CLOSED////////The Coffee Pot is still on and over 3 years. Here we gather as friends with trains.

[sir james I]

I'll say good afternoon and then another try with the switches. after this I've run out of ideas.

Kurt= those switch bottoms are riveted, not a good idea unless you have repair skills.

Now   Doug= One way to test each switch seperately. Take your two transformer wires, turn on some volts 12 or so. Touch and hold one wire to the center rail and move the other wire back and forth on the short isolated rail(the ones with plastic pins) the switch should snap back and forth. I can not think of anything else.  It's good you made some progress.   Jim

[jmkk]

 Just woke up and thought I would see what was going on. Dosnt look like too much seeing as coffee is four hours old. Guess I will make a fresh pot. Time to head for the basement and work on the layout. Need to start changing the wiring for duel controll ( TMCC & Conv. ) Fresh pot on every one have a great day.

  Jason

[cnw1995]

cnw1995 - If you ever make it to Crabtown, I'm dragging you to the Baltimore Streetcar Museum.  You trolley guys are a separate breed.

We certainly are.  . It's a deal

[dbaker48]

Good news all over the Forum --

Chuck's wife doing well,

CXXECT - droping weight like crazy, at the hardest time of the year!

Chief's political aspirations becoming real!  Congratulations !!  (Remember chief, the Homeland Security allocation is meant for the city, not buying food for the dogs.)

Glad to see Kevin's back, even though the cold has been racing through ever since he posted.   But that's OK them guys in the midwest, and northeast can handle it.  (Buckeye better get that boat in)

Brutus and Chewy might want to lay in some extra provisions for the next storm coming through, understand its a duzzy.   (Sure hope my BB doesn't get lost in the snow coming accross the plains states)

Doug - If your still having problem with the switches, I would recommend disconnecting them and adding them one at a time, to isolate where the issue begins. 

Sir James - Based upon the weather channel, I wouldn't be concerned about the decal, I think you have other issues brewing.  And, its  best to paint in the spring, not winter.  Sure hope you don't have the problems like last year. 

Mike and Roy - While we were decorating the tree, I found an old cassette tape of Chris singing Christmas Carols when he was 3.  Certainly was humbling for him.  But we enjoyed it.  During this time he was  working on Math, what a difference in attitude, and performance since he graduated from H.S., good times ahead !

Still working on wiring, got interuppted to help with Christmas tree.  Did get 2nd tree up in family room and train running IN the tree.

Hope everyone has a great day !

 

 

[fifedog]

cnw1995 - If you ever make it to Crabtown, I'm dragging you to the Baltimore Streetcar Museum.  You trolley guys are a separate breed.

[cnw1995]

Remembering a "sad" day in transit for Chicago: On this day back in 1955, what had been the world's longest trolley line, our 25-mile #36 (Broadway-State) PCC line, was broken into 2 routes: the State Street portion (that ran outside my office) from the Loop down to 120th and Morgan was converted to bus operation.

[ChiefEagles]

Thanks gang.  Morning all.  Windy, cloudy and COLD.  Yankee raid into the South.   Actually we need some snohio or rain to help with the drought.  Off to the office [hey, I'm retired!!!].  Back for some train time [I hope].  Have a good one.

[cnw1995]

'Morning all, from a cloudy and cold Chicago where it is supposed to snow later today. Congratulations to the Chief! Here's a question we ask of Chicago mayors: what do I get for knowing him?? - it's our other town motto: Qua est mei? (translated: where is mine?)

I appreciate all your help on the switches. It sure is frustrating sometimes when I don't know where to start in figuring things out. I sure wish I lived nearby and could just have some of you come over. I can imagine you would eye-ball the recalcitrant switch and instantly know what was wrong right away.  It sure was convenient though to read the forum from my Blackberry while perched atop the layout. Thank you, sir James, Kurt, Chief, Jim, and the rest of you  -- following your advice, I got a few of them to work by moving the pins around and adding another jumper or lock-on. They don't buzz anymore either! I think later in the week, I will risk moving them around so the ones that work are by the more crucial junctions.

Glad things are fine with Mrs. Blueberry.

[anjdevil2]

Hail to the Chief/Mayor

Jest let me know if you need security...I know people that know people....

42F this AM, is this NorthEast Florida or Central Jersey?  Geez, the palm trees are freezin'!!

That Ford Flex is a new crossover.  Ford is realigning the line up again, a new chassis with a more compliant(read passenger car) ride.  Supposed to be a new take on the staion wagon...just as Dodge is axing the Magnum...how successful this one will be is unclear, reviews are warm to luke warm right now.  If the Edge is any indication, it should sell well, the Edge is a nice vehicle, better than the Murano & FX45 (I've driven both Ford & Nissan/Infiniti) in my opinion.  So, if the Flex is close to the quality the Edge has, I'd think about buying one.

