To Chuck (tomikawaTT):
Thank you for your mainline traction insight. I have always had a respect for your efforts after learning of your traction modeling experience.
I'm going to use live single-wire overhead which would be more of a Westcentral PA interurban prototype on the free-lanced Conemaugh Road & Traction. Some small industrial switchers sans pantographs haven't been rulled out which is the "Road" part of the CR&T.
NCat standards will be used with a pantograph preference (steeple cab/box motor), only PCCs will use single-pole, and; the few tunnels will be short and accessible. So, it appears that single-wire overhead in essence would be like the equivalent of "adding a third rail" for maintenance purposes. The absence of more intricate overhead catenary is where I'll be saving on higher maintenance.
I had never thought of doing heavy-duty shared traction/mainline the way you have described it since my head would be thinking of the Pennsy-style GG1s three-hours ride east of my area. Thus, your trackage maintenance on the surface doesn't seem to be more than the standard issues.
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
My layout is 10 4 ft. modules. Even with two cats who periodically wander around and check out the wiring, buildings, knock the steeple or one of the churches and take naps on the farm, I've had no major problems in 4 years. I run my trains around the 2 main lines at least one cycle 3 or 4 times a week. (I do this when I have to go to the basement for something.) I've not had to clean track but once in 4 years. I too have several cars waiting for coupler adjustments or reinstallation. My trains get a good one hour operation time 1 or 2 times a month when the grandkids come over. This is also when I collect more cars for repair. My layout is a 8x18 double main line with several industrial sidings
Walter in Columbia, TN
Kind of a big bump, ( I always liked to find older topics that contain alot of info before starting one, even though it may be 5 years old,lol )
Anyways. I have started to pull some big maintenance on alot of rolling stock and track starting today and hope to have mots of it done by Early October. Just getting the layout back up running again has taught me that I Should have started doing this before putting buildings and tress and other detail items back up. Here are a list of things that I plan to get started
- giving track a thorough cleaning
- Cleaning all rolling stock wheels
- Cleaning all loco wheels
- checking to see all couplers are in gauge
- inspecting all track ( eg, loose ballast, rails coming off roadbed and turnouts )
- cleaning scenery with small vacuum
- cleaning off buildings
Hopefully I can get this all done this fall, the wheel cleaning will take a while. I guess are model railroads need periodic maintenance just like the prototype right? hope to hear your guys maintenance and cleaning regiment.
- Jeremy
Maintenance Ha.
Maintenance on indoor layouts are a piece of cake compared to the maintenance requirements of an outdoor layout.
And I have both types
Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, COClick Here for my model train photo website
My layout is 8 by 24, in an unheated garage, up at the cottage. My biggest problem is spiders and their webs. I vacuum them off every time I go there, and when I come back, there are more. Locos come out of the tunnel with spider webs all over the front of the engines. Always spider webs by the windows! It's maddening. I don't want to use a lot of toxic sprays, that I would be exposed to all the while I'm in there.
Maintenance is a NON-Issue with my 2000 sq ft layout - 1000 cars and 3300 feet of track layout! ;-)
Once I used the Metal Polish on the rails - cleaning track was a thing of the past (I haven't cleaned the track since 2003 when I first used the polish - other than spot cleaning when I am doing Ballasting or Scenery).
Prior to that I had to clean track before EVERY ONE of my twice monthly OPs Sessions.
As for turnouts and the like - IF one builds the layout properly the FIRST time and basically OVER Builds it - YOU will have no problems.
Having been a member of a Model Railroad Club - where the LAYOUTS HAVE to RUN as the PUBLIC is paying to see TRAINS RUN - one soon learns what will work and what won't (another good reason to be a CLUB Member)!
Rolling Stock - will always need tune-ups. If any cars need work - my Operators fill out a BAD-ORDER and the offending cars are set off the layout and I get them checked out and repaired before then next OPs Session! If YOU do this regularly then it is NOT a big deal keeping up with the CAR maintenance!
If one gets in a habit of CHECKING every new car to a set of specifications before they ever get to the layout - maintenance will just not be there!
With my layout NOW 10 years old - most have stated that the Maintenance would be a problem (as SOME seem not able to keep a 4 x 8 running from week to week) I was worried that my layout would be a problem.
So far it isn't any worse than it was in the building stages!
I am HAPPY with the way the layout always runs smooth for my Operators and Guests each OPs Sessions.
Taking short cuts in track laying JUST to get Trains running has been the down fall of too many layout I have had the chance to SEE and Operate on!
You make your choices and YOU DEAL with the results!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
Cheers guys.
Im going to be staying up on it now ( layout and cars were packed away for years ) so when I get everything back in order It will stay that way.
yes,
I operate my layout too, alone or with friends. And my main issue is dirt. Dirt on the roofs of houses, dirt on the roof of the cars (along with finger pirnts !)
I have less problems with turnout failing.
Wolfgang
Pueblo & Salt Lake RR
Come to us http://www.westportterminal.de my videos my blog
Joe,
This is so true.
I had a large layout for a number of years and I agree that maintenance has to be done regularly if you want things to run properly.
The worst for me was track cleaning. For some reason, certain areas of the layout seemed to require very little, while others had to be done before each operating session.
Of course, the larger and more complex the layout, the more work it is to keep it running.
I don't think this should discourage anyone from building the layout they want, but you need to factor in the maintenance requirements along with everything else that goes into building it.
I've always wondered about the maintenance needed on all those beautifully scenicked layouts I see in magazines. How on earth do you get the dust off of hundreds of delicate, hand-made trees and shrubs?
