Things going ok after a few of my usual "hiccups ". As always, if I do a second one, things I would be faster and smoother.
So far to note....if anyone is about to install one of these (after two years of waiting for delivery )
HO scale calls for 2 1/4 in inch clearance on the bottom. I installed mine on 2 " high density foam, so needed a larger than planned cutout through the base of plywood to accommodate the CAT cable and RJ connector.
Built and weathered the Cornerstone three-stall engine house first. It has three service pits that drop below the wall perimeter so I had to cut out three trenches in the foam as well. With these the technique is to move the bridge around with little "pulses" on the directional buttons until the three stall tracks are aligned successively .....because they can't be altered of course. Not too hard to do.
With the remainder of the service tracks I find the best method is to set out a piece of my Atlas 9" snap track....three ties at the end removed.......on the 10 degree spacings indicated on the template. Then move the bridge around and align by eyeball with the bridge track. With these I can move the snap track around micro amounts.....which is easier than being quick on the button to move the bridge into perfect alignment. Then check with a laser light and pin the track down. Check from the opposite end with eyeball and laser light and then ballast in and glue down the track to the pit perimeter. Works well so far.
I used the snap track because I can see trying to do this with flex track, having the track move within the track plates etc. would cause headaches. (The inside of every service track on the pit rim has to be bevelled with a file/grinder as well.) I am going to put a 6" piece on the end of each 9 and for one or two, maybe a couple of more inches for the Y2 class steamers.
One problem was that I forgot I will be driving all locos onto the bridge in reverse because that is how my service yard is setup relative to my layout direction. So I programmed 20 positions and had to delete them all and start over with the correct (back) end of the bridge. Added another hour to the install so far.
The line into the turntable from the service yard will be flex track. I set the turntable pit into the foam base so that the Position #1 is the one to receive the arrival track. This is recommended. It is a default, non-alterable position and easily found when moving the bridge. The arrival track will never be out of position no matter what should happen to the programming.
I connected the controller in the DCC fashion with a little good advice, as that give the most flexibility for use....either the controller or the onboard decoder can be used to position the bridge.
Onward and upward. Finish track and scenery tomorrow.
Good primer on turntable installation. That was pretty much the way that I installed my turntable as well.
Good job and great photos !
Rich
Alton Junction
Wow, awesome.
A few days ago someone next to me at the hobby store took delivery of his. I can only shake my head and think some day.
Install looks great. Be following along to see how it progresses.
Best Regards, Big John
Kiva Valley Railway- Freelanced road in central Arizona. Visit the link to see my MR forum thread on The Building of the Whitton Branch on the Kiva Valley Railway
I don't think you have to program the tracks at specific angles (20 degrees) because you can install track at any location and then program the bridge to stop at any track and at both ends as well. I used a straight track alignment gage and positioned the bridge where I wanted a track and then installed the track using the alignment gage. I also removed 3 ties and CA'ed the rail to the pit flange. the track is mounted to the cork with latex adhesive caulk like all my track. I did use push pins and weights to keep the flex track in position until the adhesives dried.
Just my thought on the subject.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
Yes, that's right. One can put service tracks on any location around the perimeter not just at the minimum 10 degree spots shown on the template and in your photos (has to be ten degrees if you count them up). That way one can be flexible. (except for two locations at 90 degree angles to Position #1 as that is where a split in the power ring occurs for reversing of current. No tracks can be powered. The bridge track cannot not be powered at those two positions, but, but I put in a service track to keep the appearance of a continuous semi circle. I wanted a total of about 21 service tracks.
Nice use of cork. I decided against roadbed as my foam was flatest withouit adding adding another layer. Even a fine film or caulk under the roadbed can make a difference on my ayout ant and I dispensed with it. Maybe I"ll store rusty wheelsets on those tracks for realism.
Looks great. Good looking progress. Nice to see someone working in on the same project.
Tomorrow i I have to drill out holes for track power at the end of each service track and the head of the track from the loco service bays, then conceal the contacts with the ballasting.
Cisco Kid Yes, that's right. One can put service tracks on any location around the perimeter not just at the minimum 10 degree spots shown on the template and in your photos (has to be ten degrees if you count them up). That way one can be flexible. (except for two locations at 90 degree angles to Position #1 as that is where a split in the power ring occurs for reversing of current. No tracks can be powered. The bridge track cannot not be powered at those two positions, but, but I put in a service track to keep the appearance of a continuous semi circle. I wanted a total of about 21 service tracks. Maybe I"ll store rusty wheelsets on those tracks for realism.
