N Scale Hi Rail - Retro Hollow Core Door Layout

[OldEastRR]

Still lobbying for the filled-in corner -- actually on p. 84 you have some shots of various versions of this scene,


Here you have a piece of cardboard with exactly the kind of upper level and tunnel mouth I suggested -- it extends over the whole curve and has the opening 90 degrees to the track centerlines at that point. If you build a second level out from there to the edge of the layout to make secure base for scenery, you couldn't use a solid chunk of foam, which is what I realize is the sticking point. BTW, this is one of the problems I see with using thick solid chunks of foam as scenery base. There's no "basement" you can use for other purposes.  My idea for this corner comes out of my layout-building techniques which use wood panels on risers for track and above-track scenery. So I saw a large open underground whereas you see a solid mass of foam blocking access and visibility.   But using a thinner piece of foam (0.5") as the top surface with a couple of thicker foam "legs" glued under it can give you the hollow underside "basement" you'd need for access, clear of any obstacles except minimal support for the upper level and pass-through wiring. You leave the lower level open at that edge of the layout for a clear view and probably a better access to the hidden tracks if you need to use the grabber. Make a flat removable panel to cover that opening when you don't need access. The only lower level permanent scenery I suggest adding would be the tunnel retaining wall and the slope behind it on the outer edge of the curve -- and that be only large enough to bridge the gap between the tunnel opening and the removable panel.

This is trying to address your scenic concerns with your maintenance accessibility requirements. I think you can satisfy both this way. The advantages to an illusion of the layout scenery extending beyond the edge of the layout -- instead of being abruptly cut off by a steep slope -- would eliminate that look that your little town area is completely cut off from the rest of the world. Not that there's anything wrong with that.  Just add a helipad.

Hmmm... did you solder all your track joints?

[davefoxx]

Lee,

The N scale bridge is boxed up nicely and ready to ship.  I was able to get all six stubby posts out, which had been cut off for Aly’s layout.  I found two more strips of that tubing and have thrown them in the box for you to make longer posts.  See?



I think you’ll need to go this route (using these posts), rather than installing this on the girders you built, because this bridge already has the necessary I-beams and pier caps.  Oh, and I used DKS’s go-to concrete color, if you can find it: Testor’s Flat Light Aircraft Gray, or you can repaint the whole thing.

I’ll get this in the mail as soon as I can get to the post office.  I’ll PM you to confirm your address.

DFF

[wm3798]

Seriously contemplating @OldEastRR 's suggestion for reworking the corner.  Will see about doing some mock ups tonight.
Looking forward to seeing that bridge, too, @davefoxx .  Hopefully the piers amidships will clear my clumsy rolling stock!  Nothing a minor modification can't handle, I'm sure.

Lee

[wm3798]

In other news...

I had enthusiastically purchased an old Atlas/Roco E-7 recently wearing the handsome, if understated blue B&O dip job, which will be (I think) the 4th or 5th one of these I've had during my long and storied career as a model railroader.  To a man, every last of one of them eventually cooked the motor.  Despite this one being "new old stock" within an hour or so of running, it suffered the same fate.


Back in the 1980s, I was able to revive my original pair by replacing the motor with the robust 5-pole job from the old Life Like GP38-2 Lead Sled drive.  It's pretty much a direct drop in swap.  The only hitch is the shaft of the Life Like motor is a 1.5mm rod, while the original Roco motor is a 1 mm, so the universal couplings have to be carefully drilled out to fit properly.  Once done, it's pretty much bing bang boom to swap it in.


The New Haven F unit I had received in a swap from @hnipper was there in the roundhouse anticipating having its wire leads re-soldered, when I decided to gut it and put the E unit back into service.  The surgery took about a half an hour, and the big passenger diesel has become one of my most reliable runners.


I have several other Life Like F units, and one more E unit that needs the therapy.  I will hold the New Haven shell in reserve, though, for those occasions when I'm running Penn Central Night, as it would be appropriate to have a well worn McGinnis theme in a lashup of Trix Uboats or Bachmann Geeps.  I'll probably de-gear it and run it as an unpowered dummy.

