A Mini Maker Faire is being held tomorrow on the campus of the school where I teach. I’ll be hosting a booth for stone cutting and polishing.

I wanted to do something a bit different with my new layout. I had used Fast Tracks Bullfrog switch machines on my old layout and although they worked, they never worked great for me. I think that temperature changes in the basement might have contributed to their inconsistent performance. Plus, installation was quite difficult though that might have just been due to my inexperience with the product.

So, with my new layout I was determined not to use those again. 

You can read part 3 here.

Work continues on completing Trackwork on the lower level. Risers are in and I have started the cork roadbed.

I put the crossover in and happily the risers did stop short of it. Guess I measured that correctly.

I hope to get all the cork down and start fitting track by weekends end. 

There will be a lot of work to get the track set correctly at the swing gate and have smooth running across the gaps.

Patience required this weekend.

Tim Schwartz

Is is a Video on sensors, this is about types of sensors that can be used on both DC or DCC. If you ever wanted to do sensors or add block occupier light on you control panel this is part one of or minus 1. ( I did one last month but this will be a broader look at sensors.) I look at more types but the 4 shown here I think are the most useful. 3 can be used on DC and DCC one is for DCC alone.

Hope this is helpful if you are looking into sensors and what can I use.

Mike

My good friend Bernd Schröter has very kindly loaned me some of his wonderful creations to run on the Cornhill & Atherton RR.
Over the next few days I will post some photos of these superlative scratch built models:

https://us-modelsof1900.de/

The prototype unit:  3543 as seen here in The Pas, photographed by my friend Rolf Stumpf in 2000

Did you really finish the layout?

A few months ago I wrote that I almost finish my 8X4 layout, but did I really finish?

My answer is no…..      What is yours?

I began to run my trains and I realize that I need some improvements, also I began some restauration projects, weathering cars, upgrade old locos, and more