progress on my layout
- Thread starter viperman
- Start date
viperman said:
I have a mixed collection i've been building from ebay. At this point i think i'm at 50% NS, 30%steel and 20%brass on the regular track. And i have 50-50 split NS/Steel on the power loc.
I found track cleaning cars on the forum from aztek, there is even a thread w/ a link to a movie showing the car. I think i'm either going to design my own or buy one before i use my brass and steel track becuase i'm lazy and i hate cleaning tracks already!
Steven, PLEASE, do yourself a HUGE favor and 86 the brass track!!!viperman said:
i know money might be tight
, but BELIEVE ME, you will be saving yourself from a BUNCH of hassles down the road
. brass track gets dirtier a 100x faster then nickle silver, you'll have more electrical shorts in time too. i still have flashbacks of dad spending HOURS cleaning the crud off the wheels of not only the engines, but cars too, because brass track corrodes so fast. the time spent on doing that stuff could be spent on running trains or modeling:thumb:. MY ADVICE, and this IS JUST MY ADVICE, i would rather see you take a little longer and get good track, then rush it and have needless problems down the road, you'll thank yourself later:thumb:.
-Deano'course, cleaning crud off the wheels may have more to do with the environment, the frequency of trains run, the type of wheels, etc. than just brass rail alone. Metal wheels in a closed environment (inner spare room, e.g.) run frequently in the absence of any rail cleaners like goo gone that leave residue, no animal dander, no smoking in the rail room, and even low humidity can make for a very clean experience. But those of us stuck in a drafty garage in the pacific northwest have other factors to contend with....
Still, I second Deano's advice here. If it's at all possible go with nickel silver. A few more pennies per foot is a small price to pay for cleaner track and happier model railroading.
Galen
Still, I second Deano's advice here. If it's at all possible go with nickel silver. A few more pennies per foot is a small price to pay for cleaner track and happier model railroading.
Galen
setup is in my basement, right next to a dehumidifier, in a non smoking house We do have cats that like the table, but I plan on getting a tarp. I've run the brass track a bit with no problems, just that they get dirtier. I do plan to move forward, and replace track as the budget allows. Not ignoring anyone's tips here, I just simply need the money elsewhere
I've heard double sided tape keeps cats from clawing furnature, also from climbing around places you don't want them to be if you can put it in their path. Something about the stickyness they don't like on their paws.
Galen
Galen
Hi Viperman, interesting! I am new to RR modeling and The Guage. It appears you are using strofoam for the hills and forming the lake?
Notice your mention DC but would like to functionality of DCC. I found a company that makes electronic boards so you can do a lot of what DCC does but apparent not at the high price and without compatibility issues. The company is Dallas Electronics, I can assume there are others with similar capability.
Enjoyed the pictures of the layout development gave me some ideas.
Thanks,
Jeff
Notice your mention DC but would like to functionality of DCC. I found a company that makes electronic boards so you can do a lot of what DCC does but apparent not at the high price and without compatibility issues. The company is Dallas Electronics, I can assume there are others with similar capability.
Enjoyed the pictures of the layout development gave me some ideas.
Thanks,
Jeff
Jeffs_Railroad said:
I was thinking that if i had the specs could i make my own dcc decoder equipment? I just looked up the dallas electronics do they have ready made kits or do you contract them to make your stuff for you?
Jeff, thank you for the compliments.
Yes, I have been using styrofoam to build up the ground, and carve down into. It will be much easier now with the pink base I have, rather than just mounted directly to the plywood like before.
It is nice to know I have given someone ideas, when I keep looking elsewhere for ideas. I have a vision, but need to look to other people for ideas on how to create that vision, or just whatever else I think I may like.
I will have to look into that company you mention, as running DCC would be nice to have, but it really isn't something I'm worried about
Yes, I have been using styrofoam to build up the ground, and carve down into. It will be much easier now with the pink base I have, rather than just mounted directly to the plywood like before.
It is nice to know I have given someone ideas, when I keep looking elsewhere for ideas. I have a vision, but need to look to other people for ideas on how to create that vision, or just whatever else I think I may like.
I will have to look into that company you mention, as running DCC would be nice to have, but it really isn't something I'm worried about
YmeBP - Not sure if they will make to your spec, but they do have stuff made up. I am not knowledgable regarding DCC. I use DC and with the electronics that Dallas makes I pretty much do a lot of the things DCC offers. For example, I have their sound system, granted I had to wire but I had the option of placing in one of my engines or use it as an external sound system with an amplifier and speaker (I did the external). They also have electronics that you can stop or delay your locomotive at any defined location on your layout. I use a signal that when the first train passes the signal it automatically turns red, stopping any following trains for a given delay period. Then the signal turns green and the following train resumes.
Hey Steven,
Apologize if you thought I was recommending you go DCC. I do not use DCC found compatibility issues between manufactures (i.e., Atlas and Bachman). Personally, I'm old fashioned DC for me sign1 . What I was trying to say, was that Dallas Electronics makes stuff that to me makes my DC layout appear to run like a DCC layout. But then again I am new and just getting started, may eat those words in 6 months.
