BarstowRick's H&P Layout Restoration

BarstowRick Sep 15, 2020

  1. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Some things just can't be seen in pictures. I find my camera to be a good second set of eyes and I've discovered problems because of the pictures.
    Biggest problem is keeping my feline buddies off the layout.
    Doing fine so far my good friend.
     
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  2. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    I agree...as long as I dont have to go out in it !! Standing at the livingroom window with a hot cup of coffee and watching it coming down is relaxing. Having to walk out the back door. Shoveling the snow off the back porch and steps before I can get down to ground level. Then making a trail through the snow to THERR RV and cleaning the step on it to be able to get up inside is a royal pita at my age and with my disabilities. Ahhhhhh...the sacrifices we make to play with trains...LOL.:whistle:
     
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  3. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Yes, feeling better. How about those Indiana Colts? Kicked that pig skin right thorough the dead center of the uprights. Wow!!

    I will get you a picture of an L-girder. Eating breakfast right now. Nothing like a hot bowl of flavored oatmeal in the morning. L Girder, that may not be what contractors, carpenters or other experts in the field call it. But it's basically two 1x4's screwed and glued together creating an L Shape. This adds an unusual amount of strength to the the bench work. I used it in the construction of the train shed in Big Bear Country, where we needed to add a snow load to the metal shed's roof. Worked! Held five feet of snow.

    I have that section out. I didn't bother to remove the track. Pictures later.
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2020
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  4. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    L Girder
    I use the L construction for a lot of things. Note the leg to the layout in the background.
    DSCF1869.JPG

    To give you some idea where I'm headed with all of this.
    Here is a before and then after shot of the area I've been addressing.
    Before, during original construction:
    1d-Interior Of Train Shed-Where Layout Splits.jpg

    You can see the segment I'm working on in the picture below all the sub-roadbed and track work above it. You can also see how I put it in.

    After: It was after constructed in Big Bear Country.
    2 sections Joint as it looked when finished..jpg
    That's my goal to restore it. I really hope to see it through to this point and then it will be time to add the scenery.

    I just finished removing the particle board from the connector. Pictures later.

    God keep the clock ticking for me and give me the strength and moxy to get'r done. Just sayin!!
     
    Last edited: Nov 23, 2020
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  5. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Have you ever noticed how some-things just work out. While other's don't. This just seems (a long shot perhaps) to be working out...:rolleyes:... despite the work it's causing me. For instance. I removed the damaged section without going to the trouble of removing the track. That saved some effort and time. I may be able to use it as part of another yard now forming up in the back of my mind. Look out More Track Rick is at it again. :LOL::D

    Finally the section is out.:) Did you catch the L girder in the rear of the box. You know in the picture?
    DSCF1870.JPG

    Revealing what looks like a nest. A spaghetti bowl of wires. :cautious: Now would be a good time to reattach them. :confused: Most were hooked up to track blocks and automated switch machines in the Helix section of the layout. Do you have any idea how much work this represents? :(o_O Now where did I hide my solder, soldering iron and holder/platform? :sneaky:

    Here's another look at the wire.:confused: Do I really need so much wire? :cautious::cautious: Yes, I do. (y) Remember this is Cab A & Cab B Analog DC with a cutoff switch to cut-in DCC on Cab B. Not likely to happen. Nonetheless wired in. Doesn't hurt to hope. :rolleyes:
    DSCF1871.JPG

    Oh no! :cry::confused::rolleyes: Adding to the project underway, this section of particle board that you see protruding into this picture will end up being cut out. A new one will replace it. Now where did I put my saw-zall? I found it. This section handles the two by pass tracks for the hidden staging yard or is that the main line? My bad. Main line.:cool:

    This is going to keep me busy.:sick:(y);)
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2020
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  6. Joe Lovett

    Joe Lovett TrainBoard Member

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    It's hard to beat L Girder construction, I used it on my Boston Mountains Sub Division layout on three sides. Keep up the great work Rick, enjoying your build thread and all the photos.

    Joe
     
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  7. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks Joe !! And, Right Back At You!!
     
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  8. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

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    Why not get the Kato to Tomix (also called Kato to atlas here in the us) adapters to easily patch back from Kato on the right to the flex track? I use em as the end pieces on my modules and the track between is atlas code 80 on cork...
    like someone said you got your rerailer there and so even if the end of the atlas is FUBAR from cutting, you won’t have to patch in a ton of it. And because they are rigid they’ll bridge the gap pretty well.
    And just like there are kickers for cyano, there are also “dissolvers”. I’ve seen them used on videos but not played with myself. Usually called debonder or uncure. For 4-5 bucks might be worth a shot to save fingers and frustration with a metal spatula trying to get the ties off with a hammer by chiseling?

    edit, I didnt see the new page.
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2020
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  9. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    Very interesting sir! Enjoying watching haw this is all coming back together. :coffee: Thank you for sharing the fun with us. (y)(y)(y)
     
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  10. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hi Onizukachan and of course everyone else tuned in here,

    Glad to see you participating here.

