Finally (for now) this is the latest addition to the roster... an Atlas MP15DC that will be working the yard and running transfer jobs. It's DC (for now) and second-hand, but it runs quite well. I've been wanting one of these for a while... kinda wish it was in YN3 paint, but YN2 looks cool too... CXST1141 Atlas MP15DC by Mark, on Flickr[/QUOTE] Two of the switchers I bought were Atlas MP15DC's. I run them nose to nose and just really like the way they work for my industrial yard switchers. One by itself works good but the two together (as CSX and most others do with theirs) works great.
Well, Ken, if I can get a second one, I'll add it... I agree a pair would look cool working together... but I've got a bunch of other things to focus the budget on... Here's a quick set of overview shots on track laying progress. I apologize for the horrible lighting. That's one of the big things coming next to fix... This is the peninsula from the branch line side... track here is not new, but the track on the far side (the main line) is... Progress Overview 18-Feb-16 by Mark, on Flickr The peninsula from the main line side... all new track... I'm using concrete ties on the main, as it is prototypical for the area, and I think it will help highlight which track is the main for operators. Progress Overview 18-Feb-16 by Mark, on Flickr The main line curve, with a Walthers well car. There will be a little Amtrak whistle stop station, but it won't be the one I have sitting there. Progress Overview 18-Feb-16 by Mark, on Flickr The "triangle" ... again, concrete ties for the main... Progress Overview 18-Feb-16 by Mark, on Flickr The cluster of turnouts along the North wall... Progress Overview 18-Feb-16 by Mark, on Flickr At this point I'm stuck until I buy or build some more turnouts. I can't lay any more main line without turnouts, and I can't (or won't) lay the spur tracks until I've at least designed the structures they will serve. Next up on "major work" will be to replace the existing ceiling fixture with a big flush-mount fluorescent fixture that should dramatically improve the lighting. That'll be after next payday. I'm also going to install a work surface underneath the peninsula for structure building, and I'm going to modify the lift bridge to make it deeper for a better bridge scene on top of it. Stay tuned!
Another brief update... I'm planning out the Dixie Cup factory, which will be a cut-away structure sitting in the north-west corner, and which will hide (literally cover) part of the Branch Line as it curves around to the narrow shelf. Here's a link to a Google Street View of the actual building, for reference. Sky view... the roof and exterior walls will (as much as possible) extend all the way to the back of the shelf.. I'm not 100% sure whether I'll model the "back wall" being visible on the roof, though on the actual building the loading dock is near the back of the building... but at any rate, the interior view will be foreshortened as needed to block the view of the train passing through it. Dixie Cup Mockup by Mark, on Flickr Here's a (nearly) square-on front view showing the interior. I've got the wrong type roof supports in there, though. It will have girders spanning the flat roof, like in a big-box store. Dixie Cup Mockup by Mark, on Flickr This is the (railroad) business side view. The door will (probably) be modeled as open... there will be the second track with the tank car parked outside (see google view above). The large storage tank helps to hide where the train passes through the back of the building. Dixie Cup Mockup by Mark, on Flickr Left side and rear views showing how the back part is cut away to allow the train to get through. Dixie Cup Mockup by Mark, on Flickr Dixie Cup Mockup by Mark, on Flickr I'm open to suggestions...
I took a short video of the first mainline test run since I got the bus wire hooked up ... If you watch closely you'll note that the lead truck of the well car (at the loco) derails during the push move just before it reaches the crossover. This is because the loco has Kato couplers, and the coupler is shoving the car off the rail at that point. The curve is actually quite broad there and as far as I can tell there is no kink. The darned coupler is just not behaving properly. I have another GEVO with MT couplers, and I will be retesting shortly to be sure I'm right.
The type of couplers on loco and well car may not be the issue. The video shows a bit blurry, but it seems that the crossing is a bit "bumpy." I'd confirm that it's not, and then do the usual check on wheel gauges. Also, if the well car has a trip pin, make sure it's not catching on anything. Lastly, a well car without container is rather light (in general), and it looks like the wells have truck-mounted couplers. Therefore, I would conclude that the combination of light weight with the pushing action of the loco onto the well car's truck may be the issue. If you plan to do a lot of empty backup shoves, it might make sense to try a body-mount on the well car(s). Good luck, Paul Ristuccia
I've confirmed that in this particular case the coupler is the culprit. I used the exact same setup except replaced the Kato loco with a FVM GEVO, which has MT couplers, and it crossed the track in question many times quite smoothly with no sign of trouble at all. With the Kato it was quite clear that the coupler was swinging FAR too much to the outside of the curve, which was dragging the truck-mounted well car coupler out of line. With the FVM loco, both couplers stay in line and the well car tracks as it should. Simple fix already in the works: Both of my Katos were "bad ordered" for a coupler replacement the minute I bought them.
Yep... this is really happening... First attempt at hand laying... by Mark, on Flickr First hand laid turnout by Mark, on Flickr My very first hand-laid turnout, or at least part of it so far... Code 55 rail, #7 paper template from Fast Tracks... Messy, as you might expect, but at least it is in gauge (so far). I've got a BUNCH of #7s to do on the layout, and there appears to be a shortage of them from Atlas. So why not build them myself?
What with the price of factory turnouts you almost gotta handlay them if you want to have any money left. Good work so far. Remember, deep, cleansing breaths! Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk
The cost has so far been... bearable... though certainly as long as I can avoid buying the expensive jigs and stuff, hand laying will be much, much cheaper... the problem for me has been availability. I had to find my #10 turnouts on the second hand market, and the supply of #7s (of which I have plenty of need) seems to have dried up completely.
Mark, Get you a couple of these and it will help speed up the time it takes to make your turnouts. I have at least 6 of them and it helps a lots. ME code 55 track gauge.
How about another video? I've completed the main line from one lift bridge approach all the way around to the other one. The only thing in the way of a complete loop is the bridge itself. I've used concrete ties all the way around (except for the turnouts), partly because it is prototypical and partly to highlight the main against the other trackage, make it easier for an unfamiliar operator to find the main. Onward and upward!
My wife found a large supply of canned goods in the basement that I'd been using to hold down track, she asked me if I was reading the prepper websites again.
My daughter complained one lunchtime that we were "out of her favorite soup" ... I got the standard teen eye roll when I told her to go check the train room... ... but she got her soup... Seriously, they are plentiful, cheap, and just the right size/weight for holding down track while the glue dries...
Another quick video... I have the turnout built up enough that I can test it, and so far it looks OK, at least functionally. I still need to add some more PCB ties to reinforce spots, then add the guard rails and cut all the isolation gaps. And of course add the wood ties and weather it. I have some stripwood on order but it will take a few weeks to arrive. This build is taking a LONG time on the calendar, but really hasn't taken very long in actual build hours. Plus I've found that it's something I can do in short spurts in between other activities, which is always a plus. I had a little trouble getting the points filed properly... I might at some point (pun intended) invest in a Point Form jig or something to help with that... the rest of the build went just fine using only the paper template.
