Track and electrical/DCC
Unusual Short on Adjacent Tracks
I have encountered a situation I have never seen before. While helping a friend isolate a track loop for installing a reversing module we discovered a short circuit. When performing a continuity test from A to B rail over all track sections on the layout, except the isolated reversing loop, the short was present. We disconnected all of the drops and started from scratch to try and determine where the short may be. We reconnected one track in a yard to the bus, placed a loco on the track and no short on that track. The loco operated as expected.
How much is too much detail?
This is for the rivet counters: How much detail do you put into your track? Do you file a notch in your rails every 39 scale inches? Add fishplate in the same locations? Try to detail each tie so that no two look alike? How many spikes per tie? Did you use tie plates and such? Just how many rivets do you count? It seems to me that there's way too much attention being paid to detail. I remember way back when in NMRA bulletin, it was asked "how do you make finger prints on a T scale grab iron?" IMHO it's ridiculous to attempt all these things.
Question about Builders In Scale "Switchmaster" turnout control......
I recently purchased some at a good price on eBay and recently installed my first ever electrical switch machine on a mainline turnout on my O scale 2 rail layout. The installation was pretty easy and it seems to function well. I'm planning on using 3 on the turnouts that control the route of a train while all the rest are easily reached manual turnouts using HO scale High Level Switch stands with hidden microswitches for frog power as I described before. The Switchmasters will be connected to a "hexfrog" juicer.
Power district reminder ...
Greetings! In light of a recent item about power districts and wiring, attached you'll see the power district "map" we did for our layout. This is something of a visiting operator guide as well as a reminder for us. Each color represents a different power district protected by a PSX Power Shield circuit breaker, and includes short circuit LED lamps in the layout fascia.
Given my aging memory, this kind of item is handy to have around.
Jeff Johnston
Steam pickup wipers for sound and general connectivity
I recently mentioned that I " ... added pickups to two more drivers and the trailing truck" in reference to a recent sound installation on a couple of our Sugar Pine Lumber Company tank locos. I've had a few inquiries about the specifics of those added electrical contact wipers. I hope these images help explain things and I apologize for the rough drawings but I think you'll get the picture.
Tortoises, Switches, Electronics, coming together.
Hello all,
Getting close to getting some trains running at my mill. I am using Tortoise switch machines and have a few questions and ideas to bounce across the group before taking the next step.
LED Lighting Source?
I am looking at trying to light my new layout from an over head valance and light it with LED strips. From research I have the following ideal specs.
1) 600 LED 16.4 strip
2) Not dimmable
3) 3000K
4) 5730 LED's
5) Not waterproof
I have spent some time on the internet this morning, including Amazon and can not find an LED with these specs. If anyone has gone this route can you give me a source for the above.
Thanks
NEW UNIFROG PECO CODE 83
General interest:
The all new UNIFROG PECO Streamline Code 83 Number 6 Turnouts
See the video presentation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osJbmNrDEnc
Photo screenshot:
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Proto:87 - Detailed Deliberations
It took me a while to hear back from these folks, and it was stuck in my junk mail for a couple of days, but I have officially added Proto:87 to my list of possible Turnout solutions and ordered some frogs and kits to enable my trials.
HELP? Reverse Loop Questions
I posted this track plan in the opening dialogue as I felt multiple references back to it might be necessary. (sorry for the lousy quality, I don't do computer drawings)
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