Medina1128 BATMAN: I'd like to see what's on the other side of the mouse hole. It's just the explorer coming out in me I guess. Brent Why, the "Mousakesh Express", of course..
BATMAN: I'd like to see what's on the other side of the mouse hole. It's just the explorer coming out in me I guess. Brent
I'd like to see what's on the other side of the mouse hole. It's just the explorer coming out in me I guess.
Brent
Why, the "Mousakesh Express", of course..
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Ulrich:
"fishing for compliments"!?!
What is wrong with showing what you have done with your modelling? I thought that showing your stuff was one of the highlights of this hobby.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Tashtego ...I leaned a valuable lesson, simply not thinking about a problem does not make it go away. It actually gets worse.
...I leaned a valuable lesson, simply not thinking about a problem does not make it go away. It actually gets worse.
Darn! And that was my plan!
Seriously, I think you did a great job. Everybody will make mistakes... not everybody will (or can) fix them.
Sean
HO Scale CSX Modeler
BATMAN I'd like to see what's on the other side of the mouse hole. It's just the explorer coming out in me I guess. Brent
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
You have a ton of room for one by running one leg around the water heater, you could make it detachable in case you need to do something with the heater!
Brent, that's a story for another day. Thanks for all the comments . Mike.
The switch installed.
hon30critter Tashtego I disagree with your use of the term 'crude'. It is in your staging area so appearance is not an issue, and it seems you actually did a very neat job of cutting the turntable itself. It also works! Nothing crude about it! Well done. If I could offer one suggestion, with a little ingenuity you should be able to wire a DPDT switch into the works so you don't have to fiddle with the aligator clips. Dave
Tashtego
I disagree with your use of the term 'crude'. It is in your staging area so appearance is not an issue, and it seems you actually did a very neat job of cutting the turntable itself. It also works! Nothing crude about it! Well done.
If I could offer one suggestion, with a little ingenuity you should be able to wire a DPDT switch into the works so you don't have to fiddle with the aligator clips.
I just got back from Radio Shack. I had completely forgotten about the DPDT solution. Thanks for the tip. Mike..
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Hamltnblue: What powers the turntable rails? If they're powered it seems that you'd need a reverser. As a side note, turntables, DC or DCC, don't need any kind of "reverser" or even a toggle switch if properly wired. Using a conventional model turntable as a first example, a split pit rail can power each of the table rails and always keep polarity correct for the track that the turntable is aligned to. It the cas of the OP's staging turntable, a simple twin wiper arrangement could be built on the shaft to do the same thing. This still works with DCC because it keeps the tracks always in phase (which is a more correct discription since DCC track voltage is not DC), and direction of movement is controlled based on front/back not east/west. Sheldon
Hamltnblue: What powers the turntable rails? If they're powered it seems that you'd need a reverser.
What powers the turntable rails? If they're powered it seems that you'd need a reverser.
As a side note, turntables, DC or DCC, don't need any kind of "reverser" or even a toggle switch if properly wired.
Using a conventional model turntable as a first example, a split pit rail can power each of the table rails and always keep polarity correct for the track that the turntable is aligned to.
It the cas of the OP's staging turntable, a simple twin wiper arrangement could be built on the shaft to do the same thing.
This still works with DCC because it keeps the tracks always in phase (which is a more correct discription since DCC track voltage is not DC), and direction of movement is controlled based on front/back not east/west.
Sheldon
Sheldon,
You're right, several years ago when I was getting into DCC everyone told me I needed a reverser for my turntable. I spent good money on a PSX-AR and it's still in the box.
Richard
If this is your only example of "poor planning" you're doing fine. I hope I do as well as you in my planning.
A downright British solution to a not-uncommon problem. The Brits have developed other options for manually turning engines that do not involve picking them up off the tracks and trying to rerail them in poor light, including casettes. I believe Peco even sells ready made ones. And of course the old reliable Atlas turntable has been used in such situations for decades.
Dave Nelson
... or is someone just fishing for compliments
hi
poor planning indeed;
if you're able to build a turntable in the dark, you're able to put an extra lamp on the wall.
And to gain some extra length you could lead both tracks directly on to the turntable, no turnout needed anymore.
Paul
Hamltnblue What powers the turntable rails? If they're powered it seems that you'd need a reverser.
jmbjmb OK, dumb question on my part, but why turn the diesels?
OK, dumb question on my part, but why turn the diesels?
In my fictional world, freight comes into and out of the yard from the west using a single GP38-2.The westbound move comes in with the short end facing east. When they leave with the pickups the crew wants the short end facing west. Turning the GP simulates the hostlers making this move by using the wye in East Braintree.
Do you see the red and black alligator clips? When the crew of the loco gets to the turntable the conductor has to make sure the clips look like they do in the picture. Those clips power the turntable tracks. The loco can then move onto the turntable. I rotate it, the clips are reversed, the directional switch on the power pack is switched for an eastbound move, and after the conductor checks the tracks for proper alignment, off we go.
Springfield PA
On my small HO point to point layout, I knew from day 1 I was going to need a way to turn my diesel locos. I knew that because of space requirements I would need a staging area. I also knew there was no room for either a turntable or a wye on the main layout.
So without figuring out exactly how to turn the locos, what did I do? I went ahead and built the staging area anyway figuring I would lift the locos off the track and then simply put them back on. Since then I have laid enough track to start testing things out and realized about a week ago the hand turning thing would never work. The end of the staging area is poorly lit, I've almost dropped a couple of the locos, and it just seemed a very clunky way to do business.
So the last couple of nights, I had to re-work the end of the staging, and add a rather crude manual turntable. It did the trick Now no locos have to leave the rails or risk a plunge into the abyss. Plus I leaned a valuable lesson, simply not thinking about a problem does not make it go away. It actually gets worse.
I have included some before and after pic.