jeffrey-wimberly I put a small amount of flux in the rail joiners before assembling the track. When I go back and solder the joiners the flux pulls the solder into the joiners and locks it all together. Without the flux the solder stays on the outside of the joiner and can break loose.
I put a small amount of flux in the rail joiners before assembling the track. When I go back and solder the joiners the flux pulls the solder into the joiners and locks it all together. Without the flux the solder stays on the outside of the joiner and can break loose.
Makes perfectly good sense to me, thanks for the tip!
selector. .Get used to the idea that the tip gets amazingly hot, but you can be sure it will be reinforced painfully at least once in your layout construction. yeah, I always learn the hard way lol! For example, what is the purpose of the quarter arc turn that joins two right angle tracks at dead centre? It serves little purpose, except as a short-cut. But why have a shortcut if you want the rest of it? Or, conversely, why "pay for" the rest of that loop if the shortcut achieves the same orientation? The real railroads would not pay for what you have obviated, or bypassed, if the shortcut had any utility.I used that lil short cut mainly because it was in the Atlas Layout that I used as my motivation lol. Plus I just figured that after awhile I just might get bored and wanna be able to make it change route a lil. Secondly, what does this train do? Where does it pick up loads, and what loads are they? Something has to pay the bills. Then, to where is it to deliver the loads?The train itself is a Canadian passenger train so I guess it would just pick up people who wanted to travel.I wasnt really going after a "real town" though. A little "fantasy world" that looks realistic is cool with me. Thats a good question though. I never even thought about that aspect yet. Although now that you mention it maybe I could put the train station on the long verticle track on the right-hand side maybe? I REALLY want to put a little Lowrider Scene (with a bunch of 57, 59, 60, 61, 63, and 64 Chevys) into it. maybe have them all hanging out at a park and playing their hydraulics. That scene, the mountain/tunnel scene, and the bridge over the lake (cut out of foam?) are the only scenes I've thought up so far. I guess that lake could be Lake Ontario lol. My son wants to have a downtown area with tall buildings and such....that should be fun (and challenging) lol. The plan you show is interesting, as I have said, and part of that is the convolution. But while it may be interesting on the screen, it will not be particularly interesting after your trains have run around it a few times. Just my two cents. I realize that you are just getting to know the software, and I can't help you there, sorry. But I wanted to get my licks in early in case the plan has already begun to appeal to you.
.Get used to the idea that the tip gets amazingly hot, but you can be sure it will be reinforced painfully at least once in your layout construction.
yeah, I always learn the hard way lol!
For example, what is the purpose of the quarter arc turn that joins two right angle tracks at dead centre? It serves little purpose, except as a short-cut. But why have a shortcut if you want the rest of it? Or, conversely, why "pay for" the rest of that loop if the shortcut achieves the same orientation? The real railroads would not pay for what you have obviated, or bypassed, if the shortcut had any utility.
I used that lil short cut mainly because it was in the Atlas Layout that I used as my motivation lol. Plus I just figured that after awhile I just might get bored and wanna be able to make it change route a lil.
Secondly, what does this train do? Where does it pick up loads, and what loads are they? Something has to pay the bills. Then, to where is it to deliver the loads?
The train itself is a Canadian passenger train so I guess it would just pick up people who wanted to travel.I wasnt really going after a "real town" though. A little "fantasy world" that looks realistic is cool with me. Thats a good question though. I never even thought about that aspect yet. Although now that you mention it maybe I could put the train station on the long verticle track on the right-hand side maybe? I REALLY want to put a little Lowrider Scene (with a bunch of 57, 59, 60, 61, 63, and 64 Chevys) into it. maybe have them all hanging out at a park and playing their hydraulics. That scene, the mountain/tunnel scene, and the bridge over the lake (cut out of foam?) are the only scenes I've thought up so far. I guess that lake could be Lake Ontario lol. My son wants to have a downtown area with tall buildings and such....that should be fun (and challenging) lol.
The plan you show is interesting, as I have said, and part of that is the convolution. But while it may be interesting on the screen, it will not be particularly interesting after your trains have run around it a few times.
Just my two cents. I realize that you are just getting to know the software, and I can't help you there, sorry. But I wanted to get my licks in early in case the plan has already begun to appeal to you.