Well, last winter I finally decided to start building instead of armchair engineering and quickly had a little over 100 feet of my mainline track laid. This was to be about 30% of the mainline track on my three level monster. Since it had been years since I laid track I had some problems but got the first level main and aux tracks laid and running. I would experience the occasional derailment but though frustrated I was dealing with it since it was Spring by then and a boys mind wanders to the outdoors. Well Summer hit and Kato provided me with a HUGE kick in my ego...three CR SD80MACs. Though my mainline has a ruling curve of 18"r they hopped of the track every chance they got and became a good reason to revert back to my warm weather pursuits of mountain biking and rock climbing. The rain (here) over the holiday weekend coupled with my coming week of vacation (also appearing to be in rain) and the late night review of two of Allen Kellers videos (#9 Rick Rideout & #10 The Reid Bros.) got me back in the "mood" so starting this AM I hit the train room. Rail snips, track gauge, solder and iron in hand I chopped, soldered and gauged for 7 hours and finally felt I had the trouble spots solved. At 2:30 I deboxed a set of SD40-2s and set them out with a 15 car merchandise train after a couple of slow and fast "laps" (I have the end of the main with a temporary loop so I can run trains while I work) all seemed well, so out came the trio of SD80s and 30 bath tub gons....after almost three hours there had not been a hitch (knock on a big ole tree). Hopefully my deamon has been excised and I won't have that feeling (soon) entering the train room. But my luck EMD or GE will release a 7000hp monster with 100ft wheelbase and 50" wheels and Kato will follow suit, I imagine this would find more than a handful of problems in my trackwork! I guess it is time now to tear it all out and replace it with the new Atlas code 55....I don't think so! The one thing I do question is my decision to lay so much track (remember the main line will be ~350ft) as a lone wolf considering the upkeep. Even though I am still determined to do it I have simplified my second and third level track plans and reduced the number of turnouts. I will endeavor to get the track in RIGHT the first time and avoid the mistakes of the past. I will shut up now and return to the train room hopefully to find a still running and complete coal unit train! Thanks for letting me share as noone in my household would appreciate this particular train success. Vandy
Congrats! I got the trackwork all laid on my N scale O&NE (but then again, it fits on a 30"x78"hollow core door with a 2"foam overlay, so.... ). I'm runing 12" radii on my layout, which os OK since I'm running a branchline/shortline type of railroad. So, to heck with the scenery for a while- let 'em roll! Keep us posted.....
Vandy, A greatpost, sounds like you are back in the saddle and into it. I am about to go down the road again and enjoyed your post. Did you use tracksetting tools when laying your track? Do you use a straight edge or work from lines pre drawn. P.S. I am still waiting for my friend in Tennesse to send the Soo Caboose across, It should be here by the end of the month.
Hopefully my deamon has been excised and I won't have that feeling (soon) entering the train room. It is my experience that after one demon has been excised, another is waiting in the closet to come out when you have gone....lol. I noticed you say you will be operating as a lone wolf. Unless you live in a very remote area, it is my experience that over time you meet people who would love to help build and run on your layout. I hope you get so lucky as I have found some of these people have become good life friends. 350 feet of mainline and if I am not mistaken you are in N scale as I am. You will have lots of time to sip the sherry while the trains run. I know the feeling as work gets put off on the layout, and the feeling of accomplishment when activity has over come sloth.. Good luck on your layout.
Great story Vandy, I think we all have suffered similar experiences that make us leave the layout for a while then something suddenly turns you back into a modelling demon . Just one point and that is your track work may not have completely been your problem, several people have had similar problems with their SD90/80's including me. It turned out to be the wheels on the locomotives were slightly wide to gauge. Anyway glad you are enjoying your hobby once again.
I agree with Paul. I have a 3 ft by 5 ft layout with a few turnouts upon which several engines consistenly derailed. I focused almost exclusively on checking the track, when it finally dawned on me the wheel gauge of the locos in question was off! Doug Murphy
Sounds good, I wish I could find the time to do my branch line MEC layout. Last fall I bought the ultimate model railroad accesory, a house with a finished basement That was the plus that sold the house, as I am no "Bob Vella" as my wife will tell you. I would like to start my BNSF layout which will depict Mendota to Galesburg IL. Unfortunately I may be "lone wolf" too, as since moving here last year, I lost my local NTrak club I'm tempted to start one for this area, but working in the hobby world sometimes makes me just want to come home and work on anything but models.
Vandy, Glad to hear you're up and running, of sorts. Like you, I was away from the hobby for along time and have recently setup and finally laid my track. I've learned something the hardway. Take it slowly and carefully, doublechecking everything as you go along. Don't wait until the end. For my track checking, I used some of the worst-running equipment I have. I figured that if this stuff could make it around, the better (and much newer) equipment would run flawlessly. Doug is right. I have an old Bachmann engine (why does their stuff run so lousy) that kept derailing when it would hit the points on my turnouts. It turned out, after replacing turnouts, re-nailing and shimming track to no avail, that the front truck on the engine wasn't swiveling all the way! Best of luck, John
Yay! Good Work! The value of a Wheel/Track gauge. I'm learning a lot getting my nieces oval layout with one turnout to be reliable. As we find derailments, the gauge comes out. Byron
Vandy, good to hear of your progress, but that is an awful lot of track for a 'lone wolf' layout! You say that you want to get the track right first time, so none needs altering later, but this has never happened to me There is always some part the makes you want to change it Keep us informed of progress.
