Rebooting the past

SDVike Mar 6, 2021

  1. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    I have to say that Peco track is beautiful and looks very realistic.

    I have never soldered all joiners, just when it was flex track and I soldered on a curve to keep the curve smooth. I have very rarely ever had any problems with unsoldered joiners as long as they were tight to begin with.

    Doug
     
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  2. sd90ns

    sd90ns TrainBoard Member

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    If the past repeats itself, I am so getting a dinosaur.
     
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  3. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    I would happy if the LHS came back. Nothing as exciting as a pet dinosaur.


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  4. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    I need advice on a turn table location. I have three options.
    1. Put it close to the edge of the table (first two pics).
    2. Put it behind the yard (next two pics).
    3. No turn table.

    Option 1 puts it in an easy to reach area but the yard tracks are farther away. There probably isn’t enough room for more than a 1 engine shop.

    Option 2 puts it at the edge of my reach (2ft) but gives space for a 3 stall round house. The yard looses a track but the tracks are closer. I also gain a run around area in the yard. I do loose an industry area where it sets.

    Option 3 basically means I have no way to reverse an engine until an extension is built.

    Just an FYI on the turn table. It’s a Heljan 98’ that I bought as a teenager. The assembly instructions were horrible and I glued a part in the wrong spot. I gave up on it back then. I think I can make it work without causing poor performance.

    I mainly need advice as I have never used a turntable. Once it’s properly set up, do you need easy access to it?

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  5. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    And now we understand yet another reason why multi-unit diesels replaced steam locomotives...

    The first rule of civil engineering is: "If it moves, it's broken."

    I've never used a turntable, but even if "once set up," it operates forever without hassle (doubtful), how difficult would it be to get properly set up in the middle of the layout?

    How often would you need to turn the steam loco?

    How long before you expand and add the wye?

    Is there another place you can put a wye before the expansion?

    There's always the "five finger reversal."
     
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  6. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    I've been researching my turntable. While I know I can get it to rotate smoothly, I am not sure I would be able to rotate it with a motor and not go crazy. It would be a fun project...if it was located close to where I can reach it. I don't really like the front location, but I don't think the middle of board location will work.

    Big Jake, I think your right. I need to build the wye that I have planned for the expansion. If that also means I add a staging yard at the same time...oh well. lol.

    As far as the 5 finger shuffle, I'm looking forward to the day I am not picking up the train just to use another one.
     
  7. Penner

    Penner TrainBoard Member

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    From a purely aesthetic perspective, I prefer Option2 ... of course, that and $6 will get you a cup of burnt coffee at Starbucks!;)
     
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  8. Mike C

    Mike C TrainBoard Member

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    My choice would be none of the above . Squeezing both a yard and the turntable IMO would compromize both features , the yard would be too small to really use , and the turntable really needs a loco servicing area . I would probably put the turntable , a small round house , coal tower ,water tank , sand , and a diesel service track . ...Mike
     
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  9. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    Perhaps the turntable, round house, etc., etc., etc. should be on a separate wing. That is, of course, if that's available.
    But then that would probably be as much as a turnaround and sidings. Wouldn't it?
     
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  10. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    I think I am agreeing with everyone. Nix the turn table. Next up on the blast from the past items is this unfinished Bachman 2 stall engine house I have. My modeling skills suck back in 93 but it is free and I still have most of the parts to finish it out.

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    It may be too modern for the transition era, but so are several of my current buildings. I guess I’ll just have to replace it someday.

    Any how, same question as before. Do I put t up front or stick it in the back?

    I think the first picture gives me a nice yard and engine service area. But I lost my run around. The next pic shows a switch right in front of the engine house. I know I can connect it to the yard ladder with a little modification but it is weird to fun around into an engine house.


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    Finally Here it is in the back. I don’t like it enough to arrange the track. Maybe I ll try that option tomorrow.

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  11. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    I think I figured out the arrangement to fit in a run around track. It’s tight and unfortunately I eliminated the #6 switch into the 2nd engine house stall to make it work but I really like this arrangement. I feel like I need to get the coaling tower to make sure it will fit.

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  12. sd90ns

    sd90ns TrainBoard Member

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    We're more likely to see pet dinosaurs than a return of local hobby shops.

    Contrary to current opinion, many small town hobby shops started disappearing in the mid/late '70's, years before Wal Mart emerged and and ate everything and decades before the internet became a reality.
     
  13. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    Completely agree. I shopped at the local Ace hardware for woo woo woo in the early 90s. Unfortunately, that Ace Hardware had a better selection than anything in the Denver metro area now.

    It’s crazy because there has never been more options for a modeler, it’s just all online. And expensive. Unfortunately, even the forums are dying off as members get older and young people aren’t joining the hobby. It’s all about mind share. Without a brick and mortar presence, people just don’t know about model trains.

    Oh, and how do I invest in the pet dinosaur idea. It’ll be big I tell you. BIG!


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  14. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    If there is one place young folks (the future of our hobby, if it exists) are likely to shop, it is online, not in a local store.

    Which is unfortunate, since good, local hobby shops are much more valuable than just sales outlets.

    Thankfully, there are a few (at least one!) good online communities of modeler railroaders (and vendors)...
     
  15. sd90ns

    sd90ns TrainBoard Member

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    I've seen that movie and it doesn't end well.
     
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  16. BigJake

    BigJake TrainBoard Member

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    I should add that the growth in DCC and computerization of MRR (JMRI, et al) could be the means by which the hobby translates to young, tech-savvy, future participants. It's what has brought me back after a 15+ yr absence (but I am not young!)

    They may not have time for scratch-building and some other aspects of it, but they like the tech aspects of it.

    They are less likely to have time and space to devote to a large (or any) permanent layout, but they have at least a table (or floor, given their knees aren't yet shot) to set up a temporary, plug & play Unitrack layout. It is even possible to embed DCC decoders for Unitrack N scale switches and crossovers inside their roadbed (maybe not ideal, but it works).
     
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  17. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    Many of our joys are going away. Being replaced with easy (for them) electronics.
    I wonder how long before we will not be able to buy gasoline/diesel vehicles. Only electrics. But were does all that new juice come from.
     
  18. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    I’ve been struggling with this myself and I’m only 45. I feel like all the joys of my childhood are gone and it’s replaced with Amazon and Facebook. Really, when it comes down to it, I like the modern conveniences.

    I’ve driven a Tesla. It kicks the ass of any gas engine car I’ve ever owned. It’s just different...and expensive. I miss the days when a kid didn’t need an Instagram account to feel accepted but it’s really just insecurity of a teenager.

    My delving back into model trains is my midlife crisis. It’s cheaper than a Corvette/Tesla.


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  19. SDVike

    SDVike TrainBoard Member

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    And an update on my railroad. Now that I’ve figured out how I want to use the engine house, I’ve laid cork for the yard.

    I bought a roll of builtin board cork at Hobby Lobby for $20 bucks. It should work well for my yard tracks. The only issue is I think I should have used a foam compatible spray adhesive. It’s not sticking as nice with the foam glue I used on the regular cork. I think it’s because the glue doesn’t cover every square inch and the cork is really thin.

    I’ll guess I see once I start laying track in a couple days.

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  20. Shortround

    Shortround TrainBoard Member

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    I have tried using that same kind of cork and got the same results. It may be treated to resist stains. I found the best wood glue came in aerosol cans. Like spray paint.
     

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