I can't find Ken's video

I can't find Ken's video

I have tortoise switch

I have tortoise switch machines running through 3" of foam sitting on top of 1/4" lauan plywood in places...I just swap out the throw wire for a heavier material. I screw the Tortoise into the lauan and i'm done.

As for wiring, I would drill an 1/8" hole where the wire would go, shove a 1/8" tube down the hole as a guide....fish the wire through and then push the tube out the other side. I used braided wire, so it acts like limp spaghetti. If you used solid core wire, you may not have an issue. You could also bend a eye hook into a wire and fish it through the hole, and then pull the wire through after inserting it through the eye.  

Me Either ??

Me Either

I use servos on my 2" foam topped layout

They are embedded in the top of the foam using caulk.  Easy to install.  Here's the link to the information:

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/15759

Tortoise in foam with dabs of PL300

FOAM MODULES + PVC LEGS

 S 

Saw this module type at a Southern California Model Railroad Layout Tour last Sept. The concept was developed by Dennis Ivison of Garden Grove. He actually used foam that was going to be thrown out at a construction site so it was free! His Home layout is On30 scale he calls the South Pacific Coast. He also built one to use at an On30 module club.

Any details on the size of

Any details on the size of the PVC legs?  2-inch?

Is the leg crosspiece also PVC pipe and how is it attached to the uprights?

I'm currently using 4-in PVC with closet flanges for upright columns but might try some 2-inch with t-connectors to make legs like the drawing.  I think dimensional lumber would be a lot cheaper although not faster, so I'm weighing my options.

Issue

The issue I see with modules that are mostly foam is one small, accidental stumble (and we've all done it) and that thing is toast.

I've seen people trip at train shows with modules setup and the all-wood seems to brace enough with everything else connected that things fair well.

Dear NY, Over 25 years of

Well, I never said dropping or lifting or carrying

Well, I never said dropping or lifting or carrying. I meant tripping, like on a cord or box in the walkway, etc., and tumbling onto an assembled layout. I've seen a whole crowd gathered around a free-mo layout collectively gasp when an operator tripped and knocked into the layout. It all kind of swayed and then back into place. No damage. But it's all wood construction. I've also seen a person fall off a stool onto a room-sized layout with full hardwood construction. They layout never noticed. Tha man had stitches in his arm.

I can image that layout tumbling in a trailer at speed and not suffering. A couch cushion would also do the same thing. If I stumbled and grabbed the nearest thing to me (that layout) to steady myself and it wasn't enough, I would crush that layout. I would crush the cushion too. Even if I was able to prevent myself from falling, that 1/8" foam backdrop would be crushed.

Now if you said it was on a table for display or a counter, that's another story.

The PVC legs are in the shape

The PVC legs are in the shape of a flat top "A". There's two elbows on top & two Ts in the middle ther sizes are 1 1/2" w/ straight parts oh a size to fit in those shapes. Here's a Google link to more pix:

https://plus.google.com/photos/113494613586220878359/albums/6080945669782866321

TinyURL

http://tinyurl.com/l5tlzkk

Some people can't see them because they don't use Picasa &/ro Google. If anyone knows how to make it a regular URL please let me know how.

Dear NY, I can image that

Dear NY,

What you're missing is that in that trailer was also 2x eskys full of unsecured tools
(think heavy mains powered tools),
lighting rigs, layout legs, and had 4 modules unsecured in a dbl-stack single-axle trailer...

These layouts have done more than their fair share of general public shows, where kids standing on chairs reaching out to support themselves on the layout are a regular feature with no damage.

Given your test conditions, over 25 years of "in the field" testing with truly road-ready designs says the stated fears are unfounded...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

T-Trak anyone

My club is starting an N gage T-Trak modular layout using Kato unitrack. Anyone have some pros and cons on the subject?

This will be table top.

T-Trak...

Well...

 20Einewinkle     What did you want to know?

The top two are single sized modules, a passenger station and two homes. The Inglenook is a quad module, just a little over 4 feet long. These three modules, and my two 180 degree end caps, are "conventional" modules, made from 1/4 inch plywood.

 I just glued the track down on this triple length interchange yesterday. It's just over 3 feet long. The black sides are foam core, scored every half inch on the curves so it will bend smoothly. The pink top is one inch insulation foam. It's all hot glued together. It'll get some terrain, trees, and a coat of green paint and ground foam before going on display, but it's usable now. And yes, the front line runs the full length of the module now too.

The T-Trak Wikidot site has tons of information on it. My page is here:

http://ttrak.wikidot.com/barr-ceo

There's also the Yahoo groups T-Trak group:

https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/t-trak/info

What video?

Ken McCorry can you provide us with a link to the video you are talking about or tell us where you found it?

