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Post by Craignor on Jan 20, 2020 0:14:18 GMT
Bill, No, once it’s clean, it’s clean. No fluids, no wiping, no fuss, no muss.
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Post by Pennsy484 on Jan 20, 2020 0:27:02 GMT
I like the idea of the track cleaning cars. I have two of them. I don't recall offhand the brands, but both are aluminum plate bodies, one has the two angled rollers, and one has the floating pad (and a generator on top). The problem for me is my MTH scaletrax switches. The roller one picks the points and causes problems, and the other one, the side of the pad runs into the switch machines. I will probably use them somehow though at times I suspect, but not over switches.
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Post by Craignor on Jan 20, 2020 0:40:58 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2020 3:38:54 GMT
We had a busy weekend. Charles got here about 9:30 and went to work on the front shelves. He also wanted to start on level 2... today. Swallow hard... I hadn’t gotten ready for that today. Go find plans on computer and locate roundhouse template. Maybe we can finally unbox the turntable today; Paula got it 10/2017. At 10:10 we were invaded by a hoard of my brother’s grandchildren. A couple were coming to run trains and the word must have gotten out to the rest that live nearby. They had a great time only surpassed by the adults. About 11:00 Paula announced that she had fresh train shaped cookies and hot chocolate in the house. The room emptied quickly. Charles and I went back to work. Time for lunch at 12:30. Okra gumbo on a chilly day. Great job Paula. We watched a u-tube video on roundhouse/turntable construction as we ate. Gotta prepare Charles for what is coming. Back to work. About 2:30 he reached a stopping place on the shelves. We need an answer from the man who furnishes the glass and metal frames. Problems with glass man. Talking to new one tomorrow. Job for next week. Get the shelves primed and painted and an answer on the glass. Then we officially started on level 2. 1/2” plywood was delivered Friday. We are starting at the right rear where the engine service area will be located including a 7 stall roundhouse and 34” Millhouse turntable. Unfolded roundhouse template. Gee it is big. Didn’t bother Charles; he grew up building... let’s go. Explained to Charles that we need to keep trains running while level 2 work is in progress. “Some things have to stop while we do this work.” Uh-oh... Paula won’t go for that. Explained that the right side level 2 may take... 1-2 years. “Okay, keep the trains running.” First step was to run some 2x4s on the right rear benchwork that will raise the plywood above level 1 track so that we can slide plywood and determine what goes where. Put plywood atop 2x4s. Then we laid out the roundhouse template, made estimates based on the RRTrax plan. Next week, get multiple copies of template, instead of three pieces, cut and tape so we can tack it in place. Unbox turntable. Paula thought is was Christmas. Me... gee it is big. Charles - snap a chalkline thru the center of the roundhouse straight out. Check the RRTrax plan against actual to be sure that the angles/distance/track are correct. Here is how we will install the turntable. “It is simple.” Charles will be back Saturday week. Decided what else we need to have ready. It was 5:30 and time for dinner. He had to get back home to Wake county, NC before the weather deteriorated. Today... after church I continued to load Lionel engines into the Legacy system. Finally getting close to having most of them done. Ran a triple header Lionel GP-35 consist. Perfect. This is what Lionel is supposed to be like. Updated computer to reflect date oil/greased and engine numbers assigned. Tomorrow, Rich is coming over and we will redo the bridge and install micro switches to turn power on when closed, off when open, and track is not energized so a train can find the floor. Lights for station and shelves will be mailed tomorrow from Dave/Evan Designs. Should have Thursday for Saturday install. That covers it. Lots of new and first time experiences ahead. Never a dull moment.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2020 3:41:16 GMT
Thanks Craig. ACL on the way tomorrow.
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Post by Craignor on Jan 20, 2020 4:06:33 GMT
Bill, hope the ACL works well for you...glad to see your pics, looks great, love the shark.
I am sure you are happy it’s finally all coming together.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2020 0:10:57 GMT
Craig the car arrived this afternoon. It starts work tomorrow AM.
Thanks again for the suggestion.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2020 2:19:24 GMT
Bill, That is going to be such a terrific layout. The backdrops and ceiling give it real class. Very nice job. It makes me smile to see the grandkids/grandnephews have so much fun.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2020 13:19:14 GMT
I had an awesome day yesterday. I spent the whole day laying track for the inner loop. I thought I was going to get the loop,spurs and siding done but ended up needing to reconfigure as I went. So the loop is taking longer than planned. I need to put in 2 straight sections and a curve to finish the loop. The one good outcome from reconfiguring is a longer siding. Moved the switch machine on couple of my switches.
Rather than add another posting I decided to just edit this post. Our plans got changed for last Sunday ,so I sent most of the day in the traincave again. I was able to get the second loop and one spur completed. The siding is half way done.
Andra and I cannot agree on the spur going to the bar. She thinks it's not needed since not that many people visit or go down to the traincave. I think it will give visual benefit and be a neat added feature. What do you guys think?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2020 13:25:15 GMT
Sounds like you had a productive day RJ. Well done.
Gary.
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Post by ptc on Jan 29, 2020 21:15:08 GMT
We spent the past five days stacking a cord of firewood, so no train activity during this period. Finished today and the first thing I did for therapy was to go to the train room and run the trains. This sure was a lot of fun. The Gold Edition and Black Polar Express trains, the Super Chief, and the Rocky Mountaineer, how good is that.
Tomorrow, back to layout improvements.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2020 3:38:25 GMT
Another busy weekend with Charles here Saturday. During the week, we had assembled the template for the Dennis Brennan roundhouse. The first thing Saturday was determining where the roundhouse goes. It ended up being about 1/2” from the location specified on the RR Trax plan. Next was the turntable. Determining the center placement was the key to everything that we did. Once a centerline was established, it was a matter of determining the distance from the roundhouse to the front of the turntable. We had a minimal and optimal distance and placed the turntable as far away as was practical. We were able to get it several inches further away than the plan indicated which results in a straighter path from the turntable to the rear of the roundhouse. After that the plywood was placed and a 34” circle cut in both plywood and homasote. We finished about 5:45. The photos look totally unexciting but they represent a major accomplishment. It appears that the Rr Trax plan continues to be quite accurate. Now to paint the homasote and relay the track. Today Paula and I cleaned up the train room and then went back to servicing and checking out engines. That project is almost complete including having an accurate computer maintenance record for the engines and having all of them loaded in the DCS or Legacy systems. We have one left to complete tomorrow morning that we got out of the upstairs tonight where it had been in storage. It is nice; pictures of it tomorrow. What did everyone else get done in the last week? Winter is prime layout time.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2020 14:14:33 GMT
You guys, and Paula, are doing a bang up job Bill. I envy you doing this as we won't be able to for a while yet. Looks like you are using Backdrop Warehouse products as well. Their Virginia backdrops work out perfectly for you.
Gary.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2020 14:21:26 GMT
Bill unfortunately I was only able to get a couple pieces of track in place for my siding. The room looks awesome and you're making great progress!
My time was taken up by a kitchen light install at my mother's house,a closet shelf with hanger bar install at our house and an ice maker install repair on our fridge.
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Post by ptc on Feb 3, 2020 15:23:48 GMT
Measured for a custom string light set frrom Evans Design that will go around Ice Lake. This will give us a great Deal more lighting in this area.
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