Thanks to everyone who responded to my question about replicating stranded steel cable. All great ideas. Greg Amer pointed me to the 'Beadalon' bead-stringing wire from Michaels. It worked perfectly Greg!

The prototype:

I have never built a layout this large before and I'm not sure how to frame it.  My last two large layouts were done with L-girder, and that is what I'm trying here.  I like L-girder:  very easy to build, not a lot of skill needed.  Box frame is thinner, but it takes more precision.  What advice do you all have?

It's taken me far too long but I've finally narrowed in on what I really want out of this layout and have worked out a plan which I think I'll find fun and satisfying.

More in the first post...

Here a short christmas update

Markus

Just in time for Christmas, I've posted Version 4 of the Shipper-driven Traffic Simulator to the 'net. Here's a link to the folder that contains the STS software and documentation:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FBQzxxBRhtz0rK5plvw2pim55jO0Njiz...

Ok guys, so Nolan's arbitrarily decided on a deadline of this July to start ops, {never mind it's probably going to take us another year to finish track and wiring - rrrgh Nolan!!) so I'm working on setting up the train sequence and that sort of stuff. I know the L&N called it's early TOFC trains "TOTE" trains and a typical day was split into the three tricks; Morning, afternoon, and graveyard. I've also finally fit the layout - VERY ROUGHLY - to a part of the L&N system - Nashville northwest towards Indiana.

I have installed a Heljan Manual turntable with split ring wipers. My question is whether or not to use an AR1 from the approach tracks (2 of them) to the AR and then the output side going to the wipers.

If I understand the wiper function, they should be wired to the main power; the approach tracks wired to the main power; and the stall tracks (all lefts) and (all rights) wired to the main power same as the approach tracks. The engine should cross to the stall track correctly.

The Backstory

I have been thinking a bit about model railroading and my other hobby of wood working.  And I have concluded that oddly enough when I have an inclination to do them it is usually when I don’t have the time.  And vise versa.

Over the last 6 years or so (my mid 40s to early 50s) a time when I should by all rights be at about my most active in my hobbies I find I am going for long stretches without working on either if them.

     I saw these personalized Throttle holders on Luke Lemmons Facebook page. I thought to myself," I could use some of these," so I contacted Mike Polsgrove of Soo Parts fame and asked if He would come up with a design I had in mind. The next morning, Mike had a view for me in CAD. Later that evening he was printing up my throttle holder order. Four days later they arrived unpainted. I picked these up in the mail Friday, I bought some rattle can paint and some #6 pan head 1/2 inch sheet screws for mounting these to the layout.