Hi guys, thank you for these friendly words. I did some progress last days. After sealing of switches I applied plates of cork (3 mm thick) in areas where ground level between tracks should be lifted a little bit, for instance freighthouse and team track. I make it by use of a master made from parchment paper. So I think, I will not need so much ballast and glue. Steffen
Meantime I slightly modified the Simple Switchlist System of Rocket Jones. Currently I work with this version: At begin of a session I determine, which cars shown on switchlist are to be delivered by freight train. I make a "X" at matching table row in field named "Cars from Interchange". Each table column stands for one session. All "X" of one column are the minimum number of cars of my freight to run from hidden track to interchange, maybe plus some other cars for remote destinations. Then I switch all cars according to list. Cars without destination on my industrial tracks go back to interchange for take up by freight train enroute to hidden track. Upps, there is still another possibility for car movements: from freight to freight via interchange. Hm... I have probably to extend this game...much fun... Steffen
Hi all, after a long break I could do some progress yesterday. After adding an additional hidden track for a 2nd mainline train I protected the switches, airbrushed tracks with rust paint und began ballasting of tracks, following instructions from Curn (Thank you very much!). I really hope, that there is no glue under my switches.... On the mainline I tried to apply more ballast in middle of track, see picture "Vorlage Oberbau". In z-scale it is not so easy, but I am lucky with this first attempt. After adding ballast to sides of road bed I will airbrush from top with negro black to simulate cinders and ash. By the way: I am still looking for an easy way to ballasting the side of road bed. I tried to apply glue by using a syringe and than cover the area with some ballast, but the most went down to ground. Any ideas? Best regards, Steffen
On picture 03_ you have a 'reversing' loop (track that goes from one side to the other). You will need to isolate both rails at each end, in order to prevent shorts and reverse the polarity. This is a pain in to do for DC. For DCC, you can use a DCC Specialties PSX-AR to do this.
Hi Jeff, because of this reversing loop rails are isolated near 2 switches of mainline and I installed a Rokuhan reverse switch to control these contacts. It is easy to do and works quite good.
Steffen, in my opinion your ballasting work looks good. Even on the sides of roadbed. There's maybe even too much ballast on these, that will be easy to remove with a hobby knife. BTW, which brand of glue did you use? The trick I learnt for track ballasting is using a 50/50 mix of water/white glue (+ a few drops of alcohol or dish-washing liquid for capillarity) for the inside of rails, and a 100% white glue depot for the outside. Dom
You've been busy since the last time I checked in. I'm impressed. Whether you meant to or not you have a polarity problem. A reverse loop or wye situation. Simple resolution if you are using DCC to power your layout. See: http://www.barstowrick.com/category/wiring-reverse-loops-wyes/ Oops, I didn't see page 2. You've already solved your problem. Well done. Have fun!
With power routing you have to set up blocks for power distribution to get it to operate correctly, In your design with power feed where it is located currently you have power fed to front of both turnouts so with the turnout set for divergent track power is being routed to the hidden track but there is no isolation between the two frogs. if you move your feed point to the area of the cross over one track back from where it is now, I think you would find the turnouts will operate more to your expectations. I would also put an insulator in the track passing below the grain elevator , and a second fee point in loop coming around to your the section you want isolated. then another feed point by the bridge on right hand loop coming towards hidden track and then insulators in the middle of the two through tracks in the yard that do not lead to the grain elevator. any time you have two turnouts facing each other. you have to consider where the track feed is and what additional feeds may be present and insulate them.
Hi Guys, believe it or not, I have no electrical problems There are two outputs on Rokuhan reverse switch, which serve 2 Feedpoints, see picture. Therefore by turning the reverse switch I can connect my switching area via upper or lower isolated point with the mainline. It is really simple and works absolutly fine for several months now. This test phase of configuration was important to rectify different smaller errors made while tracklaying and is why I start only now with track ballasting and landscape. @Dom: Well, ballast on center of track is a little bit too high due to roughness of material, but maybe I can flatten surface. I used for both inside and outside the mixture you described, thought that undiluted white glue would be too thick and has no capillar effect. But I will take the 100% white glue for a next attempt on outside and will see.
There is a "Y" connector for power feed to connect two into one at controller and you can use more than one so many feed points can be accommodated in that manner but good to see revised electrical and great you that you have it working for your enjoyment. I like your novel use of reverse controller as a block controller.
Yesterday my MOW-gang could finish ballasting of first inches of track - it seems that it could be a real model railway! Ultimately it was rather simple to make the outsides of track bed. Just pour the needed amount of ballast, soak it very very carefully with diluted glue and tap the ballast with a finger if needed. Let it dry. The two involved switches are still working - puhhh - I am very happy and looking forward to continue this work .
Looks *really* good ! You don't need to take all the time to press it down, and it will start sticking to your fingers. If you spread it properly first, it will be flat. Then, just 'mist' with Wet Water (1 L + 1,2 or 3 drops of dish soap). This 'holds' the ballast in place and the soap provides a 'surfactant' that lets the glue freely flow. Put a drop or two of soap in the glue too. Then put the glue on. It will look like spilled milk but, in the morning, it will be perfect. Use a wide, light-weight brush like this, to flatten. Hold it at the very end (farthest from the 'fan') and just pull it over the surface. Voilà ! Any extra ballast against the rails or such, use the thin edge of the brush to spread them away. Search 'flat fan makeup brush'. Available *everywhere*. $2 and up.
Oh no Jeff, I do not press it down, sorry, if I didn't translate correctly from german I made it just the way you described, but had sometimes small humps which I flattened by fingers...
Here come some picture I never wanted to make Yesterday I found a switch working incorrectly. Sealing of underside to keep off glue was ok. But there was a small amount of glue and waste under the bar connected to point rails in that small channel (see red arrow). At the end I dismantled it and ordered a new one. I think this is a more sensitive item then to avoid glue flowing under the switch. Be very carefully....
We recently built a few modules with the MTL turnouts. Even though we were very careful of this, even pre-sealing, it dis creep into a few but we were luck to easily free them up. What caught us was painting the rails: the paint wicked down into the contacts below the rail and, apparently when the paint dried, it separated the contacts! Solvent recovered the contacts. For the turnouts, no matter if hand-laid or commercial, I usually user a smaller amount of glue, farther away, and watch it seep towards the ballast at the turnout. Then add more glue, if needed.
After I finished ballasting work, I installed the new switch today. Then I wanted to know if switches are working correctly not only mechanical, but also in the electrical way. At the end I cleaned all the tracks, put some cars and a nice F3 on tracks and - trains are running again! So I am looking forward to join an exhibition late October. You might find no essential progress on pictures attached, but I am very happy to see something clattering over my tracks. Next steps are paint and ballast for the new switch and an airbrush layer of negro black from top to simulate cinders and ash. Perhaps I have still time to begin landscape before that event.
Hi Robert, thank you. Today I can show the first attempt to get the final look something like this: I made it on a switch by use of brush, vallejo negro black and black powder paint. A lot to do on details, but I am satisfied for the moment. What's your impression?
Hi, made a little progress beside my heavy repair on AZL-Mikado documented here. Ballasting and painting tracks is finished now, but would set some nuances by use of weathering powder later. Now it is time for scenery. Added foam for hill construction. Thought, it would be nice to have a piece of water, so in the right corner you can see what will be "Kiowa Creek" in some weeks or so... Steffen
