Thanks, Anton!
I only wish I really did know perfectly what I'm doing...
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I finally finished up Part I of the track plan analysis that I started in June:
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
29 September 2018
Classification area of the Casper yard is nearly complete, with the runaround track now operational:
The switch the loco is sitting on will lead to the engine servicing facilities, with the one behind it leading to the Standard Oil Refinery tank car loading racks. The far one will lead to the reefer icing facility behind the classification tracks.
I still need to install switchstands on the three switches off the runaround, and Hayes bumpers at the ends of all the tracks.
Once the turntable and roundhouse are installed, I'll be able to get those locos off the classification tracks!
Looks good, Mark. I have forgotten the dimensions...how long are the longest ladder tracks?
Hi Crandell,
I had to go look it up on the track plan - I just laid track until I got to the end!
The longest yard track in Casper is 11 feet, and the shortest is about 6.5 feet.
Total capacity of this yard is roughly 101 40' cars.
The one in Laurel will be bigger.
Nice, that's dream territory for me. My current build, started three years ago, has a 10 foot yard module with about 18" of extension inside of a turnaround curve at one end. I might be lucky to have an 8' first ladder, but the last one of maybe five will be around 5+ feet. I envy you your 11 feet, with a longer yard in mind to come!
It find it pleasing that, at long last, you are gaining momentum and enjoying this monumental task. I still regret the demise of that magnificent helix..................
Are you looking at running a first train by about Christmas, maybe a couple of weeks earlier, Mark? I mean around a single main loop, or are you building in a more modular way?
-Crandell
Yard is coming along nicely. Are those Fast-Tracks turnouts?
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
selectorNice, that's dream territory for me. My current build, started three years ago, has a 10 foot yard module with about 18" of extension inside of a turnaround curve at one end. I might be lucky to have an 8' first ladder, but the last one of maybe five will be around 5+ feet. I envy you your 11 feet, with a longer yard in mind to come! It find it pleasing that, at long last, you are gaining momentum and enjoying this monumental task. I still regret the demise of that magnificent helix.................. Are you looking at running a first train by about Christmas, maybe a couple of weeks earlier, Mark? I mean around a single main loop, or are you building in a more modular way? -Crandell
Crandell,
A few years ago I discovered that I really enjoy yard operations. Once I got the runaround track functional a few days ago, I spent a couple of very satisfying hours sorting the cars that had been placed mostly randomly in Casper. But while I like having the large yard to play in, I think the design impacts the enjoyment more than the size does. Yours sounds like it will do just fine!
It's funny you mention the helix. The October issue of an e-zine published a link to one of my short helix videos. I think that beast is probably my biggest claim to fame!
I'm building in a modular approach. I probably have the mainline finished about as far as it will go for some months. I'm going to focus on the engine terminal for a bit, and get the turntable in and roundhouse well underway before pushing the mainline on into the "wilderness." It will be sometime before the first loop is complete.
riogrande5761Yard is coming along nicely. Are those Fast-Tracks turnouts?
Thanks!
Yes, they are. They're all I use now (except for one spot where I'll use a Walthers/Shinohara double crossover). Apparently, I have a knack for building them. From the first one I built some years ago, I've had less trouble with them than with any of the commercial ones I used for years.
I'm about ready to go back and install all the missing ties under rail joiners throughout the yard. I procrastinate in doing that because I find it about the most tedious aspect of layout building.
Here's my October layout construction update video:
There will be no video in November. Too much travel and other stuff happening before Thanksgiving.
7 October 2018
The turntable and two garden tracks have been installed at Casper, and the table is functional.
Here's a short video of the table in operation:
Part II of Analyzing the Track Plan is complete and uploaded to Youtube:
14 October 2018
My friend Walt came over yesterday and helped me prepare the bench top for the roundhouse floor in Casper. He's using my hot wire cutter to cut grooves in the foam for the roundhouse inspection pits. I took an old yogurt cup, cut a hole in the bottom and trimmed the height until the cutter stuck out just enough to cut the groove to an ample depth. I still need one more roundhouse kit to add two missing stalls.
Today I finally finished up the roadbed for the rest of the A/D track and caboose spur in Casper. I cleared the yard by pulling all the cars up onto the grade.
Once I finish laying the A/D and caboose tracks I plan to finish installing ties under all the rail joiners (ugh!), followed with painting all the yard tracks. Weathering them will probably come somewhat later.
Pruitt He's using my hot wire cutter to cut grooves in the foam for the roundhouse inspection pits. I took an old yogurt cup, cut a hole in the bottom and trimmed the height until the cutter stuck out just enough to cut the groove to an ample depth
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
28 October 2018
I've taken a bit of a detour for a few days to begin construction of a set of bookcases for my library. Still, I have been able to do a few things around the layout...
The caboose and A/D tracks are now laid:
I also started painting the yard. First is a general coat of brown rattle-can paint. It turns out the paint, a Rustoleum flat paint, mildly attacks the pink foam baseboard. It's not too severe, but I think I'll probably brush a coat of latex brown paint on the foam before using the Rustoleum again.
Yesterday my friend Walt and I went to the Timonium Maryland train show. I was able to acquire another of the small Walthers roundhouse kits, so I have enough stalls now to build the entire structure.
Thanks, BigJim!
Here's my monthly construction update video for November (the plan I had that would scratch this update were postponed until next year):
December's construction update:
8 December 2018
I've turned away from yard scenery efforts for a bit to move the engine servicing facility along. Here I'm in the process of installing the roundhouse tracks:
I have a lot more confidence in doing the mechanical construction than in building scenery.
