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 - BR60103 - 08-27-2009

On ballasting, I noticed that CN lower the ballast around the throw rod on turnouts so that it's down about the bottom of the ties. This may help to keep the mechanism clear.

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 08-27-2009

Lots of good ideas. Thanks guys. I finished it off tonight. I installed the throw bars and gave it a good scrubbing with some hot soapy water to neutralize the acid flux. So its as clean as a whistle. A few more pics to commemorate this build.

[Image: DSC03158.jpg]

Whoo...I'm kinda glad this build is over, but happy it turned out well. The next step this weekend is to install the trackwork I have ready, start working on the electrical/electronic tidbits, and testing everything out. Maybe...I'll be able to putter a loco around a bit. Won't have anywhere to go, but still be able to move one around. Thumbsup

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 08-29-2009

So here I was thinking about getting some cool little electronic bits wired up and some working track to test out. Turns out my structure beneath the plywood had other ideas.

I'm up on my little ladder leaning on the bench top marking holes for Torts when I hear "CRACK!".... Oh no, that didn't sound good. I ended up cracking a piece of the timber that runs length wise along the front of the layout. After a few explicit words I composed myself and realised I should have seen this coming. I also modified the structure months earlier which I probably should not have done.

So you see, nobodys fault but my own.

However, I'm not done. You see there was a reason I built the layout in 8 ft sections...so I could take it apart in 8 ft sections. After much grunting and groaning, I was able to remove the damaged 8 ft section and removed the decking which already had the roadbed for the yard glued on and painted.

[Image: DSC03159.jpg]

It's not as bad as it looks...seriously. :? I just made huge mess in the process. Wallbang

I picked up some 3/4 Fir ply and cut a bunch of it into 3" strips. I plan on using it for the benchwork instead of the dimensional lumber I had on the original section. So tomorrow morning weather permitting I hope to have the 8 ft section restored to its original position and everything back on track.

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 08-30-2009

Whew! All fixed...

[Image: DSC03169.jpg]

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 08-31-2009

Been kinda slow in these parts as of late. I've been making some steady progress after my little mishap.

In order to use the usb port, I had to replace the Eprom chip inside the Power Cab handset. So off with the back and I carefully pried off the existing one and replaced it with the "upgrade" chip.

[Image: DSC03171.jpg]

Installing the driver software for the USB Port. yawn...boring I know. Wink

My little test rig for decoder programming and installation. I always like to play with this stuff and understand how it works before I go through the trouble of installing on the layout itself. I'm going to try and install the torts tomorrow under the layout.

[Image: DSC03174.jpg]

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - Steve - 09-01-2009

tetters....O how I envy your electronics know-how!!!!! Wink

I am a computer dinosaur :cry:

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 09-01-2009

Thanks Steve. Thumbsup

To be honest, I wouldn't know how half this stuff worked if it wasn't for instructions. LOL!!!

I'm pretty stoked after this evenings efforts. I managed to get the yard ladder glued down to the road bed last night (Yes, I used PL Construction Adhesive, go big or go home I always say... :? ) Heh, I figure if push comes to shove, I'll do what I though about doing and cut out the trackwork I want to keep. In the meantime this sucka is going NO WHERE!

Ok. So after dinner I went straight to work. It started off kinda of slow, then snowballed. I dropped about a dozen or so feeders, mounted the Switch 8 and the Hex Frog Juicer to the layout and started hooking it all up. I managed to get two Torts installed as well.

CP # 8416 was the first engine I ever purchased. She was the motivation that got me going, prompted construction on my last layout and has never let me down. So she was brought out of storage and had the honor of testing out the new trackwork and giving the electronics a test.

The guts. Switch machines # 4 and # 3 as designated by the Switch 8 decoder on the left. The HFJ is the one with all the pretty lights on the right.
[Image: DSC03179.jpg]

Starting at the points # 8416 makes her way into T.O. # 4.
[Image: DSC03180.jpg]

Notice the red LED at the bottom left corner. It will stay red as the loco crosses the frog on the diverging route, no polarity change required.
[Image: DSC03187.jpg]

Back up the loco and throw the points and crawl through again.
[Image: DSC03183.jpg]

The micro switch automatically senses a short and flips the polarity within a micro second. The loco does not stall, hiccup, or cause a short. In fact you don't even know the HFJ is doing its job. Which I suppose is the point.
[Image: DSC03184.jpg]

If you go back and look at the first photo this set up requires no use of the internal SPDT switches in the Torts and simplifies the wiring big time. In doing these short manuevers I backed onto the frog for T.O. # 3 and noticed nothing out of sorts either. Awesome.

I'm happy with the HFJ and happy I'm finally getting somewhere again! Thumbsup

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - cnw1961 - 09-02-2009

Tetters, congrats for the first successful run of a loco on your new layout. A small step for mankind, but a giant leap towards a fantastic layout Thumbsup

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - Steve - 09-03-2009

Great job tetters...neat and functional! Thumbsup

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 09-04-2009

Thanks guys. I've since wired up the two other decoders for the ladder and everything is working fine. I did run into some trouble though with address # 1 on the Switch 8. For some reason or another, the decoder would power the Tort, but would not accept the commands to throw the points. Odd? So I just changed the address to 10 and that got it working. Maybe someone who has some experience with this kinda stuff can chime in?

On the other hand I am at an impasse. I'm torn between handlaying the yard and using flex track for the main tracks and sidings at the back of the layout or just sucking it up and handlaying the whole shebang all over again. I have a pile of rail and some wood ties to get me started, but I also have a pile of flex track with more on the way... decisions, decisions. The impatient one in me just wants to get his hands on the flex track and start laying it down. The artist in me though is saying, "Remember those beautiful wood ties and how they looked so natural, just like the real thing?"

