claycts wrote: Lynn the TT uses an optical reader that starts a "0" as defined by the factory. Before you set anything you put in your track AFTER you find where the dead spot on the table will fall.
Lynn the TT uses an optical reader that starts a "0" as defined by the factory. Before you set anything you put in your track AFTER you find where the dead spot on the table will fall.
Hi George,
Thanks . . . I appreciate the tip. I think I am going to get one of these and convert it to use on my On30 layout. I had a look at the instructions that Walthers has on their website so I realize about that dead zone you mentioned.
Now once you have the TT in place with due consideration for the dead zone, I had wondered if tracks leading into the TT couldbe placed virtually anywhere (other than the dead zone of course) around the circumference and not have to be concerned that the tracks could end up *between* steps and not end up aligning properly.
As you mentioned, the requirement to program each end of the bridge to align with each track tells me that the steps are small enough that this is not a problem.
Lynn
Lynn_C wrote: claycts wrote: Lynn the TT uses an optical reader that starts a "0" as defined by the factory. Before you set anything you put in your track AFTER you find where the dead spot on the table will fall. Hi George, Thanks . . . I appreciate the tip. I think I am going to get one of these and convert it to use on my On30 layout. I had a look at the instructions that Walthers has on their website so I realize about that dead zone you mentioned. Now once you have the TT in place with due consideration for the dead zone, I had wondered if tracks leading into the TT couldbe placed virtually anywhere (other than the dead zone of course) around the circumference and not have to be concerned that the tracks could end up *between* steps and not end up aligning properly. As you mentioned, the requirement to program each end of the bridge to align with each track tells me that the steps are small enough that this is not a problem. Lynn
Yes, you control that. There are 4 preset locations that you can erase and then start your own. Just DO NOT erase Zero. I use the zero as the arriving track location then 10deg after that. If you do a 10 deg array you can see how they come up with the 60 locations.
George,
We were able to get most of the yard down and wired. (At least all the turnouts are down.) I have decided to scratch build an engine shop at the far end of the yard, so I need to get that floor done and wired. I seem to be running in too many directions at this point.
The TT works great with one track in. Once both ends were set, it has not missed. Is it possible that when we add several others that it may not be as accurate?
Pictures to follow soon.
Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.
Miss sue the TT is a Murphy design. What I have found out is that leaving the factory ZERO point as the line up for the approach track was the best way to install. The 2nd table I got fancy and tried a different alignment. No good, pulled the table a turned it. The Ashley table is quirkey and has a mind of its own. The Nanticoke table is just perfect. Ashley was the one that I had to pull.
The trick that I used was to read the instructions and since I am not in SC I can not be sure with out looking, BUT it recommends clockwise to program I think. The tanle goes past the point then backs up to align. If you program all the points in that direction (both ends) it is a happy camper.
I tried using a random direction program and it was not as good. Nanticoke was done accodring to the books and Ashley was the random one.
One side note, Got the Spectrum Y3a Saturday and can not wait to get back to SC and try it. Got the N&W markings. Also picked up another J3a BLI Hudson NIB for $150.00 could not pass that up. I am now One engine short of having all the big Steam I am trying to collect and run.
Can not wait for the pictures.
They guys ran the layout Tuesday night and I ran the passenger train from the CTC using the CCTV and it WORKED!! talk about luck! I think they had 10 or 12 runnning along with the Berkshire I was running. Found some minor track problems and major operator problems. The RED light means stop not go through the turnout!!
With our yard, I am finding that you have to concentrate on the direction of the throw switches. I understand your RED light problem.
Yesterday, we went up to the Tacoma History Museum to view the Puget Sound Club Layout. We were anxious to see it because it is heavy with NP. On the way, I needed to hit the lumber yard (at LHS Tacoma). We now have 4 more NP coal cars and a NP box car. Somehow I passed on the caboose.
Glad you guys had a great time. We need to get another controller for company. I thought that 2 would be enough. WRONG.