Maybe I"ll store rusty wheelsets on those tracks for realism.
That's pretty much what I did. I parked my tender and crane cars on the non-powered track to the side of the roundhouse.
Cisco
Any problems adding power to the tracks in the roundhouse?
Did you use the code 83 track in the roundhouse and to those tracks adjoining the turntable which has the code 83 on the bridge.
No real problems with the roundhouse track. I did use Code 83 as I do everywhere. I took a new length of Atlas Code 83 and measured the 15 inches or so that would run the length of the building's interior and then added 3 more inches or so* to reach the edge of the pit.
* Now those extra inches are somewhat critical in length as the the three tracks naturally converge and getting them right means that they converge with 10 degree separation around the pit, as suggested by the instructions. The exact length of those extra inches escapes me at the moment, but it is printed on the instruction pages as part of the install if using either of the Walthers Cornerstone roundhouses.
Then I stripped the ties from all but the part of the length that extends beyond the doors. The ties on this part keep the lengths aligned rather than working with two separate rail pieces. I placed the bare rails in their slots and used good doses of Superglue and sprayed with DIY Superglue "kicker" (baking soda in water) to fix them in immediately. Worked fine.
All this is done, of course, before assembly. Then I used some Bragdon powders to weather up the shop floor and mask any residue of the glue and kicker.
I connected drop feeders with solder to each rail just at the point before they rest on the pit rim so I could mask the solder points and feeder wire with ballast. My only problem was having to lean over the actual structure to solder and trying not to fall on the darn thing.
I soldered my power wires to the underside of the pit rails at the very end and drilled a hole in the plastic floor slot so no solder connection is visible. Works great but just takes a little more time. I used liquid CA with a hypo needle and it just ran under the rails and was set in a few seconds. No problems wiith any of the roundhouse rails.
Right. Sounds smart.
That flex track alignment tool in your previous photo looks like a really good idea as well.
don't remember who makes the track alignment tool but there is a better one made of metal. For what I use it for it works just fine though and is perfect for alignment of the pit rails to the lead or roundhouse rails. The plastic one was only about $5-6.
You did decide to use DCC power to control the movement of the bridge?
There was some discussion and a few members indicated that they would use either DC or AC power for moving the bridge.
Please advise
Don't recall any question about AC versus DC. I know the instructions suggest DC.
I posted earlier about this and have pasted my ques. in blue below. See here for more discussion if interested. http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/205819.aspx
I like to use switching power supplies wherever possible because I know they put out exactly the power stated and they are just a couple bucks more. My 12 VDC - 16 VDC Class II power supplies that were on hand, actually all made 18+VDC available if the unit ever got stuck...that is a little too close to the max suggested.
So here is a paste from that post above. I went with the15 VDC 1.3 amp and put a fast .5 amp fuse in line. From the amount I have used the turntable, I don't think there is much danger of it halting and pulling too much current anyway.
The Walthers Cornerstone turntable calls for optimum of 16 VDC 500 mA. Will take 12V to not more than 18 V and will run on AC voltage supplies.
My electronics supplier has these close choices in switching power supplies (those are the units that put out the actual voltage they state):
1. 15 VDC 1.3 amp (1300 mA)
2. 18 VDC 1.1 amp
3. 12 VDC .6 amp
4. 12 VDC 1.2 or 1.6 amp
Which is the best choice?
Hi Cisco Kid
In building your Walthers roundhouse, what adhesive did you use to put down the tracks over the inspection pits?
The tracks are required to be glued to the plastic. What did you use?
I have the Walthers 130' turntable to go in and I have built and putting in the roundhouse first.
Thanks!
bsteel4065 Hi Cisco Kid In building your Walthers roundhouse, what adhesive did you use to put down the tracks over the inspection pits? The tracks are required to be glued to the plastic. What did you use? I have the Walthers 130' turntable to go in and I have built and putting in the roundhouse first. Thanks!
I used CA adhesive on mine.
Hi, Rich.
I had included this earlier......... I stripped the ties from all but the part of the length that extends beyond the doors. The ties on this part keep the lengths aligned rather than working with two separate rail pieces. I placed the bare rails in their slots and used Superglue and sprayed it with DIY Superglue "kicker" (baking soda in water) to fix them in immediately. Worked fine.