    This issue of using pre-made short pieces of Kato Unitrack or Atlas sectional track has come up before. Allow me to address that here.

    You brought up some interesting re-solutions to the problem. Those will work, in the event I run into a situation where I need to use them. Example: End of track and I need about 1 to 3 inches more track.

    I have a bridge where I used Cyanoacrylate to glue the track down. The track managed to do what anything on a wet surface will do. The two pieces traveled or slid toward each other. Of course, after I had turned my back. I tried the Debonder and it attacked the rails. That is on my list of my future projects, to correct the track width. I will remove the wood with the track implanted and put new wood and track back in. I'm doing the same thing here and i think you already know that. I won't dwell on it any further.

    I'm crazy about Kato Switches and not so crazy about the curved and straight sectional pieces. With some exceptions. I will most likely use Kato's long sections to bridge the area illustrated in the pictures. Then back to flex track. I have bundles of Atlas N Scale track shorties. I'm sure by now you've guessed I don't like using them.

    Electricity, will loose it's power as it travels down the rails. The more rail joiners the more likely the resistance will drop, as in reduce the current. Requiring me to either solder the rail joiners or solder in more wires. More work then I need.

    I better level with you. I do solder all rail joiners. The fewer the better. AND, I like offset joints and I can't get that with anyone's sectional pieces. Works better with flex track. Just like the 1X1 scale. Exception being switches and re-railers.

    And now you know where I'm coming from.

    Missed taking my pain pills last night so hurting this morning. That won't stop me. Just not in a great sense of humor. Sorry about that.
     
    Last edited: Nov 24, 2020
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  11. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    Now I don't feel so bad about having to reattach wires for two switches and one block (er, actually it's large gauge wires I added from one end of 8' to the other to prevent voltage drop) I ripped loose re-setting up my layout after a move.

    :D

    Doug
     
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  12. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    You know exactly what I'm talking about. I liked your resolution.
     
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  13. Onizukachan

    Onizukachan TrainBoard Supporter

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    When I hear large gauge wire I start thinking 4, 2, 0, 00 ga. Car audio is one of my other hobbies...
    Those are a bear to solder terminals to. :)
     
  14. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    I watched a guy try to do that once with a 30W iron. When I offered him some advise on how to do it right he let me know that he is an expert and knows what he is doing... OK... enjoy! I decided to make myself some new hard mount jumper cables at the same time and the lugs I was using for the battery and the power pole plug with some 0 cable. I had my ends soldered in minutes with a propane torch all nice and pretty looking! I had mounted the plug and wired it to the battery when he came up to me and asked how I did that so fast. I told him I couldn't help him as I was not an expert. At this time I was making the other end of my cables with the clamps again using a torch to solder the power pole lugs to the cable. He got pissed and walked off... if he had stayed around for 30 more seconds he would have seen how I did it so fast... oh well.
     
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  15. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    Monster Cable.... <shudder>....:eek::eek::censored::censored:
     
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  16. BarstowRick

    BarstowRick TrainBoard Supporter

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    Soldering is an art. No question about it. Pride usually prevents anyone form learning something new.

    More about wiring. On my home runs out from the transformers or DCC Power Supply (I can hope, can't I) to the control panels, I prefer to work with 14 gauge wire. Had I have started with DCC my buses (Not Greyhound) would also be 14 gauge wire.

    From the Control Panels. On my runs under six feet, I prefer 20 gauge wire. Feeder wires are what I solder directly to the rails of the track they are 20 or 22 gauge wire. Any runs over six feet to twelve feet long I prefer to work with 18 gauge wire. Keeping in mind the smaller the wire, the more resistance and lose of power or current. Also, remember the larger the number to describe it's gauge, the smaller the wire. If that makes sense.

    Are we having fun yet?
     
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  17. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    Was he a "Railwire" member?

    :D

    Hehe, just kidding (kinda).

    Doug
     
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  18. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    I think I used 14 or 16 gauge for the 8 foot runs. That's plenty big enough.

    Doug
     
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  19. Massey

    Massey TrainBoard Member

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    Young know it all (translated: clueless) kid that was a student with me in my auto body class in college. I was only a year older but had way more skills and experience than this kid. But you couldn’t tell him that.
     
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  20. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    Auto body work. Now THERE'S an art!

    Doug
     
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