Lee

[peteski]

Lee, what was the failure mode of that motor?  Do you have any photos of it?

When you make the other model into a dummy, remember to also remove the wheel contact wipers - those add quite a bit of drag.

[wm3798]

It runs, it slows, it stalls, it overheats.  Same MO on every one I've ever owned.  I'll send a photo later.
It's odd, because it's a 5 pole motor, it just doesn't have enough chutzpah to keep the 6 axle drive afloat for very long.
Lee

[Point353]

It runs, it slows, it stalls, it overheats.  Same MO on every one I've ever owned.
It's odd, because it's a 5 pole motor, it just doesn't have enough chutzpah to keep the 6 axle drive afloat for very long.

One option would be to buy the Con-Cor version with the Kato chassis and swap over the shell.
http://www.spookshow.net/loco/cce78.html

[peteski]

It runs, it slows, it stalls, it overheats.  Same MO on every one I've ever owned.  I'll send a photo later.
It's odd, because it's a 5 pole motor, it just doesn't have enough chutzpah to keep the 6 axle drive afloat for very long.
Lee

Is the motor similar to the one that I upgraded with super-magnets in that Model Power FA I sent you?  These things have a high-friction mechanism, so the  motor does need a lot of torque to get that loco moving.

[wm3798]

It's actually remarkably similar to the Life Like motor in size and construction.  But I think it uses cheap rubber magnets that expand with the heat of regular running, causing a bind.

I might experiment with pulling it apart to replace the magnets.

The drive is quite smooth, overall, and quieter than the ConCor.  Just the motor seams to be a dud.

Lee

[peteski]

It does look very similar to those good Life-Like motors which have lots of torque.

If the magnets are rubber/vinyl, or even ceramic filled plastic, you should be able to scratch the surface with a hobby knife.  If it is a ceramic magnet, then it will be very hard. But I have also seen ceramic magnets that are weak.

Replacing the magnets would be a good thing to try.

[wm3798]

I've arrived at a hybrid solution.


I relocated the portal to cross the tracks at a more perpendicular arrangement.  This eliminates the need for the post between the tracks. 

I'm still going to trick it out as a more urban underpass though, which I think will work fine.  I'll have to find another spot for the camping scene that Rho made, though, because I do want to add more buildings.

As for access, I've built the whole thing to be easily removable.  I left the original corrugated bridge in place (I had already glued it in and the track to it) so the whe corner bit can be lifted out of the way.

I can use a modular plug to connect the lighting, or just use a set of battery operated lights there.

Thanks to @OldEastRR for the nudge.
Lee

[wazzou]

While it have been Oldeast that provided the final nudge, I think this is what many of us were advocating for.
I think it's a much more believable looking solution.
Nice job Lee.

[glakedylan]

played well. played very well.


sincerely
Gary

[narrowminded]

To a man, every last of one of them eventually cooked the motor.  Despite this one being "new old stock" within an hour or so of running, it suffered the same fate.

Back in the 1980s, I was able to revive my original pair by replacing the motor with the robust 5-pole job from the old Life Like GP38-2 Lead Sled drive.  It's pretty much a direct drop in swap.  The only hitch is the shaft of the Life Like motor is a 1.5mm rod, while the original Roco motor is a 1 mm, so the universal couplings have to be carefully drilled out to fit properly.  Once done, it's pretty much bing bang boom to swap it in.

Lee

Do you have a motor that fits the frame?  If shaft sizes and alignments is an issue, I know a guy.   PM if you want.

[nickelplate759]

I've had a bunch of the old Atlas/Roco E7s, (and still have a couple) and so far only one has ever cooked it's motor.  That said, it was dramatic - it was on an N-Trak layout at a show when it happened, and smoke came out and put on a little show!

The Con-Cor/Kato E8 chassis is a good suggestion, and as an added benefit the Kato truck-mounted pilot looks much better than the Roco pilot.