Modeling topic
Information Sheets
I use CC&WB for operations. I have color coded blocking for my trains and I provide the yards/stations with blocking sheets so the operators know where the cars go in the trains. I had been putting them flat on the fascia, but those could be hard to read, you had to step back to see them . Taping or rubber cementing them to the fascia made it difficult to update or change them.
One way to organize rolling stock
As I've been unpacking from my move to Florida it became important to have a way to organize and find my rolling stock for two reasons: 1.) So I can sell certain items; and 2.) So I can locate specific cars to run on our club layout. I started by using an Ipad(tm) app to organize the cars and put them on shelves; however, I realized that I needed to remove these shelves in order to build my layout. What to do? I decided to using six drawer plastic rolling carts.
Here's what the cart looks like:
RAIL FANNING THE PEAVINE 2
to all
watching the switching action going on at Cal Gas...december 2012
enjoy the the vid. questions & comments are welcome
vinny...aka...bnsf6951
Kato Unitrack turnouts - Newbie Question...
In looking at what track I want to get for my first layout, I was through Kato Unitrack... They have two different turnouts, a #4 and #6, both appear to be remote/electrical.
Can these switches be operated manually as well, or do they need power to make them switch? Are the switches momentary, or do they run power constantly to keep the switch locked one direction or another? I expect I'll setup the tracks a few different ways as I experiment with what works, and would prefer to start without hooking them up to power...
Pembroke II - The Plan
I should come clean: Pembroke I, the layout I described in Model Railroad Planning back in 1999 never really got off the ground. Oh sure, I built enough to take some photos for the article, but for a number of reasons, Pembroke it was unsatisfying. It languished in my new basement when we finally bought a home for it, and I could always find excuses not to work on it - there were other projects; I was unhappy with the height of the dam and the water; the modules weren't straight. You get the idea.
Chief among the excuses was that the room was not comfortable. I have just spent the past year and a half renovating and insulating the basement, and now it is a comfortable room. The renovation isn't quite finished, but the garage is cleared out, and the Proto:87 Posse has been itching to get started on construction, and so, we're making a start.
What switcher do I need ?
HO Scale:
The track across my turntable is 14 inches (101.5 scale feet) so as to accommodate the longest locomotive in my fleet.
I have Canadian National heavy weight coach cars of the 1940's / 1950's era that are 10" (72.5 scale feet) long leaving 4" (29 scale feet) for a yard switcher to fit on the turntable, with a coach car, so I can park the coach car beside the roundhouse.
I would feel more comfortable with a yard switcher less than 4", say... 3.75".
Shot some photos for layout tour this summer
I recently dragged out the ol' camera to take some photos of the layout for the upcoming layout tour and open house this August to coincide with the narrow gauge convention in Pasadena, CA. Taking these helped me notice what needs work, (which is just about everything) and focus in on what can realistically be improved before August.
How high between staging and rest of the layout?
How high is ideal between staging and the rest of the layout? Obviously it has to be high enough to allow one to comfortably get their hands into staging, but what is good? I use 1 x 4s for the benchwork. The top of the benchwork is 42", which is good for me because I'm short. Still, 34"-36" seems a bit low. (As far as I know, I will be the only person operating since there are no other modelers close by.)
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