Now that we are discussing the walthers turntables, and the good and bad seems to more up to the person than the turntable. Do we have a concesus of the 90' built-up turntable. I do have the Heljan 98' turntable, it uses an 0-5-0 to turn it. I would like to install a a good automatic that I don't have to tweek to much. I would prefer a 105', but I can live without turning Niagras. I will still be able to turn Hudsons on a 90' with some overhang, but there is nothing unprototypical about that, especially compared to using the 0-5-0!!! I have a six stall Korber roundhouse, so it is important that the stops are not at a fixed degree seperation, and reading the past posts would indicate you can set the stops anywhere (within reason.)
Paul
Dayton and Mad River RR
Paul,
We scrapped our 98' Heljan because it would not run smoothly. It thumped alot. We never did get to actually putting a loco on it. The 90' Walthers would have been too short,and the hole for the 98' would have been too large. It was messy changing to a larger hole,but well worth it. So far, we have not had any hangups with the 130' TT. You can run it manually or set the stops.
This is our first weekend actually operating the TT. An extension needs to be added to the benchwork prior to wiring the RH. Then we will find out about the multi stops. Changing the size of the TT affected the footprint of the TT/RH.
The large Locos look great on the 130'.
Paul, the 90ft is the SAME as the 130 ft. Just smaller. Same design, drive motor and indexing. the ONLY things you must remember is that:
1. DO NOT ERASE ZERO from the factory settings
2. Put nothing in the dead zone
3. Read the instructions.
Ours have been in a nd running for about 2 months and other than oprtator error no problems. they do require a VERY CLEAN pit so that the drive does not hang. The trimming and filing of thet rail ends at the pit per the instructions shlud be done so you do not PICK the trils coming off. We are turning a model of every major articulated modeled and have no problems. Even to almost 10 lbs brass works just fine.
We are propbably going to get a 90 ft for phase three wicj comes AFTER we build phase two. The CFO is fine with building phase two, 650 ft addition of main line track and a 14' x 26ft yard (Jersey City with the 30 stall roundhouse) Phase three would takes us the other way to Wilkes Barre (90 ft table and 24 stalls) which is only a 8' x 19' yard plus 175 ft of branch and main line.
We have the space, money and time the question is help to build it. Have to take out all the subwalls I put up in the basement and move the storage shelfs. That would give us 1875 sq ft to work with.
Sorry for the tangent but the brain kicked in and ran off at the keyboard.
this is teh Ashley yard:
Thank you for the answers, I wonder how much Tenax it would take to melt down the Heljan into liquid plastic filler. The previous idea of using one to model an abandoned facility would also work, but I don't have the room. I thought about the 130' very carefully but would have to push my roundhouse into the cold air plenum of the furnace. I model the NYC so Niagras are my largest. If only they had a 100' I could squeeze the Niagra on that. I think the NYC had many 105' turntables and let the end of the pedistal tender and the pilot hang out. Toledo had a pair of 105s at Airline. The Diamond Scale HO 105' is no longer available, and I am about fed up with turntables. I am to the point where I just want to drop one in and be pretty much done. I know I will be doing some tweeking, but I have built them, used surpless radar parts to drive them, used stepper motors to turn them, but never had much luck. And this from a guy who built two brass Kemtron Moguls that work fine, but I just couldn't get the TT to work well. I even tried to use a big masonite disk, reached under the layout and used the 0-5-0 on it, but it just was never right. Now I am older, wiser and I have probably spent more than the price of this one on parts, with about a million dollars labor, and that is at only ten bucks an hour.
I have a 75' double maineline run with a intermidate engine facility, set in Springfield Ohio as my pike runs from Dayton to Springfield Ohio. The place names are correct and the flavor is correct, but the details are not. I will just have to live with the 130 footers small brother. My layout is a large walk in L shape with one 20' leg and one 23' leg with about four feet on the inside of the legs of the L. Now if I can find an eight foot bushing to put into that 98 foot hole I will be all set. My layout is built with 2" flat foam (I do model the NYC), so filling it with a 98' plug using liquid nails shouldn't be to hard.
