N Scale Model Railroad Build
- Thread starter pmmjarrett
- Start date
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
Thanks Dewey, All the best to you and your's over the holidays and for years to come.
OK everyone,
Now that Mama ain't talking to ya cause ya decorated her expensive hardwood or laminate living room floor with styrofoam and firewood it's time to get her talking to you again.
Assemble and solder the track on her marble tile countertop. I garaunteeeeeeee she'll say something. This step took me a bit longer than it would with new track because I had to desolder and clean up most of the old track I used.
Now pick up the mess in the living room and slide the track onto the foam. Pin it loosly in place, mark it and elevate it about an inch.
Make sure you mark where the points (moving parts) of the turn out are. You DON'T want glue here.
Spread a thin bead of the construction adhesive where you marked the track and press and pin it into place. Time now for some more groceries. Once dry all you have to do is wire it up and run trains. You can paint and add scenery as budget and time allows.
OK everyone,
Now that Mama ain't talking to ya cause ya decorated her expensive hardwood or laminate living room floor with styrofoam and firewood it's time to get her talking to you again.
Assemble and solder the track on her marble tile countertop. I garaunteeeeeeee she'll say something. This step took me a bit longer than it would with new track because I had to desolder and clean up most of the old track I used.
Now pick up the mess in the living room and slide the track onto the foam. Pin it loosly in place, mark it and elevate it about an inch.
Make sure you mark where the points (moving parts) of the turn out are. You DON'T want glue here.
Spread a thin bead of the construction adhesive where you marked the track and press and pin it into place. Time now for some more groceries. Once dry all you have to do is wire it up and run trains. You can paint and add scenery as budget and time allows.
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
Now you can put a little paint on it to cover up the blue foam and it's ready for grass or whatever.
Punch a hole on each side of the tracks at a rail joiner and route the wiring.
Tin the wires and solder them to the rail joiners and tuck them in flush. A littl ebit of paint and some ballast will hide them. Now your ready to clean the track, hook up the power pack and run trains.
Here she is. The Bachmann Spectrum N scale C&O H4 2-6-6-2. Pretty smooth runner, I definatly want to put some bullfrog snot on the drivers. Been running for over an hour now and is getting smoother and quieter as it breaks in. Wish they had a Microtrains coupler on the front instead of the small dummy coupler. Would be nice to double head these on a long coal drag without hacking an M/T coupler on them.
Here are the Athearn BNSF SD75s pulling the track cleaning car as well as a few other cars. They run well but don't really like the 11" radius curves much.
Punch a hole on each side of the tracks at a rail joiner and route the wiring.
Tin the wires and solder them to the rail joiners and tuck them in flush. A littl ebit of paint and some ballast will hide them. Now your ready to clean the track, hook up the power pack and run trains.
Here she is. The Bachmann Spectrum N scale C&O H4 2-6-6-2. Pretty smooth runner, I definatly want to put some bullfrog snot on the drivers. Been running for over an hour now and is getting smoother and quieter as it breaks in. Wish they had a Microtrains coupler on the front instead of the small dummy coupler. Would be nice to double head these on a long coal drag without hacking an M/T coupler on them.
Here are the Athearn BNSF SD75s pulling the track cleaning car as well as a few other cars. They run well but don't really like the 11" radius curves much.
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
Good news
Finally found a section of Micro Engineering #11-112 code 55 bridge flex track at Mainline Hobby Supply in Blue Ridge Summit, PA. They showed it in stock so I called before submiting an order online. She found it and said she only had one, I told her to keep it out because I was punching the last button to order it. Hope to see it soon.
Waiting on 2 Atlas 2051 #5 code 55 right turnouts I ordered that will complete the track I need and I'm waiting for some cut stone bridge abutments and retaining walls I ordered so I can finish up the foam and plaster cloth work at the bridge locations without having to cut into the plaster cloth to correct it when I install the bridges.
Need to get my hind parts out of the recliner and away from blasting Zombies on the Xbox and get as much done on the big layout as I can while waiting for this stuff to arrive.
Finally found a section of Micro Engineering #11-112 code 55 bridge flex track at Mainline Hobby Supply in Blue Ridge Summit, PA. They showed it in stock so I called before submiting an order online. She found it and said she only had one, I told her to keep it out because I was punching the last button to order it. Hope to see it soon.
Waiting on 2 Atlas 2051 #5 code 55 right turnouts I ordered that will complete the track I need and I'm waiting for some cut stone bridge abutments and retaining walls I ordered so I can finish up the foam and plaster cloth work at the bridge locations without having to cut into the plaster cloth to correct it when I install the bridges.
Need to get my hind parts out of the recliner and away from blasting Zombies on the Xbox and get as much done on the big layout as I can while waiting for this stuff to arrive.
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
Well I managed to pry my 4th point of contact out of the recliner today and get something done.
The plaster cloth is done as far as possible until I get 2 more rolls of plaster cloth and the bridge abutments come in so I can trim the foam risers a for a good fit. While I wait I can smooth a few areas, paint some of the layout with earth undercoat and lay some more of the track.
I really need to get my good camera out.
You can see the area for the waterfall take shape in the background.
Area where town will go.
Part of the river bed.
2 plate girder bridges will be crossing the river here.
A plate girder over the river and a through truss over some trackage cross here.
The plaster cloth is done as far as possible until I get 2 more rolls of plaster cloth and the bridge abutments come in so I can trim the foam risers a for a good fit. While I wait I can smooth a few areas, paint some of the layout with earth undercoat and lay some more of the track.