I'll utimately make a choice here. I already decided I would use the flex in the spots along the back, just to make life a little easier for me. I will have to spike track for the pier and the truss bridge...(I have an idea about those...something on order I want to try to make it look just neato! ...at least that is the idea. :? )

However, I've already decided that I'm going to work on the pier and float bridge next as I can laydown track any day, but the whole layout kinda hinges on the build and functional performance of those key elements. Long weekend coming up...lots to do! Maybe I'll get around to gluing down the Cd 70 rail for the float as well.

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - cnw1961 - 09-04-2009

Tetters, if it is not a question of money or availability, listen to the artist in you and go for the handlaid track. Better spend some more hours laying track, then regretting not having done it "right". Wink

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - doctorwayne - 09-04-2009

Kurt's suggestion is a good one to consider - you'll have to decide how important that artistry is to you.
However, to play devil's advocate, I'd suggest going with the flex - not so much to save time, but simply because, properly weathered, it will look better than handlaid track. Eek

The number one reason to hand lay track is to obtain track configurations not possible with commercial offerings, with the opportunity to "build it yourself" a very close, in my opinion, second. Beyond those considerations, though, you'll get more prototypical detail using flex, unless you opt for handlaying to Proto87 standards, with tieplates, joint bars, and four spikes in every tie. Of course, the extra steps required to fully utilise the details available with flextrack will themselves take additional time. I certainly didn't bother with handlaying or much in the way of weathering my flex track, either, although I'm contemplating the latter on either my second level extension of the layout or on a completely new layout.

Whatever you choose, I'm sure that it will look good and function well, so the choice remains "up to you". Wink

Wayne

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 09-04-2009

It's interesting that you should mention Proto 87 Wayne.

I ordered a bunch of their tie plates and a jig to help me lay them and keep them in gauge. I was going to use Pliobond to cement the tie plates on top of the decking for the pier and the transfer bridge. I was either then going to use the Pliobond to glue the rails to the plates or use solder to secure the the rail to the plates. The beauty of Pliobond is that if I do decide to do the later, the heat from the soldering will only activate the glue and make the bond riculously strong. Everything else around it will break before the bonded surface does.

I'm going give it a shot on some test pieces to see how ot works out. I'm just waiting for the tie plates to arrive.

So I kinda spoiled the plans I have for that part of the build. I'm eager to see how it looks as well and if I am satisfied with the results. I was thinking about spacing the tie plates the standard railway tie distance apart from each other or perhaps spacing them out a little further. Not to sure about that, nor have I come across any photos which could give me a hint in that type of rail on a pier scenario. It may not be a prototypical way to build a railroad either, but I'm letting my imagination fly with this one.

Smile

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - doctorwayne - 09-04-2009

Another option for the pier area is to apply the decking atop the ties, either with only the track area thus decked, or done so that all of the pier decking is at the same height. You could then use flex track for that particular area.

While the photo below is of a crossing, it's the same general idea.
[album]1408[/album]

I used strip styrene .080" thick with my code 83 rails, but you could also use stripwood if that's your preference. The styrene can be cemented to Atlas ties with lacquer thinner (or any solvent-type cement), while you'd have to use contact cement for stripwood or for styrene if you're using Micro Engineering flex track.

For areas where you plan to use the tieplates, how about affixing one to each loose tie in about the approximate position where it should be, then placing the ties and the rail that goes on that same side at the same time. Your adjustment would be in the ties themselves, giving you a line of ties where the ends don't all line-up exactly. Then, to lay the other rail, use your track gauges, slipping the tieplates in place just ahead of where you're spiking. Even if you're using the "Pliobond re-heated with a soldering iron trick", you can use spikes to temporarily hold the second rail in place until you're ready to apply the heat.

Wayne

Re: CP Scarborough Harbor Branch Line - HO Scale - tetters - 09-14-2009

Just thought I'd post up and show everybody where I am at lately. It's been a tedious few weeks on the layout front. Aside from waiting for an order of ME flex track...(yep decided to stick to the plan and not handlay this time around) and other little bits. I've just begun construction on a Howe Truss Float Bridge.

Practically cleaned out the LHS of certain strip wood sizes and still need more!

I started making pillow blocks out of strip styrene for the bridge a couple of weeks ago...still not done! There are three types, A, B, & C. I've finished building the A's and B's...

[Image: DSC03251.jpg]

Next up are the C's...all 96 of them!!! Nope

I've actually completed most of the work, just have to finish gluing them together, which is slow and tedious work. Then I'll simply chop up the hundred plus steel plates required for the tie rods and bolt details. One I've completed most of the "metal" bits, I'll paint the whole mess of little bits a dark grey, which should be fine for the base colour. Then I'll think about adding some rust and weathering.

I've also drawn a template for laying out the stringers for the bridge decking. I coloured them using Dark Brown leather dye. I used it full strength on a couple of test pieces and really like the dark brown colour it gave them. That soaked in creosote look which is typically how the wood was treated for these bridges. The picture doesn't really do the colour justice. In person, there a lighter and darker shades throughout. Really nice effect.

[Image: DSC03277.jpg]

I also started assembly of the upper and lower chords for the 18 panel sides and center of the bridge. Nothing has been glued in place yet as I check the fit of everything. The chords in the picture are a tad shorter then I'd like them, so I'll probably use them for the upper chords, as they are a bit shorter.

That's all for now. More to come in the next few days. I hope to have the track and mechanics working before I start the final assembly. It would suck to go through all this work and the piece be un-usable.

Wish me luck!