Hello To All

Long time lurker, so decided to join up and learn. I've been impressed with the kindness and helpfulness of this forum's members. My Delaware, Susquehanna & Northern Railroad N Scale layout is nearing 30 Years Old and I've recently cleaned the track and am troubleshooting some failed wiring to get it running well. It's all analog control of course, with obsolete Shinohara track and Rix Rax switch machines. Someday I hope to build a completely new road, but for the time being, the current layout must soldier on. Here's my coal breaker, painted and weathered by a late friend. Thanks everyone!

 

Welcome aboard, Hardcoaler (anthracite?). I am sure that the N scale forum members will supply you with whatever you seek.

 

Thanks for the welcome guys! My scenery indeed needs some improvement and that billboard does need attention.

Here are some pictures if I can figure it out.

Before and after shots -- I rebuilt a spur with a poorly placed switch that caused derailments. Big improvement.





"Muleshoe Curve", a la not PRR:



Yard office I built up from spare parts:

 

Hi HC, Welcome aboard, sorry I missed your earlier post. I like your modeling, nice overall feel. I especially like how you replaced the "poorly placed switch". I never thought to have a temporary Work In Progress scene, great imagination.

 

Thanks again everyone. The next thing I need to figure through is why my switches sometimes momentarily won't throw. They'll all quit for several seconds or even minutes at a time. I hooked a voltmeter to the output of my Capacitive Discharge unit and I can see the output voltage inexplicably die and then restore itself.

There is no short in the wiring, so I'm guessing that after 30 Years, a component in the CD unit is failing. Hopefully CD Units are still made. I bought mine at a train show and there's no manufacturer's name on the circuit board. I guess I could also build one myself.

 

Try Google for "CD Switch Machine", might bring some hits....?

 

AhHA! Sure enough, Miniatronics offers one (Model PDC-1) and Circuitron makes The Snapper (Model TC-1). I'm happy to see that CD units are still offered. If my problem persists, I now have a solution.