What I'm doing in N scale!

MarktheShark Sep 21, 2010

  1. FloridaBoy

    FloridaBoy TrainBoard Member

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    Mark the Shark,

    Just a couple of comments.

    First, I had a friend who was a very deliberate and exacting type person. When he set about building his layout, he finished his benchwork with fine sanded and varnished ends which in itself was very beautiful, but drove me crazy, because I told him his work would be invisible. He replied it wasn't about seeing it, but knowing that it is in there. Your work leaves him in your dust, and he is no slouch.

    Second, you reminded me of a real joy about our hobby. Versatility. When you work for days on your layout, it gets to you sometimes with the neverendedness. So instead of taking a few days completely off and you feel the urge to model something, build a structure in the comfort of your workbench. Your photos just inspired me to appreciate what I am doing even deeper.

    Thanks, and you are only on page 2.

    Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
     
  2. FriscoCharlie

    FriscoCharlie Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Looks great to me. Very impressive.

    Charlie
     
  3. MarktheShark

    MarktheShark TrainBoard Member

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    Wow thanks for all the replies!!



    As for going DCC I thought about this a LOT!! The short answer is decoders, decoders, decoders!! The thing is my track plan is really just two loops of track with short sidings. How many trains can I really run at once? If going DCC would have completely eliminated having a control panel I probably would have used it. Lets see I need switches to turn off power to sidings. I need switches to turn on and off lights, well there goes the idea of no control panel! I still had to buy toggle switches, I still had to have a control panel, might as well just wire in blocks!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 23, 2010
  4. bravogjt

    bravogjt TrainBoard Member

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    Awesome start Mark!

    Ben
     
  5. FloridaBoy

    FloridaBoy TrainBoard Member

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    I know this might sound egotistical Mark, but if I had your talent on benchwork, and believe me I don't, I would give serious thought to leaving a corner of my layout sort of unfinished to show people how you constructed it and how well your workmanship is. For years I unintentionally left a portion of my layout unfinished out of lack of interest in a remote spot demonstrating my sloppy but sturdy benchwork (glue oozing out of the joints, drywall screws, unfinished wood, paint and scenery overflow, etc, but over time, the fact that I had benchwork, to newbies and others, that spot became a point of interest just to see the hardshell, foam, plaster, screening, etc which was the foundation of my layout.

    My work is horribly sloppy compared to yours, but the fact that some or many of us on this forum use benchwork or framework of some sort is not that common nor is it known to those who have even a passing interest in the hobby. I think when I showed people my "unfinished" section, it showed that if "Ken could do it, anyone could", and I never finished that one little patch on my layout.....ever, and when the layout got too much for me physically, I had to give it away.

    My original PRR/Shenange Valley RR is now a very active Santa Fe layout occupying a garage and it is very comforting to me that a 28 year old layout is still running and active.

    Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
     
  6. MarktheShark

    MarktheShark TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks again for the compliments!

    While this is a neat idea for a display layout for Woodland Scenics or some other manufacturer, the O.C.D. bug my father installed in me would never allow for this and is already twitching at the thought!
     
  7. SOUPAC

    SOUPAC TrainBoard Member

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    Everything looks pretty good, however, (you knew that was coming, right?) In the words of a once famous model railroader, Malcolm Furlow, “DRYBRUSH EVERYTHING”!

    One place to check out his famous “San Juan Central”....

    Dan's 24th National Narrow Gauge Convention Photos

    There are lots more. Google Malcolm Furlow.
     
  8. MarktheShark

    MarktheShark TrainBoard Member

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    WOW what a great link!

    Thank you for the advice!
     
  9. JustInCase

    JustInCase TrainBoard Member

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    More Compliments for that Benchwork

    Wow!!! If the rest of your modeling skills are as good as your woodworking skills I cannot wait to see more.

    Awesome job! Thanks for sharing very inspiring...
     
  10. MarktheShark

    MarktheShark TrainBoard Member

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    IMPORTANT SAFETY UPDATE!!

    I would like to thank Trainboard members Donfrey and Bruce-in-MA for making me think of electrical safety!

    I found an important issue! Today while going through a box under the layout I found the box of wire and the box outlets I used for the wiring under my train table! The yellow wire is Cerro wire 12-2 with ground. Hmm I thought if I was wrong about what wire I had used what else was I wrong about ?

    Well I started at the breaker box, 20 amp breaker, 12 gauge wire, 20 amp outlet with the cities building inspectors OK sticker on it! Ok on to the layout.

    Lets see main on off switch 15 amps, contractors pack of outlets 15 amps, power cord 15 amps, building wire 12-2 20 amps.

    Here's the problem as soon as I plug the layout into the wall outlet this creates an unsafe condition! If the layout ever overloads the switches, outlets, and power cord would fail before the breaker would blow!

    Now I have a few choices,
    1 Pull the 20 amp breaker replace with 15 amp.
    2 plug layout into an outlet with a 15 amp breaker.
    3 Change switches, power cord, and outlets.

    I opted for #1 because I already had spare breakers and it only took 5 minutes!

    Also I checked the US National Electrical code to see how many outlets are allowed on one 15 amp circuit this is what I found, for residential there is no code, for commercial the code is 10 for 15 amp and 13 for 20 amp, your local building codes will vary!

    So the moral of the story is check the entire circuit! Not just whats in the breaker box or whats just on the layout but the WHOLE circuit!

    I deleted my previous post on this subject because I was wrong!

