N Scale Hi Rail - Retro Hollow Core Door Layout

[DKS]

@DKS You're just jealous because I don't have any rotating barber poles, fire flies, or ceiling fans to distract me from JFRTM!

Hey, I love spaghetti! I designed this, after all:

[Point353]

Hey, I love spaghetti! I designed this, after all:

Leave it to the avowed cynophobe to design a trackplan in the form of a folded dogbone.

[Point353]

Better scan ebay for a good deal on Round Tuits. 

While you're scanning eBay, be on the lookout for these vintage trackside widgets:




 

[peteski]

"cynophobe"

I had to look that one up! Woof! 
The Railwire is very educational!

[wm3798]

Hey, I love spaghetti! I designed this, after all:

Downloading and adding to the bucket list.  What is that, 30" x 48"? 
I'm having a ball "running trains" but I'm missing the operations element.  And I've got all these damn switchers!

Lee

[DKS]

Downloading and adding to the bucket list.  What is that, 30" x 48"?

36 x 60

2509-1¼, N Atlas Code 80 2509-1¼. Straight 1.22".   16
2509-2½, N Atlas Code 80 2509-2½. Straight 2.44".   17
2509-5/8, N Atlas Code 80 2509-5/8. Straight 0.61".   11
2510, N Atlas Code 80 2510. Curve radius 9.8", angle 30º   24
2511, N Atlas Code 80 2511. Curve radius 9.8", angle 15º   6
2513, N Atlas Code 80 2513. Straight 4.88". (bulk)   64
2515, N Atlas Code 80 2515. Curve radius 11.1", angle 30º (bulk)   35
2521, N Atlas Code 80 2521. Curve radius 11.1", angle 15º   1
2526, N Atlas Code 80 2526. Curve radius 18.94", angle 15º   6
2536, N Atlas Code 80 2536. Buffer/Bumper 2.76".   12
2547, N Atlas Code 80 2547. Straight 4.88".  (bridge)   5
2700, N Atlas Code 80 2700. Left turnout 4.88". 15º (remote)   9
2701, N Atlas Code 80 2701. Right turnout 4.88". 15º (remote)   10

[wm3798]

More progress on the platforms last night...


Cut the styrene bases, added the brick pavers and curbing to the center, and built the base to surround the station.  I still have to wire in platform lights... as soon as I find the damn things.  I bought them months ago and they sifted down into the strata of projects piled up on the work bench...

But to keep the underside accessible, I put some roofing nails into the foam, and glued some magnets under the platform deck.



Everything snaps nicely into place, and stays put.



Back to work now!
Lee

[wm3798]

Working on a restoration project, I needed a Bachmann U36B shell to glean a couple of parts off of.  Thanks to @ChristianJDavis1 , look what the cat dragged in...


I only need the end hand rail and the horn... but I have plans for the rest of it...  Bwahahaha!!

I was also able to repair the White Box era drive under it, but it needs two one side frame. (I just found one in MY junk box!) (I found another one!  Call off the hounds!  The hunt is over!)  This is the white gear version, with the clip on side frames.  The original equipment was a two axle Blomberg...  I often wonder why they didn't make an appropriate AAR side frame, since it's an easy enough swap.  Then I remembered... Bachmann White Box...  Where the mechanicals are a crapshoot and the details don't matter.

So anyone got a Bachmann truck or some loose sideframes in your junk box?  I bet you do!

Lee

[Philip H]

So anyone got a Bachmann truck or some loose sideframes in your junk box?  I bet you do!

@wm3798 - I don't have any surplus but I do have 3 white box u boats on my repair list - I have an unholy thing for GE diesels of that era. So please take detailed note and pictures from multiple angles so I know what you did that worked.

 

[davefoxx]

Now you can see why I went to HO.  That N scale bicentennial unit is craptastic.

DFF

[wm3798]

And yet, it is worth my efforts to do the necessary body work.  Ideally I'd put it on the classic cast iron frame, but I've got that White Box drive running remarkably smooth...

@Philip H the key is to clean the contacts in the motor, get some spray contact cleaner if you don't already have some, and if it's the older brass drive, tear it fully down and clean EVERYTHING.  There is so much friction in those trucks to begin with, a single cat hair will slow it down and bind it up.  Also check the brushes.

The white box drive (the early split frame with white gears) isn't as bad, but it never hurts to pull the motor and spray the armature.  Hint:  Don't use alcohol for this procedure.  One of the reasons I have so many carcasses in my junk box is that as a boy of 13 or so, I thought it would be an ideal medium for cleaning the electricals.  It does work well to clean wheels and wipers, but it will flame out in a motor.  Spray on contact cleaner can be bought in a large can at Lowe's, so you'll have plenty.  With all the locos I've rehabbed in the last year, one can still worked out to be a year's supply.

The main trick with the white gear version is to get the motor and it's plastic insulator lined up and installed without bunching up the insulator.

If you need a new motor, just scavenge E Bay for Used Bachmann (insert model here) or even just Used Locomotive Lot.  These things are getting dumped for parts all the time.

Lee

[peteski]

And yet, it is worth my efforts to do the necessary body work.  Ideally I'd put it on the classic cast iron frame, but I've got that White Box drive running remarkably smooth...

@Philip H the key is to clean the contacts in the motor, get some spray contact cleaner if you don't already have some, and if it's the older brass drive, tear it fully down and clean EVERYTHING.  There is so much friction in those trucks to begin with, a single cat hair will slow it down and bind it up.  Also check the brushes.

The white box drive (the early split frame with white gears) isn't as bad, but it never hurts to pull the motor and spray the armature.  Hint:  Don't use alcohol for this procedure.  One of the reasons I have so many carcasses in my junk box is that as a boy of 13 or so, I thought it would be an ideal medium for cleaning the electricals.  It does work well to clean wheels and wipers, but it will flame out in a motor.  Spray on contact cleaner can be bought in a large can at Lowe's, so you'll have plenty.  With all the locos I've rehabbed in the last year, one can still worked out to be a year's supply.

The main trick with the white gear version is to get the motor and it's plastic insulator lined up and installed without bunching up the insulator.

If you need a new motor, just scavenge E Bay for Used Bachmann (insert model here) or even just Used Locomotive Lot.  These things are getting dumped for parts all the time.

Lee

I have a crapload of those Bachmann sideframes I can easily be talked out of few. The detail on those is on the soft side (but that's expected).

There is nothing wrong with using alcohol to clean the motor, but you don't run it *UNTIL* all the alcohol evaporates!    I dunk my motor in Naphtha (lighter fluid), which works even better than alcohol, but I never run it until I blow all the stuff out of it, then wait until I can't smell Naphtha anymore.

So, none of the white gears on those locos are cracked?  And no, I'm not looking to repair few more. I showed everybody how to fix them - I'm done! 

[wm3798]

Here it is, fully restored!  I had to fix a melty bit on the roof behind the cab, replace the front handrail, and install a new set of horns.


A little putty, a little paint, make it something that it ain't!  Certainly not up to today's standards, but definitely on the bucket list of 12 year old Lee.

Currently working revenue service, but getting ready for some photo run bys and holiday excursions along with her stable mates...





I might have to go out and buy a box of sparklers!

Lee

[CRL]

Seems to me that “12 year old Lee” is causing “old man Lee” a lot of work. 

[wm3798]

It's a labor of love, @CRL ... A labor of love!