The bigger problem may be the 1x4 that is under that part of the layout that supports the two inch foam. Just how deep is the turntable from the lip of the pit to the botttem of the mechanicasim? Piece of cake if it is less that two inches, which it probably is not. The 1x2 is off center of the current turntable and the motor, bracket and other associated parts fit, as I put that support in to just clear the Heljan TT mechanism. I to get on tangents, but when it comes to the model railroad what the heck. Thanks again for the info. If I got to move the support I'll move it don't ya know!
I promised photos of the TT with most of the yard. Things are still running smoothly. So far, track/TT track have lined up every time except once, and it was close enough to still work.
Notice that the track is not finished in the back. I need to finish the machine shop in the back. It will have 1 bay for locos or car repair.
We are so glad that we switched to this TT.
Paul, If the 90' is similar to the 130' in depth, it will be close to your Heljan. When we changed from the Heljan to the 130', it made us rearrange our yard also. It was a good thing that we waited to have the TT functioning prior to placing the yard. We need to add a strip on the outside so the RH is not hanging out in space.
Thanks for the inputs. I ripped out the 98' turntable, and plugged the hole in the 2" foam with a scale 98' , actual 2" thick piece of foam that I cut out using the old TT as a template. Boy did I feel bad ripping that old turntable out. LOL!!! It was one of the more satisfying things I have done recently. The pit is still whole, and I glued in the big blue plug with Liquid Nails Foamboard Adhesive.
It sure is alot easier to work with this 2" thick blue foam than it is the old hardshell ways. I get my new TT next Friday, as Walthers had the 90' version in stock. I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas and isn't what model railroading is all about.
Paul, you will need a power supply for that TT. Got mine from Radio Shack it is 15V unit and works perfect. The drain on the system if you do not use a seperate power supply is very heavy.
The DCC powering of the unit is simple just like it was the rails. the lead tracks should be divided like your track. Picture the dead spot at 12 and 6 on a clock. Make the tracks from 1 to 5 with the tracks same as the yard tracks (red to red and black to black) then from 7 to 11 REVERSE THAT. If right rail is red on the yard side make it black on the 7 to 11 side. The TT handels the reverse problem very well.
I have found that you need to Vacuum the pit every week and check the "FINGERS" in the center of the table this is your power and signal. The only problem qwe have had is dirt in the pit and the contacts in the center (fingers) need a cleaning with contact cleaner (91% IPA) about once a month.
Other than that enjoy it.
Paul, Sounds like you made your decision. I know how excited I was when I placed the order for the 130'. Good luck with the change.
claycts wrote: Fianly got a picture of our Ashley yard This is the larger of the the two yards. At least the roundhouses fit this time!!
Fianly got a picture of our Ashley yard
This is the larger of the the two yards. At least the roundhouses fit this time!!
George, Did you permanently attach the floor of the RH to the layout? I was trying to think of a way to attach it semi-permanently, so it could be used on a different layout in the future.
I am also scratch building a car machine shop and thought that I might do the floor and get back to the walls later. I was wanting to lay the track from the yard to the shop. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I might do that?
Sue if you look real close you can see where I drilled tiny holes and pushe spikes into the cork. These will never come off since I will not have the time to build another layout. I did make them so that if you cut the wires for the feeders you could pry the RH up.
I am doing the other one different. I am sticking #10 awg bare cooper wire as a post in the cork and then laying the RH over thse locator pins. I glued the floors together on both RH's . The Ashlet RH has the nails and the Nanticoke has the pins. Another change was to NOT CA the rails to the pit like I did in Ashley. again you miust cut the leads but only have to pull up the nails by the pit to remove the RH.
The CAR BARN is just in place sine there is no floor other thand the simulated pit.
Does Stevenson in Washington ring a bell? That is where the RROC will be. It is on the Columbia River. THat is all I know so far.
