Rebooting the past

SDVike Mar 6, 2021

  1. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    I have never seen such advertisements. How do I see them so that I may check them out and perhaps support them?
     
  2. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    Agreed. Most of the retailers I see in the banners are places specific to N scale. I would like to support if I could find a list of advertisers.


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  3. Penner

    Penner TrainBoard Member

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    After a lot of thought I went with a duck-under around-the-room layout. The clearance from floor to bottom of layout is 48". At 57 I'm able to negotiate the duck under with little problems. Eventually, I'll either break down and retrofit a gate into the layout or just buy myself an low examination stool or mechanic's creeper. I'm probably going to invest in the creeper anyway before I start the wiring portion of my layout.
     
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  4. RBrodzinsky

    RBrodzinsky November 18, 2022 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter In Memoriam

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    You should see banner ads at the top and bottom of each page. How are you accessing TrainBoard?

    There is a section called "Advertisers", but, unfortunately, the list is not up to date
     
  5. Penner

    Penner TrainBoard Member

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    This is fantastic!
     
  6. RailMix

    RailMix TrainBoard Member

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    This is shaping up to be a very nice layout. It's obvious that there are excellent scenic possibilities. One suggestion I might make is, while your layout design doesn't seem to lend itself well to a backdrop down the center, other types of view blocks such as hills, woods and industries might be readily possible and equally effective.

    Where island layouts are concerned, I grew up on the 4' X 8' track plans and accompanying renderings by Bill Barron that appeared in both major magazines, so have an interest in island plans. When planning my new layout, I took yet another look at the Buckley and Onarca, Pigeon Creek and Thawville and Philo, Clinton and Pesotum before settling on my present plan. These layouts were rich in scenic and operating possibilities. There was even an idea published in Model Railroader for a round layout that had a removable cover and doubled as a large coffee table when not in use.
     
  7. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    I’ve been thinking about view blocks. The back half of the layout (by the yard) especially lends itself to a view block through an industry and or hills. What I haven’t decided is if my town will be fully visible from both sides. I was thinking of giving it at commercial side and a residential side. Or even a stream running right down the middle.

    Originally this layout was meant to be a test of different things. The more time I put into it, the more I like and want to expand it some day. The area I have planned for a yard could become an industry or saw mill if I decided to keep the era old enough.


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  8. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    I use it mainly through Tapatalk but I also sign in on my computer at times for better viewing of the pics.


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  9. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    I like to see the whole layout all the time and not have to walk around to see various "views".

    Doug
     
  10. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    Back when I still had Windows 7 I had a lot of sites. I found yours and signed up. Then Windows 10 destroyed almost all of that computer. You are one of very few that remained. And I have never seen any banner adds and know that the list is unreliable.
    Thank you.
     
  11. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    Ok, I'm having doubts about track and I need your advice. I really like the way my layout is progressing and I could see expanding it some day. My dilemma is, do I continue to wait on the Atlas Code 100 switches I ordered or do I sell all the track I have and buy new Peco code 83. I can afford to buy different track. I would rather buy new engines instead with the money but that can wait. I had always planned on going to code 83 on my permanent layout. Would you guys eat the $300-400 dollars and change to Code 83 Peco if you hadn't laid any track yet?
     
  12. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    Over the last couple of weekends, I've made some more progress on the river foam but I haven't been able to post due to Tapatalk issues. I did figure out how to load photos through my web browser so here we go. The first couple are of the river canyon.

    Also I cut a piece of foam to build up the town. I have rearranged the town about 5 times. I came up with a town layout that makes sense from above but I realized I couldn't see into any of the downtown buildings. I have several ideas including one that has a street running track running through it. Until track arrives my next major step is to get the town foam cut in and supported properly.

    Finally, while not as exciting, I have been putting a lot of time into cleaning the train/storage room. I added shelves above the workbench. I have hauled away a bunch of stuff that needs to be sold or donated. I finally finished the legs to support the extension. I can now move the layout around to allow for me move the shelving units. The goal is to finish the organization of the room over the next 2 months, but I'll be honest, when track shows up, all bets are off.


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    Last edited: Apr 28, 2021
  13. Penner

    Penner TrainBoard Member

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    Okay, gotta ask. I see the pic of the Vulcan Centaur on the wall. Are you a fellow rocket engineer? :D
     
  14. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    LOL, Nope. I do nothing so interesting as I am in the construction industry.

    That poster is from a train show that I took my boys to. There was a booth for a local aerospace company that gave out posters. My boys seemed interested for about 5 minutes. If I was 13 and saw a booth like that, I may have ended up as a rocket engineer. There was nothing that cool in rural Minnesota when I was young. Unfortunately, as much as we try, we cannot live through our kids. :)
     
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  15. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    The track has arrived. I don’t have much time to install it but I did layout a few pieces. It’s incredible the difference a change from Atlas Code 100 to Peco Code 83. If I do decide to model the transition era, this track will look so much more realistic.

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  16. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    It started raining this evening so I spent a couple hrs fitting track. I’m still impressed by the quality of the Peco track but does take some getting used to. The hardest part are the insulated rail joiners. They don’t fit the way I expected. I’m thinking of cutting gaps in the rail instead of using them.

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  17. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    I got done with work early today and decided to try glueing down my first 3 turnouts.

    Having to make sure there was wiring for the frog, and making sure the Smail switch motors could move the points, was something new for me. In the past, I would laid the entire loop by now. While it was slow going, I was happy with the results. Again, laying Pico track is so much different than Atlas. I'm not sure I really like the way Pico flex track works. I'm sure I will get used to it.

    I really need to get a control panel installed and start wiring up the Digitrax system so I can test that everything is work. Finally, here is a shot of the new Mike I bought last weekend exiting the canyon.

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  18. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    Still no banner ads. Windows 10 or desk top confuser.

    I still enjoy these articles.
     
  19. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    I finished the outside loop of track. It’s fun running trains on rock solid track. Right now it’s one giant block hooked up to DC.

    My new F3A-B Proto 1000 runs amazing at slow speeds. I also like the BLtd Mike but it runs funny on DC. Because in needs a certain amount of DC power to engage the sound, it’s inconsistent at low speeds. I’m hoping the eventual switch to DCC will solve that issue.

    The only issue I found with the track is a couple of my older locomotives stall on the frogs at slow speed. That should be fixed when I electrify the frogs.

    Finally I need to decide if I’m going to solder the rail joiners. I’m not good at soldering. Have any of you gotten away with leaving the joints unsoldered?

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  20. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    Now it’s time to layout the yard. This is how I have it designed and I feel it lays out fairly well.

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    I’m debating adjusting the yard so that I can fit in a turn table. I feel it can fit between the yard and the mainline, but there wouldn’t be any room for an engine house. I could also shift the yard ladder closer to the main and put it on the far side. My only worry is it would be a long ways from the edge of the layout. I’m guessing turntables are finicky and need easy access.

    Has anyone installed a turntable at least 2ft from the edge of the table?

    Finally, here is a yard layout I saw at a train show that I think would fit if modified.

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