Just as another clarification on how this proposed panel might work... Moose intends to wire the bipolar LED's so that an LED will be green if the route is open and red if the route is closed, and if a turnout changes from one position to the other position, then the LED's change to the opposite colors accordingly. This seems particularly important for trains heading towards the yard from the Logging branch. See example below. Example See images below. Assume an approaching train is on the logging branch-line and is heading into Oban Yard's track A/D #1. Left-hand image: Toggle switch #4 is down, therefore the cross-over between the mainline and the yard is closed and the cross-over LED is red. The LED's between the turnout #3 and cross-over #4 are both green. An approaching train from the Logging branch-line can enter the yard at turnout #3 and continue to track A/D #1 without stopping. Right-hand image: Toggle switch #4 is up, therefore the cross-over between the mainline and the yard is open and the cross-over LED is green. The LED's between the turnout #3 and cross-over #4 are NOT both green. An approaching train from the Logging branch-line can enter the yard, but must stop at turnout #3 until cross-over #4 is switched.
Moose printed off the concept panel and hung if from the current panel ... Still not sure about though...
Moose tried to measure driver traction tire as installed on a Con-Cor 4-8-4: OD = ~ 12.05 mm, ID = ~ 11.85 mm, T = ~ 0.20 mm, W = ~ 1.15 mm Given that a stretched rubber traction tire will be thinner & wider when installed than before installed, what would be an appropriate tire size from above linked store? Moose no want to have too thick or too thin a tire after installation, and Moose no wanna buy two sets of different sized tires Moose and be left with a set Moose no can use. The non-traction tire drivers appear to be OD = ~ 11.90 mm, so Moose is guessing that a ID = 11 mm, W = 1.0 mm, T = 0.35 mm would be best. Just looking for some "warm fuzzies" from others about this...
Moose install DCC decoder in Atlas GN SD7. While it was apart, Moose removed a whole carpet made from black fibers and about 12 oz. of putrid grease ... Lesson learned: Don't buy used. Or was the lesson, don't by a disease'el? Yeah, could be both...
Then Moose let disease'el run on the MT&P tracks ... Then Moose realize it's a disease'el after all and put a stop to it!
It's Moose for the win on getting that great looking SD back up to good running order. Nice work. My only suggestion is you should step aside and let her run
@BNSF FAN Step aside and let her run? Never! Oh, Moose forgot to mention that the contact strips had grooves worn into them where they contact the the trucks' contact plates. Moose had to blend them out with a sandwich stick. Yes, really, a sandwich stick ... ... ... Stupid auto spell...
Moose keeps forgetting ... ... ... to post photos of some stinky smelly projects on moose-bench! Moose has the urge to convert perfectly good tenders into monstrosities... Great Northern 0-6-0 A-9: Moose converting a Bachmann 0-6-0 switcher and slope back tender. Major alterations locomotive boiler and tender shells and version 1 of the cab: Version 1 of the cab seemed way too large when compared to other locomotives, so Moose whipped up the smaller version 2, shown next to version 1 here: Version 2 of the cab shown sitting behind the modified boiler shell:
Another monstrosity... Northern Pacific 2-8-8-2 Z-4: The shell shown here mostly assembled, with the front doors to the coal bin & the platform temporarily in place to check fit-up:
And one more monstrosity... Spokane Portland & Seattle 4-6-0 D-5: The tender shell shown mostly assembled, with the oil tank temporarily in place on the tender body to check fit-up:
Moose experimenting with scratch-built draw-bars. Need something to connect a Spectrum tender to an Athearn locomotive. The biggest issue concerns how low the tender stock draw-bar attachment is compared to that of the locomotive. Moose will have to drill & tap a screw to the tender's metal chassis to elevate the attachment, but there will still be a height difference. One test draw-bar has six details: two pairs of draw-bar halves attached by a pair of vertical details. This creates a bending moment that might pry apart over time. Each of the other two test draw-bars are a pair of draw-bar details, each with two scribes where they are bent into z-shapes, and then glued together. One was supposed to be without scribes, but Moose the-all-hooved-wonder accidentally scribed both pairs. Moose performed a "light" pull test on each of them. The scribed ones started to fail at the scribes, so will have to try again WITHOUT the scribes...
Moose upgraded the Quattro (paint booth) with a proper light -- now Moose can see! Night time: Day time:
Been thinking it's been a while since I saw any of your posts. Glad to see you back at it. Hopefully some paint results with your new light soon.
Moose has been experimenting with the new airbrush using AK Interactive Primer, Createx Reducer (acrylic thinner) and Vallejo Airbrush Flow Improver. Finally seemed to have figured out a mix ratio and how to spray, at least well enough for a primer application. Here's the scratch-built SP&S D-5 tender, primed. Stopped at this point as the rather poor putty application needs Moose's fumbly-hooved attention...