The weather was nice enough yesterday that I was able to pick up the piece of lumber to do the add on for the RH. I am excited to get that running. We can actually do some switching now. Larry is home through the holidays, so we might get that down and wired. I was thinking of using some kind of nail/pin on my machine shop and just piling junk to cover it.
Stevenson is about 50 miles east of Vancouver which is across the Columbia from Portland. It can be warm there in August if there is no breeze. It is a nice little town. We are 150 miles from there, but it would be nice to meet you and Krysti when you come out.
We are off to the Puyallup train show. Talk with you later.
Cheers,
I got my 90' turntable on Thursday from my local hobby shop. I cut out the new 2" thick blue plug where the old Heljan 98' turntable was. I secured the foam plug last Thursday (9 days ago) with Liquid Nails for Projects.I did not have to move the crossmember, because the turntable is less than 2" deep except where the wire that connects to the contacts comes out, and it did not conflict with the crossmember. I installed the control box ajacent to the turntable, since it is front and center. I was just able to squeeze it in between the TT and the layout edge.. I simply cut out a square hole, angled a spot in the foam for clearance of the wires, hooked up the 15VDC power supply I got at my local Radio Shack, and all worked well. I pinned the tracks down going to the 5 stall Korber roundhouse in a temporary fashion, programed the stops and all seems to work well. Now all I have to do is run the DCC to the tracks and the turntable. It does seem to be smooth, and it does stop in the same place everytime.
The programing instructions leave alot to be desired, and after some toying around I finally got it.Once I knew what I was doing the instructions kind of made sense, but they jump around.
I also used a drill bit a bit larger than the holes at the base of the arch to ream them out, as I had to push harder than I should have to get the arch on the pins of the bridge. With only two minor complaints I would say this is an excellent kit and well worth the $225.00 (+ tax) that I spent at Online Trains, and well worth eliminating the frustrations from that old Heljan Turntable. Now I will have to buy another Niagra because I can't turn that engine on a 90' table, and I will need one to run Eastbound and one Westbound. With only one I can only go one way...It is terrible being addictedd to model railroads!
I also got some other work done on the Springfield yards and station and (drats!!!) my weekend ended so I had to give up on serious work for four days. I will run the DCC wires to the radial tracks the week after Thanksgiving, as it is our 30th anaversarry on the 25th.of November and I have a one week vacation. Hard to believe My wife has put up with my model railroad for that long. At least it keeps me out of trouble. She knows exactly where I am. Everybody have a great Thanksgiving.
I would say this is a great product and well worth the money.
Paul DeMuth
claycts wrote:Glad to hear it. you asked the right questions and got the answers, then you did it and all worked. That is what this forum is about. Not debating the cost of the hobby.
Heh.
Now. How much was that 130' TT again?
LOL.
True. But debating the costs can be fun, too. : )
Jeff
Debating can be fun, but some people take it a little to far. In 2007 I will have to do some seminars and things with the cars. I took a year off to build my layout to running stage. This hobby has been great for my health and realy gave me a chance to talk something other than car. With the end of the UP deal maybe the Back EMF will go away also and things can progress.
In a dream world there would be a layour featured in MRM that was not a $50,000.00 investment and would not raise the bar so high that folks lose heart. Yes they did Turtle Creek but there needs to be more for the people just starting out. I have the SAME questions everytime someone sees what I have built in less than a year.
Q1, How Much Money
Q2. How many hours per week to get to this point
Q3. How many people worked on it.
There response was almost the same. I can not afford that, no way they could spend that much time and where did I find 4 helpers. The last was easy, join the railroad club. THe other two where the killers for them.
OOPS of on a tangent, sorry!!
Sometimes debating is just rationalizing. If you have to ask, you can't afford it. HaHa.
We started on our 5" extension for the RH yesterday. When we held the 1 foot x 8 foot piece up we decided that we could have a 6 stall RH instead of a 3 stall RH. Back up to Tacoma to buy another kit.
The extension gives us lots more acreage. We are up to 13' x'14'.
The 130' TT has turned into a blessing. It still seems to be right on. We have not had to reset anything yet. I shouldn't say that out loud.
