CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale

CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - Printable Version

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Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 09-27-2010

So I was just looking over some of my old layout photos when I came across this monstrous wiring photo I snapped of my old layout wiring...

[Image: DSC02417.jpg]

This was when I wired up my Torts to a 12V DC power supply. I think I had three Wall Warts powering 20 some odd switch machines. This is, if I remember, how the wiring looked when I was trying to trouble shoot a problem with one of the crossings on my double x-over. You can see two switch machines side by side in the back ground off photo moving forward are the other two switch machines for the opposite points. I looked at this photo tonight and thought, "Holy Crap! It's a wonder I didn't set the thing on fire!" All kidding aside, Once I figured it out... (after pulling out my hair only to discover it was a missed iso gap top side!) ...and installed an Auto Reverser from Tony's the X-Over worked like buttah. I was also using DPDT switches and not DCC to throw the points which seemingly double the layout wiring as well.

Fast Forward to today and I thought I'd take a couple of comparison photos to see if my wiring technique has improved...I dunno you be the judge. If one thing, I tried to keep things a little neater and used different coloured wires for the switch machines, etc. I also used suit case connectors when tapping into the Main Buss as opposed to stripping and soldering the connections. Only time will tell if this was a prudent method of attaching feeders to the main buss. Another thing I did was when I dropped feeders I took three of them at most twisted them together and ran those three wires back to a terminal block. I then used a heavier gauge wire from the terminal block and tapped into the Buss.

[Image: SAM_0041.jpg]

I not sure if its an improvement or not. To be fair, the last shot is of the wiring underneath the East end of the X-over. For comparisons sake. One thing worth mentioning is the Hex Frog Juicer save me the pain of wiring up the mechanical contacts on the Torts. Worth the money and they are flawless to date. I also do not have control boards on the fascia as I eliminated the DPDT switches when I decided to control the Torts from the Cab. It is one of my design goals to have nothing on the facia other then ports to plug in the cabs. In the future, I'll use an old PC and Panel Pro to operate the switch machines.

As far as new progress I have none. I've been tied up with other things. Plus I need to clean up my layout area and work space in a huge way as I have made huge mess of things and can't work amongst the clutter. So I better get cracking on that instead of wasting time and posting up stuff like this. Misngth

Bye for now!

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - Gary S - 09-27-2010

That first photo makes me afraid! Confused

hock:

The second and third look pretty good! Thumbsup

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - ocalicreek - 09-30-2010

It's not wasting time - it's encouraging! Looks great! Thumbsup

Now get back to work, er, I mean fun!

Galen

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 10-24-2010

Did a big clean up in the layout room today. Removed a lot of the stuff on the layout that wasn't "supposed" to be there. During a break I decided to play for a bit and decided to shoot a quick video with my digi cam. Nothing special, quality is so, so. But hey, its something...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgTFnVm_Mps

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - ocalicreek - 10-24-2010

Personally, I find videos with a hand-held camera that is moving at the same time the train is moving to be sea-sickness inducing. :peasoup: So I'd say get a tripod and some floodlights to improve the camera's ability to focus as well as the viewer's willingness to focus.

Constructive criticism aside, it's nice to see the layout and that tower sure looks great! Thumbsup

Galen

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 10-25-2010

Icon_lol

I was juggling the camera and Cab at the same time, trying not to drop either. You are right about one thing though, I was saying to myself the whole 7 minutes,

"Damn! I need to get a tripod...and a real video camera."

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - Steamtrains - 11-19-2010

Been some time since I last checked out this thread... :oops:
Love that double cross-over...!! Is that all hand-laid..?? Sure did a terrific job on it...!! Thumbsup

The sound (noise) would drive me up the wall....Guess it's neat, but I'm old school...

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 11-19-2010

Hey Gus! No worries. It's been a long time since I've had anything to add to it. But very soon, hopefully I'll have a whole slue of pictures which will help describe and illustrate a major change I've decided to make to the layout. I was very inspried by the November issue of Railroad Model Craftsman which has pointed my focus in a whole new direction based on float operations in the Kootenays Region of B.C.

I'll still have the float operations, complete with a transfer slip and car float, but I've decided I want to depict certain specific aspects of that Region and how CP moved freight up and down the mountain lakes. Although I had an idea of what I wanted, I think my previous efforts to model car float operations were lacking a certain focus. Now, I've become completely commited to this idea and can't wait to have something to show for it. My track plan is still freelanced, conveniently though, parts of my track plan are damn near close to the prototype track work located at Rosebery.

Spoiler: This means that the pier I built just a couple months ago is gone and has already been replaced with some new track work in its stead. Confused

hock:

So stay tuned, I might have something to show for my efforts by the end of the weekend. Popcornbeer

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - cnw1961 - 11-19-2010

PICs! PICS! PICS! Goldth

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 11-23-2010

Hello,

I promised some pics on Sunday but I was busy...working on my layout. By the time I got things done I was tired and decided to forego posting and get my sorry butt to bed.

So the layout has undergone a major change and I still have a lot of work to do. I don't have all the work done I would have liked to have had done before posting, but I am waiting on some materials and decided I better update this thread as its been awhile.

It never seems to take long to rip this stuff apart. I whip out a few tools and within an hour the whole scene was gonzo. Along the backdrop you can see the new ladder and caboose track that I constructed on my bench work. It's one big chunk of track work.

[Image: SAM_0100.jpg]

Test fitting the track work in place.

[Image: SAM_0103.jpg]

Glued and weighted down. I used good ole PL Premium again. Stuff is awesome.

