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Someone stop the Chief! We're freezing! Locked

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Posted by dbaker48 on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 1:24 AM

Hate to see you close it down, but you gotta do what you gotta do!!!!

 

Great thread and tremendous job 

Don

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Monday, January 15, 2007 11:03 PM
 Frank53 wrote:

I guess it's offical - the sign tells all - Chief is off the carpet

great job Chief.

I think I have spread enough bad waether around lately.  I will be closing this one down for good.  Thanks for all the repies.

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by laz 57 on Monday, January 15, 2007 8:35 AM
 mitchelr wrote:
 dbaker48 wrote:
 Frank53 wrote:

I guess it's offical - the sign tells all - Chief is off the carpet

great job Chief.

 

LOL   

 

Frank53 - That sign is priceless!!!!

 

Mitch Bow [bow]

GOOD SIGN.

laz57

  There's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't stay still; Robert Service. TCA 03-55991
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Posted by mitchelr on Monday, January 15, 2007 5:49 AM
 dbaker48 wrote:
 Frank53 wrote:

I guess it's offical - the sign tells all - Chief is off the carpet

great job Chief.

 

LOL   

 

Frank53 - That sign is priceless!!!!

 

Mitch Bow [bow]

Bob Mitchell Gettysburg, PA TCA # 98-47956 LCCA# RM22839

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Posted by dbaker48 on Sunday, January 14, 2007 11:51 PM
 Frank53 wrote:

I guess it's offical - the sign tells all - Chief is off the carpet

great job Chief.

 

LOL   

Don

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Posted by Frank53 on Sunday, January 14, 2007 11:35 PM

I guess it's offical - the sign tells all - Chief is off the carpet

great job Chief.

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Posted by dbaker48 on Sunday, January 14, 2007 11:25 PM
Who do I need to talk to about reserving a space when CTT puts this layout it on one of the tours?    I Chuck handling advance sales and reservations?

Don

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Posted by laz 57 on Sunday, January 14, 2007 11:16 PM

LOOOKIN GOOD CHIEF.  See what happens when you don't eat GRITS?

laz57

  There's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't stay still; Robert Service. TCA 03-55991
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Posted by jonadel on Sunday, January 14, 2007 9:22 PM
REALLY enjoy seeing the progress shots, THANK YOU!

How are the temps in your main room in the summer? I would imagine you probably have central a/c to make it comfortable. I wish I had used the O72 radius curves, they look fantastic.

Jon

Jon

So many roads, so little time. 

 

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Sunday, January 14, 2007 8:17 PM
Thanks guys.  No signal problem.  I had tested by walking in there and using the CAB1 and the DCS remote while trains were in the big room.  Horn button is a good test.  Now they work great from big room while in the walk-in.  Funny, sound is loud and when they go into the Walk-in, it just about goes away.  Even better than I thought.

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by underworld on Sunday, January 14, 2007 7:23 PM

Great looking project Chief!!! I wish I had that amount of room. I thought you must be doing more work....it got real cold here today!!!!!Tongue [:P]

underworldBig Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]

currently on Tour with Sleeper Cell myspace.com/sleepercellrock Sleeper Cell is @ Checkers in Bowling Green Ohio 12/31/2009 come on out to the party!!! we will be shooting more video for MTVs The Making of a Metal Band
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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, January 14, 2007 7:01 PM

Looks fantastic, Chief!   You've certainly done an amazing amount of work within a short time.  That back room is a lot larger then I imagined.  A great place to hide a relatively unprototypical reverse loop too.  Will there be signal problems in there with TMCC?  I'll probably be using a lot of your basic design eliments when I go ahead and build my attic layout so following you progress has been of particular interest to me.  Mine will also be around the walls with a center isle.  Will you be adding any elevated sections of track in the future?

 

Bruce Webster

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Sunday, January 14, 2007 11:48 AM

Benchwork complete.  Now I need 60 more inches of straight track for each side on each loop.  Also need my swithces to do reverse loop and one track to the other track change.

View of temp loops to get trains running in circles.  [notice the temp protector to insure no trains accidently derail and drop though hole]

Looking through tunnel.  [notice the the derail protector on the side]

The other tunnel.  Coal siding has to have 072 switch instead of 054.

 

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by dbaker48 on Saturday, January 13, 2007 11:22 PM
Great Job Chief!!!!  And, also all the pictues, sure will be happy to get mine started!!

Don

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Saturday, January 13, 2007 6:37 PM
Benchwork done!!!!!  Temp tracks laid.  They only go half as far as they are going to later.  Need more straight sections.  Trains are running in circles now.  They go in one side, disappear and come back out the other side.  Pictures tomorrow.  Too tired. Big Smile [:D]Approve [^]

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Friday, January 12, 2007 8:42 PM
Framing finished in the walk-in.  Would have top on but had a long County meeting today.  Hope to get top on tomorrow as I probably will NOT go to Miss Edna's [Todd's Train Depot].  She still does not have my 072 switches I need.  Will try to put down both circles without them.

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by arcanggell on Thursday, January 11, 2007 10:46 PM
Bow [bow] look good. I like the pics, gives me ideas
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Posted by laz 57 on Sunday, January 7, 2007 7:31 PM

NICE JOB CHIEF, looks like a nice layout coming.  Beat carpet runningWink [;)]?