I've just noticed that this is post 392 (for me!)  Just like the 392 HEMI...how Chrysler of me!

[sir james I]

GOOD MORNING,

It's mid 20s mostly cloudy,nothing new there,no snow and a lot less wind. Looks like everything on the CTT forum is good this morning. Finished latest issue last nite. When is the next one coming? my wife announced that she is now going to paint the dinning room.just finished the kitchen. I told her she was on her own, it does not need painting and she just wants to change the color. does that sound like someone you know?

Everyone have a safe day,,,,,,,,Sir James

[CSXect]

Well another appointment today must go to eye doctor can hardly read street signs at a distance.

Must get gas in truck for the  work week down to a 1/4 tank. Anyone heard about the 2009 Ford Flex? It is a strange station wagon/suv looking thing and very boxy shaped.

[fifedog]

Mornin' boys.  Sunny, blustery, and 34 (feels like 24) here in the Mid-Atlantic region. Hey AKKevin!, Close that barn door! Work on layout is progressing again, and perhaps will have some pics for SPF.  Ravens had their cleets on the Patriots throats, then let them get away...  (coulda-shoulda-woulda...) I predict a complete implosion in the locker room now.

Youngest had her Winter Concert last night.  During her big number as the partidge in a pear tree, she almost got knocked off the risers, and the school principal caught her in time (whew!).  She almost started to cry, but recovered by 8 maids of milkin' and finished strong.  On a sour note, people around us on cell phones, text messaging, one doodle smelled like he's been rolling around in a truck stop, which only helped to cover the Wild Turkey on his breath.  What a self-centered society we've begotten.

Chief - Official CONGRATS to you, sir.  Actually, a very nice photo of you on the town page.  I think you should have used your avatar pic with the bass.

RRCharlie - I thank you sir.

cnw1995 - How many power lock-ons/feeder wires do you have?

Roy - I feel you, brother.  My boy had to miss the big game last night over a Spanish project he "forgot" about yesterday...

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is cold and cloudy with snow in the forecast for SE Indiana.  I got the trains set up at the museum last night with some help from Lucas.  He also helped my wife finish the outdoor lights as well.  Tonight we may get the tree up.  I went to bed early and got a good night's sleep.  I am not 100%, but I am feeling better.  Doug M, I understand your frustration with switches.  Most of my layouts are small enough I just use manual ones.  The dining car had bran muffins on it this morning.  Congrats to the Chief on officially beginning the mayor position.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is a cold 28 degrees. A little snow on the ground. Going up to 36, today with some snow flurries.

Today is another busy day. I will run a few errands and spend the afternoon relaxing. Maybe run trains later. 

Wife checked out " OK ", yesterday. Everything has healed up great. Now, to exercise the muscles. Thanks for all your good wishes.

Dining Car has arrived and it's time for breakfast.

Y'all have a great Tuesday.

Chuck

[laz 57]

CONGA CHIEF!!!

Hi GIZ,

  Not much today windy and cold at 35 for high.

All have a good one.

laz57

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Morning all

On dayshift this week.  I had my annual physical for work yesterday morning.  OSHA requirment for SCBA emergency responders.  Initial results BP 120/81 pulse 51, weight 195, blood test results with sugar, chelestrol, and stuff will be forthcoming.  Spent most of yesterday catching up once I arrived at work.  Had an NRC tour come through, always fun.

The correct trusses came yesterday!  Set them smack in front of my truck.  So I was moving trusses at 9 p.m.

Congrats Chief!!!  I hope your term of office is productive and does not take too much of your train time away.

Got to go

May God bless

Jim 

[kpolak]

Morning!

Doug:  Sorry about the switches.  Can you tear off the back and check the wiring?  Sorry I don't have any information on these switches.  The 022's can short out if the metal back isn't isolated from the wiring, with a piece of card stock, causing hot wires to ground out to the back plate.

AKKevinT:  Great article!  I'll have to look it up.

CSXect:  Sounds a little extreme...how about just some shelves?  lionelsoni has 2" metal 'L' brackets holding up long sections of track that are attached to the studs.  No wood to cut!...is that do-able??

Kurt

[Brutus]

Good one Kurt!

Doug - I've got 5 or 6 modern O27 switches and they worked in all sorts of configurations including feeding into each other, so I'm not sure what could be going wrong....  I think Sir James might be right.  I guess you'll have to test each of them one by one?  Sorry, can't help...

Sir James - I'm on the way.  Chewy is feeling herself again, but I'll ask her to keep the frisking to a minimum!

[sir james I]

CONGRATs to the CHIEF,

Doug I hope you get the switches working. However if you got them used the coil could already be bad. they are really easy to set up so something isn't right. But enough- I hope you get them working.