I really need to get my good camera out.
You can see the area for the waterfall take shape in the background.
Area where town will go.
Part of the river bed.
2 plate girder bridges will be crossing the river here.
A plate girder over the river and a through truss over some trackage cross here.
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
I found my old Olympus C765 Ultra zoom digital cam and charger. Need to get a couple new batteries at Radio Shack for it though. Here's a few better pics.
Dug a few rocks off an old module. Might go ahead and install and color a few rocks and a couple tunnel portals tomorrow.
Dug a few rocks off an old module. Might go ahead and install and color a few rocks and a couple tunnel portals tomorrow.
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
The old camera takes a lot better pics than my Blackberry, especially close up detail pics.
The End
The End
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pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
LOL, Yea it is.
Actually been thinking about body mounting a few cars with some Micro-Trains assembled 905 body mount Z scale couplers to test them. I ain't even going to try and assemble the 903 Z couplers. Was barely able to assemble 1015 N scale couplers years ago.
And to think Rapido couplers, way too high ride height and wide out of gauge pizza cutter wheels used to be the standard. The side by side comparison is sickening.
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
So much for painting a bit while I wait. The 2 code 55 right hand turnouts, bridge abutments, retaining walls and Micro Engineering bridge flex track all came in today so I'm all over the place test fitting, experimenting and trimming today.
Remember the paper track template I said to save? Time to get it out one last time.
Lay it out and pin it down.
Trim it and mark the center line of the track a section at a time. Remember to mark the location of the turnouts as you go.
Set the turnouts in place and mark the locations of the throw bars and ground throws. The extra holes in the throw bar are an experiment to change the location of the Caboose Industries ground throws for clearance reasons. I experimented on a Left turnout which is easy to get and not the right turnouts that are back ordered everywhere. Hole drilled with a pin vise, be careful to keep it centered or you'll ruin the throw bar.
Also had to modify the ground throw connector to use the inside pin to bring them even closer to the turnout.
Nice and close to the turnout. No clearance issues for my layout.
It ain't in the ditch anymore either.
Unmodified throw in standard location vs modified throw in approximate location.
Remember the paper track template I said to save? Time to get it out one last time.
Lay it out and pin it down.
Trim it and mark the center line of the track a section at a time. Remember to mark the location of the turnouts as you go.
Set the turnouts in place and mark the locations of the throw bars and ground throws. The extra holes in the throw bar are an experiment to change the location of the Caboose Industries ground throws for clearance reasons. I experimented on a Left turnout which is easy to get and not the right turnouts that are back ordered everywhere. Hole drilled with a pin vise, be careful to keep it centered or you'll ruin the throw bar.
Also had to modify the ground throw connector to use the inside pin to bring them even closer to the turnout.
Nice and close to the turnout. No clearance issues for my layout.
It ain't in the ditch anymore either.
Unmodified throw in standard location vs modified throw in approximate location.
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
Playing with the bridge abutments and retaining walls a bit too.
All 8 bridge abutments survived but the US postal service gorilla managed to break 12 of the 18 sections of retaining wall which were individually wrapped in foam sheet, packaged together in bundles of 6 and packed neatly in a nice sturdy box filled with shredded paper, like a moonshiner would pack mason jars in sawdust. At least they all have one clean break and can be nicely glued back together.
Heavy modifications to fit the abutments for the bridges at the back of the layout. I can finish the plaster cloth in this area now.
All 8 bridge abutments survived but the US postal service gorilla managed to break 12 of the 18 sections of retaining wall which were individually wrapped in foam sheet, packaged together in bundles of 6 and packed neatly in a nice sturdy box filled with shredded paper, like a moonshiner would pack mason jars in sawdust. At least they all have one clean break and can be nicely glued back together.
Heavy modifications to fit the abutments for the bridges at the back of the layout. I can finish the plaster cloth in this area now.
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
Not a whole lot done today. Decided to do some minor surgery to an area that I really wasn't liking the look of, so the retaining walls and rock faces look better on the front portion of the layout. I want to have 2 rows of retaining wall stepped from the lower level to the upper level.
I hacked out a portion of the plaster cloth, removed some paper wads and put in a piece of 1/2" foam sheet that I had been using for a cutting board for the plaster cloth which is why it looks so cut and beat up. The Tunnel portals, retaining walls and rocks fit much better now.
Need to put a little plaster cloth over it to finish it up.
And for anyone brave enough to venture into my mind...... Here's what I'm thinking.
.................................................
......................................
I hacked out a portion of the plaster cloth, removed some paper wads and put in a piece of 1/2" foam sheet that I had been using for a cutting board for the plaster cloth which is why it looks so cut and beat up. The Tunnel portals, retaining walls and rocks fit much better now.
Need to put a little plaster cloth over it to finish it up.
And for anyone brave enough to venture into my mind...... Here's what I'm thinking.
.................................................
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
Thank you.
I was a little bored after killing Zombies for a bit so I went ahead and put a little plaster cloth on it. Now it's ready to install the portals, retaining walls and rocks when the cloth dries. I like this much better.
I was a little bored after killing Zombies for a bit so I went ahead and put a little plaster cloth on it. Now it's ready to install the portals, retaining walls and rocks when the cloth dries. I like this much better.
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
pmmjarrett
Not just tired..... RETIRED!!!
Installed most of the foam track roadbed today. I still have a couple small spots I need to finish up laying down plaster cloth. Getting real close to laying track. We won't be looking at the Snowy White Plaster Mountains much longer.
