L&N Cumberland Valley Division I purchased a new layout on the 'bay earlier this week,it is 32'' by 80'',(HCD size). I'm picking it up tommorrow,but I'll post a few photos that were shown with the auction: I've got plenty of L&N power to run(about 15 locomotives,probably 35-40 different freight cars that would fit in),I just have to check and make sure the power pack I have will be suitable for the layout,and I may need to do some track cleaning. The locomotives/freight cars in these first few pics belong to the original owner,they are not part of the auction.
Four more photos: I'll post more when I get the layout set up. Looking forward to being able to run trains, I think my main goal is collecting locomotives and rolling stock and having a place to run them. I might see about doing some weathering as well,most of my stuff is still clean.
I believe this layout was featured in the July/Aug '05 issue of N scale magazine,if any of you have it.
Not picking up the layout today after all. The truck that I was going to rent to pick up the layout had bald tires,my brother refused to drive it(he's got way more experience driving larger trucks than I do.).... I guess I will wait a few more days. My pickup truck is starting to have issues...if it weren't for bad luck,I'd have none at all.
Picked the layout up today,and got it home and up. Just haven't gotten trains running yet. I've been playing "Which wire is the right wire" game trying to figure out what to connect to the power pack. One is labeled "Track", another "DC", one "program" and another "fixed dc". I'm using DC,so "Program" is obviously out of the question(It's DCC)... I tried "Track",thinking that's what the guy told me to use(I had three hours of sleep this morning before picking it up thanks to work). No luck with that. I guess I may try the "DC" wires(kinda makes sense). Also got the toggles for the switches,everything is wired up internally,it's just hooking it up externally(power pack) that's confusing the hell out of me.
Just a guess here Hi, Just a guess here, but I think that "Track" and "Program" are for DCC and "DC" and "Fixed DC" are the ones you want to use. Post some (read many) photos of the layout. Gary
Hey, I saw that in an article in N-Scale magazine a few years ago and I loved it! Then again I love anything that's L&N/Family Lines/Seaboard System/Clinchfield! Looking forward to more pics! Mike
From the pictures it looks like a very well done layout. I'm looking forward to more pictures. Good luck with figuring out the wiring.
A few photos for now... I tried using the "DC" wire to see if anything would run,but no luck. I haven't tried Fixed DC yet. Honestly,I'm not sure if the "Track","Program" and "DC" wires are even connected to the layout,I'll have to take a photo to illustrate my point. I thought about trying the Fixed DC wire when I was over there this morning,but I'm understandably leery about hooking up various wires to the power pack.
Contacted the layout builder,who gave me a few instructions on what to try,but had no success. I sent him a photo of the wiring under the layout so he can give more accurate instructions... I also sliced my index finger on my right hand with a hobby knife trying to strip a wire. Smashed my ring finger in a door on the same hand about two months ago..not so sure I'm technically "right handed" anymore. Fun.
Did some more work with the wiring,hooking it up as suggested,and still no luck. I have no idea on what to try now.
That certainly is a looker of a layout, and running trains will provide you hours upon hours of watching and operating enjoyment. As far as wiring goes, good luck in the most sincerest fashion. My friend bought a beautiful HO layout built by SMARTT a local pro layout builder, through a model railroad club, and when we got it home, we discovered spaghetti between the blocks and the control panel. It took us weeks to get it resolved, and finally had to use a local electrical engineer to get the last kinks out, but the work was worth it. There is nothing more satisfying than a fully operational model railroad layout, which you have no problems running locos and rolling stock anywhere. It also looks like a good "train watcher" layout which is what I like to do most. Congratulations, and the point of my reply.......persistence, patience and hang in there...the bottom line is achievable and very rewarding. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
I have a couple of suggestions: 1. See if you can examine the track closely enough to figure out if the track sections are electrically isolated from each other. It would be worthwile to hand-sketch the layout on a fairly large piece of paper, marking isolated sections as you go. 2. Try to determine where, if any, track feeder wires drop down from track level to underneath the layout. This may entail a good bit of tracing. It also may entail removing some scenery. However, I think you are headed in that direction anyway, based on your problems so far. 3. Instead of attaching power wires to the "suspect" wires located under the layout, try attaching test leads from your power pack, directly to the rails in one area of the layout. Then clip a multimeter, set to a low range of DC Volts, across the suspect wires, working your way through each one. For instance, pick two rails in a convenient spot, and then clip a meter across "DC" and "Program." If nothing, keep one leg of the meter clipped to "DC" and work your way through the other wires. Unfortunately you probably have considerable wire-tracing in front of you, as well as the potential need to remove scenery. Scenery is repairable, so don't feel too bad about sacrificing some of it to get a running layout. A last alternative is simply cut all the under-layout wires, remove them, and drop your own feeders to brand new wiring. Good luck and I hope this works out well for you.
