What to paint track with will get you as many different opinions as there are people on the forum. However, I'll throw in my $0.02 for what it's worth. Most commercial track comes with black ties. I like to spray the track with Floquil Roof Brown. It's dark, flat and removes the plastic shine. After spraying, use a bright boy to remove paint from the top of the track. For my new layout, I'm using Atlas Code 55. It already is brown, so I think I'm just going to give it a grimy black wash to darken it and take off the shine. It should go without saying that if you use spray paint on the track, MASK OFF THE SWITCH POINTS before you do it. Getting paint out of the point area is very difficult. Just my two cents. Dave
Wow, I want to respond to everyone but feel I would be hogging bandwidth if I did that. I will edit in your request for painting rails. I just downloaded and printed out a copy from a guy who knows what he is doing. I've painted track (air brush is best), ties and ballast, but I liked his method. Now I have to try and remember where I saw it. If I can't find it and do a copy and paste; I will type it out from the printed copy...groan. Well, I looked but couldn't find the post so I am typing this in...double groan... but this is a good system. "I have a great deal of experience painting track - Atlas C80, C55, Peco 80 & 55 & ME 55, and both Atlas & Peco TO's (turn outs) of various code. I won Best Module at an NMRA Region Show with a passenger station module that was devoid of buildings or any scenery other than track and ballast. (You can see my station building on the cover of the March N Scale Magazine, out soon). I do not mask anything (an aside from rsn48 - this a bit of source of debate - to mask or not to mask). Never even occurred to me to do so...and my TO's work flawlessly. 1. Clean the track with alcohol. 2. Spray the rails from a low angle. Make sure you spray all around and into switch points & frogs! I use Floquil Brown with a little Grimy Black or Rust, depending on location. Allow to dry. 3. Spray the ties from a high angle, try not to over spray the rail. I use Floquil Tie Brown, add a little Black for newer ties, a little tan for older ones. When dry, ballast. When ballast is dry, weather the ballast with your airbrush, paint a Rail Brown st4ripe down the center of the rails in yards, a little rust on the frogs, a little grimy black around the points. Clean up with a Bright Boy. Use some light polishing paper (crocus cloth) to get into the points." (back to me again) If you don't have an air brush, I highly suggest you get one as you will be using it a lot in this hobby for painting rails, weathering, painting structures, back drop, fascia, touch up around home, on the car. That's how you sell the idea of buying an air brush to your wife... touch up around the house - it does a great job. Here is another method you can use. When you first come into the hobby, you faithfully do whatever is suggested to you, due to insecurity of being new in the hobby. But you will discover there are many many methods out there for doing the same thing. Superior modeller's have used inferior techniques and have turned out superior results. Technique isn't artistic talent in modelling. "I hate to scratch the rail heads at all. Any microfine scrath will cause dirt and crud to accumulate, making the electrical connections iffy after some time. I am planning to paint all my track outside, before laying it. I will usea spray bomb 99 cent Walmart special can of brown paint. I don't care about getting it on the tops, as I will just wipe it away with lacquer thinner on a dampened rag. No scratches this way. As described before, it will let dirt accumulate faster than a smooth rail. Flitz metal polish works weel to polish the rails. DCC is especially fussy about dirty track. It may be anal, but if it works, the overkill is worth it!" [ 27. February 2003, 04:27: Message edited by: rsn48 ]
There have been several requests for David Barrow's designs of domino and the philosophy behind it. Here is a copy of a reply to me from David in the Layout design sig at Yahoo: "See my articles in MR Sep.-Dec. 96, MRP 96 and MRP 99 which also has two articles by Linda Sand. David Barrow" Ask at your local hobby shop if they have back copies of MR, many do. Try to get Linda Sand's articles as she has developed some dominoes for industries, so you pick and chose your industry, then set it up.
Back with some more progress. I laid some more trackbed and track..and started to work on an ATlas turntable..and have hit a snag. When I manually operate it, I have no problem. When I connect up the motorized part to turn in, it runs, the worm spins yet its not making contact with the turning device inside. Anyone have any experience with the Atlas turntable? I really do not want to leave it as a manual as it would make life like operation seem fake.
