Recent content by AlienKing

You can have computer control with all digitrax systems including the zephyr, you just need to buy a PR3 or a locobuffer usb. The zephyr can handle transponding, it just won't display any info regarding it. If you got a dt400 or used PR3/locobuffer & JMRI (or any other computer software...

I think you'd be fine with a Zephyr, maybe an extra 5 or 8 amp booster, and a PR3/Locobuffer USB. The Zephyr can control up to 10 trains/consists at a time, the super empire builder can do 22, and the super cheif can do 120. With the Zephyr, you can use 2 cheap DC powersupplies hooked up...

I play a fair share of video games, as well as do some .net devolopement, so my main system will always be a windows machine. My home theater PC runs Mythbuntu, which is just a special build of Ubuntu that comes with MythTV and and a few other useful media programs already installed. I use...

A single wheel could bridge the gap for a very short time if you have small enough gaps. You may want to cut the gaps a bit larger, and use either the plastic insulating railjoiners or a non-coductive material to fill it in. You could also try painting the track around the gaps (1 or 2 mm) with...

You can get to the create blog page by going to manage.php?do=setup Hope that helps.

Are you planning on doing the other A-Unit (NS 4271) in the future?

You only have one small section that will create a reverse loop. Its the pink colored section. You layout's looking great! You may want to cut a popup under the helix incase you have a derailment inside. It would be pretty hard trying to fix that going through the tunnel portals.

Here's a couple of real short lines in Oregon, if you are looking to go that way. Port of Tillamook Bay Railroad (http://www.potb.org/railroad.htm) Portland and Western (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_and_Western_Railroad) I found these buy following the coast of Oregon in google...

Actually, PNG is the replacement for GIF and was not devoloped by Adobe. "PNG was created to both improve upon and replace the GIF format with an image file format that does not require a patent license to use." (wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Png) It's lossless and supports...

A lead (or drill) is a track whose sole purpose is for breaking down or building trains on the A/D (arrival/departure) tracks without fouling the main line. On your design, you couldn't work the yard without being on the main. I made a few changes to the yard. First, I added a lead track...

I was trying to figure out the height of the track relative to each other so I added some numbers. You may want to consider adding them to your diagrams before you start contructing the actual roadbed. They can be useful for figuring out grades quickly, too. My biggest concern is the use of...

That grade would be waaaay to much if you wanted them at the same height over the bridge. If you moved where the tracks cross further up, you would have a more manageable grade. Better yet, you could have a slight rise before the bridge to about an inch or so over normal height for the bridge...

I think he meant move the tracks below mainstreet, instead of above. I also changed the right side so the two tracks cross each other. This will let you have a bit larger radius. I removed a couple of the switches so you could put a nice retaining wall or natural elevation change between...

Err, looking back at my diagram, the cam on the left is hooked up backwards. The stiff wires should be swapped, so they are the same as the one on the right.

You can simplify the situation by assuming that there are only 2 possibly states for the swtich, crossing and strait through. Any other combination will cause at least one train to hit an opposing switch if coming from any of the 4 possible directions. In this situation, all the switches are...