George, Isn't there a fancy lodge at Stevenson? It seems that I attended a seminar there several years back.
Larry's uncle, the one that got us started in MR, is coming up this morning, so I had better get to cleaning. OPERATING SESSION.
Later, Sue
gear-jammer wrote: Sometimes debating is just rationalizing. If you have to ask, you can't afford it. HaHa. We started on our 5" extension for the RH yesterday. When we held the 1 foot x 8 foot piece up we decided that we could have a 6 stall RH instead of a 3 stall RH. Back up to Tacoma to buy another kit. The extension gives us lots more acreage. We are up to 13' x'14'. The 130' TT has turned into a blessing. It still seems to be right on. We have not had to reset anything yet. I shouldn't say that out loud. George, Isn't there a fancy lodge at Stevenson? It seems that I attended a seminar there several years back. Larry's uncle, the one that got us started in MR, is coming up this morning, so I had better get to cleaning. OPERATING SESSION. Later, Sue
Knowing RROC that is where they will go. It must be 5 star, expensive and snobby or they do not go!
We have most of the yard up and running. There are 6 bays in the RH and a line to the engine shed. Maybe I will get some pictures. The track on the TT seems to be slightly narrower that the code 83, but the switcher has not hesitated yet.
How was your holiday?
Sue, it was very nice and quit. Our daughter the opera singer was iin town so Krysti was happy about that. I am just running the layout looking for trouble with the track plan or the track. The CTC and CCTV make it easy. The computer runs (3) Doodlebugs and I run a freight or passenger trying to use all the sidings and such.
May rip out about 80 ft of track to get better scenery but that is still up in the air.
The TT track is smaller than code 83 and if you look close the engine has to stop down to the table. I addressed this once and got told that was not a problem. After taking a dremel tool to the rails it was no longer a problem. The Challenger and the Big Boy both did not like it.
Well i am off trains for some time till I get cars ready for 2007. Hoping to have this one ready for Feb.
and this guy for May.
claycts wrote: Sue, it was very nice and quit. Our daughter the opera singer was iin town so Krysti was happy about that. I am just running the layout looking for trouble with the track plan or the track. The CTC and CCTV make it easy. The computer runs (3) Doodlebugs and I run a freight or passenger trying to use all the sidings and such. May rip out about 80 ft of track to get better scenery but that is still up in the air. The TT track is smaller than code 83 and if you look close the engine has to stop down to the table. I addressed this once and got told that was not a problem. After taking a dremel tool to the rails it was no longer a problem. The Challenger and the Big Boy both did not like it. Well i am off trains for some time till I get cars ready for 2007. Hoping to have this one ready for Feb. and this guy for May.
None of our locos have a problem with the TT. My wish list loco is a Challenger. I am looking for a NP or unlettered single stack.
I hope that you still get operating sessions, and that you need to do the 9 - 5 on the cars.
Do you like red? I am on my second red car. Both of them were sideswiped the first day that I drove them to work. What a way to ruin the new car experience.
What type of work are you doing? Leather interiors?
House cleaning and getting them show ready. Not all the cars are red LOL
We have White
oops another red one
this is OFF RED I guess
And burgundy
Add a Champagne Jag and a Blue Jag plus the MB fleet which are Black, White Burgundy and Gold.
This is not work, this is my other hobby. I took a year off the show and seminar circuit to build the trains.
Planning our West Coast treck now.
Do you have a large car hauler? How do you transport? How many do take to a show?
This is what we use most of the time. This was before the trailer got painted.
Close shows we will drive but 90% of the time it is in the trailer.
We will be in Washington from 8/7/07 to 8/12/07. We will drive th MB S500 and have the material shipped to the venue. Planing the stops along the way now. For sure is Omha for the UP venue. Krysit want to go to Yellowstone and, and and. You get the idea.
Does Cheyenne have a lot of history for UP? I believe that they had a huge RH at one time.
I will put those dates on our calendar. Maybe we can get together. Larry is always up for a car show.