Trackwork
Prototype switch has me stumped
Here's a picture of my great-great grandfather's lumber mill in Tacoma, circa 1880. As you can see, most if not all of the mill is on pilings. The points on the turnout in the foreground have me stumped. One appears to be outside and the other inside (in the normal position.) Did the mill use special wheel sets on its cars? Did the track crew screw up (and the mill never used the switch)?
If I model the mill I'll certainly use standard switches, but still... What's up?
Laying ME Flex?
OK
I just ran into a video by MRH on YouTube demonstrating the laying of ME Flex Track. While the directions ar good, I would like to bring up something that I do while laying this sometimes "stubborn" track.
While we can go into many different ways to align a curve, eventually we will have to run equipment on that track we just put down, and the cars will always tell us what a great job we did- or tell us we were sleeping at the switch when we should have been aligning that curve!
How do you celebrate milestones?
I’ve always felt the need to have a “golden spike” or “golden track nail” event when I complete a significant bit of track work. A bit silly, perhaps but I like it. What do you do to mark a milestone? A video of the first run? A special tree or bush somewhere that marks the end of a scenery session? Cute signs for a cool building? Inquiring minds want to know!
George Booth
Director of Everything, The New Great Western Railway
http://users.frii.com/gbooth/Trains/index.htm
Working switch stand
I am looking for ideas for installing a working switch stand. I am using the Tortoise motors to throw the switch.
Recommendations on which stands to buy that can be modified to rotate the target.
Anyone have some scratch building ideas on how to make one? I will need about 15 to 20 stands.
I am modeling in the 1930s to 1950s
Thanks Bill.
best way to connect power loc track to ez track
ok so heres the story my wife bought me a used life like power loc track layout about a year ago she didnt know bachmann was better any how i recently picked of a crap load of bachmann ez track is there any way to adapt it to fit my power loc track or is there a way to connect it id hate to have to toss out the ez track
so i want to connect the bachmann ez track to my power loc track on my layout
Considering joint bars / fishplates...cautions, tips, advice?
Greetings all,
I'm considering adding joint bars to HO scale code 70 and code 83 track. I'm sold on it from an aesthetic perspective, but I'm a little concerned from an operational standpoint--specifically, the potential for the joint bars on the inside faces of the rails to cause derailments. Note that I'm looking at using the Details West and/or Precision Design Co. products. Also, while most of my wheels are semi-scale, the track in question is on a Free-Mo module that will host a very wide variety of rolling stock.
Union Station Engine Facility Completion - Step by Step
Even though the ATSF Paradigm Division is still in the plywood prairie style of scenery, it is now, with the completion of the Union Station Engine Facility, 100% functionally complete and operational in DCC. The first video is done in a slide format and shows the general step-by-step construction & completion of the engine facility in three phases over a two month time period (June thru August 2016). Areas of emphasis have been annotated on the individual slides and/or have additional information provided before each section of the video.
Track Cleaning Suggestions
Due to budget constraints, I've had to use older brass track and turnouts for about 20% of my layout. I would like to know what others in this same situation use, to effectively keep the brass track clean. I've read posts about track cleaning cars, bright-boy sticks, graphite sticks, the No Ox product, etc., and I'm also going to look over the layout to see where I can "move" some of the brass track into spurs or ends of yards, etc.
Just looking for some sage advice from this knowledgeable body of modelers!
Thanks,
Grampy
Where to place insulating gaps?
I am a retired newbie. I am building my first HO layout, a rather large one. I have a question about locating insulating gaps. What is the recommended shortest distance from a switch for such a gap?
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