City Belt Line (N-scale )

[Slim Rail Mike]

   The diamonds and turnouts are laid down again.  Feeders for the frogs and the crossing are done. All the gaps are cut. Tested with a meter, so far so good. Some temporary track is connected to test run some equipment through the track work. Cars roll through everything smoother than I expected. It works better than it looks. I’ll get some power drops to the track and check with power, that the gaps in the crossings are correct. With power some engines can test the track too. There may be a need to deepen the flange ways, for some of the vintage locos, not to bounce due to their deep flanges.

[garethashenden]

How are you cutting the gaps? I hope its not with a cut off disk in a Dremel...

The best technique I've found is a jeweler's saw/piecing saw. The type with fine blades that need to be under tension. There's certainly a knack to getting the blade set right, but once its right they cut beautifully. You can make nice thin gaps that are functional but almost invisible.

[Slim Rail Mike]

   Well... I did use the dremel with a thin abrasive disk for a couple of cuts away from the diamonds. Those were filled with .040" styrene. I wasn't happy with them, so I dug around my tool box and found a fine tooth exacto saw blade. It is in the red handle in a photo above. This was used for the remaining cuts away from the crossings. It has about a .015" kerf.  All the inside cuts in the crossings and turnout frogs were done with a jewler's saw, where the pieces could be cut at the bench.

[Slim Rail Mike]

  There is only one turnout on this module, so track was laid. These two modules work together. The one with the diamonds (I’ll call this “R.W.Grace”) has the turnouts for the sidings on the next module (“Florida St”) The rest of the modules that there are bases for will just have temporary track, so something can run. It has been a long time since a train moved in the garage.

[Slim Rail Mike]

The modules have been fit together as close as can be and still let the unitrack click into place. The remaining gap is in the luan laminated on top of the tea trays. This will be filled when scenic-ed.

   I had been puzzling over how to control the turnouts on the right side of the module with the crossings.  My preference is manual control.  The furthest right turnout will be under a viaduct and hard by a structure, and when the third phase gets underway the module will have another joined to the front forming a junction. I’m experimenting with 1/16” SS wire rope in a plastic tube and like the possibilities.

    Then I dug up a box of Tortoise salvaged from a prior layout. I had forgotten about them, might as well use them.  For now I’ll power them off of the DCC sub-bus. The DCC-Ex command station that was purchased before the tariffs has two 5 amp outputs. So plenty of juice. I don’t know if there will be an accessory bus at this point. I’ll need to do a mini electrical panel. 

Tortoise

[Tristan Ashcroft]

Wow, that's a whole lot of wires.

Tortoise

[Slim Rail Mike]

   I’ve added a dedicated DC power supply for the switch machines. I’ll run an accessory bus later for the few machine and for lighting.  One of the switch machines had the contacts break off the actuator arm, I replaced it. I’ll repair it later (may be).
 
   The controls for the module are in a box that will become a structure at some point. 

  My SD9 will run across the diamonds.  I’ll try some steam locos when a bit more track is attached. It is still a bit rough, but a bit more work with a file should help. The remaining two turnouts on this module will be next up after the temporary track is laid on the other module bases.

[Slim Rail Mike]

   Up on a time... The garage was an unfinished and unencumbered space 15’ x 30’. Soon a seedling model railroad took root. It grew and grew until it about filled the space. One day, still long ago, the rail builder despaired “this is too much to build and maintain”. So down it came. To assuage the situation, and in an act of insanity, the builder seeded half the space to his spouse. Now she too, can have a creative space. So joyfully an arts and crafts studio was build. Ah! But, California is a community property state. So half of the rail builder’s portion was filled with her stuff. The offspring grew up and moved out, but their stuff remained.  Once an empire, had become Fibber McGee’s closet. Opening the door, the contents cascades out. Darkness descended on the garage.

   Now…. Old and of much girth, the rail builder stirred from his broodings, his track plans, his dreams of a miniature worlds. “I shall reclaim what domain I might” he roared, in his head. More than two modules connected at one time, is our birth right. Thus the reclamation has begun. Down from the rafters came the last vestige of the old empire. Carefully that what will be the ‘new foundation’ is set aside. No box of unknown stuff will be spared. No storage shelf of gear, no longer used, will evade the builder.  The clearing of the garage has begun. (Star Wars theme music)

The challenge


Harrison St section 1'x12' Adios


Staging loop throat


Wench for lift.


Power for wench

[JMaurer1]

Where did you find the plans to the tugs and the barges?

[Slim Rail Mike]

The Tug plans were collected from internet images. There were online some partial plans for a laser cut model kit ( Dumas?) The barge also from the internet, the plans were also published in the War Bonnet. @samusi01 send me a cleaner copy, plus some details on the tugs.

[Slim Rail Mike]

     While there is still a ton of stuff to move-on, the floor space is open.  A little re-configuration of some shelving, and there will be a clear area for the City Belt to operate. One bugaboo that is being tackled now, is the stowage of the modules when not in use. My solution is to store them in the garage rafters. A lift is being built from an old iron bed frame, a Harbor Freight 1 ton hand wench winch, a bunch of pulleys and some wire rope. The wench winch is screw driven and not a ratchet , so it won’t just drop. The wench winch is driven with a portable drill, instead of the hand crank. I expect to have it together tomorrow.

[Slim Rail Mike]

@JMaurer1 are you thinking about building a carfloat? If so I'd gladly share the data I've collected.

[Chris333]

I put that same winch in the roof of my garage to lift the Beetle body off by my self.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=1683585

[MK]

Don't let your wife or significant other know you're going to Harbor Freight to pick up a wench!  Certainly not a 1-ton one!   

[Slim Rail Mike]

Warmth in the winter, shade in the summer.