Layout Progress and Plans (w/pictues)

[dbaker48]

Been busy working on the train room this past week.  Work still keeps getting in the way though.

This is still the goal I'm working toward.  There have been tons of changes!  If I counted the revisions I know it would be well over 200. 

My design goals include; Two oppossing mainlines, with crossover and reversing capability.  Must be able to accomodate O72 engines.  Also do NOT want any "Pop Ups", and therefore must be accessible from aisle access.

So, currently the framework is 99% complete, and the sound board has been installed.

 

Window on right side adjoins Dinning Room, Operating portion of layout will be as below;

 

 Far area (with lamp) will be the Engine Maintenance and Planning area.

 

 Soundboard installation complete;

 

 

 

 

 

 Currenty  have the switches on order, s/b available by Tuesday.  Then plan on doing a mock-up with the track positioning.  RR software has been great, but with the space limitations in the room, and the large track diameter requirements.  There isn't any room for error.  After doing the trial run, I will be laying down Indoor/Outdoor carpeting as a covering.  Then begin track finalizing.

In the meantime, I'm working on the electrical plans.  Below shows the track and they will essentialy be broken up; A B C & D.  I  plan to incorporate Blocks at major track joining points.  And individual toggle control for individual spurs.

 

And Thats The Way It Is. 

 (No work this weekend, have to work computer fair.  Oh Well )

[PostwarMan07]

Looks great don.  It seems like you have all of your needs addressed in your plan.  Good looking benchwork too. 

What kind of track, switches, and power do you plan on using?  Im guessing by the programming area you will not be going conventional control...right?

[fifedog]

You're on your way,Shake-n-Bake!  Thanks for update.

[kpolak]

Looks great Don!  Keep posting those photos.

Carpet huh?

Kurt

[Jumijo]

Great progress, Don! I'm jealous!!

Jim

[gwg50]

Yes looking good. Keep us up on the progress.

Gary

[dougdagrump]

Don, Looks great ! But I am going to make one very special reccommendation: If those are going to be lift bridges do the wiring so the track power is cut off if the bridge is lifted. To put it in the parlence of boxing "don't want to see da train take a dive".

Lets just say that it has happened a few times at the museum, not to me(yet), and it ain't purdy.

[jefelectric]

Looking good Don, are you still planning on using the powered lift bridge(s)?

[csxt30]

That's really coming along great Don !!  You will always be happy with 072 curves !!

Thanks, John

[cnw1995]

Wow, very sharp, Don. Thanks for the summary. Powered lift bridges! That's impressive.

[dwiemer]

Good Job Don.  Like you, work seems to get in the way.  Also have a situation with the family....doing the husband and daddy thing tends to pull one away from the trains.

Dennis

[laz 57]

YOU DA MAN DON, good job!!!!!

laz57

[Brutus]

(sorry, out of thumbs!) 

Man, looking really great!  I think it will be great with the carpet and some accessories, can't wait to see some pics of trains running!

[ChiefEagles]

Thought I tought you better!!!  Seal that Soundstop with laytex paint.   Good job.  Keep it up.  BTW: ran into a guy at Miss Edna's that used Soundstop instead of Homasote.  He is happy too and his "pockets" are not as empty too.  Guy I had never seen before but has been coming to Miss Edna's some.  He's local to the Raleigh area. 

[dbaker48]

Thanks guys for all the kind words 

To Answer a few questions:

What kind of track, switches, and power do you plan on using?  Im guessing by the programming area you will not be going conventional control...right?

---

John W

 

John - I will be using Gargraves track with Ross Switches.  I am using an PW ZW, for switch, accessory, and light pwr.  Have a new ZW for track power.  Will be running DCS, TMCC and Conventional.

 

 

Fifedog ----- "Shake-n-Bake!"  ???? Your Lucky Im not going to York this year. I think I'll go have a drink.