I started to decal today and it turns out they are to old. I put a peice in some water and when they came loose they fell apart before I took them off the paper.  So I don't want decals from the same place as they might do the same. Now I have a gray shell and nothing to finish it with.

Brutus- we still have ice cream,but tell Chewy no barking I may be asleep.  Sir James

[kpolak]

Congratulations Mayor Chief!

Now, time to get started appropriating funds for the Office Christmas layout.

Use 'imminent domain' to run thru the Police Chief's Office! 

Kurt

[Brutus]

CSXECT - hang in there!

Hey Kevin in AK!  Hope to hear more from you this year!

Chief - congratulations! 

Lionel sent us the replacement parts for the chicken coop, but not the vents for on top of the barn???  Anyway, Chicken coop now has windows and door that were missing in the original packaging.  Daughter is happy, so I'm happy :)

[Blueberryhill RR]

Doug, run jumpers to the outside rails.  They can cause the outside rails to be "dead".  I would also run jumpers to the middle rails too. 

ITS OFFICIAL! I'M MAYOR!!! http://www.ci.rolesville.nc.us/m_c/default.htm

Check out the link.  Cousin who is retired Cheif Court of Appeals Judge did the honors.

Cold and windy.  Yankee raid into the South.   BURRR.  Later 

Conga Chief !!   I hope you have a great term or two in office, or more !!

Thanks, John

Congratulations , Chief. You'll be a good one.

[csxt30]

Doug, run jumpers to the outside rails.  They can cause the outside rails to be "dead".  I would also run jumpers to the middle rails too. 

ITS OFFICIAL! I'M MAYOR!!! http://www.ci.rolesville.nc.us/m_c/default.htm

Check out the link.  Cousin who is retired Cheif Court of Appeals Judge did the honors.

Cold and windy.  Yankee raid into the South.   BURRR.  Later 

Conga Chief !!   I hope you have a great term or two in office, or more !!

Thanks, John

[magicman710]

Chief, er, Mayor Eagles, congradulations!

[ChiefEagles]

Doug, run jumpers to the outside rails.  They can cause the outside rails to be "dead".  I would also run jumpers to the middle rails too. 

ITS OFFICIAL! I'M MAYOR!!! http://www.ci.rolesville.nc.us/m_c/default.htm

Check out the link.  Cousin who is retired Cheif Court of Appeals Judge did the honors.

Cold and windy.  Yankee raid into the South.   BURRR.  Later 

[CSXect]

Well dentist took muchlonger than normal as everyone was talking colledge football, no cavities. Lost another 1pound 7 onces for atotal of 32 according to thier scales.

 

[magicman710]

Evening all. Been daydreaming about my layout latley. (I really need that thing )
Benchwork will start with the next few weeks. I just won a MTH Big Boy on ebay for $500 . Been thinking whether to use fastrack or tubular. I can really decide, but I think I'm going to use fastrack. We will see. More pecans to pick up today. Saw 3 deer crossing the road on my way home, and 200 yards after that saw another 3 They must we feeding 5:00-6. I need to get out there about that time, I mostly hunt in the morning.

Well, hows everyones day been so far?

[wrmcclellan]

Evening all!

Kevin - good to hear from you and glad all is well! You must have left the door open again as the temp dropped from mid 80's late yesterday afernoon to the mid 30's last night. Temp dropped about 10 degrees per hour. Beautiful clear skies today. Might get up to 70 tomorrow - ha!

Buckeye is wishing he was in the boat - not posting pictures of it.

Finished outside Christmas decorations last night and then went to Christmas music show at church last night. Went in to the show (200 choir + 30 piece professional orchestra - very nice) in short sleeves and came out wondering why we had not brought coats - brrrr!

The good spell with "he who is 14" abrubtly ended when he was informed he had to finish his homework he had put off all weekend. All h#ck broke loose here. Not pretty.

Have a great evening all!

 

[sir james I]

Does an engine run all the way through this section(from the first switch to the last)? did you use metal pins everywhere but where the plastic ones go? if the engine passes across all the switches, they are powered. you can test them by turning on track power and with anything metal touch the center screw to the right and the left. the switch should change depending which outside screw you ground to the center.

Two plastic pins per switch. all other pins should  be metal.

[cnw1995]

I don't know, Brent. That's what's driving me crazy. But seriously folks... some seem to be dead. I  have a siding off a main line - the main line is insulated (isolated?) at the first switch to begin the siding. That appears to work off the main line power. Then there is a straight and three switches in a long row, each separated by a straight. These are 5121 027 remote switches, by the way. The first switch in line and the last one don't appear to work and I'm not sure how to test them.

Somehow I think I inadvertently isolated some of the switches in the middle. I have to remove some insulating pins I think and start over again.