OK, kids...here's an update: My plan for the 6-week period was to complete 6 buildings for a city corner scene, at the rate of one building per week. It was a good plan. First in the lineup is the Bachmann Trade Tower building kit. I've got it painted and two halves complete (more on that later). I mocked up the lower portion of the building for a photo...I don't know how to make a link yet, so you'll have to cut and paste this URL: http://web.tampabay.rr.com/djobloni/tower-02-28.htm I was really pleased with the colors. I first sprayed each wall section with Floquil Foundation and after this coat dried for 24 hrs, I masked off the vertical detail. I then sprayed a light coat of rail brown (only a few passes with the airbrush) to darken the areas in between the vertical detail. As it turns out, I didn't have to spray an additional coat over the window frames...the windows were cast in a dark gray plastic so the brown looks like a darker shade on the window frames. I don't like the thick clear plastic provided with the kit for 'glass', so I ordered some .010 clear styrene. This accounts for my first delay and I expect to receive the plastic by midweek. I think I'll start construction on the next building, the Bachmann Ambassador Hotel. I picked up a nice Bar Mills 'St. George Hotel' sign at a recent train show, so I guess I have a name for the next building! Until next week... Bruce J.
Bruce, that's some very nice work on the trade tower! The colors look really appropriate for the style, and you've achieved a nice, subtle shading contrast. Dave - sorry, no experience with the Atlas turntable. I am taking a detour this week from the trackwork, to finish wiring my yard control panel. I would like to run trains on the existing trackwork, even before I finish the layout, but I can't until I rewire the yard. All my feeders are soldered solid core wire, laid as I go as I put down track. It was running on Atlas Selectors, but those things are ugly, bulky, and incompatible with a control panel setup. I have a Digitrax DCC system, but I am going to wire the layout for DC, and then superimpose DCC on top of the wiring. This will (1) Allow me to run now, when I only have 1 decoder-equipped locomotive, (2) Allow me to connect to Steve's layout in case I can't convince him to get into a DCC system, and (3) allow me to sell the layout at some point in the future as a ready-to-run DC setup, without giving up my DCC system. I got a really sweet deal on some micro rocker switches, and I've drawn a track diagram in a 3"x6" rectangle of masonite. I cut 1/2"x3/4" holes into the track diagram to house the micro switch for each track block, and painted the whole thing black. The board will be mounted into a 1.25" tall box made of basswood, stained to match my control shelf. Questions: What do people use to mark the tracks on their control panels? Chart tape? I'm looking for something that's white, and very thin (1/8"). Or, should I just mask and paint it? Since my longest run for feeder wires on my layout is only some 4 feet, can I get away with using doorbell wire for everything, or do I still need to run a heavier-gauge bus wire pair around the layout? Since I am using blocks everywhere, I would have to run the heavy gauge from every single control switch, then splice it to each feeder. Since each pair of wires is only going to one feeder at most 4' away, can I get away with the small wire with no significant voltage drop? Thanks guys, David [ 28. February 2003, 16:44: Message edited by: David Chong ]
Darth Dave, I'll see if I can get an answer for you. Bruce, That's the first I have see of that tower. I'm assuming it is in HO and not in N scale. Dave, I did a long post on how I have done this, and now I'm not sure I can find it.. So I will try and be brief. First I make a frame, much like a picture frame, but instead of glass, plastic is used instead. I do this at a friends home and for the mat that you see under the clear plastic, he uses a light grey plastic (not my colour of choice). So you've got the picture, a frame with clear plastic and a very light grey mat that you can see. Then I make a track plan on paper that I tape, etc until it matches the size of the frame. I draw my track plan on there until I am happy with it, usually it is the second copy I am happy with. I do this so I'm not mucking about on the grey plastic backing. Then I draw the plan in with pencil on the grey plastic. I don't curve the curves, but just have them at an angle, so everything is straight lines. Now I would go to a drafting shop (phone first) and I have used a thinner tape which is less than a quarter inch wide, in this case red (again not my colour of choice). The tape is cut and laid on the pencil marks - overlapping where there are angles. Next I locate the holes I am going to drill for my toggles. I drill the holes through everything - use a sharp bit or the top clear plastic will crack - voice of experience here. Install toggle switches. When you drill the holes, make sure you take into account the total size of the switch, the underside will be bigger and take up more room, so make sure you have proper spacing between switches. [ 28. February 2003, 16:45: Message edited by: rsn48 ]
Hey Rick, Thanks for the input. I've already got my physical work all done for the panel, I was just wondering about the tape. I went with the rocker switches instead of the pole toggles because I like the flush look. Poles are MUCH easier to install, because they only require a round hole. Rockers require a very specifically-sized rectangle cut. I used a drilled pilot hole followed by very deliberate jig saw work to cut the holes. Takes much more time, but again, I just like the look. Thanks! David "Just Don't Call Me Dave" Chong
Hello everyone. Rick I think this is what I need to get that "shot in the arm" to get some motovation to get working on the layout. I seem to get going on it for a while then somehow get stalled in a rut. This is where I am now, There is a number of things that I would like to get started and others to just keep moving on but am having some problems getting jump started. Again as I stated, think this is what I need. I will sit down and do up a realistic plan of attack and see what happens. It will have to be slotted into other factors that take priority over the hobby but I am sure I can find some time, no, sorry about that, it should read I WILL find some time. See the motovation is starting to work. Thanks Rick. Ron..
Wow, Abbotsford, on this forum we're like next door neighbours. I'm in North Vancouver, Deep Cove actually. Keep your plans simple. Problems have a nasty habit of sneeking in and adding time. Once you get one or two tasks done, you'll find you are motivated to do other stuff. Tell us about your layout - HO or N, size, etc, era.
Darthdave, I did hook up the motor unit to an Atlas turntable, and previewed it for my club. The gear that sits under the edge of the turntable, must be in the area between the pairs of plastic runners under the tracks. The other big flat gears must also be mounted in the bottom of the motor area. Then carefully sit the plastic motor plate into the place where you removed the manual plate. This will take some tinkering. It did for me. The first two times I assembled it, the gears were bound up. When I finally got it assembled properly, and hooked up to power, the thing made the godawfulest noise. No matter what I tried, the vibration noise was unbearable. We played with it for about a half hour. Our concensus was that the gears needed to be deburred, lubricated and possibly one of the plastic gears needed to be replaced with a metal one. Also when running, it stops at every one of the prepositioned access points for a couple of seconds. There is no way I can see that you can change that. I think we estimated that it would take over two minutes for it to make a 180 degree turn, which is a long time to hold the button down. All in all, I decided that it was just too much trouble to make it work properly. I decided it will be easier to scratch build one using a switchmaster motor, and a plate bridge. I will get the added benefit of a little bit bigger turntable. Let me know how you turn out. If your results are vastly different from mine, I may pull it back out and try again. Dave
Dave, Switchmaster motor? Could you elaborate? I am scratchbuilding a turntable on a plate bridge using a 1/4" stereo connecter as described in a backissue of MR. Interested in your turntable experience, please share. - David
Guys, the Atlas turntable works by means of a geneva mechanism, so there will be no way of preventing it from stopping at each stall track. The beauty od a geneva gear set, is the accuracy it provides in aligning the stall tracks every time! Mine is as noisey as yours, they all are. Atlas used plastic gears running on other plastic spur gears in a reduction gear train down to the geneva pawl wheel. The geneva pawl wheel, looks like a steam engine driver in a way. It has a crank pin, hub and the counter weight, but no spokes or tire at all. The table has a series of large scollops around the edge that are centered at each stall track location, 8 on the Atlas. In between these scollops, is a slot open to the outside. To start out, the counter weight on the pawl is sitting in one of the scollops. As the pawl rotates, the table can not move, untill the crank pin gets to the entrance of a slot. As the crank pin enters, the counter weicht clears the table, but the table still is trapped by the pin in its slot. As the pawl continues to rotate, the pin rides down the slot causing the table to slowly begin to rotate, gaining speed until the pin reaches the bottom of this slot and the table is at maximum rotational speed. Now as the pawl continues to rotate, the table begins to slow down as the pin rotaytes the table by sliding up toward the outer end of this slot. When the pin is about to come out of the slot, the counterweight is just starting into the next scollop, and the table is now precisely centered on the next stall track position. The pawl rotates at a steady rpm, but the table can only rotate while the pin is sliding in and out of the slots, so there is just no way the table will be able to rotate continuously. The motor does not have to stop very accurately, because the pin has more than 90 degrees to travel before it engages the next slot. It is a very old mechanism, but still used today on indexing tables and even chains for linear transfering positions on assembly lines. You would have to make helical gears to stop the noise, too expensive for a toy.
David, Switchmaster motors are made by a company named Hankscraft, and are available at shows and some hobby shops. Here is a link to a description of making a turntable with one. http://www.grovenor.dsl.pipex.com/tt-mech.htm I have seen a turntable made with one of these motors, and the slow (4rprm) speed allows you to align N scale tracks fairly easily without indexing. Ideally I would like to have a 2 rpm motor, but these have been around for a long time and work very well. I understand there is a train show at the Cow Palace this weekend. Maybe you could find one there. Dave [ 01. March 2003, 22:22: Message edited by: nycfan ]
Completed first week goal of getting all the junk off that had accumulated on top of the module. Discovered that a small amount of damage has occured to some track. Also found detail parts that I had lost track of. Now I can complete the power unit for my Aerotrain. It had items on top that I had forgotten that I purchased at all. Next goal, besides repairing track, is to start the wiring. I've been debating if I should wire for both DC and DCC, or just DCC. I think that I'll go for just the DCC. This seems to be the way the club is going and by the time I get the module done the club will probably be DCC anyway. I know that the home use of the module will be DCC only. I hope this is a good decision.
I also just cleaned up part of my layout... i wanted to ponder on how my tracks will go... the junk was in the way. anyone interested may see my my scenery progress in my topic in the inspection pit my only progress this week has been to cut some new foam for a hill on the edge of my layout, and to say "damn, i wish i had some turnouts!" i hope everyone is making some good progress
Week Two Progress. I did get the signal bridge completed, and physically installed on the layout. The task of wiring it all continues. This signal bridge guards a double track main line at a crossover. ...Block A .............. TO 1 ........... Block B ================ ============= .............................// ............................// ================ ============ ...Block C..................TO2............ Block D Using this crude sketch, a train approaching from the left, in Block C, would need the following information: Red signal if TurnOut 2 is straight and Block D occupied Red signal if TO2 is diverging and TO1 is set against the route Red signal is TO2 is diverging, TO1 is correct and Block B is occupied Yellow signal if TO2 is straight and Block beyond D is occupied Yellow signal if TO2 and TO1 are diverging and Block beyond B is occupied Green signal otherwise And that's just one of the four block signals. To make life interesting, the blocks beyoud B and D are also at a crossover. I'd estimate my wiring is about 1/3 completed. Goal for this week: Complete the wiring for the block signals.
Jackson - As information. In railroad signal design all crossover turnouts are wired to operate as one unit. One control operates both turnout machines. You are correct in checking the position of both turnouts before a signal can clear as is done in all signal systems.
Good catch there, Signalguy. Nice to know somebody understands what I tried to convey. When (If?) the Skunk Valley RailRoad gets them newfangled electric switch machines, I'll certainly set up the crossovers that way. In the meantime, turnouts are thrown manually using Caboose Industries ground throws. And Gary from the local club excels in running trains through turnouts against the points!
Hi Guys. My report for this week.. I completed installation of all basic benchwork, and ran power and control busses around the layout. My progress will now slow down a bit, because I have to think through how I want to cut and install the plywood subroadbed. I don’t want to just put down plywood over the entire benchwork surface. I plan to complete that with pink foam for scenery after track work is complete. So, its back to the CAD package for a while. I want to complete the plywood installation within the next two weeks. I’ve posted a few more pix of my layout progress. Shop Before. http://www.railimages.com/album/David%20Wetherbee/Shop_Before.jpg I took apart the shelving unit, but I still have to figure out where my workbench is going to go. Shop After. http://www.railimages.com/album/David%20Wetherbee/Shop_Benchwork.jpg NW Corner of the room. All of the boxes there contain parts of my N scale empire (100 engines, 900 cars). http://www.railimages.com/album/David%20Wetherbee/NW_Corner_Before.jpg NW Corner after. The rack sitting on top of the benchwork contains Peco Code 80 track for staging. http://www.railimages.com/album/David%20Wetherbee/NW_Corner_Benchwork.jpg When I was cutting and installing the benchwork, I cut notches in the top of the 1x4s for my wiring bus. This picture shows the detail. http://www.railimages.com/album/David%20Wetherbee/Wiring_Closeup.jpg Until next week. Dave