[Image: SAM_0104.jpg]

I then turned my attention to the grade down to the lake bed. The run is 54 inches by a 1.25" drop. If I calculated it correctly it works out to a 2.3% grade. I was hoping for an even 2 but suppose that will have to do. Between 1 and 2 % would have been preferable, however in the available space I had this is best I could do. I don't believe I'll have a problem moving rolling stock up and down it with the 8-10 car trains I'll be building with it.

[Image: SAM_0105.jpg]

Wood ties glued and then sanded it was time to start mating the two yard ends together.

[Image: SAM_0109.jpg]

Once the track was all leveled and spiked in I decided to plant what would hopefully be a bumper crop of feeders.

[Image: SAM_0110.jpg]

A shot of the guts. I had three NCE Switch It stationary decoders on hand which would have aptly filled the need to have all the turnout run off the cab. However, two of them worked. One did not. Which is very odd as it was right out of the package. I've sent off the obligatory email to NCE to see if I can get some help with it. I fear I might have to send it in for warranty, I just hope I can find my receipt.

[Image: SAM_0111.jpg]

In the end it has all gone well. I am excited about this new direction. I plan to model a freelanced branch line in the Kootenay Region of B.C. Which will provide plenty of opprotunity for mountain scenes, logging industries, and perhaps a small mine. The next stage is to get the track down for the transfer slip on the grade. Then build the transfer slip and construct a two track car float, which I'll also scratch build. I also want the track on the float to be powered as entire trains were transported up and down the lakes between towns. It should be a good way to get new motive power on and off the layout in between Ops sessions. The last shot is give an overall impression of the yard capacity. I've been fooling with it the past couple of nights. Bringing in freight, building trains, moving stuff around. Seems to work well so far. Be interesting to see how the utilization of switch lists will impact the use of it.

[Image: SAM_0113.jpg]

Until next time. Popcornbeer

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - cnw1961 - 11-24-2010

Tetters, I like the new yard ladder with the caboose track, but I hate to see the fantastic pier go. Anyway, the new slope down to the lake will look interesting, not the standard marine operation with piers and truss bridges. Looking forward to seeing where this new route will lead you.

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - Gary S - 11-24-2010

That's alot of work accomplished. The trackwork is superb as usual. Seeing the ladder leaned up against the wall made me think "wow!" Good to see your enthusiasm and focus in play.

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - mountaingoatgreg - 11-24-2010

Well I am sorry to see you had to remove the pier but I think I like this arrangement better. It looks more like an updated more modern approach vs. what you had before. the trackwrok is really impressive and looks like you will have smooth operations. Keep up the great work and we look forward to the flaot operation back into place Thumbsup

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 12-13-2010

Holy $#%#! I did it! It works!!! 2285_

I had my doubts about modeling the transfer slip as seen in pictures showing the float operations in BC. Specifically, to have the loco go down the slope only to climb up onto the slip. The photos all show this pronounced angle between the rail that goes down into the water, to the rail that sits on top of said rail and allows the loco to climb on the slip. I wanted to model that. Just enough to suggest it.

I really should remember to take more pictures. As I'm sure some people would like to see how I go about accomplishing certain items. Thing is, I get so focused, so far in, I forget to grab the camera and snap off some photos. Nope

Some pictures to show what has been occupying me for the last couple of weeks...

To begin with I've constructed a good portion of the slip. I then started to use my belt sander to grind down some Cd 70 rail into some very sharp fine points. These had to be very sharp and the angle on them very shallow. To be honest I don't know the degrees of the angle, I just went with what "fit"

[Image: SAM_0120.jpg]

I used some rail joiners which I made ridiculously undersized and then soldered the points onto the rail already affixed to the transfer slip.

[Image: SAM_0115.jpg]

A good shot of the Transfer Slip. Still under construction.

[Image: SAM_0118.jpg]

Well...like I said, not enough pictures. I soldered the points of the outside rails to the tops of the outside track going down the grade. I might have jumped the gun a bit here, but to be honest I wanted to make sure that this would work so I decided to test it out. I am after all winging this in big way. Other then going off a set of prints for the prototype Transfer Slip, I really had no idea if this would really work.

[Image: SAM_0130.jpg]

I enlisted the help of 8416 my trusted GP7 loco, took a deep breath... and began to push a box car down the grade.

[Image: SAM_0126.jpg]

It rolled down the track and onto the rail for the slip like butter. Probably smoother then the prototype. Lucky? I looked for the horseshoe and couldn't find it so...

The wheels remained in contact with the rail the whole time. Obviously if they lifted off the rail because the angle was too sharp it would be no good and straight back to the drawing board. # 8416 also transitioned smoothly onto the slip without hesitation. Awesome! Looks like I'll be able to model the prototype and load entire trains onto the float just like I plan to. I am so relieved that this is starting to working out. Hopefully I'll be able to complete the track work for the slip and fix the other rails in place for the inner track. Then I imagine I'll remove the slip one last time stain it, weather, paint and add some details before I permanently fix into place on the layout.

Until next update. Cheers

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - torikoos - 12-13-2010

That looks great, and glad it operates reliably too! Keep us posted. I have not dared to start laying track by hand recently. I've made a few attempts about 10 years ago, and had a nice number 7 turnout, but in the end it just didn't work reliably, in a straight line it all went okay, but throwing the switch and going the other way just caused derailments, mostly of the heavier loco's at the time (P2K E8 for example). I probably didn't make the slip rails strong enough and they bend under the weight of a loco like that and going out of gauge...
Oh well, there will be a next time as I love the look of it.!

Koos