Weekend Update 4/9/17

[MichaelWinicki]

The trackwork looks great wolf.

[SP-Wolf]

The trackwork looks great wolf.

Thank you!!

Wolf

[svedblen]

I have installed my O scale coupler boxes, and just had to try to make a cut lever for the first coupler. Here is a video (the spike will eventually be cut short):

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[craigolio1]

Thanks Craig. I have a 1K resistor for the lights right now, but I'm thinking a 1.5K might get them just the right brightness.

Changing to 1.5k likely won't alter the brightness much. I would experiment with resistors around the 10k range. The light from the LEDs is very intense and the class lights will look like headlights without a larger resistance.

Craig

[fcnrwy23]

A lot of NICE work this week, people!! 

As work on the MNSE's Mainline wiring is nearing completion.  I installed a "Auxiliary Buss" for all of the DC elements, (lights, signals, etc.) This past Wednesday.
The Buss is of two colors, not already under the layout, Blue (+) and Green(-). so as not to be confused with any other wiring.
Since, that is in place, I have also started to do some electrical work on the layout's buildings.

The oldest (and my favorite! ) building on the layout, is the Matteford Paper Mill.  Named for a former member (Matt G. from Fox Valley Models).  We tend to name locations or industries after members who did or had a hand in building on the layout. (Matt laid-out most of the early trackwork on the mainline and the mill).

The mill has gone through a few revisions and two paint schemes, since it was first constructed in 1992.  It is FINALLY getting LIGHTS and Detail work as with the addition of more tanks and piping.   I did the final, "Lighting Test" this morning...



Unfortunately, I am OUT of RED flashing sets.    So, I will have to wait until I can get them, Thursday of this week.  These flashing sets are for the Warning Beacons, which will be attached to the two tallest stacks.
The lighting sets consist of = Exterior exit doors (PICO sized LEDs, 3 volts), Interior lighting (CHIP sized LEDs, 3 volts).   All of the Exterior lights on the Main building and the Pump House are on one circuit, while the Exterior and Interior lights on the Warehouse are also on the same circuit.  Running with 2.7K resistors.   I have in the past (like on the WP&P building on the FCN) run separate circuits for these lights.  The fore-mentioned, stack beacons come with their own rectifier, so they will just be connected directly to the two supply wires, that will leave each structure.    I use 30 AWG stranded wire for the "Supply Wires" which are "Color coordinated" with the Auxiliary Buss colors.  All of the connections for the different lighting schemes are made, "INSIDE" the structures.  So only TWO wires are connected to the Buss.

The interior of the "Warehouse" has an large Paper Roll load on the front dock.  I will be adding a Fork Lift as well as anything else, I can think of to the scene.



Than, the MP will be ready for re-installation on the MNSE.


All these years, I have wondered which Mill was bigger.  The WP&P or The MP.   Well, I did a very 'Crude"comparison .   



The WP&P is bigger!!!   I KNEW IT!! 


Jerry G.

[Kisatchie]

The interior of the "Warehouse" has an large Paper Roll load on the front dock.  I will be adding a Fork Lift as well as anything else, I can think of to the scene.

Hmm... how about a few
garden gnome statues...

[johnjpeebles]

Built a bunch of turnouts this week, and finished up some spline roadbed (a new technique for me).

[GaryHinshaw]

Dateline Caliente, BC,  4:00 AM, Saturday April 8, 2017 - The main line across the Tehachapi BC mountains is now in service.  Following an intense burst of track-laying, crews drove a silver spike into place at the base of the famous horseshoe curve that marks the beginning of the southbound climb over the mountains.   An overview of the layout, taken from high above the Loop Shelf gives one a pretty good sense of the geography:



The heart of the layout is the climb from Caliente (A) to Summit (B), which includes traversing Tehachapi Loop in the foreground.

The first session with the full main line was held last night, less than 24 hours after the spike was driven.  More details will be posted to the engineering thread.

[peteski]

Thanks Craig. I have a 1K resistor for the lights right now, but I'm thinking a 1.5K might get them just the right brightness.

I agree with Craig. But you might have to go up much higher (3.3, 4.7, 5.6 k, or even higher) to reduce the marker's brightness to a more realistic level.

[bnsfdash8]

Thanks Craig and Peteski, looks like I'll be ordering some resistors soon.

[jargonlet]

Man did I ever get a ton of stuff done this weekend, at least it seems that way. I spent my weekend finishing up some projects. I have a bad habit of working on a ton of projects at once and occasionally have a weekend where I finish up a ton of stuff. They all still need weathering. I tend to do my weathering in large batches of cars instead of just single cars so weathering will come on another day.

I finally got around to finishing my Hellgate B60b kits. Also finally got around to doing a B70. I have had the brass doors for it since lemosteam released them however long ago that was. The PBM70 kitbash still needs blinds and window glass added but is practically finished. I have brass venetian blinds to add. Not pictured I painted a Bluford Shops USRA 50 ton hopper to be decalled for the Long Island and bent and installed all of the grab irons on a MTL paired window coach. I also got it painted but it was drying when I took pictures. It got painted green and will be decalled for the B&O.






On to other stuff that got worked on but not finished. I got a lot of the grab irons bent and a lot of the later assembly done on the NKP Caboose. Still have some grab irons to bend and some pain to touch up. I have a little more work to do on the Interstate RS3 phase 3. The cab is ready to paint but I have a little more work to do to the body. It's amazing how time consuming working with prototype photos can be. It's almost ready to paint and I have the proper colors of Pollyscale to spray it with. However I have never used pollyscale before. Any tips or advise on use would be much appreciated.

[Philip H]

Built a bunch of turnouts this week, and finished up some spline roadbed (a new technique for me).

Please tell us you work on commission - those are HAWT!

[altohorn25]

Man did I ever get a ton of stuff done this weekend, at least it seems that way. I spent my weekend finishing up some projects. I have a bad habit of working on a ton of projects at once and occasionally have a weekend where I finish up a ton of stuff. They all still need weathering. I tend to do my weathering in large batches of cars instead of just single cars so weathering will come on another day.

I finally got around to finishing my Hellgate B60b kits. Also finally got around to doing a B70. I have had the brass doors for it since lemosteam released them however long ago that was. The PBM70 kitbash still needs blinds and window glass added but is practically finished. I have brass venetian blinds to add. Not pictured I painted a Bluford Shops USRA 50 ton hopper to be decalled for the Long Island and bent and installed all of the grab irons on a MTL paired window coach. I also got it painted but it was drying when I took pictures. It got painted green and will be decalled for the B&O.






On to other stuff that got worked on but not finished. I got a lot of the grab irons bent and a lot of the later assembly done on the NKP Caboose. Still have some grab irons to bend and some pain to touch up. I have a little more work to do on the Interstate RS3 phase 3. The cab is ready to paint but I have a little more work to do to the body. It's amazing how time consuming working with prototype photos can be. It's almost ready to paint and I have the proper colors of Pollyscale to spray it with. However I have never used pollyscale before. Any tips or advise on use would be much appreciated.

I wish you could still get those Hellgate kits......

Nate

[carlso]

Wolf - those pump jacks look real nice. Are they the Walther's and if so do they run smoothly or do they have a herky -
          jerky motion to them? ? ?

Carl

[SP-Wolf]

Wolf - those pump jacks look real nice. Are they the Walther's and if so do they run smoothly or do they have a herky -
          jerky motion to them? ? ?

Carl

Hi Carl,

They are the Walther's units. I opted for them to be non-moving.

Thanks, for the comments,

Wolf