My own layout is outdoors, so I have a lot of "real world" maintenance issues to deal with, in addition to keeping the track clean. This year I had to repair a big crack that developed across one mountain, which had been partially built on fill and gradually settled. I also need to replace ballast that has washed away, and repaint a few details that have faded in the sun.
Then there's the black widow spiders that take up residence in every nook and cranny. Periodically I make the rounds of the layout at night with flashlight and can of bug spray, doing "spider patrol".
Personally, I think the most important aspect of layout maintenance is proper design. Ease of reach, dust control, etc... Whether we like it or not, maintenance is a given and will have to be done, sooner or later.
I haven't had any major layout maintenance issues, as I figure its just part of the hobby. I don't glue any structures or other details to the layout, everything is removable right down to the tumbleweeds. I think gravity works just fine holding everything in place. Cleaning the layout is done once a year, everything is removed except for the track ballast and dirt. Buildings are dusted off with a soft brush and a small 12 volt auto vacuum is used to pick up dust from the glued down dirt, some scenic materials are refreshed with new lichen.
Did I hear that right?
Joe, the master of the large layout is TAKING IT DOWN? Just because it got a little dirty?
I would have one of those Op sessions wiht friends to be a "cleaning party" and clean clean clean before running trains again.
There IS somehting to be said about small layouts and less cleaning time.
But just like the 1:1 RRs, maintenance is a requirement in the hobby.
I am taking down my small layout. I wanted to expand it and there really isn't room. It was getting used as a 'drop off table" in the train/junk/storage room and I thought about time to take it down we need to access the room.
I will just have to be content with the smaller under the Christmas tree layout and run only one train at a time. Assuming the year round storage of locos doesn't make them seize and require a yearly tune up, but alas it will be so. Now if I can only get them together after i get them apart....
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
That was back in 2006 Galaxy, and I think by take down he meant no operating sessions until the layout was cleaned up.
One of the first things I noticed, as my layout progressed, was that the more scenery I added, e.g. trees, bushes etc. and also more structures, the more difficult it naturally became to do track cleaning by hand. Those place that, in the past, were easy to get to aren't any more. I guess I'm going to have to break down and buy that CMX track cleaning car.
Jarrell
jacon12 One of the first things I noticed, as my layout progressed, was that the more scenery I added, e.g. trees, bushes etc. and also more structures, the more difficult it naturally became to do track cleaning by hand. Those place that, in the past, were easy to get to aren't any more. I guess I'm going to have to break down and buy that CMX track cleaning car. Jarrell
I am running into this problem as I move further along in Scenery mode!
BUT - since I am using Metal Polish - I only have to clean the area ONCE as parts of my layout are still running with NO CLEANING since I first Polished the track back in 2003!
When I began having trouble reaching areas - I just made some handles and screwed HO Track cork to the handle and then applied the Metal Polish to the cork and could then using the longer handles (as I made a number of different lenght handles) to reach way back in tunnels and INDUSTRIAL Sidings!
And ONLY having to do this once (after finishing the scenery in each area) I make sure the track is cleared of ALL paint and Glue and then Wax the track and I am home free!
JeremyB That was back in 2006 Galaxy, and I think by take down he meant no operating sessions until the layout was cleaned up.
That is the impression that I got. Especially knowing that his layout is up and running at this time and has been for a while that I know of.
Ken G Price My N-Scale Layout
Digitrax Super Empire Builder Radio System. South Valley Texas Railroad. SVTRR
N-Scale out west. 1996-1998 or so! UP, SP, Missouri Pacific, C&NW.
Joe,One of the joys of a simple switching layout is its almost maintenance free! Sure,a minor problem may arise but,its usually a few minute fix.
Think of this..During the 80s I had a 36"x80" hollow core door N Scale layout and it was maintenance free for the 10 years I used it.Of course Atlas selectors was used for block wiring-I had 12 blocks including a 4 track engine house,servicing area and outbound ready.
IMHO simple layouts can save years of trouble shooting,maintenance and headaches so,I never felt a Godzilla size layout was better due to the maintenance and general upkeep involved.
As far as the often quoted "dream layout" just make sure that dream doesn't turnout to be a nightmare.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
There should be very little maintenance needed if the layout was BUILT right!
My layout is now 10 years old and my to do list of repairs is a few notes on a Post-IT-Note (replace coupler spring, etc).
Some of the things I did to eliminate MAINTENANCE!
Track was done with c100 rail (Yah it ain't prototype) but I can stand on the track and it will come back for more abuse!
Wiring was done with #12 stranded THHN house wire.
Track Drops are on every piece of rail and all 3 ends of every turnout!
Turnout Controls are MANUAL Caboose Throws (except for a few Turtle machines throws (with multiple access buttons).
All Track Joints are SOLDERED
The Track Cleaning is done with Metal Polish back in 2003 (NOT every Week, Month or Year)!
With the layout approaching 2000 sq ft and I was going to be the only one MAINTAINING it - I HAD to figure out ways to eliminate having to do any work on it.
The layout has an OPs Session twice a month and the most I do is repin the cars for the OPs Session.
The night of the OPs Session I go down and flip the switch and the Layout starts - Sound engines idling and we are ready to go - 15 to 20 operators have a blast for 3 hours and I shut it down until the next session
Don't believe me ? - come on over some time and we can have an OPs Session!
That is what I built the layout for Operations - NOT working on it! ;-)
BOB H
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Absolutely! Why bother building a layout that needs constant maintenance or worst rebuilt because it was poorly built or uses questionable layout theories taught by the so called "experts"?