MODELING It’s Monday, January 14th 2019: Weekend Modeling Accomplishments

Finally done with the wiring of all lamps in the first module, it is now complete.
http://www.trainboard.com/highball/...modular-layout-wip.115210/page-3#post-1082062

 

Returned to service an Athearn F7A that was giving me trouble - after about 30 seconds or so it started screeching and slowed considerably.

I tested it with the weight off and it ran fine for an hour. I deduced that it might have to do with how tight the screws that hold the weight in place are. If too tight, it could squeeze the frame and throw something out of whack. I put the weight on, but didn't tighten the screws as much, and sure enough, it ran like a charm for over an hour.

 

Made significant progress on my friends NW2's - I have a few handrails and the couplers to install -- then delivery on Saturday 01/19.
I also got the decals and detail painting done on a couple of Allis-Chalmers HD-21 dozers. Next: mount them on a flat car. (Photos to follow)
Drilled holes in some of my control panels in preparation for adding indicating LED's for turnout indication.

Hope Y'all had a great weekend,
Wolf

 

Sunday was a fun fun day. I now have more mountain and less flat look. The logging area has taken shape dramatically. The aisle is a little narrower now but not too much . I also revisited the Christmas scene since the light up tree that I ordered last month finally came in. I also added so more figures, a herd of deer is visiting, and Bigfoot has made its presence known. I also added two small details to the opposite side of the scene where I have a cabin. I tempted to add a canoe being stored net to the building as well.

 

The time spent in the train room was all on installing and wiring 4 Digitrax DS64's. Put in a single 2A, 12V power supply dedicated to the 4 of them. Got them powered up. Then wired quite a few Tortoise machines between the headers at the machine and terminal blocks below the layout. I'm using CAT6, 23AWG. Works pretty well. Haven't programmed the DS64's yet. Making 20 terminations for each Tortoise takes a long time. (8 at each end from machine to block, then 2 at each power end). They are working though. I changed the DS64's from coil machine to motor machine and the Tortoises moved around like they should. I'll program 16 turnouts and 17 routes and plan on using the virtual addresses. We'll see how this goes.

Never did have time to work on scenery as well, but am happy w/ what I got accomplished. Hopefully, early in the AM and for a little while this week, I can finish connecting the machines and just program the dang things this weekend.

 

I started the coupler conversion process. I've got some replacement trucks on order but already had some assembled couplers on hand so I swapped them into my two locomotives. The U25-B went fine but on the SD-35 one of the couplers rides a little high. I tried to shove the included shim into the existing slot but no luck. According to the gauge it is about half a coupler too high. I'm going to run it a bit and think about the process. I should be able to get that shim in there, even if I glue it in place first then place the coupler. Or I may cut a small portion of it and jam it in from the front.

I ran a session with the new couplers and for once had zero coupler issues. As of now I have MT couplers on about 2/3 of the rolling stock. Next I'll try adding some uncoupling magnets and see how they work in N.

I also got some spray paint on the beer distributor parts and began putting that together. Hopefully that will get finished this week and leave me with only one cardstock placeholder on the layout.

 

Bigfoot looks happy, just takin' a stroll........

 

Not nearly as much progress on my list as I had hoped but the weekend ended up being quite a bit busier than expected, original list here: https://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?threads/new-layout-name-tbd.121963/#post-1081729

The only thing I got done was installing feeders and a most of the groundwork for LCC integration into DCC++ESP32. I'll be heading out of town tomorrow through Thurs evening so no progress is likely between now and next weekend

 

Made some good progress on my (N Scale) turnout control panel. As background, I built the panel of 1/8" thick ply and laminate, then carefully drilled 72 holes (!) to house a toggle and two LEDs for each turnout. I then backdrilled the board because it was a wee bit too thick to mount things.

This weekend I applied the press-and-stick vinyl numbers. To get them on straight, I temporarily applied a strip of 1/8" tape along the top of the holes on each row, then taped string across each column. It worked out pretty well.

Next step is to install the components and wiring. ….

 

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