In-ko-pah RR - New digital camera pics!

[Shu]

Ray - Thanks much for the information. I just ordered the track tonite from St Aubins per your reccomendation. They had the best price I found and their location (Vegas) may be a little cheaper on the shipping. The snow has finally melted but possibly expecting more next week. I hope not, I have work to do on the RR. Thanks again, Charlie

[Ray Dunakin]

Yeah, track prices are sky high and not likely to come down much anytime soon. I was lucky to get mine just before the prices started skyrocketing about a year ago. Even then it wasn't cheap. The only consolation I can offer is that track is pretty much a one-time expense. Once you get it all in, you're done. I don't know what the average lifespan is on track but it's several years at least. I bet it lasts a lifetime for most folks. You can also break it up a bit, buying a little each year until the layout is complete. That's assuming that you'll be building your layout in stages over a length of time. My track is almost all from Aristocraft, and right now is the best time of year to get it. Until the end of February, they have a "buy four packs, get a fifth free" deal. I recommend checking prices at Ridge Road Station, St. Aubins Station, and Trainworld. It's best to call them, as they don't always have their best prices listed online. Most people use flex track as much as possible. It's usually the cheapest and it's also the best way to get smooth curves with gradual transitions. Fewer joints too, which decreases the odds of getting bad connections if you're using track power. However, I used sectional track, mainly because I was working out my trackplan a little at a time, and could arrange and rearrange sections of track to see what would work best. For all straight or nearly straight areas of track, I used the 5' lengths (actually a bit less than 5 feet). These can be used as flex track when needed, by removing the screws under the ties, and cutting some of the plastic connections between the ties. The only places where I handlaid the track is on my bridges. On straight bridges it was really easy, but my one curved bridge, it was a pain. If I could figure out a better way to do it, I'd like to handlay track for all my trestles too, just so they'd look better and I could add catwalks. I wouldn't consider using handlaid track on the ground, I don't think it would last long enough. If I had it to do over again, one thing I _might_ do differently is use Code 250 rail. The standard Code 332 rail is tough and holds up well to being stepped on and such, but it sure looks huge. On the other hand, price and availability is an issue, or at least it was when I was buying track.

[Shu]

OK Ray - One more Q and I'll leave you alone tonite - Track - I see prices for brass flex track from $4-$7 per ft. Is that the best I can do? and where do you buy yours? Have you tried hand laid stuff - I hear it's a pain in the ***. (like me) Thanks very much for the info!

[Ray Dunakin]

Shu

Ray - what would you consider to be the maximum safe 'do-able' grade to design into the layout - Bachmann engine 4-5 cars, brass track. I keep hearing 4 deg. This sound right? Do you have any video of your layout? - sorry for all the Q's

No problemo! I'd say four degrees is a good max. The maximum grade on my layout is approximately 4%. It might be slightly more, but not much. I have some fairly tight curves on my grades too, including an S curve on the steepest section. That adds to the difficulty of the grade, and also limits the size of the equipment I can use. My sharpest curves are 6.5' diameter (39" radius). I have a Buddy L 2-6-2 with three pounds of extra weight added inside the boiler to improve traction. It has pulled up to 6 cars around my layout. I don't know if it could have pulled more -- six was all I had at the time. The motor recently failed, but the Buddy L is a notoriously cheesy loco. I have a Bachmann 45 ton center cab diesel that is stronger and smoother running, it has no problems on my layout. I just got an Aristocraft RS-3 diesel as a gift, and it handles my layout flawlessly. Don't know the limits of its pulling power yet. When it comes to curves, wider is better. Go with the widest you can possibly manage. I started out thinking I would need a couple of 5' diameter curves at each end of my layout, and had one installed. As construction progressed I realized I could manage with 6.5'. Later I tore out the one horseshoe curve that I'd first installed with the 5' diameter track and replaced it with the wider stuff so the whole layout wouldn't be limited by that one sharp curve. PS -- I forgot to mention the video. I have shot some video but don't have any online yet. I'm on dialup so it's not really practical for me to upload video. One of these days though, I'll get my brother to upload some for me.

[Shu]

Ray - what would you consider to be the maximum safe 'do-able' grade to design into the layout - Bachmann engine 4-5 cars, brass track. I keep hearing 4 deg. This sound right? Do you have any video of your layout? - sorry for all the Q's

[Ray Dunakin]

I have about 300 feet of mainline. It's all one continuous loop -- the shape is a stretched dogbone, folded into an overlapping "Z". There are three passing sidings (one of which is unfinished) and a few short spurs.

[Shu]

Well, whatever you did - it worked great. The images were sharp up close so I thought maybe you were in macro mode. How many running ffet of track do you have and it appears that you have at least 2 levels? Thanks

[Ray Dunakin]

Thanks, Charlie! If I remember correctly, I didn't use macro mode on any of those shots. I should try that sometime.

[Shu]

Ray - WOW - Thanks for giving a newbie a view of what is possible and the motivation to get busy. Were you in macro mode for any of these shots? Amazing attention to detail - you are a credit to the hobby. Charlie

[timbob]

Those are real aren't they?!?

 

tim

[jhsimpson62]

Great pictures. As usual your buildings are full of excellent details and realism. If only I was so capable. Jack

[ttrigg]

Ray Dunakin

I'm still figuring out how all the features work,   

Ray:  Looks to me as if you alread have it figured out.  Well done my friend.

[Ray Dunakin]

g. gage

Wow Ray, great modeling and photos. I thought the buildings are real until reading the captions. I use a Canon S1, the view screen folds out and swivels in all directions allowing me to get low level photos. Is that a feature on your SD880?

 

Thanks! No, the SD880 does not have a swivel screen, unfortunately. That's the only feature this camera lacks; and you're right, it would help a lot on those low level shots, or other places where access is limited.

[g. gage]

Wow Ray, great modeling and photos. I thought the buildings are real until reading the captions. I use a Canon S1, the view screen folds out and swivels in all directions allowing me to get low level photos. Is that a feature on your SD880?

Rob

 

[JRB 1953]

THANKS FOR SHARING THE PICS, THEY ARE SO REAL, GREAT DETAIL IN THE STRUCTURES, THEY LOOK REAL LIFE.  GREAT CAMERA WORK!!!

[Ray Dunakin]

I got my first digital camera as a Christmas present. It's a Canon SD880 IS, which just arrived on Monday. I'm still figuring out how all the features work, but here are a few quick shots of the layout. These have all been reduced in size and "optimized for the web" using Photoshop: This next one shows my newest addition to the layout, a dilapidated blacksmith's shop at the abandoned mine. All the "wood" is actually styrene. The next shot shows the powder magazine at the Cliffside Mine: The small size of the camera lets me get in a lot closer, for shots like this one looking across the wooden walkways on the Cliffside Mine: