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A month of no trains......

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  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Central North Dakota
  • 18 posts
A month of no trains......
Posted by POWDIE on Thursday, October 2, 2008 11:43 AM

My wife and I are buying a house. My little patio garden railway in Florida will be pushing snow thru central North Dakota. Approval for more track has been granted. Right of ways have yet to be determined. The house needs new wiring so I can have any power needs satisfied easily, so any advise as far as what I would need would be appreciated. I plan on running indoors and outdoors, the house has a 1200 sq ft basement. I plan to run thru a window to the 140 x 150 ft yard. So, I should be able to run year round in the great north.

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: silver spring, md
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Posted by altterrain on Thursday, October 2, 2008 1:08 PM

Yikes! Florida to North Dakota - time to buy some parkas! Hope the move goes smoothly.

 -Brian

President of
  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: N. California & Nevada
  • 448 posts
Posted by g. gage on Thursday, October 2, 2008 6:38 PM

Do you have a 4x4 or AWD vehicle, sure beats chains, and plenty of firewood? We live on the eastslope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at around 5200'. We don't have basements out here in the wild west but our house is build on a slope which gives us about 5 - 6' of head room in the crawl space. I build a 75' double ended yard in the crawl space. It serves as storage and staging. One end exits through a doggie door (I removed the flap door using only the security door) the other through the crawl space door, using spanners.

Hope this helps, Rob   

  • Member since
    June 2008
  • From: N. California & Nevada
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Posted by g. gage on Thursday, October 2, 2008 6:39 PM

Do you have a 4x4 or AWD vehicle, sure beats chains, and plenty of firewood? We live on the eastslope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains at around 5200'. We don't have basements out here in the wild west but our house is build on a slope which gives us about 5 - 6' of head room in the crawl space. I build a 75' double ended yard in the crawl space. It serves as storage and staging. One end exits through a doggie door (I removed the flap door using only the security door) the other through the crawl space door, using spanners.

Hope this helps, Rob   

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Central North Dakota
  • 18 posts
Posted by POWDIE on Thursday, October 2, 2008 11:20 PM
Actually, I have lived in ND most my life, my wife is the Floridian of the bunch. I have a ranch place, so yes I do have 4WD, but I also have chains. It has taken both to get out of the ranch with a 35 ft 5th wheel hooked on. Serves me right to try camping in winter time...hehehe.
  • Member since
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  • From: Oakley Ca
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Posted by dwbeckett on Sunday, November 2, 2008 8:03 AM

OK any trains Yet?

Dave

The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.

  • Member since
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  • From: Shire Counties UK
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Posted by two tone on Monday, November 3, 2008 6:02 AM

Hi As regaurd to your power needs  If I was rewiring I would makesure I had at least 4 power sockets out doors.

A good 10 amp power supply to your controler if you are putting your electrics outside make sure they are in a weather proof place IE shed / summer house or a box built to hold them. when wiring layout 2 or 3 power points to track.    I use the train engineer to control my layout this is every thing turnouts signals ect.Thumbs Up

                Age is only a state of mind, keep the mind active and enjoy life

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, November 3, 2008 3:31 PM

Awh yes, power. Every where! Plugs every where!!!! 110v

And for a cracker box welder 220v so you can make your own bridges and if something metal booms on you weld it back! If you can not weld try!!!!! Get welder 2nd or third hand at this point people are as low as 150.00 I saw in paper.

Cutting torch also with your own tanks (note tanks every so offetn have to be tested and as for your lines to the torch chnge them if there 2nd hand! Check tank dates if second hand to)

 Toad

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    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, November 3, 2008 3:36 PM

g. gage

 

 

Rob,

Only suggestion, two hinges, 1 lock.....go get you a 12v car alarm for the door please! Hook it up.

Toad

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: North, San Diego Co., CA
  • 3,092 posts
Posted by ttrigg on Monday, November 3, 2008 5:23 PM

two tone

Hi As regard to your power needs If I was rewiring I would make sure I had at least 4 power sockets out doors.

If you are anything like me, four outlets in the yard are not enough. Since you are doing all the re-wiring anyway, I would suggest the following.

In front of the house put an outlet at each corner in the rafters, makes putting up Christmas lights so much easier. In back of house put an outlet 18"~30" above ground at each corner. Then put a pair of outlets at or as near as possible to your "train control center."

Tom Trigg

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Central North Dakota
  • 18 posts
Posted by POWDIE on Wednesday, November 5, 2008 9:22 PM

Well, we closed on our first home today. Now we have the task of making this house a home. Now I can try an figure out a plan to expand the railroad.

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