Well, I hooked up temporary witing to my new 'Post War' style layout tonite.
1 HOT connection for the whole layout and
2 Common - 1 each inside an outside loops
My MTH Railking 2-8-0 went around and onto each crossing and siding without a problem in Conventional and then on DCS.
Until I wire all the switches at the 14 volt fixed setting, I won't be running DCS. The Z1000 brick puts out 19 or 20 Volts. Too much for the switch bulbs.
Well, it's a start. First train running in over 4 1/2 months.
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Congratulations, Larry!
it is looking very good!
The old school track turned out looking very nice!
Good to hear that you are running again. One wire confirms good track work.
Larry, GOOD FOR YOU!!!
Nice to see the PRR rolling in Calgary.
Hi Larry • Very cool.......
Hi guys. Thanks for all the good words.
I still want to install a few track pins in the curved Snap Track Sections to ensure great power. Also, I'm going to put in a few track screws to keep the curves from coming apart. Right now the track is just sitting loose on the indoor/outdoor carpet directly on the 1/2" plywood. The engine and tender going along are not noisy at all.
I guess I'll have to set the Whistles LOUD if I want to annoy my neighbors in the apartment building.
Looks good Larry!
Larry:
Perhaps this will help you out.
The Z-1000 brick has a 14VAC aux output (screw terminals) on one side.
I use that to power my Realtrax switches and they work great.
The fun's just beginning Larry!
Glad to see you're putting the Z-1000 to good use! Keep up the good work!
I wish to thank all who have helped me so far in designing this layout and who supplied me with NO CHARGE items or sold me items at a discount. You all know who you are.
Looks good. Very interesting track plan too -- plenty of action.
Just a note for all that helped me so far. I ran into some problems with this double reverse loop layout. My 2 Railking 2-8-0's wont go thru some of the 0-22s. (Newer versions) and the 90 degree crossing is causing some running problems also. The engines really bounce around on it.
SO, I've been changing the layout around to 2 ovals, no 90 degree crossing, no reversing loops 3 less switches (11 from 14) and more siding tracks. I'll post some pics on the weekend.
Excellent!
Peter
Congrats on the first run. It is always satisfying after the effort to build a layout to actually see something running on it. Good job! Russ
Were the problematic switches and 90 xover in 027 rail with the lower height?
Larry,
Glad to hear you are making head way with everything on the layout, if you want to
lower the power draw on your layout use LED's in your switches and switch controller. Cuts your power draw way down. I used them for years in mine.
PCRR/Dave
Looking forward to the pictures, Larry. Glad to know you will have reliable operation when the layout is reconfigured. And the current configuration isn't written in concrete; so, perhaps you'll add a reversing loop or other features in the future--a layout is never "done."
Moonman (Carl) The problems were the current 022switches in "O" #6-14062/63
Mth 2-8-0's in RAILKING had the pilot wheels pushed up and over as the engine exited the switch from the curved side to the straight track. The older 5132/33 work SOMETIMES and the really older 022's work O K . None of these are as smooth as a K-line , NOW RMT 0-31. But the price of RMT's now at 69.95 US works out to about
$ 130.00 EACH laid down here in Canada, with terrible rate of exchange now. I bought quite a few Lionel 022's from the auction place for about $65.00 each laid down cost. And, I already had a box of the older K line Shadow and Snap Rail track and 2 0-31 switches. So I am working on a 2 oval layout with 7 sidings and room for the Lionel coal ramp and load, milk car, etc. The double reversing layout by Serenska with a 90 degree crossing just allowed for too much bouncing around with the engine and a couple of cars. The new layout I'm doing has an outer 0-42 oval with 3 sidings. The inner 0-31 oval has 4 sidings and both ovals are connected at the front of the layout. The new layout will use 11 or 13 switches instead of 14. Pictures are here now.
In picture 4, I may take out the switch that makes the yard lead track into a reverse loop. I can then place a curve and eliminate the switch for the siding
That gives me 2 switches for backup if any problem occur.
And it still leaves me 1 pair of 022's and the one new 022 # 6-14063 that I can sell.
This layout uses my 2 0-31 L kine Snap track switches along the front edge where there was no room for the Lionel switch machines.
And this configuration take away the "S" curves created when using 0-31 switches to transfer from outer to inner loop. Foe me, I ythink this will keep me going for a few months. So I am going to start wiring up the switches and get some accessories on the table. I will also screw the tracks down in the curves and near the switches. After all, I am on 1/2" plywood and a thin indoor/outdoor carpet so my # 4 x 3/4" pan head screws work fine.
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