]

Made a little bit of progress on my removable Summit Wye. Trying to keep it light, so it's just plaster gauze and a thin layer of Sculptamold. The dirt road is access to the cattle pens.
Otto K.

[Mike Madonna]

Hi Otto,

I like the idea of a removable wye. I may have missed why you chose to do so? Thanks!

[Cajonpassfan]

Oh, hi Mike, good to hear...
The wye is removable because it spans an isle with a 56" duckunder. The tail switch is fixed on the wall. For ops, the wye section can be put in place, but rest of the time I like to be able to walk around freely, especially during construction.
Earlier pic below.
Otto

[squirrelhunter]

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=39615.msg486515#msg486515

After a hour long struggle with Google Photos, I managed to upload 3 photos of the T Trak modules and buildings I am working on with my son.

[nkalanaga]

TMM:  Interesting, and not surprising.  Just like railroads, trucking companies exist to make money, and power sitting in the paint shop doesn't make any money.  Given the choice between applying optional lettering and moving freight, the lettering can wait.

And the idea of further distressing the truck also sounds good to me.  I see quite a few on the Interstate that could use some work, but again, they still run, and are both safe and legal, so keep the freight moving!

[Mark W]

Trying my hand at applying the detail parts of an FVM ES44AC.  Out of just these first 8 parts, I had two casualties take flight from the tweezers.  Thankfully I had some .010 wire to replace the grab iron.  Suppose I'll have to do some etching to replace the missing wiper.   I had so much paint chip out when drilling the holes on the hood, it needed touching up, then I had to carefully coat the entire hood of the nose since the touch-up paint wasn't matching exactly.  I'm going to do my best to finish up this unit, but I'm not sure I want to bother with the rest of my FVM units at this point. :/




I'm also adding to my fleet of Ammonia Trailers.  I drilled a hole and superglue'd pins in front of the rear axle, then I'll just 'pin' them into place on the layout. 



Eventually I want to learn to make some home made decals.

[Chris333]

Another week, another scale...  I bought a Minitrains Forney a while back and didn't really like it. I used parts of it to build my own on another chassis. So I took the spare Forney chassis and slapped a 3D body from Marsh Creek Miniatures on Shapeeways.

[chrismears]

Thank you

If you're planning on handlaying track, be aware that the "N NMRA" option on Templot does not set proper US tie/sleeper spacing. If you're using flex track then it's not an issue, but before you get to invested in a templot plan I thought I'd mention it. Martin explains how to set the spacing to North American standards here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94365-setting-sleeper-spacing/

Thank you for the tip on that. I was aware but more from having not noticed until it was too late on a previously built turnout.

Some time ago, I had built this:


And only noticed when it was done that something didn't look quite right. I used PC board ties throughout and thought that with some patience I could carefully adjust the spacing. The idea worked in theory but the plan I executed should have spread the adjustment a little more generously so the spacing went from too far apart to too close:


I have seen the setting in Templot to adjust tie spacing but it's a part of the software I haven't spent as much time exploring as I should. I will look at the link you sent for reference and really apprecite your pointing it out. I have been collecting measurements  of track here for details like tie spacing and, when I finally get around to correcting the spacing, would like to use that.

I remain very impressed with Templot. The more I learn about using it the more I wish I had a need for more complicated trackwork.

Cheers

/chris

[u18b]

Finished a CSX F unit.



I'll be posting more about this on the modelling forum in the next week or so.

[mu26aeh]

Not much time spent on my layout this weekend.  I did throw some sand down on the power tracks

20160731_111834[1] by Adam Henry, on Flickr

Also spent afternoon on the O scale layout I'm helping out on.  Working on getting a photo location finished to give an idea of what rest of layout will look like.

20160731_152531[2] by Adam Henry, on Flickr