    Thanks again guys!
     
  11. MarktheShark

    MarktheShark TrainBoard Member

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    More Progress!

    Ok new updates.

    I used Atlas RTS software and printed my plan 1 to 1. Thumb tacked it down to keep it square as possible.

    [​IMG]

    My wife took my camera for a few days for her food blog, so I missed a few shots.

    Here I have risers, track, and roadbed started.
    [​IMG]

    This one I'm test fitting the bridges.
    [​IMG]

    This one is the first time I've really felt frustrated! I haven't fixed this yet, but definitely will when I take the track back out to be painted.
    [​IMG]
    I just hate the fact that the feet on the bridge are too big and it looks like the abutment is leaning a little!

    Well that's all I have for this update.
     
  12. Pete Nolan

    Pete Nolan TrainBoard Supporter

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    Great stuff! Take your time and do it right for your eye. If it looks to be leaning, it probably is, and will drive you (and no one else) crazy for a long, long time! I'd finish the cabinetry to as fine a degree as you can--it's your railroad, and there's no axiom that cabinetry has to be rough! So wonderful work!
     
  13. Taylor D729

    Taylor D729 TrainBoard Member

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    i just dropped in on reading this thread, and all i have to say is wow. you are making incredible progress, i am fairly new to n scale and just looking at the progress you have made inspires me to keep my details crisp. i really enjoy the complexity yet simplicity of your layout. i enjoy changes in grade and bridges. your layout is right up my alley and would love to follow your progress, GREAT WORK!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 4, 2010
  14. Railroad Bill

    Railroad Bill TrainBoard Member

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    Kudos for your achievements and intentions ... looks like you're getting to your goals ... benchwork, trak plan, risers & base levels, all sharp ... going to be an interesting running layout ...

    Your sequence of building has helped me see a better way to do a build ... next time I'll know better!

    :tb-wacky:
     
  15. MarktheShark

    MarktheShark TrainBoard Member

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    OK movin along

    Thanks guys!

    Well sense this is kind of like a step by step thread, I figured I'd show how I wired my track feeders. Ya I know exciting right, but I tried a few different ways and I either melted ties or had wire sticking out that I couldn't figure how I was going to hide. So this is the way that worked best for me.

    I got 100' of red and 100' of black 22awg wire and cut all of it into 1' pieces. I then prepped 200 Atlas rail joiners by cutting them to length. I hate that they are to long if you just cut them in half, so I cut each end. I then stripped about 2mm off all 200 feeders. I only show 4 in the pictures but I did 200 of each step!

    I first tinned the 22awg wire and rail joiners.
    [​IMG]

    I then soldered feeders and joiners together.
    [​IMG]

    I then bent the wires at 90 degrees.
    [​IMG]

    I then drilled a whole through the layout.
    [​IMG]

    I'm running out of time, I'll finish this update later on today. Too many things to do and not enough time in a day!
     
  16. Tatsudoshi

    Tatsudoshi New Member

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    Good Day

    That is a fantastic table for your layout very well done, you have skill.

    Take Care
     
  17. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    Cant wait to see how you finish up (though I think I already know, I still enjoy watching others share progress). :)

    As everyone has said, you're making excellent progress on this layout! I bet after these feeders are dropped you'll have the inaugural train run, yes? :D :D
     
  18. MarktheShark

    MarktheShark TrainBoard Member

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    I think you may be right!! The real question is what train should it be,

    1) Athearn 2-8-0 pulling Athearn overton cars,all Sante Fe ?

    2) Atlas shea pulling Micro Trains disconnect log cars ?

    3) Bachmann Connie pulling mixed freight ?

    4) Kato GS4 SP Morning daylight ?

    5) Kato Super Chief ?

    6) Kato CN sd40-2 pulling Kato CN coalporters ?

    Let me know guys you have till Saturday!

    I'll finish my previous post within the hour!
     
  19. Mark Watson

    Mark Watson TrainBoard Member

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    I believe the correct answer is 4) Kato GS4 SP Morning daylight!

    :D :D

    The Daylight will look absolutely gorgeous snaking its way through those curves on your layout! :D :D
     
  20. MarktheShark

    MarktheShark TrainBoard Member

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    Ok I'm back,

    Next I attach the feeders to the track. In this picture I used 6 because I am wiring for dual cab dc and I don't use insulated rail joiners and at crossovers one rail will be on one block and the other rail will be in another block because of where on the turnout I cut the gaps. Also on this layout all rail joiners will be soldered to the rails except at turnouts that way if they fail it should be easier to replace. One more reason is when I was doing some tests on the work bench, I used three pieces of flex track, one at each leg of the turnout and hooked up my power pack with just one set of feeders at the point end of the turnout and my locomotive would not go through the turnout flawlessly, so I added two more sets of feeders, so all parts of the turnout had feeders, now ALL of my locomotives went through the switch flawlessly every time!
    [​IMG]

    Next I immediately label the feeders under the layout, so they can't get mixed up. When I broke the track plan into blocks I gave every block and siding a number.
    Track gets a T, turnouts get a TU, signals get an S, lighting gets an L, and so on in front of the number. This way 5 years from now there is no confusion of what is what under there!
    [​IMG]
    This is what they look like finished up. Once the ballast goes in you will never know they were there.
    [​IMG]
    Well that finishes up how I wire my feeders. I'm sure this will help someone using Atlas snap switches(turnouts) at some point.

    Next up, more foam and plaster cloth.
     

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