The Mogollon Railroad
#16
good to see some preogress kevin Thumbsup ,this looks to be the making of a very nice layout,i really havent seen much in the way of the true "old west" in layouts anymore.--josh
Women may not find you handsome,but they'll atleast find you handy--Red Green
C&O ALL THE WAY--[Image: chessie.gif]
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#17
Here is a just completed dual-gauge turnout, ready to install in it's new location. Perhaps I will get that done tomorrow night. After that, it's trains in circles for awhile to test my trackwork before hiding it in tunnels Smile


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#18
Here is the new switch installed. I apologize for the crappy photo; I didn't have time to set up proper lighting - just a point and shoot with the flash.

This switch allows me to run a complete loop of both standard and narrow gauge. I will be spending a few weeks running trains in circles to test out my handlaid track prior to covering much of it up in tunnels.. So far, so good. I have been running an old Athearn diesel in circles with two cars, and no derailments so far.

Getting the lower loop finished and tested is a huge milestone - I needed to get that done before I could really make progress on the scenery and the narrow gauge branch.


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#19
Looking good Kevin! Thumbsup
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#20
nice work on the switch Thumbsup ,your a brave one to be handlaying a dual gauge turnout (fankly,it scares me Misngth )--josh
Women may not find you handsome,but they'll atleast find you handy--Red Green
C&O ALL THE WAY--[Image: chessie.gif]
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#21
For the first time in about two years, I got to run some trains! I was just testing my trackwork out, but I ran a standard gauge train with about 6 cars continuously for about an hour, then the other direction for an hour, and then actually backed the train around the loop a few times and had zero derailments. One of the cars was bumping a little going through a switch, but I traced that to a wheelset slightly out of gauge. Then I made up a narrow gauge train, seven cars plus a caboose. Again, it made several laps and zero derailments.

2-8-0 #4 is another story. I had her down for awhile while I converted her to an oil burner, and at the time noticed the crank pins were really worn. I had to drill out the counterweights and custom make new crank pins out of brass tubing and some 00-90 screws.


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#22
Good to see and hear about running trains again bro! Thumbsup

I see you moved that ground throw to the outside. I think I remember suggesting that little change a while back? Wink
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#23
tetters Wrote:Good to see and hear about running trains again bro! Thumbsup

I see you moved that ground throw to the outside. I think I remember suggesting that little change a while back? Wink

I'm surprised someone noticed that detail! Before I was using one of those caboose industries throws with the electrical contacts in order to power the frog. Needless to say, I was dissatisfied with its performance, so I changed it so now the frog is powered using a SPDT switch mounted under the layout and controlled by a rod from the throwbar. Because there is a section of benchwork below that switch that prevented me from mounting the SPDT, I had to make a new throwbar and re-locate the ground throw to the other side.


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#24
Your layout is coming along nicely. I'm at around the 90% mark for my mark III 3-way stub switch, and it looks very similar to your dual gauge turnout (three frogs, rails everywhere!). Glad to read that it is working flawlessly!

It must be a wonderful thing to see your 2-8-0 being able to pull decent trains after the tight curves and grades of your last layout limited you to short trains.

Keep up the great work! Cheers
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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#25
Quote:so now the frog is powered using a SPDT switch mounted under the layout and controlled by a rod from the throwbar.

One would think, that by now I would have learned the true meaning of "KISS".....The Keep It Simple part is easy, the being Stupid is the part I can't seem to figure out! Nope
That is just, just,.......beautifully simple!
We always learn far more from our own mistakes, than we will ever learn from another's advice.
The greatest place to live life, is on the sharp leading edge of a learning curve.
Lead me not into temptation.....I can find it myself!
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#26
Sumpter250 Wrote:
Quote:so now the frog is powered using a SPDT switch mounted under the layout and controlled by a rod from the throwbar.

One would think, that by now I would have learned the true meaning of "KISS".....The Keep It Simple part is easy, the being Stupid is the part I can't seem to figure out! Nope
That is just, just,.......beautifully simple!

I am not sure where I got the idea from, but I am sure I saw it on somebody's website or posting online. And it is remarkably simple, and so far works well. All you need is to find a place to mount the switch, and some way to transmit the motion of the throwbar to the switch. I used stiff steel music wire protruding from the bottom of the throwbar through a 1/4" hole in the subroadbed.
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#27
nachoman Wrote:I am not sure where I got the idea from, but I am sure I saw it on somebody's website or posting online. And it is remarkably simple, and so far works well. All you need is to find a place to mount the switch, and some way to transmit the motion of the throwbar to the switch. I used stiff steel music wire protruding from the bottom of the throwbar through a 1/4" hole in the subroadbed.

I ran across something in an old Gazette (I'm pouring over them right now with anticipation for my next issue...where is my new issue???)...and I ran across a similar technique in which the modeler took such a switch and cut down the toggle lever to just a little cylindrical stub. He then drilled a hole in it and inserted a harp switch stand lever. The result is something quite similar to yours. Of course, it is a bit different doing that in 1:48 than 1:87.1.


Michael
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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#28
Well, I got a little antsy and started building some scenery before all the tracks were laid. "Antsy" is only part of the story - I was also concerned as to how the scenery would lay out according to my plan, and if my plan was even feasible. I also had frustrations of dropping track-laying tools through the benchwork and a lack of places to lay down my pliers and rail gauges. So, vertical scenery has begun, and hopefully this won't mean I have to change my track design in the town of "Joys Camp" to accommodate some topography.

I am using 1" foam to build landforms. As foam is typically used to insulate basements, and there are few basements here, 1" is all that is available in my area, in 2x8 foot sheets. I have little experience using foam for scenery; in the past I always used plaster. I chose foam because my plater mountains always had a "bulbous" appearance, and I wanted to emulate more layered conglomerate rocks. Plus, there is none of that plaster-drippy mess. I cut the foam into smaller pieces and stack it like blocks as I feel this will result in a "choppier" appearance with more nooks and ledges. I have also been making my landforms hollow by staircasing the foam along the edges of the escarpments, leaving the center open. This saves foam, and will allow easer access to the inside of the tunnels from under the layout.

The top of the topography will extend about 10" above the top tunnel portal that you see. The total vertical relief will be about 18" - not bad for a 4x8 layout.


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#29
I'm actually on the verge of doing the exact same thing!
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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#30
Nicely done. It's a lot of fun to finally get that foam in 'cause it really starts to open your eyes as to the possibilities of what the scenery will look like! Congrats on the flawless trackwork. I bet that's a real load off your shoulders to know you did it right and won't have to go back and fix anything.
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