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deemery
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 11/27/2016 : 8:00:31 PM
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How was Tour de Chooch?
dave
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Modeling 1890s (because the voices in my head told me to) |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 8959 |
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jbvb
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 11/27/2016 : 10:12:35 PM
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It went well; I had help running trains and help downstairs to guide visitors. I only had one DCC decoder crash and one protocol glitch with old-style consisting. And one RTR freight car with an out-of gauge wheel. The signals did their job with only one glitch, which cleared itself up as mysteriously as it arrived. Ron G. brought some of his equipment, which ran all day after a few shakedown issues. We had 48 visitors total, not as many as some other participants report, but only people who could climb 2 flights of stairs came to my attic.
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James
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6897 |
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jbvb
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 11/30/2016 : 10:47:45 PM
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I decided I needed to understand how West Lynn was to be signaled before I returned to work on the Saugus Jct. interlocking. So I spent most of yesterday and today on it; the dwarf signals at the west end of the running tracks now work:

After spending daylight hours around and under the layout, I've almost finished the design this evening. One question to sleep on, then I can build the interlocking itself and the single home signal I know I need (I may decide I need another).
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James
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6897 |
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Orionvp17
Fireman
   
Premium Member
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Posted - 12/01/2016 : 10:21:44 PM
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Nice! 
Pete in Michigan
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Country: USA
| Posts: 7568 |
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MarkF
Engineer
    
Premium Member

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Posted - 12/01/2016 : 10:25:25 PM
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That's a nice looking picture James! I do like your drawf signals. I still have yet to even start my signaling project. Someday!
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Mark |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 13756 |
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jbvb
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 12/02/2016 : 10:36:15 AM
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Thanks, guys. My old friend John Purbrick, who worked out that way of building searchlight dwarfs, visited during the Tour de Chooch and remarked on how many I'd built (9). Right now I'm thinking about potential issues before I build the rest of this interlocking: If I socket-mount the home signal that goes by the (scale) switch machine on the right, I can build GE's in-plant track behind it with no risk to the signal.
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James
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6897 |
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jbvb
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 12/09/2016 : 8:49:13 PM
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Bulletin Order #35, December 9, 2016: At Saugus Draw East interlocking, Eastward two-light dwarf interlocking signal and westward dwarf signal on the eastward main track, and westward dwarf signal on the easterly running track are placed in service. Trains and Engines using the running tracks at Saugus Draw East must obtain permission from the Operator before reversing hand-thrown turnout at the west end of either running track.

My boss sent me over to the Gear Works with a part they needed, so I grabbed my camera from my locker as I left. Since GE bought the plant, the guard towers haven't been manned and the day shift guy at the guard shack by the crossing knows me. I saw the Lynn Goat pulling down the Westbound to run around its pickups so I shot it as the jack turned yellow.

The Oil Job was on the Middle track; their brakeman said they wouldn't pull over the crossing till the Goat was done, but right behind them was a passenger local; I got all three engines in the frame...
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James
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6897 |
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Orionvp17
Fireman
   
Premium Member
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Posted - 12/09/2016 : 8:55:36 PM
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Very cool!
Pete in Michigan
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Country: USA
| Posts: 7568 |
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Tyson Rayles
Moderator
    
Premium Member

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Posted - 12/12/2016 : 07:16:15 AM
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Country: USA
| Posts: 13455 |
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Dutchman
Administrator
     
Premium Member

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Posted - 12/12/2016 : 08:44:55 AM
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Very nice, James. I'll bet that same shot would also look terrific in a 'low light' (night) shot.
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Bruce |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 33508 |
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jbvb
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 12/16/2016 : 10:57:10 PM
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Thank you, Pete, Mike and Bruce. A night shot might not need all the structures missing from my test above, but then again, it might not be at its best till the structures were built and lit...
Earlier this week, I reached a minor milestone - all 18 of my main line blocks have occupancy detection. 11 of them are completely protected by signals (e.g. a signal warns engineers if the track is occupied or a turnout is reversed). I'm working on the design for the last interlocking. There are still 4 mast and 2 dwarf signals to build. At this rate, I might have it done in time for a February op session - all my weekends are booked from now to the Amherst show at the Big E.
I'm also accumulating evidence for model rail layout building as a path to fitness: Aside from one errand, all of today has been spent working on the RR. A bunch of that was under the layout;I don't know how my gadget interprets crawling around. But it assures me I've climbed 15 floors worth of stairs while walking 4,800 steps (1.7 mi.). Another reason to get out of the armchair...
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James
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Edited by - jbvb on 12/18/2016 8:27:24 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6897 |
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Grubes
Crew Chief
  

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Posted - 12/18/2016 : 1:30:03 PM
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Great progress James. I enjoy seeing your railroad come to life with operations.
Dave
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Edited by - Grubes on 12/18/2016 1:31:14 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 630 |
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jbvb
Fireman
   
Premium Member

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Posted - 01/19/2017 : 10:08:57 PM
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Bulletin Order #38, January 19, 2017: At Saugus Jct. interlocking, Eastward three-light home interlocking signal governing the eastbound main track, and eastward dwarf signal governing eastward movements on the westbound main track are placed in service. Westward movements on either track entering the interlocking must proceed until all cars are west of the governing signal.

Walking down Bennett St. the other day, I heard a funny air horn - not the single-trumpet foghorn the early diseasels came with, not the three trumpet model on an EMD roadswitcher. I climbed up the embankment; lo and behold, it was a Buddliner fresh from Philadelphia. There'd been a story in the Item last month; this order of Budds is supposed to replace the Pacifics and Moguls I grew up with. I've been carrying my camera every sunny day since then. Timmy and Ike down at the Enginehouse are worried, but they haven't gotten any notices abolishing their jobs yet. I won't be shooting many more of these Buddliners - they all look alike. Fooey! Bexley Tower gave this one a Bottom Yellow, lining it up the mail/express track. I guess the brass want to save a little by turning Buddliners there instead of running through the tunnel and into the yard.
Rapido "Phase 1c RDC-1" 6113 in the 1955 delivery Minuteman scheme. The first 8 were delivered in 1952/53 with bare ends, single-chime horns and fabricated trucks. Signal uses Oregon Rail Supply heads, base & finial, Free State Systems platforms and ladders.
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James
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6897 |
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MarkF
Engineer
    
Premium Member

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Posted - 01/20/2017 : 12:38:58 AM
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Nice shot James! That RDC is sharp. Nice lighting, and do I see an interior as well? And congrats on getting the signals working.
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Mark |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 13756 |
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Tyson Rayles
Moderator
    
Premium Member

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Posted - 01/20/2017 : 08:31:38 AM
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Nice!
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Country: USA
| Posts: 13455 |
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