Ran a few wires for my Hobo ville.  got them working.  Now to set some time this week and hook up gantry crane,787 log loader and the conveyor log loader along with the giz sawing the log animated feature.

All have a good nite.

laz57

  There's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't stay still; Robert Service. TCA 03-55991
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Posted by csxt30 on Sunday, January 7, 2007 7:28 PM

Boy !! You can say that again Chuck !! He's really came a long way in short order !!  Good work Chief, & we really love the pictures !!

Thanks, John 

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Sunday, January 7, 2007 7:01 PM

Chief....I am very impressed. You have done a lot of work. And you have a lot to go. But, it looks like you have a good plan. Keep us posted.

Chuck

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by ChiefEagles on Sunday, January 7, 2007 6:38 PM

Basic framing done in walk-in attic.  Now trying to see if it will work with 072 curves and 072 reversing curves and switches.  I need my switches.  The 1X4 seen here will go in as braces.  A hole between the reversing section and the back two tracks will give me access.  I think it wll work fine.  Reversing section will just fit with door open.  Close.  Without switches, it is hard to tell.

Standing in the door:

The tunnel holes:

Remember this room was nothing but bare rafters when I started.  Now insulated and covered.

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Saturday, January 6, 2007 9:57 PM
Just enough time to do some framing in the walk-in.  Wife wanted to go out for a while.  Tomorrow???  Monday is flying to NH.

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Saturday, January 6, 2007 1:22 PM
 Blueberryhill RR wrote:

Just out of curiosity, Chief, how many total switches are you going to have???

Chuck

Somewhere around 16 to 18.  Most are 072 but a few are 054.

Jerry got to Miss Edna's with a driver.  Seems to be doing a lot better.

Someone has made me mad.  Hate loosing my temper.  Gone on long enough.

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Saturday, January 6, 2007 1:07 PM

Just out of curiosity, Chief, how many total switches are you going to have???

Chuck

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
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Posted by ChiefEagles on Friday, January 5, 2007 6:18 PM

Holes in the wall, originally, NO.  Wife suggested it.  Was going to be liftout to get into closet and walk-in.  It became part of the plan before I  started building.

Update:  Carpeted the bare plank [not finished flooring] floor with carpet pieces from the downstairs carpet job.  Nothing fancy but floor is covered.  Figured it would quiten the noise and any train falling from layout would do better hitting carpet than wood.  Then built the two sections of benchwork going into the walk-in by the closet walls.  Now I can do the big section and see how track will work.  No switches from Miss Edna's yet. Sad [:(]

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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Posted by trainmasterz on Friday, January 5, 2007 12:15 PM

Chief,

Glad you made it back down there in one piece.

I finally read the whole post here.  You guys are hard to keep up with.

Annyhow your layout is looking great!

My only question is, was the hole in the wall planned from the begining?  Or was it, kinda plan as you go?  I dont know if I missed it or not.

Drew
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Posted by lionelsoni on Thursday, January 4, 2007 6:18 PM

Of course there is no electrical inspector who has to approve your layout wiring; but the principles are the same for sizing building wire and layout wire.  The wire size is determined by the amount of heat the wire generates from the current passing through it and the surface area that it has to get rid of the heat.  This works out to a doubling of the current that the wire can safely carry, which is called its "ampacity", every 4 AWG sizes.  Thus, for building wiring, 14 AWG is allowed to carry 15 amperes and 10 AWG, 4 sizes larger, may carry 30 amperes.

There is some wiggle room in this business.  Some wire is allowed to carry more current because it has insulation that can stand getting hotter.  Slightly smaller wire is allowed for short distances, with the justification that the extra heat can be conducted to the nearby larger wire to which it is connected.  This idea can be useful when connecting the last inch or two of wire to the rails of the track.  The usual ampacities are reduced when enough wires are bundled together that it becomes harder for them to get rid of the heat.  And it is a matter of judgement just how hot a wire is safe.  For example, the European codes generally allow approximately one AWG size smaller wire for the same current (although they don't actually use the AWG system to gauge wire).

Bob Nelson

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Posted by ChiefEagles on Thursday, January 4, 2007 5:27 PM

Lots of folks use 16 ga wire for lockons or smaller.  In house wiring code here, 14 ga is 15 amp breaker and 12 ga is 20 amp.  Don't think layout wires are gauged the same as electrical service.  All my transformers furnishing power to tracks are ZW's.  They all have been retro-fitted with 15 amp resetting automotive type circuit breakers.  I then test them with a short.  They open almost immediately.  You can hear the click when the reset.  From the ZW's to the electronics [TIU and TMCC Command Base] there is a quick acting 15 amp circuit breaker box [4 breakers and 4 separate circuits] I built following OGR's Backshop video.  You have to manually reset those.  I have the automotive circuit breakers in the KW's [one supplying aux power to all the switches and to a few accessories the other is on standby for now].  I go for "overkill".  You will see I have an electrical breaker panel right at layout.

Back from trip.  More RR work to start.  Did go to Hamlet NC and visit the big CSX yard and the restored Hamlet Depot and layout.     
 

 God bless TCA 05-58541   Benefactor Member of the NRA,  Member of the American Legion,   Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville Laugh,   KC&D QualifiedCowboy       

              

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