Search results

Ahh - Royal as in belonging to the Queen?

I have killed one of each - Porter cable was fixed under warranty. The important thing is how much it will "turn" the coupler. I would try putting a piece of plastic or foam, about the same thickness as the distance from the top of the electromagnet to a coupler and use a a track nail or...

Back in the 60's when I was an electronic tech we called that TMS (Tune for Maximum Smoke). Very small adjustments were known as RCH. Won't share the full meaning but R = red:) .

Gary, You are right about the AMP turns. The difference is I think you are not seeing the "flux-focus" when you pick up a piece of steel since it is wider than the gap. Try the same test picking up a small screw or ball bearing that is less than the gap.

Gary, If you don't have one I would recommend you (and everyone else) get an angle head grinder. I see harborfreight.com has a cheapo 4.5" one on sale for $9.99.:thumb: Might not be the quality you want for daily use but should be OK for the odd job. Haven't tried recently but with most of...

One more thing. Gary, I can tell from your work bench and equipment that I don't need to tell you this (and much of the previous information) but for others with less experience > since all of the power supplies we use are isolated ground there is no problem using a 6 volt and 12 volt in series...

The trick with any electromagnet is to focus as much of the flux where you want it. Flux = AMP turns > smaller wire = more turns & less amps > bigger wire = less turns and more amps. Since the coil size determines the AMP turns per volt the other variable is volts. The plates are used to...

Not sure what you want but here is a pair of curved turnouts. These are #7.5 (24" & 32" radous). The #7 is 24" and 28" I don't have the exact parameters for the number 7 but if you use about 30 and 36 degrees of turn for the legs (36 inside & 30 outside) you should be OK. Since you most...

I received a lot of input on starting smaller and simpler. I really wanted multiple round-trip loops and large radius for my passenger train that could be combined into one and they all came out BIG. At first I was worried about having a lift up section and I didn't want a duck-under. The...

On my version you need to type in 120 & 144 as it is in inches...Unless you have a really small layout:)

Since I am new to this hobby I don't have any old Walthers catalogs. Searched the web and didn't find any that were not hand-laid. I did find that next month Walthers will be adding a scale & Building with a gantlet track but from the pictures no guard rails and the description seems to...

I use XTrkCAD. Options - no end points, full ties, grid at 12". Print to bitmap at 16 DPI. Open in Paint Shop. Change all green to black (For Grid). Increase colors to 16M. Effects - Blur/soften. Resize to 20%. Save as *.gif. Sounds like a lot of work but it doesn't take that long...

Hi Galen, After seeing some of the "Lift up" bridge pictures and looking at the long reaches you get with two tracks with minimum 30" radius I have changed quite a bit. Goal is to have two trains running without throwing turnouts. Ability to combine into one track. Roundhouse and yard...

At first I had a problem with XTrkCAD. When I learned to do more "Joins" between two straight tracks, even for 90 degree corners, and modify/extend to have more track it became easier. Want a curve of the end of a turnout? Extend the turnout leg. Now hold down the shift and curve it...

Following the "Track Planing" recommendations I made a simplified drawing of my layout (both below) to locate track that had to be isolated for reversing loops. I recommend this activity for others as, after looking at the simple version, I was able to eliminate a few switches and some parallel...

OK, Reduced the yard and cleaned up some of the switching and turnout locations. The 5 wye turnouts will be tied together with one switch machine. Is this better?

Russ, I would have thought so also but the picture in the "Track Planning for Realistic Operation has guard rails. Looks kinda cool with six rails going across the bridge.

That's what I was planing on using. (See pic up a few messages). Also this is not for a scale - it is a trestle bridge.

Well I tried the concept with some black code 100 track. What I like best is pictured below. Keeping one side of the ties full length and triming the other side to match the space between the rails it makes a solid center and alternating full width ties. I will still have to hand-lay (glue?)...

Fred, No quite ready to try full hand-laid track - maybe later. Now if you want to take a trip over the coastal range to Notth Plains......... I was going to try and "Track Bash" some flex track like shown below. If I slide one of the the moveable rails out I think I can interlace the tracks...