I like the foam and PVC

I didn't use these in 2 inch

I didn't use these in 2 inch foam but I did use them in a place that had absolutely NO access from below and had a covering of 3/4 inch ply to boot!    I use these with DCC.  These work really good and come from Berret Hill and the servo and control came from Tam Valley.  Russ

http://www.berretthillshop.com/store/products/servo-cradle/

http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/products/microsingletservodecoder.html

Video was right here in the

Video was right here in the Sept issue . It was one of Ken Patterson's monthly video columns. ---   Ken

Ah-ha!

Now I see. I thought you meant a separate video from the embedded. I too would like more information on his system. What does he do about wiring? Is there anything other than rail joiners to keep them in place?

Maurice

Module construction - my new module and many build photos

I recently "completed" (when is a railroad ever really completed?) a new 24x72" module as part of the California Central Coast On30 Modular group in the SF Bay Area in California. The module follows the CCC standards with a defined 24x4" connector plate and the through track offset 6" from one side.

The module construction is box beam, with the sides of 3/16" lauan plywood and 3/4" white wood spacers. One side of the lauan is the fascia. The ends are 3/4" plywood and the overall depth is 9 inches. The notch is for the canyon. This is a view of the basic frame before the fascia lauan was installed.  Everything is glued and teh nailed using an air nailer.  All of the major components are screwed as well. The overall frame weight is about 5 pounds without the legs. 

This is a view form the side:

 The cross bars serve two purposes, they keep the module steady and they attach the legs.  The legs go into pockets with a finger that is tapered. I can set up the module by myself by lifting one end up onto the leg and then the other. The cross bars can be set flat to the ground to keep the legs vertical dusting set-up. This is a picture of the leg pockets with the leg inserted.

This is a picture with the base lauan installed and the pockets for the switches. I did not want the Tortoise switch machines to go through the foam and I wanted the rails at the end to be solid. Part of the reason is I am using hand laid switches (based on the Fast Tracks templates) and, as they are code 100 per the club specs, they are relatively hard to throw. Also, a number of the modules in our club have issues with the rail being pulled up at the ends, so I wanted a solid mounting. I made the switches using PC ties so they are solid. I would recommend using either PC ties or American Tie and Timber Gapmasters (made by one of our members!) for at least one inch at each layout end.

Note that I pre cut the holes in the fascia for the switch controls and the plugs for the MRC DCC cab control. I painted the fascia green before installing it and then painted the white that was taped for the switch paths and the LEDs.

This is a picture of a switch machine installed on the 3/8" plywood base (sorry it is on the side, the editor does not let you rotate):

This is another of how it ties into the foam and the 1 inch set-back specified in the module standards. As you can see, the switches are glued to the plywood as well as mailed with larger spikes. The white is 0.040" styrene that is used so the height of the PC tie switches matches the Micro Engineering flextrack used on the rest of the layout. They were lgued using ACC to the ties and then with white gule to the plywood. Overall it is really strong.

You cna see how the switches line up with teh boxes. The close end box has two switch motors in it, the second switch extends onto the foam. actually, all three switches on this end of the module were built on the workbench. This is an underside picture with the wiring complete. I used latching relays so the switch machines are push-buttons form both sides and added sound and lighting to the buildings. The relay circuits are under the small plywood squares for protection. You can see how the Tortoise switch machines fit into the "boxes". You can also see how the inner lauan was cut where the swithes and LEDs were installed,

Here is a shot of the completed module. I put the covers over the switches to discourage small hands at shows, though it is only partially successful.

Note the red/green LEDs showing the switch routing. They are 5mm LEDs with a brass sleeve installed int he plywood. They really look nice. I made the center switch as a single control, set toe straight or crossover to the sidings. Here is an end shot

Here are links to Google Photo Albums:

Construction Photos: https://goo.gl/photos/C9Bjf3Z9iqmP1Ddo8

"Completed" Photos: https://goo.gl/photos/1iVtRn8eSK3ZALcf6

​Here is a link to the California Central Coast On30 Modular Club home page: http://www.ccc-on30.org/ccc_on30.htm Stop by one of our events and check out the modules.

Five pounds!?

Wow. I am so glad to see yet another On30 modeler on the forum. Excellent job and progress shots. Really only five pounds?

BTW To rotate pictures you need to upload the, and then browse your folder to choose the picture. Chose "Rotate" and then insert the image at the size desired (well, 750 max width). 

Switch Machine - FOAM INSTALL

Here's what I like...

...courtesy of: 

http://www.cincy-div7.org/FoambrdClinic5.pdf

This design should work great with those cheap little Chinese servo motors that only cost a $2.00, free shipping and no tax.  With a little imagination & skill, I can't see why anyone would use anything but a servo motor.

I'll probably find out soon enough, though, when I start fabricating my own switch throws using them.