 

Kurt -  Carpet huh? " border="0" />

 I'm a definite operator, it will take years to scenic the entire area.  I plan on putting the carpet down and THEN, in the future try removing a section at a time and doing detailed landscape and scenery.  Otherwise, this would be an artist project and not a train room.  AND I'm not an artist.  Hopefully will try scenic the engine yard and see how that works.  Going to try building a mountain as soon as it is operational.

 

 

Jim and Gary - Thanks for the compliments !!!

 

 

If those are going to be lift bridges do the wiring so the track power is cut off if the bridge is lifted. 

Doug -  Regarding the bridge, your a 100% right!!!  I was thinking of putting a microswitch at the bridge, so that the power on the adjacent track is only hot when the bridge is closed.  I may be coming back to the Museum, for some tips.  Havn't forgotton the one you guys have, will be doing something similiar to it in the middle area.

 

John (jefelectric), you still planning on using the powered lift bridge(s)?

I STILL REALLY like that power bridge, but not in the budget this year.  I think it may be good justification for a trip to York in a year or so.

 

John csxt30 -  You will always be happy with 072 curves !! " border="0" />

That's what happens when you get overexcited about some of the capabilities of the new equipment and stuff.   And you buy BEFORE you have a layout to run it on.  Hope the 72 will work, it sure has been a pain getting this far.

 

Doug cnw1995 - Powered lift bridges! That's impressive.

The bridge was at York in April, all set to go!! Correct size (2 tracks, 36" long, and complete turnkey, also TMCC or DCS operable.  It was fantastic. 

 

Dennis - Like you, work seems to get in the way.  Also have a situation with the family....doing the husband and daddy thing tends to pull one away from the trains.

Its just the job, family OK.  I would like to retire, but not yet.  Just look at the Chief and how much extra time he has since he retired.  

 

Laz - YOU DA MAN DON, good job!!!!!

Not yet, to early.  I hope it will be good.  (Have an IMPORTANT guest arriving soon.  Need to be operational by then, that will be the real test.  Contingency Plan - Drop everything and go to Vegas.  See about getting one of those fancy bikes.)

 

Jim F. -  I think it will be great with the carpet and some accessories, can't wait to see some pics of trains running.

I can't wait either,  Looking forward to seeing the big engines running on the large curves. 

 

Chief - Thought I tought you better!!!  Seal that Soundstop with laytex paint.

The reason didn't coat the soundboard was because of the carpeting.  Since its going to be covered, I didn't think it was necessary.  Sure am glad went this route so far.

 

 

AGAIN THANKS FOR ALL THE ENCOURGEMENT !!!  tHIS NEXT WEEK WILL GET THE BALANCE OF SWITCHES, AND DO A DRY RUN WITH TRACK LOCATION AND PLACEMENT.  THEN GET CARPET DOWN HOPEFULLY NEXT WEEKEND.  AND THEN PRIMARY TRACK INSTALLED, AND WIRED FOR IMPORTANT DEADLINE !!!!!  (Will put more pictures up soon)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kpolak]

I'm a definite operator, . . .

I'll bet you are Donnie!   nudge nudge, wink, wink...say no more.....Lets keep this discussion on trains, shall we?

Kurt

[luther_stanton]

Looks really good Don.  It is always nice the see the bench work started and the track on order

Will everything be the same level or will you be introducing some grades? 

- Luther 

[wrmcclellan]

Hi Don,

Looking good.

Do your wiring with drops from the tracks about every 6 feet.

Use at least #14 awg for your under layout feeds and #16 for drops from the rails to the underlayout feeds.

Since you are going to use DCS, there is a good paired wire sold at Home Depot. It is a gray jacketed pair of #14, red and black, used for speakers and alarms.

Run your wiring from your control panel clockwise underneath the layout. The A feed will run from the control panel and end near the lift bridge to the right of the control panel. The B feed is the same, with an extension over to the lift bridge of the center section. The C feed runs from the control panel and hits the first C yard and then around (still clockwise) to the second C yard. The D trolley is the same, clockwise from the control panel to the D track. Use 2 or 3 drops for the D track, equally spaced.

