train falling from roof

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[HarryHotspur]

Nice work, SD. Your project intrigued me from the beginning, but I admit I couldn't quite understand it until I saw the photos. I know it's a display layout, and a very good one at that, but I keep picturing the entire roof sceniced as the Rocky Mountains.

[BigG]

 Great pictures! Now I understand what you're working with; somehow I misunderstood the shape and pitch of the roof. I guess a picture is worth a thousand words.

   Well done.      George

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One of the pictures shows the MRC controlmaster 20 which I bought in Brooklyn with a ampmeter and voltmeter which I purchased from China and attached to the transformer.  I will probably sell all of the cars (I have about 15 more Denver and Rio Grande cars of various makes) which I purchased on Ebay and get some better quality ones from Aristocraft.  I have been thinking about making a peak out of expandable spray type foam on chicken wire and placing it on the top and over some astroturf layed on the roof.  However, this has to stand up to the weather and wind also.  Right now and through Christmas I think I will just enjoy what has been completed.  Any ideas, no matter how wierd are welcomed.

[HarryHotspur]

The expandable foam over chicken wire sounds like a great idea. You could sculp the Rockies and have a cabin or two here and there. A real water stream flowing over and down the rocks would seem a natural for this environment. Plus you wouldn't have to worry about the usual things that cause problems: causing too much humidity. (Heck, you've got the entire world's atmoshere to absorb the water molecules.)

Then of course if it rains often enough to suit your operations, the sytem is automatic. Otherwise it would be easy to supplement the water flow with a garden hose. If it snows a little, you will have an absolutely fabulous natural Scene of the Rockies. If it doesn't snow where you are located, perhaps you could rent on of those snow making guns. Might be overkill.

 I'm not sure about the astroturf seems like you'd have a perfectly manicured summer lawn in the middle of the winter. I'd go with rugged painted and sculpedted mountains, with some trees and bushes of a brownish-gray cole.

Just for what it's worth. Sure sounds like fun. 

[Midnight Railroader]

Otherwise it would be easy to supplement the water flow with a garden hose.

Just make sure you dye the water blue, because water is blue. Right, harry?

[HarryHotspur]

Otherwise it would be easy to supplement the water flow with a garden hose.

Just make sure you dye the water blue, because water is blue. Right, harry?

Actually, pure water has a very slight blue color, but it is so slight water appears to be clear unless it is very deep. A large body of pure water will reflect the color that is cast upon it, which is usually the color of the sky. Often blue, but sometimes gray in the winter.

[Margaritaman]

A large body of pure water will reflect the color that is cast upon it, which is usually the color of the sky. Often blue, but sometimes gray in the winter.

Or brown if you live in LA

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   This is a picture of the family gathering at Easter with the SD pulling six gondola cars filled with food before I put it on the garage roof.

[hickstmj]

I love your ideas & your "if I can dream it, I can do it" attitude.  Great pictures & thank you for sharing with us.

[SD456789]

I love your ideas & your "if I can dream it, I can do it" attitude.  Great pictures & thank you for sharing with us.

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I have a controlmaster 20 A444 with a walkaround control.  It uses a phone line and jack to plug into the transformer but is also capable of operation from outside the track.  Do you know how to hook the phone line onto the track in various places?  It would be easy if there were only two wires but there are four.  I could then go outside and operate the train from different locations on the track.  Is this what is supposed to happen or am I totally wrong?

[NS AS-416]

Very impressive display. Thanks for sharing it with us!

Matt

[loathar]

So, where's the helix that gets the train from the dinner table to the roof?THAT I'd like to see!

[concretelackey]

The expandable foam over chicken wire sounds like a great idea. You could sculp the Rockies and have a cabin or two here and there. A real water stream flowing over and down the rocks would seem a natural for this environment. Plus you wouldn't have to worry about the usual things that cause problems: causing too much humidity. (Heck, you've got the entire world's atmoshere to absorb the water molecules.)

Then of course if it rains often enough to suit your operations, the sytem is automatic. Otherwise it would be easy to supplement the water flow with a garden hose. If it snows a little, you will have an absolutely fabulous natural Scene of the Rockies. If it doesn't snow where you are located, perhaps you could rent on of those snow making guns. Might be overkill.

 I'm not sure about the astroturf seems like you'd have a perfectly manicured summer lawn in the middle of the winter. I'd go with rugged painted and sculpedted mountains, with some trees and bushes of a brownish-gray cole.

Just for what it's worth. Sure sounds like fun. 

To similate running water- relatively low cost/simple setup would require a quick trip to the local hardware store. Place a plastic barrel (a clean trash can would work) under the down spout of your rain gutter. Place a $39.95 sump pump (be sure it has a ball float so it won't run dry) in the barrel and run a garden hose under the scenery to the head of the stream/creek/waterfall. This setup would recycle the water using the rain gutter and would be refilled when it rains.

PS- LOOKS GREAT!