22 December 2018
I finally completed track installation for the Casper roundhouse. All tracks are in and powered. My entire stable of Burlington locos is sitting "in" the roundhouse:
The only track left to install to the turntable is the inbound lead.
I've barely started on the roundhouse itself. You can see two of the stall end walls laying behind the stalls. I have to paint all the walls and window frames before I can continue very much farther.
That is a lovely collection of Q power!
Ed
7j43kThat is a lovely collection of Q power!
Agreed, except you are missing one! Gotta fill that last stall. EBay, here we come!!
Seriously, nice work Mark. I'm working on a roundhouse for the club. We'll have to compare notes.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Thanks Ed, Dave.
I do have one lonely little CNW ten wheeler for that last stall. It's a Spectrum model from 15 years or so ago. I'd like to get a couple more, but Bachmann has discontinued it.
I cleaned up the sprue connections from the wall sections (I've got a lot of extra brick sidewalls now!), so the next step is painting them, and all the windows and doors. For the walls I've picked up some Rustoleum flat red spray paint, and a brown for the doors ans window frames. We'll see how that comes out...
Part III of my analysis of the track plan is now complete:
In spring of 2019 I'll post a video describing the operating concept of the layout.
27 December 2018
Making progress on the roundhouse.
Here the walls are drying after being painted with a Rustoleum flat red:
I want to light the interior, but don't want to spend a fortune on LED's or tiny incandescents. Hmmm. What to do?
Maybe these will work?
After a few minutes of unpackaging, unwinding the red & white yarn and unthreading the snowflakes, I got this:
Yes, I can certainly do something with these. I need to figure out how to replace the 3-AA-batteries power box with a connection to my 12 volt power supply and I'm off to the races. Shouldn't be too hard... Anybody got any suggestions?
PruittI need to figure out how to replace the 3-AA-batteries power box with a connection to my 12 volt power supply and I'm off to the races. Shouldn't be too hard... Anybody got any suggestions?
The 3 AA batteries will produce 4.5 volts. You can get a DC to DC converter to take the 12 v supply down to 4.5 volts. They are pretty cheap. RRMel knows more about them than I do.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/DC-DC-Adjustable-Buck-Converter-Step-Down-Module-Power-Supply-4-0-38-to-1-25-36V/322629162300?hash=item4b1e32553c:g:UYgAAOSwcrFZgWm5:rk:17:pf:0
There are lots of different models.
Note that the LEDs in your string will likely burn out if you take them out of the string and run them individually on 4.5 volts unless each LED has its own resistor. By themselves without a resistor they need 2.5 - 3.0 volts or there abouts.
Thanks Dave,
I did a little bit of searching the web, and saw a couple Youtube videos by guys who converted battery LED strings to AC. One used a USB charger and cable. I might do that - USB power is 5 volts, which should be workable, and probably pretty easy to implement. I'll need to figure out where to connect to bypass the multifuntion switch and timer in the circuit, though.
2 January 2019
Happy New Year, everyone!
I finally started erecting the roundhouse. All the back walls are in, and the side walls are about ready to go:
Those LED's I showed in the last update look like they'll work out pretty good. I strung them through the roof support frames in the roundhouse, and they look pretty ok when they're on:
Of course, they'll look much better when the roundhouse is finished. I still need to convert them from batteries to a DC power supply.
I also started adding a throttle buss to the layout. NCE calls these "UTPs," and there are two of them installed now. As the benchwork expands, I'll add more. This mounting is temporary - when I add fascia, these will be moved there:
Hi Mark,
The roundhouse is coming along nicely. The LEDs look good. The weathering on the floor looks good too.
One thing I am doing with the roundhouse that I am building for our club is adding interior walls. They will hide the rather oversized interior frames on the windows. To add the interior walls I'm using Plastruct brick sheets along with .080" x .080" styrene strips that match the thickness of the window frames to support the brick sheets between the windows. It's probably overkill but I'm having fun doing it. The spaces between the inner and outer walls are great for running the lighting wires.
I'll post some pictures when I make some progress.
Hi Dave, thanks for the compliments!
I'll look forward to your roundhouse pics. I thought about adding interior walls, but decided not to spend the extra time. Too much other work to do on the layout. I may try to add them later (kinda like building a ship in a bottle, probably).
I just posted layout update #7:
24 February 2019
After a six-week odyssey to China, I'm back home and working on the layout!
The roundhouse is progressing, but slowly:
According to the kit instructions, the roundhouse doors should be able to open and close when installed. The two sets on the right do swing, but with it being erected in place, it's extremely difficult to glue the hinge frames to the vertical posts without getting glue onto the hinges, freezing the doors into place. After struggling for several hours to get the two end sets in place, and watching the door that's partially closed free swing from open to its current position, I decided to drop the close-able doors, and cement them into the open position. MUCH easier to install that way! I'll be going back and gluing the two sets that actually swing into the open position as well.
I anticipate another week or two to complete the basic roundhouse build (that does not include light-sealing all the cracks).
Hi again Mark,
I have made a wee bit of progress on the roundhouse. I got the interior brick walls installed but that is barely the beginning. I have been busy with other things club related like our anual Show and Sale. It was a huge success but it takes a lot of effort to put it together. I've also been working on the control panels for our new layout. I tried to cheap out by using the wire that we had available in the club but it is way too heavy and a real pain to route through the back of the panels.
Your roundhouse will be magnificent!