Shelf Switcher Shortline Help! (HO) - Page 2

shortliner · 11-13-2006, 02:40 PM

Will, if you haven't already started building - take a look at
http://thegilberts.fotopic.net/
It is set in Wisconsin, but could just as easily be moved to the West Coast
Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands

wayerst · 11-14-2006, 05:23 PM

Nope, I haven't started just yet. Overtime at work has meant I've still only got what I started off with - an 8' x 8.5" baseboard and 3 1-yard lengths of tracks!!!

I've had a long think about theme, and I'm thinking of looking back to what got me interested in American prototypes. Flicking through one of the railway magazines a in the early 90's and seeing a grimy dockside layout in N gauge. Using probe/stud to motorise points with lights all over the place and lots of grot it was worlds away from the quaint branch-line terminus archetypical of so many UK layouts.

I'm thinking that a more urban scene would make it easier to disguise transitions onto the 'fiddle' area and a more realistic boxing in of space. So how about setting it in the New York dockyards in the 70's. Freshly painted Conrail GP30's rubbing shoulders with Penn Central RS-1s switching box cars and reefers amidst the urban decay of the docks.

wayerst · 11-15-2006, 03:57 PM

How would I wire up switch motors? I'd like to TRY using them since I've only got 3 switches!

I'd want to have one toggle that flips both ends of the loop on the 'main' line - can I just hook up both motors to a non-locking SPDT and to my controller's AC output? or will I need a CDU or some other fangled piece of equipment?

I want to run this layout with DCC a.s.a.p. so if it was compatible with that it'd be good!

Russ Bellinis · 11-16-2006, 01:13 AM

What sort of switch machines are you using? If you are using twin coil switch machines ike stock Atlas, a cd unit would provide protection against accidently holding the switch down too long or having a switch stick and burn out the coil on the switch machine.

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11-13-2006, 02:40 PM	#16
shortliner Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 384 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Will, if you haven't already started building - take a look at http://thegilberts.fotopic.net/ It is set in Wisconsin, but could just as easily be moved to the West Coast Shortliner(Jack)away up here in the Highlands

11-14-2006, 05:23 PM	#17
wayerst Inactive Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 13 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Nope, I haven't started just yet. Overtime at work has meant I've still only got what I started off with - an 8' x 8.5" baseboard and 3 1-yard lengths of tracks!!! I've had a long think about theme, and I'm thinking of looking back to what got me interested in American prototypes. Flicking through one of the railway magazines a in the early 90's and seeing a grimy dockside layout in N gauge. Using probe/stud to motorise points with lights all over the place and lots of grot it was worlds away from the quaint branch-line terminus archetypical of so many UK layouts. I'm thinking that a more urban scene would make it easier to disguise transitions onto the 'fiddle' area and a more realistic boxing in of space. So how about setting it in the New York dockyards in the 70's. Freshly painted Conrail GP30's rubbing shoulders with Penn Central RS-1s switching box cars and reefers amidst the urban decay of the docks.

11-15-2006, 03:57 PM	#18
wayerst Inactive Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 13 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	How would I wire up switch motors? I'd like to TRY using them since I've only got 3 switches! I'd want to have one toggle that flips both ends of the loop on the 'main' line - can I just hook up both motors to a non-locking SPDT and to my controller's AC output? or will I need a CDU or some other fangled piece of equipment? I want to run this layout with DCC a.s.a.p. so if it was compatible with that it'd be good!

11-16-2006, 01:13 AM	#19
Russ Bellinis Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Lakewood, Ca. Posts: 4,755 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	What sort of switch machines are you using? If you are using twin coil switch machines ike stock Atlas, a cd unit would provide protection against accidently holding the switch down too long or having a switch stick and burn out the coil on the switch machine.