Similarly, you can run your accessory feeds the same way. With two transformers you can have 4 accessory feeds. I usually plan 2 feeds for 14-16 VAC (switch motors and older motored acessories) and 2 feeds for 12-14 VAC (lights and lower voltage motorized accessories.

You will need circuit breakers between the track feeds and the DCS TIU and breakers for the accessories. Use the 10amp ones from Scott's Odds-n-Ends, CB4-10. This is four breakers, so I recommend 2 of these so you have your 4 tracks and 4 accessory voltages protected. http://www.scottsodds-n-ends.com/circuit_breakers.htm

If you are using PW ZWs - you will also need the breakers between the ZW and the DCS TIU (the TIU has internal 20 amp circuit self protect fuses). If you use an MTH Z-4000, it has circuit breakers built in so you do not need breakers between the Z-4000 and TIU.

I also recommend the voltage surge protectors - TVS-4. http://www.scottsodds-n-ends.com/p8-surge_arrestors.htm

You only need the four surge protectors for the four tracks.

The literature that comes with the Scott's products will give the recommended installation details.

Use the Eurostyle type of terminal blocks. These are nice and this particular one has a riser that allows you to neatly run other wires underneath. Also, unlike the old two screw barrier terminal strips, the screws do not work loose on these (like on my layout ) and you do not need to crimp a spade connector on them to use with the older barrier strips.

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/631/1312.pdf

Mouser P/N 538-39100-0812 (12 position, accepts #12 to #22 AWG wire)

Radio Shack also carries similar parts - usually on the shelf.

Another plus - you can easily cut these with a utility knife for 2 position, 3 position, 4 position, etc.

For block switches, use some like these from NKK. Rated for 10 amps.

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/631/1422.pdf

Mouser P/N 633S2ARO for a SPDT on-on switch.

Drop me a line for any questions you might have.

[wrmcclellan]

BTW,

Since this is a new layout, you need to wire it optimally for DCS which is why I recommended the twin lead wire from Home Depot (or similar). DCS is a radio signal propagated along the wire and it likes to have the common and hot leads together (like the old twin lead tv antenna wire befroe everything went to coaxial cable). So you need to run the two wires as a pair and the gray jacketed encased wire I suggest keeps the wires together. You can break into the wire wherever there is a drop using the terminal strips. You can also strip a short section (ie 1 to 1.5 inch) and solder directly or you can try the 3M Scotchlock "suitcase" solderless connectors crimp on splicers.

Your track to feeder drops (typ less than 1 foot long) are individual #16 wires (red and black to match the feeder wires) you can also buy in a roll (typ 100 feet, 500 ft, etc.) from Home Depot or similar.

With the Gagraves track, you will want to drop a black common wire from both outside rails since they are not connected together (as on Lionel tubular and fastrack).

 

[dbaker48]

Roy -----  Holy Cow....  THANKS !!!!!!   You're a life saver !!!!!!  I'm sure I will be in touch !!!

 

[dbaker48]

Will everything be the same level or will you be introducing some grades? 

- Luther 

Luther - Actually, the layout will bisect the dinning room window about 10 inches ABOVE the window sill.  Which would not be a very attractive view from the dinning room.  It would look at the bottom of the layout.  So, I plan on a "diorama" at the window.  The diorama will be about 2" below the window and project under the layout about 14".  The backside, under the layout, will have a hillside scene, or mountain cliff, with a room for a couple of buildings in the foreground.  The area will have a track that snakes through the area, then enter a tunnel and go behind the scenery.  Initially a simple oval will be under the layout surface, then re-emerge on the left side at the diorama again.  The idea is that this area will be able to be changed for the appropriate season.  Polar Express train, Easter, Halloween, etc.  Eventually, thinking about a siding that would permit alternate train operation, or possibly the same train (duplicate) or a different train on the siding that would come back in the opposite direction.  (from the right side).

To accomodate this the main line on the layout will be elevated about 5" as it goes through the diorama scene.  So on the layout surface this will justify a "mountain" in that corner then spaning the diorama on a bridge above the diorama area.

 

Then, in the future, next year and beyond.  Who knows?

 

Hope this made sense, and thanks for the question.