Apologize if you thought I was recommending you go DCC. I do not use DCC found compatibility issues between manufactures (i.e., Atlas and Bachman). Personally, I'm old fashioned DC for me sign1 . What I was trying to say, was that Dallas Electronics makes stuff that to me makes my DC layout appear to run like a DCC layout. But then again I am new and just getting started, may eat those words in 6 months.
I think that is why i'm so drawn into this hobby becuase of the potential to fiddle . I am no electronics expert but i bet w/ a couple resistors a switch some duct tape and an acorn i could make a small nuclear reactor on my layout 
.
I'm interested to see how you designed your delay circuit. I was thinking about doing something like that for one of my tee crossings, where if there is a train w/in a certain proximity it kills the power to the crossing track section.
. I am no electronics expert but i bet w/ a couple resistors a switch some duct tape and an acorn i could make a small nuclear reactor on my layout . I'm interested to see how you designed your delay circuit. I was thinking about doing something like that for one of my tee crossings, where if there is a train w/in a certain proximity it kills the power to the crossing track section.
Jeffs_Railroad said:
YmeBP, I do told the Dallas Company what I needed and they supplied it. Wish I had your talent.
Jeff, that makes it all the much better when you say you have those abilities (?) with DC. Now I think I will look at it, though I'll probably end up wanting something I can't afford
Steven, been there done that. Its times like that I feel I should be a kid, "I want this!, I want that! I want, I want, I want. but the paycheck says you can want in one hand and sheet in the other and see which you have more when your done. Guess that is what makes me a grumpy old man.
Hi YmeBP 
Here is a simple delay circuit that will reduce rear end collisions. You'll need to decide what kind of trigger mechanism that would work best for you, IR, magnetic, mechanical etc. The sensor would be mounted at the beginning of a wiring block and the cutoff would apply to the block that it had just left. Any train entering that block from behind would be stopped while the first train kept on going. It would be a little trickier for tracks that handle traffic in two directions, but not too much so.
Here is a simple delay circuit that will reduce rear end collisions. You'll need to decide what kind of trigger mechanism that would work best for you, IR, magnetic, mechanical etc. The sensor would be mounted at the beginning of a wiring block and the cutoff would apply to the block that it had just left. Any train entering that block from behind would be stopped while the first train kept on going. It would be a little trickier for tracks that handle traffic in two directions, but not too much so.
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Pitchwife said:Hi YmeBP
Here is a simple delay circuit that will reduce rear end collisions. You'll need to decide what kind of trigger mechanism that would work best for you, IR, magnetic, mechanical etc. The sensor would be mounted at the beginning of a wiring block and the cutoff would apply to the block that it had just left. Any train entering that block from behind would be stopped while the first train kept on going. It would be a little trickier for tracks that handle traffic in two directions, but not too much so.
That is a thing of beauty! I wonder how big are your power blocks?
You can make them as long or as short as necessary. They should be able to hold the longest train that you run thru them. That way even if the caboose is about to get clobbered, the engine of the front train will trigger the circuit and stop the following train in time. The delay should be set for a long enough period for the first train to get some distance or else be switched onto a siding.YmeBP said:
You don't even need them on all wiring blocks, just the ones that get congested with a lot of traffic. It's a versatile little circuit. It can also be used to trigger crossing bells and/or gates, track signals and traffic control, other animation. Have someone come out of a house to wave at the train. A lot of different applications.
Ok, went to a hobby shop today. I picked up a pack of 18"r and 9" Atlas code 100 (to match what I have) NS track! Was fooling around with my iclines and risers, and I will be able to use ALL my incline pieces (on only 2 inclines) and at least one of my 1" risers on the far left track.
Also picked up an EJ&E 40' box, and a truss bridge (which I'll be taking back tomorrow since I don't need it, forgot I already have one)
Also picked up an EJ&E 40' box, and a truss bridge (which I'll be taking back tomorrow since I don't need it, forgot I already have one)
Been a while since I've had some actual updates on the layout, so here goes nothing!
First shot is of the first incline installed:
http://www.the-gauge.com/gallery/files/4/6/9/9/mytrainset-32_76419.jpg
Second picture is an overall shot of the layout, with all the risers and inclines in place:
Third is another view, this time just of the area with risers and inclines:
http://www.the-gauge.com/gallery/files/4/6/9/9/mytrainset-34.jpg
And the last one for now, shows where the bridge will be. This bridge will be 2.5" off the plywood table. I have already picked out the piers for the bridge to go between the girders and the trestle, they are in a couple of the pics too:
http://www.the-gauge.com/gallery/files/4/6/9/9/mytrainset-35.jpg
First shot is of the first incline installed:
Second picture is an overall shot of the layout, with all the risers and inclines in place:
Third is another view, this time just of the area with risers and inclines:
And the last one for now, shows where the bridge will be. This bridge will be 2.5" off the plywood table. I have already picked out the piers for the bridge to go between the girders and the trestle, they are in a couple of the pics too: