hon30critterThe first segment has a single blast from each of the two pusher engines and the plow, and the second has two blasts from each unit. I don't know what the difference means. Anybody?
One blast means 'stop'. The engines will stop, and the plow will throttle the rotary impeller(s) down (probably to engine idling, to stay warm, and impeller stopped).
Two blasts means starting forward to plow. The plow engine will come up to speed, then the locomotives will start. Plow must have impellers running at full speed before cutting any particular amount of snow. In a perfect world, plow will run engines up and then signal two blasts, and the pusher engines will acknowledge and start.
You are missing the most important signal, which is the three blasts for backing up. This becomes critical when the plow stalls while making a cut, as described multiple times in the accounts of the Ideal plow. The plow will indicate STOP if it becomes evident that there is no headway to be made; I suspect one of the pusher engines will signal STOP if its engineer feels slipping. The plow will then signal BACK (which is the three blasts), starting the impeller as soon as it is free to clear any snow that falls in from the sides when backing, and the engines will mirror the backing signal and then back up until clear to take a run at the cut.
Hi Overmod,
Thank you for that very useful information! I figured that I was missing a signal because the Cumbres and Toltec train would stop and reverse regularly without any whistle signals at all. However, after my last review of the YouTube video, I realized that the engineer on the plow was giving hand signals instead of sounding the whistle. There are no triple whistle signals on the entire 1 hour 12 minute video.
I think I can recreate the triple whistle sounds using the Audacity software, but it will take a bit of work. I'll have to isolate each single whistle blast and then copy that twice to create the three blast effect. Then I will have to incorporate each of the triple whistle blasts from each unit into a single sound file. Should be fun!
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critterI think I can recreate the triple whistle sounds using the Audacity software, but it will take a bit of work. I'll have to isolate each single whistle blast and then copy that twice to create the three blast effect. Then I will have to incorporate each of the triple whistle blasts from each unit into a single sound file.
Mission accomplished, and it turned out to be much easier than I had anticipated! I now have the locomotive sounds on F8, the single whistle blasts on F1, the double whistle blasts on F2, the triple whistle blasts on F3, and the wheel slip on F4. All is right with the world!!!
You know I can never just leave stuff that is 'okay' or 'good enough' alone, so I went back to the pusher locomotives' sound file and made some changes.
The recording that I was using for the general train sounds was close to one minute long. The problem with it was that the speeds of the locomotive chuff rates varied quite a bit. Also, the wheel slip sounds were built into the recording so I had no control over when they occurred.
The first thing I did was to remove the wheel slip sounds. They sometimes played at awkward times. For example, I could be sounding the whistles for stop, but the wheel slip sounds would play soon after the whistle signal which wasn't right (unless the locomotive engineers were asleep at the throttle!).
The second thing I did was to remove any variations in the chuff rates from the locomotives. In my original one minute recording, the chuff rate varied significantly. That would mean that the speed of the train would have to be manually adjusted constantly in order to match the chuff rates. I know that I could set up a program using the Lokprogrammer to automatically change the chuff rates as the throttle is adjusted, but that level of programming is far beyond my current scope.
I have also been playing with the volume settings for both the overall sound level and individual sound files. As Mark Pruit observed, the volume settings were unpleasantly high in my first video.
Now I need to start making some physical progress, i.e. rivet decals and paint on the tenders.
Hi Dave, I've been doing some scrolling, trying to catch up a bit.
Do you have any pictures showing your build as it sits right now?
Mike.
My You Tube
Hi Mike,
Thanks for your interest.
Here are a few shots. The paint needs to be touched up in a couple of spots:
Pardon the shaky video:
In the next few weeks I hope to have some track set up on the layout so I can run the whole train. It's still a bit chilly in the garage to do it now.
hon30critter The paint needs to be touched up in a couple of spots.
The paint needs to be touched up in a couple of spots.
Are you kidding me? The paint gets touched up out on the tracks plowing snow...
Can hardly wait to see the video of that thing functioning?
What are you going to use for substrate on your test drive? Flour, baking soda, sugar, or some type of alternate fluff?
Your model looks OUTSTANDING! Dave
TF
Track fiddlerWhat are you going to use for substrate on your test drive? Flour, baking soda, sugar, or some type of alternate fluff?
Hi TF,
I can just imagine how difficult it would be to clean out all of that stuff out of the exposed gearbox, and with my luck the decoder would go up in smoke from the added load too. I think I'll pass!!
Thank you for your compliment. Fortunately the pictures don't show all the flaws and misalignments, and I won't list all the design mistakes either!
And that's why they call it (Scratch) Built. And the most of those, only the creator knows.
Built by scratch makes them one of a kind. Be proud of that stuff, it's character
TF.
Dave. Thanks for the update with pictures. We are having snowfall each day this week. Can I borrow the plough?
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
NorthBrit Dave. Thanks for the update with pictures. We are having snowfall each day this week. Can I borrow the plough? David
WOW Dave ! That is fantastic! What work!
I'm glad I asked !
Thank you!
Attuvian1 NorthBrit Dave. Thanks for the update with pictures. We are having snowfall each day this week. Can I borrow the plough? David David - Plough. Should sound like "dough". Or "enough". Or "through". Did I hear somewhere that English is one of the more difficult languages for someone to learn to speak well? But then there's a fun YouTube on Danish. And the tonal inflections of Southeast Asian languages. Phooey. I might do best just to not speak at all. An idea that not a few have floated in my direction over the years! Attuvian1 John
If you want to totally blow your mind, look up the pronunciation of the English surname "Featherstonhaugh".
Attuvian1Plough. Should sound like "dough". Or "enough". Or "through".
I still am having issues with why something built by the Ideal Plow Co., and prominently so labeled, is a 'plough'...
Ah! Mr & Mrs Featherstonhough - 'Fanshaw' to their friends.
Don't ask for 'The way to Slaithwaite'. Say 'Slouwit'
The railway station for sale at Saughtree - say 'Sootra'. There is plenty of snow here to test Dave's plow/plough.
The joys of the English language
It's "Fenshaw" in the United States -- at least it was in the 1820s in New York State, when someone by that name was involved in the early New York Central railroad.
For the ultimate in fun, watch how the British utterly massacre their (at least partly-phonetically-derived) spelling of Gaelic names. This becomes almost comically obvious when looking at Irish road signs, which have both the butchered and original spellings for easy comparison.
Excellent work, Dave!
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
Thanks for the compliments guys!
I apologize for the lack of recent updates. The Lokprogrammer process tired me out. I have a fresh 'to do' list. I just need to get on with it.
I've had enough winter too!
I'm going to take a pause for a few days. This is not the end of the thread. I will be back!
I have a question: Would it be worth it for me to do a separate thread summarizing the whole project?
hon30critter I'm going to take a pause for a few days. This is not the end of the thread. I will be back! I have a question: Would it be worth it for me to do a separate thread summarizing the whole project? Cheers!! Dave
Finish the project in this thread for the benefit of all of us who have been following it for well over a year. And then let this be the end of it.
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrainWhy on earth would you want to start another thread summarizing this one? Finish the project in this thread for the benefit of all of us who have been following it for well over a year. And then let this be the end of it.
Okay Rich, I hear you loud and clear!
Actually, I didn't intend to do a summary until the plow train was fully complete and operating. I should have made that clear.
I do apologize for the length of time that it has taken me to do this project. It seems to have dragged on for far longer than I intended it to, but I will argue that I have suffered a huge number of setbacks, many of which took hours and hours and even weeks to overcome. I can't remember how many attempts it took to get the gear box to run properly, or how long it took to recover from the paint stripping fiasco.
You may have given me the kick in the butt that I needed to get back to work!!
hon30critter richhotrain Why on earth would you want to start another thread summarizing this one? Finish the project in this thread for the benefit of all of us who have been following it for well over a year. And then let this be the end of it. Okay Rich, I hear you loud and clear! Actually, I didn't intend to do a summary until the plow train was fully complete and operating. I should have made that clear. I do apologize for the length of time that it has taken me to do this project. It seems to have dragged on for far longer than I intended it to, but I will argue that I have suffered a huge number of setbacks, many of which took hours and hours and even weeks to overcome. I can't remember how many attempts it took to get the gear box to run properly, or how long it took to recover from the paint stripping fiasco. You may have given me the kick in the butt that I needed to get back to work!! Cheers!! Dave
richhotrain Why on earth would you want to start another thread summarizing this one? Finish the project in this thread for the benefit of all of us who have been following it for well over a year. And then let this be the end of it.
Once you finish the project and have an operational model, you could end this thread with a brief summary and let it go with that.
Dave,
I don't think an apology is in order for the time that has elapsed on the project (and the string). If a survey were to be taken of only its followers, I'd venture that only a minor portion of us kill any "project" quickly. I think York1 (?) and his bridges kind of fits the bill for most of us. I have gotten to the point of this thread having become an old friend that I can sit on the porch and rock with. In the long run (no pun intended), more satisfying than a relationship that burns hot for a few weeks and then is consigned to the dust bin of history ["Oh, yeah, I remember him (or her ). What was their name?"].
Attuvian John
hon30critterI do apologize for the length of time that it has taken me to do this project. It seems to have dragged on for far longer than I intended it to,
Apologize!? Don't apologize for putting together a very interesting thread. I looked forward to every posting that you made, and every time I saw a new one listed I was happy.
I have the same thing going now with Mark in Wyoming and the building of his layout.
I know I haven't commented much, but I'll bet there are quite a few forum members like me who don't post comments on this thread but look forward to each new step in this project.
York1 John
My suggestion would be to "let" the construction thread end with the completion of the physical model... and start a new thread about setting up, programming, and operating the model as built, as a kind of continuation.
That second thread could include a brief recap of the reasons for building the model, the 'fun' that was involved, and a few pix of "how it has turned out".
Personally, I'm waiting 'on tenterhooks' for the first video that combines the whistle signals, the movement of the train, and the sound of the plow working and perhaps stalling as it engages "snow". I think it should be interactive, but I'd settle for a well-recorded 'program'...
(Incidentally, even though MR broke the 'global' setting to have last posts first, it's a simple matter to select 'descending'... and after that I don't care how long the post might be, I go straight to the most recent details. And I enjoy those details.)
I can see how you might be getting thoroughly sick of working on the whole plow train after all this time.
But don't worry about us! I for one will be sad to see this thread wrap up. I look forward to, and enjoy, your updates, so the extended time span is great from that perspective!
Maybe you could start another long-term project once this one is done?
Actually, Dave's question, which prompted this flurry of replies, was not whether to quit the project or end this thread. We all agree that this is Dave's project and thread, and he has every right to take as much time as he deems necessary to complete the project.
Dave's question was whether it would be worth it to do a separate thread summarizing the whole project.
hon30critter I'm going to take a pause for a few days. This is not the end of the thread. I will be back! I have a question: Would it be worth it for me to do a separate thread summarizing the whole project?
richhotrainMy initial reply was, heck no, finish the project in this thread and then summarize the whole project in this thread before ending it. I stand by that reply.
I'm with Rich on this. Even if you think you have wrapped things up and want to revisit it down the road for any reason, do so on this thread. Mind you the anti-old-thread self-appointed police may have something to say about it.
It has been a pleasure to watch you build this Dave, but can you please remove that pile of hair you have pulled out from the corner of your desk?
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
BATMANIt has been a pleasure to watch you build this Dave, but can you please remove that pile of hair you have pulled out from the corner of your desk?
Hi Brent,
I think the pile that you are refering to is actually dust. If I did have a pile of hair to work with I'd be devising a way to glue it back onto the top of my head! I suffer from a common problem that comes with age. I'm 6'2" tall. My hair is 5'8"!
Seriously, I do need to get my hair trimmed, but just a bit. Right now what is left of my hair hangs about 6" below my shoulders! I love the looks people give me when they realize that my hair is that long! I won't post pictures. I don't want to get thrown off of the forums!
Okay, I stuck my toe back in the pond finally. One of the things that was holding me back was that my workbench was so full of bits and pieces and tools that weren't where they should have been that I had no place left to work! So, I spent a half hour doing a much needed clean up and now I have some workspace!
I received three Digitrax bass speakers from Streamlined Backshop today. They are large ovals with very large enclosures and bass ports. When I ordered them, I thought they were an ESU product. I'm a bit disappointed that the name of the source wasn't more clearly identified in the listing, but they weren't expensive so if they don't work as well as I hope they will, then I'm not out much.
I want to install a better bass speaker in the consist locomotive that will be providing most of the sound. In order to do that, I needed to remove the factory weights that I had glued into the roof of the tender. I moved the weights from their original position on the frame so I could install twin sugar cube speakers in the frame. Of course, as is my usual practise, I had used far too much glue so I ended up having to cut most of the top of the tender out in order to remove the weights. It's nothing that a couple of pieces of styrene and some rivet decals can't cure. The biggest challenge appears to be getting the water hatch free of the weights so I can re-use it.
More to come,