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jon grant 4472
Fireman
United Kingdom
1082 Posts |
 Posted - 04/19/2012 : 5:58:46 PM
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Now the basement is tidy(ish), I can now make a start on the new scenic board that will hide the right-hand fiddle Yard, increasing the scenic length on the layout to 27ft.
I've already built the Walthers asphalt plant, an industry which is quite common in Alabama, so the buildings are pretty much ready.
I also intend using the new board to try my hand at building some Central Valley #6 turnout kits, and porer them with Traintronic turnout motors, instead of the Tortoise motors I've used before. The Traintronics motor is more expensive but comes with an integral accessory decoder.
Before I can start building the new board, I have to move the fiddle yard back a few inches and move the sector plate to a more central position. I'll also use the opportunity to increase the number of FY tracks from 4 to 5, to bring it into line with the other fiddle yard.
Here are the first photos of the new fiddle yard alignment, temporarily attached with grips
Jon |
Sweethome Chicago is now on Facebook
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Edited by - jon grant 4472 on 04/19/2012 7:26:02 PM
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jon grant 4472
Fireman
United Kingdom
1082 Posts |
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MarkF
Engineer
USA
9276 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2012 : 08:55:13 AM
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| Looking forward to seeing what you do here Jon! I'm always amazed at your work so I know I'll enjoy this. |
Mark
See my homepage at http://home.comcast.net/~prrndiv/
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High Desert Flyer
New Hire
USA
8 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2012 : 11:28:16 PM
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| That's lovely already. I can't wait to see what comes next. |
Mark Johnson |
Edited by - High Desert Flyer on 04/20/2012 11:30:46 PM |
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jon grant 4472
Fireman
United Kingdom
1082 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2012 : 07:04:12 AM
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I started on a couple of the Central Valley turnout kits last night. I've glued the CV tie-strip onto a sheet of thin Plasticard, making the ties the same height at their Peco Code 83 equivalent.
I intend using Peco code 75 flat-bottom rail for the CV code 70 #5 and #6 kits, but use Peco code 83 US-outline tie-strip, instead of the British-outline ones that come with the code 75 flexi-track.
Next job is to attach the CV tie-strip to a piece of plywood with double-sided tape and ballast the ties, before moving on to kit assembly.
Here are some photos of progress on the workbench
Jon |
Sweethome Chicago is now on Facebook
Sweethome Alabama is now on Facebook
Hudson Road is now on Facebook
My Videos
My Railimages |
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jon grant 4472
Fireman
United Kingdom
1082 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2012 : 1:01:26 PM
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The Central Valley tie-plate has been temporarily fitted to plywood with double-sided tape. Medium brown Woodland Scenics ballast has been added with a teaspoon and diluted white glue sprayed on. They have now been set aside to dry.
Jon |
Sweethome Chicago is now on Facebook
Sweethome Alabama is now on Facebook
Hudson Road is now on Facebook
My Videos
My Railimages |
Edited by - jon grant 4472 on 04/21/2012 5:51:58 PM |
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milocomarty
Fireman
Netherlands
4927 Posts |
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jon grant 4472
Fireman
United Kingdom
1082 Posts |
Posted - 04/21/2012 : 5:54:56 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by milocomarty
Cool !! But I wouldn't mind a bit smaller pictures. Very big on a 15" laptop screen..
Just taught myself to resize photos in Picasa3 editing suite. Most of the forums I post in have auto photo resizing, except RRL and Atlas.
I'll try and remember in future
Jon |
Sweethome Chicago is now on Facebook
Sweethome Alabama is now on Facebook
Hudson Road is now on Facebook
My Videos
My Railimages |
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okiecrip
Engine Wiper
USA
289 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2012 : 1:29:47 PM
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| like it |
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parkerlegend
New Hire
USA
48 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2012 : 3:46:44 PM
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| Where do I find Traintronics switch machines? How much are they? They look like heavy duty Snap switches like Peco and Atlas sell. I currently use Atlas but want to try out Traintronics. I do not like how big of a hole has to be made under the Peco turnout to put in the switch machine. Plus they are MUCH more expensive than Atlas'. |
MONSTERRAILROAD
aka Big Al Mayo
Member since 02/21/2008 |
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parkerlegend
New Hire
USA
48 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2012 : 3:54:34 PM
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No I do not like that one. I found the one I actually like and will purchase They are the
SEEP PM-2 Point motor and they cost $6.07 american dollars. |
MONSTERRAILROAD
aka Big Al Mayo
Member since 02/21/2008 |
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upcsx
New Hire
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2012 : 8:21:28 PM
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| Mr Grant,layout allways looking great. |
Russell |
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jon grant 4472
Fireman
United Kingdom
1082 Posts |
Posted - 04/28/2012 : 10:22:00 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by parkerlegend
No I do not like that one. I found the one I actually like and will purchase They are the
SEEP PM-2 Point motor and they cost $6.07 american dollars.
Al, I use Seep point motors on Sweethome Chicago...the ones with the switch included, but not the 'latched' springing mechanism.
The Traintronic turnout motor is similar in operation to Tortoise motors, but are more expensive as they include the DCC accessory decoder built in. I haven't tried mine yet.
Jon |
Sweethome Chicago is now on Facebook
Sweethome Alabama is now on Facebook
Hudson Road is now on Facebook
My Videos
My Railimages |
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jon grant 4472
Fireman
United Kingdom
1082 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2012 : 3:15:18 PM
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I have rebuilt the sector-plate fiddle yard, and moved it back six inches to accommodate the new asphalt plant scenic board. This new scenic board will sit in front of the fiddle yard and bring the overall scenic length of the layour to over 27ft.
The fiddle yard sector plate was re-positioned with a new central pivot point, allowing the number of tracks to be increased from 4 to 5.
The drop-down extension board allows each track to easily hold a loco, caboose and up to 5 50ft freight cars.
This board folds into the sector plate for easy transportation and is electrically 'dead', to avoid accidental run-offs.
Jon |
Sweethome Chicago is now on Facebook
Sweethome Alabama is now on Facebook
Hudson Road is now on Facebook
My Videos
My Railimages |
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jon grant 4472
Fireman
United Kingdom
1082 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2012 : 3:35:46 PM
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The sector plate, which resembles a car-float, aligns to the yard lead by means of custom-built bolts. The rails have been soldered to copper-clad PCB strip after which brass square-section tubing is also soldered. Brass wire 'bolts' slide into the tubing to both align the track and provide the electrical contact.
I found it easier to use square section tubing instead of round section, as it is easier to solder accurately and the brass wire finds its path through the tube much easier. The bent wire bolts are finished off with plastic toggle-switch covers.
Now, with the fiddle yard rebuild out of the way, I can get on building the asphalt plant board
Jon |
Sweethome Chicago is now on Facebook
Sweethome Alabama is now on Facebook
Hudson Road is now on Facebook
My Videos
My Railimages |
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jon grant 4472
Fireman
United Kingdom
1082 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 2:12:44 PM
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With the fiddle yard moved back and modified, I could make a start on the actual scenic board. To keep things light, I made a frame to hold the plywood trackbed. Integral legs with 'uneven floor' adjusters will be fitted, but for now the new board has been clamped to the fiddle yard frame
I found some off-cuts of plywood which should suit and will be trimmed, once I work out the final trackplan
I have also been test-fitting the buildings, machinery and tanks for best placement.
Jon |
Sweethome Chicago is now on Facebook
Sweethome Alabama is now on Facebook
Hudson Road is now on Facebook
My Videos
My Railimages |
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Yet another scenic board for Sweethome Alabama
