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Post by ptc on Nov 11, 2020 15:05:40 GMT
Your progress is spectacular George. This is going to be one beautiful layout, well planned.
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Post by g3750 on Nov 11, 2020 23:26:18 GMT
Nice work, George. The Dremel did a great job. Having the right tools makes life much easier. Thank you! OMG, it sure does!!!  George
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Post by g3750 on Nov 11, 2020 23:27:20 GMT
Your progress is spectacular George. This is going to be one beautiful layout, well planned. Thank you. Much appreciated. George
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Post by Adam on Nov 11, 2020 23:55:12 GMT
Some nice steady progress George. I love my Dremel. Can’t remember what I did before I had it.
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Post by g3750 on Nov 13, 2020 2:48:07 GMT
Updated 11/12/2020: Worked on a lot of things today: - Switch #33 has been TMCC programmed and installed.
- The straight track eastward from Switch #33 has been installed, along with its wiring (power / ground # 7.11).
- An access pop-up near that switch has been identified on the plan. This will be behind the Blooming Mill and should be hidden from view; no cover will be required. It will be just large for me to fit. It has not yet been drawn on the layout.
- Switch #32 has been TMCC programmed and placed on the layout. It is ready for installation.
- Switch #31 has been TMCC programmed.
- Switch #29 has been TMCC programmed.
- Switch #30 has been TMCC programmed.
- Cut holes in the backdrop to accommodate both legs of Switch #32. Test ran a hot metal (torpedo) car through the backdrop to make sure it fits. It’s a very close clearance. I might end up shaving a bit more off each side.
This photo shows the test car at Switch #32. The straight route leads to the Staging Area. The diverging route leads behind the divider and eventually out again and alongside the Strip Steel Mill. It will be used to exchange empties for loads (and vice versa) in the mill.  Here's a close-up of the opening. As you can see, I was shaving away at the edge to get the car to fit.  Here's a shot from the other side of the backdrop. That post might need a closer shave. The track is not yet permanently installed as we ponder tweaks. It's an extremely close fit for that hot metal car!  More when I know it. George |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2020 14:37:54 GMT
The track looks good to me. I'd shave just a hair more off the opening.
How close does the car get to the post and do you have wider cars that might be an issue with hitting the post?
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Post by g3750 on Nov 13, 2020 17:29:14 GMT
Updated 11/13/2020: Well RJ3rail, my worst fears regarding hidden track / divider clearances did come true. This morning I tested a number of freight and steel-related cars that would be using this hidden siding for empties/loads interchange. Here’s what I found: - MTH 200 ton hot metal car – good, but very, very close (a gnat’s eyelash or a coat of paint close)
- Lionel hot metal car – binds on both the upright & backdrop opening
- Various 50’ mill gondolas don’t fit; binding on both the upright & backdrop openings; that O31 curve isn't very forgiving.
- Lionel slag cars - OK
- MTH slag cars - a bit of a bind up top on the upright because of the wide ladle
- 50' boxcar (used for paper-wrapped steel sheet products) - no way, Jose.
I tried filing the upright (2”x2”), but realized that would take hours. I don’t have the angle or the working space to use a wood chisel. Ultimately, the solution was to use the Dremel SawMax to make a series of ¼” deep furrows about ½” apart across the length of the upright. Then I used the Dremel MultiMax to chisel out a shallow trough. I also widened the backdrop openings. This is before I started shaving the upright.  This is after shaving the upright.  Here's my problem child - a 50' boxcar used for shipping steel sheets.  Hold your breath here!  And we are through!  Here's the boxcar on the other side of backdrop.  There is some additional good news. The other (southern) end of this siding has a planned opening in the backdrop that is nowhere near an upright. That should be easier to construct once the track has been test fitted and the location of the opening finalized. George |
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Post by ptc on Nov 13, 2020 18:01:12 GMT
Better to get your clearances working perfectly now than later. Thanks for sharing your progress.
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Post by g3750 on Nov 13, 2020 19:07:37 GMT
Better to get your clearances working perfectly now than later. Thanks for sharing your progress. Oh God, yes. Now is the time. I'm making enough of a mess with just track down. As much as possible, I cover switch machines and track whenever I create sawdust. The bridge deck is currently covered with butcher paper; I don't want to try Swiffering its entire length again. Later, when there's scenery or more train cars out, the mess will just be bigger. And when the carpentry is done and the track has been laid and wired for power, we will need to clean it all again (probably by hand). I've seen what dust and debris do to the TMCC signal. George
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Post by g3750 on Nov 15, 2020 1:05:39 GMT
Updated 11/14/2020: Work today focused on the north side of the Staging Area. We moved left to right. Photos were taken from the 2 pop-up areas. Below is Switch #31.  Switch #30 leads to two through train tracks, while Switch #29 (straight) will store one engine. The diverging track leads toward the double cross-over in middle of the Staging Area.  Here's the track off Switch #29 leading to the double cross-over.  This is a slightly more cleaned up view of Switches 29, 30, and 31.  Here's an overview of the work done today.  More when I know it. George |
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Post by g3750 on Nov 16, 2020 4:21:11 GMT
Updated 11/15/2020: Spent today programming all 4 switch machines on my Ross double cross-over. Three out of four (naturally!) went smoothly. The fourth (last) took most of my time; the spring was a bit cantankerous. I only lost 3 of them trying to hook up the last switch machine! Here's the approximate location of the double cross-over.   It has switches 27-25 (paired to throw together) and switches 26-24 (paired to throw together).  More when I know it. George |
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Post by ptc on Nov 16, 2020 13:52:19 GMT
The Ross crossover switches are really neat. I have used them in the past and they perform very well.
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Post by g3750 on Nov 16, 2020 15:55:04 GMT
The Ross crossover switches are really neat. I have used them in the past and they perform very well. I had a Curtis double cross-over back on Panhandle 1. What a gem!! Wiring it was an ordeal though, as none of the tracks were connected. The Ross (RossReady) one does have its tracks electrically connected. That should make it simpler. I will report on its installation later in this thread. We're still working out the final positioning. George
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Post by g3750 on Nov 21, 2020 2:41:34 GMT
Updated 11/20/2020: Working on the layout got kicked to curb as the end of the semester rolls around - grading, evaluating student projects, etc. But some work got done today: - The bus for Power District #8 (can't see it - it's under the layout) was extended from the vicinity of the power distribution panel to the far end of the double cross-over.
- The double cross-over got its track feeder wiring pairs (4) at each end.
- Both eastern spurs (for parking locomotives) were laid out.
- For as far as we've gotten, all feeder wiring pairs are now hanging down below the bench work.
- Holes for all switch machine wires have been drilled in the bench work.
- I made a slight modification to the RR-Track plan for the Staging Area. We are now up to version 100, which can accommodate 1 more locomotive spur on the aisle (south) side of the Staging Area. I don't think we need it, but there's room if it becomes necessary. Current storage capacity for the Staging Area is 6 large locomotives and 3 through trains. And that doesn't count the steel mill interchange track immediately behind the divider.
Eventually all the track will be permanently screwed down into place. For now, here are a few photos of the area.    More when I know it. George |
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Post by Country Joe on Nov 21, 2020 19:48:10 GMT
George, you are making good progress. I consider what you are doing now to be the most tedious part of building a layout. You can't run trains and there's no scenery but getting the track right and getting it wired properly is very important.
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