Weekend Update 4/9/17

[TrainCat2]

Hello all, it's been awhile since I stopped in. I just have not had the time with caring for Jamie to be more involved but that may change. For those TRW family members that have followed along over the years, Jamie's suffering is over. I don't know what the immediate future is, but I can't see it without this family and making the products I loved so much. I'll pop in later and hopefully more often. Till then ... later

[arbomambo]

quick montage of running on my latest T-TRAK module set-"Arbo Canyon"

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~Bruce

[arbomambo]

Hello all, it's been awhile since I stopped in. I just have not had the time with caring for Jamie to be more involved but that may change. For those TRW family members that have followed along over the years, Jamie's suffering is over. I don't know what the immediate future is, but I can't see it without this family and making the products I loved so much. I'll pop in later and hopefully more often. Till then ... later

My sincere condolences,
~Bruce

[SP-Wolf]

Hello all, it's been awhile since I stopped in. I just have not had the time with caring for Jamie to be more involved but that may change. For those TRW family members that have followed along over the years, Jamie's suffering is over. I don't know what the immediate future is, but I can't see it without this family and making the products I loved so much. I'll pop in later and hopefully more often. Till then ... later

Good to hear from ya, Bob

I offer you my deepest and sincerest condolences!!

Wolf

[chessie system fan]

... 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.

So a MOW car then?

[sp org div]

Bob
Condolences... now its all about focusing on the good memories!
Regards
Jeff

[sp org div]

Congrats Gary
Cant wait to see it after you get all the static grass in!
Jeff

[jargonlet]

So a MOW car then?

I'm not a b&o modeler but the coach is a B&O prototype. I have some pictures of those coaches painted green. So no not a mow coach but one in regular service.

[craigolio1]

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.

Awesome!  Industries that dwarf the trains are so cool.  Creates the need for long trains.

Craig

[eric220]

Hello all, it's been awhile since I stopped in. I just have not had the time with caring for Jamie to be more involved but that may change. For those TRW family members that have followed along over the years, Jamie's suffering is over. I don't know what the immediate future is, but I can't see it without this family and making the products I loved so much. I'll pop in later and hopefully more often. Till then ... later

Bob, it's great to hear from you.  We're all pulling for you, and I'm sure there are many wallets lined up to help you on the financial side whenever you're ready to spin up TrainCat again.

[Mike Madonna]

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

John,
I like what you're doing. Keep us posted, thanks!

[Mike Madonna]

Hello all, it's been awhile since I stopped in. I just have not had the time with caring for Jamie to be more involved but that may change. For those TRW family members that have followed along over the years, Jamie's suffering is over. I don't know what the immediate future is, but I can't see it without this family and making the products I loved so much. I'll pop in later and hopefully more often. Till then ... later

Good to hear from you. So sorry for your loss.....

[robert3985]

quick montage of running on my latest T-TRAK module set-"Arbo Canyon"

~Bruce

Pretty cool looking!  However, the trains are REALLY screaming by...and there's a REALLY big dip in the track between modules that dropped your yellow UP cabooses in one of the shots.  How do ya get such a big dip using Kato Unitrack???

I watched it twice however, groovin' to the music, and thinking you should get a newer UP CA yellow caboose that's the right color of Armour Yellow, with red ladders, red end platform railings and red pad-printed curved grabs on the caboose sides.  My piss-yellow MT CA UP cabooses all get kitbashed into CA-1's, and repainted with Scalecoat II... 

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[robert3985]

Hello all, it's been awhile since I stopped in. I just have not had the time with caring for Jamie to be more involved but that may change. For those TRW family members that have followed along over the years, Jamie's suffering is over. I don't know what the immediate future is, but I can't see it without this family and making the products I loved so much. I'll pop in later and hopefully more often. Till then ... later

Bob, my sincere condolences concerning your loss.  Model railroading has pulled me though several family tragedies and tough times.  When you're ready,  I look forward to seeing your fine products available once again.

Bob Gilmore

[robert3985]

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

I'm always very happy to see somebody hand-building their turnouts!  Quite a selection you got done this week! 

All of my mainlines and branchline subroadbed is constructed from splines.  I use 1" X 1/8" or 1" X 1/4" strips I cut from 4X8 sheets of tempered Masonite.  Actually, nowadays, I have them cut at a local cabinetry shop, and they do a much more precise job than I can with my 10" table saw...plus, I get to NOT breathe all that Masonite dust!!

Since in most instances on my portable layout, I am laying track to a precise centerline, I usually print out a 100% mirror image paper plan of the 6' to 12' section I'm building, and construct the subroadbed off-layout/off-module on top of the paper plan, with the top of the splined subroadbed being on the bottom, laying on the paper plan.  I glue it with yellow carpenter's glue, and clamp it every 6 to 8 inches, tapping the splines with a hammer before I clamp tightly to make sure the top of the roadbed is evenly regulated by the flat surface I'm building it on.

The Masonite splined subroadbed is ultra strong and stable after the glue is dry, and a double tracked mainline will support my 200+ lb. weight.

I used to use yellow hot glue to glue the splines, sealing both top and bottom of the splines with yellow carpenter's glue, but I find the carpenter's glue used as the primary adhesive makes for a much more solid and durable structure.

After I've installed my splined subroadbed, I power-sand it to make sure it's got an even surface to glue my cork roadbed to.

Photo (1) - Showing hand-laid C55 turnouts on splined Masonite subroadbed at Emory Center Siding:


Working on Emory Siding, this week (the other end), attempting to get my temporary mainlines finished this month so I can run trains again!

I never could have built this three-turnout configuration with commercially available turnouts...

Photo (2) - Splined subroadbed being installed at the twin bridges, and twin-bore tunnels of Taggarts in Wilhemina Pass, between Weber and Echo Canyons:


I'm working on kitbashing two Central Valley bridges with plastic & etched brass parts, to turn them from Pratt Truss Bridges into Warren Truss Bridges for this 6' LDE

I'm sure many of us would like to see more photos of what you're working on when you get further along...



Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore