@gunrunnerjohn posted:I need to get more rolling stock out for good videos, I want my trains to be running revenue service.
John, Another Rabbit Hole that I need to discover? (note to self, video the engine AND a consist that makes money$$$) I have SO much to learn 
Well, it has to be hauling something to make money, right? 
GRJ: You've mentioned using the WAGO clone connectors for your power drops. Did you attempt to fasten them to the underside of the layout or are they just held up by the tension in the wires? Tape, glue, tacks, staples?
I used a cable stapler to secure the wires close to the connectors to keep them close to the deck.
All,
I am reserving onto myself, the right to be the first person to run trains on GRJ's new layout, other than him.
John, there's a free lunch in it for you if you make it happen!
Erol
@gunrunnerjohn posted:I used a cable stapler to secure the wires close to the connectors to keep them close to the deck.
I use the old school manual staple gun 5/8" staples... I damage the cable less with it than my cable stapler and they are much easier to pull when I need to rearrange things... which I have to do more frequently than I like.
Still working on the finer points of the switches. I got the relays to power the dead rails working, but I find out that some of the small motorized units still have an issue. Turns out I'll probably have to add yet another set of relays to the double-slip switches to add ground to the rails that are not powered, stuff like the MTH 44-Ton locomotive loses contact with the wheels and not the pickup rollers! I also have several locomotives that will short out going through some of the Ross switches, the inside of the wheels touch the center rail where it bends in for the curves, that will have to be trimmed.
John:
Do the rollers run over the "non-powered rails"? If not maybe a wire underneath the double slips from a grounded rail???
Correct, the DZ-1008 relay just alternately powers one set of the rails, the other set floats, those are the ones the wheels are on for that path. Problem is, small powered units have as much problem with power to the wheels as to the rollers, so they just die on the DSS or long curved switches for a different reason, but they're still dead on the switch!
I'm working on a project right now to fix that. I'm making a module to replace the DZ-1008 relay that has two sets of contacts, that will allow me to not only power the proper rails but to put ground on the opposite ones that are now left floating. My module will also allow a wider range of power, have opto isolation, and DCS signal protection.
@Joe Fauty posted:Do the rollers run over the "non-powered rails"? If not maybe a wire underneath the double slips from a grounded rail???
You can't just ground those rails as for a different path they're switched to center track power. They have to be switched from ground to center roller, that requires a second set of relay contacts.
Just a quick snapshot, all the tracks are running, all the power is flowing, all the switches are working with command control, and the turntable is fully functional. It's a good day to be running a railroad! Just running around now and doing stuff like polishing switch points to make smoother transitions, some of the switches still have rough edges on the points that snag wheels.
I drove past your place today on the way home from Douglasville. Thought about stopping in to check it out, but didn't want to show up unannounced.
Give me a toot on my cell next time if you're close. Bring a train, we have track!
Fire extinguisher? this is a smart idea I would not have thought about until it was too late 🔥
Layout is looking great!
@TheRambles posted:Fire extinguisher? this is a smart idea I would not have thought about until it was too late 🔥
Layout is looking great!
Yep, there's a bigger one in the back room, but I thought one in the workshop end would be a good idea.
That track work is perfection! Looking great @gunrunnerjohn
John,
It must be nice to be running trains with active switches. I started laying GG track a few weekends ago and it's been a slow, learning process cutting and bending and mating track with switches. My curves are tighter at 0-42 and that's a challenge. I've got it figured out I think, but I am using your layout progress as the carrot to where I am heading. I am enjoying your progress reports.
Mike
@Chris1985 posted:That track work is perfection! Looking great @gunrunnerjohn
Thanks, but up close it may not be quite so "perfect". Why do you think I take shots back from the layout. I actually took my Dremel with a Cratex wheel and polished the joints, that actually does some real good. Even though you dress them up with a file before assembling, they still have rough edges. I'm trying to clean them all up to minimize the clicks going over the joints. I also had a few gaps that were wider than I liked, so I cheated and filled those with solder and smoothed them all down with the Cratex wheel. I'm sure the track laying purist's are turning in their graves! 
I have an excuse, this was my first big project with Gargraves Flex track, and I had to climb the learning curve. If I ever did another one, I know there's a lot of stuff I now know and would do a bit different. I learned a lot about Gargraves Flex in this experiment, that's for sure, maybe it'll come in handy.
@IRON HORSE posted:It must be nice to be running trains with active switches. I started laying GG track a few weekends ago and it's been a slow, learning process cutting and bending and mating track with switches. My curves are tighter at 0-42 and that's a challenge. I've got it figured out I think, but I am using your layout progress as the carrot to where I am heading. I am enjoying your progress reports.
Getting all the switches operating was top of the list once the track was laid. I'm setting up routes in my Legacy system to do various tasks and set all the switches. #1 route was return all the switches to nominal for mainline running! I can pull out on the main, and then just fire that route and all the switches are aligned correctly and I'm good to go! 
Having the turntable all command controlled is the cherry, it's so cool to just stand there with the remote and operate the whole thing from there.
With O42 curves, I hope you're not using flex track, that would be some tight bends! I'm not sure I'd want to try that, I kinked a couple pieces with wide curves.
Looking great John. This thread is both inspiring and informative. Looking forward to more videos of trains running!
I need to have space to park freight cars, I'd like to fire up a 40 or so car freight train now. I think I'm going to have to consider moving faster on my 8 track freight yard.
Congratulations, John on getting everything running. 👍
Thanks Pat, it's been a lot of crawling time, but that part is looking good. I'll still be under there as I'm going to add some mini-panels for controlling various aspects of the layout, switches and turntable, but a majority of the heavy wiring should be behind me. I have everything on the TMCC/Legacy remote, but I'd like a visual panel for some of the more commonly used switches.
John, Nice over all job!
Neat eyebrow relief cutouts on the upper deck for the twin columns. Subtle detail!
Aren't you now glad we wrapped around and extended beyond the columns?
Hope you get a chance to shoot some run video this weekend. 😜 Looking good!
@Tom Tee posted:John, Nice over all job!
Neat eyebrow relief cutouts on the upper deck for the twin columns. Subtle detail!
Aren't you now glad we wrapped around and extended beyond the columns?
I'm very happy we extended it Tom, that was an inspired choice! I really don't miss the extra couple of feet in the workshop, and I think I would miss it on the layout.
I deliberately made the upper deck wider to allow for the possibility of signals and any trackside scenery up there.
I'm almost done tuning the switches, but I have to track down some lighter springs for the switch motors. I still have a switch motor occasionally stall because it reaches the end of the travel for the switch points, and it wants to push a little farther. However, if I move the switch motor slightly to eliminate that issue, the same thing happens on the other end! Obviously, the switch motors have slightly more travel than the actual switch, and the only way I see to fix that is to have the spring be "springier".
John , as a temporary fix try loosening the screws that secure the switch motor to the switch.
I did that to a couple, but then the points didn't close and I had derailments anyway. I think the springs are the answer, just have to find out where to get them. I'll shoot Dennis an email, hopefully he's the guy that has them.
I have a spring wire selection of multiple sizes which works out for providing a compression flex for overthrown points. Spring wire can have one or two zig zags to provide a cushion.
If you need some right a way I can mail 'em. The may arrive by Christmas 
They work well for a one way spring switch also.
A "Z " bend for the throw bar and spike 7 ties up along the stock rail.
Iron horse, consider a visit to the Gargraves web site. They have a video demonstrating a "how to" for perfectly smooth curves.
Each piece of curved GarGraves track takes about 1 minute to complete the actual bend.
Using the GarGraves method I was able to form two 031" reverse loops.
Inverted Shop Vac mandrel. The lip of the vac holds the track tie ends flat to resist twisting for the tight curves. Just slide the block of wood around the template. Track is dry, no Wd-40 needed.
John and some others on board here have the Harbor Freight metal chop saw which would be very helpful for lots of cuts.
For what it is worth. Most of my 115 switches/turnouts are finger thrown at arms reach or free floating.
@Tom Tee posted:I have a spring wire selection of multiple sizes which works out for providing a compression flex for overthrown points. Spring wire can have one or two zig zags to provide a cushion.
If you need some right a way I can mail 'em. The may arrive by Christmas
They work well for a one way spring switch also.
A "Z " bend for the throw bar and spike 7 ties up along the stock rail.
@Tom Tee posted:Iron horse, consider a visit to the Gargraves web site. They have a video demonstrating a "how to" for perfectly smooth curves.
Each piece of curved track GarGraves takes about 1 minute to complete the actual bend.
Tom Tee, Thanks for the reply and the photos. I have been to GG's website. I like the shims and bucket use. I used an old road bed jig at first but then I made a track jig for the exact radius. This is my 4th layout and all of the previous ones had 0-27 42 inch wide curves. So bending track is a new experience. I bought a metal cutting blade for my miter saw but I find a Dremel flex shaft tool works pretty quickly, probably because it cuts like butter compared to tubular track and doesn't leave as much excess metal to have to grind off as does the miter saw. I'm learning how to work with GG pins, putting ties back on the rails and how best to join track (my 0-27 clamp device still works well). It took me 3 weekends to do what you see in my photo below. At that rate it would take me forever to catch up to GRJ and running trains! Hopefully, I will move more quickly now that my learning curve has come down quite a bit.
Mike
The track work goes faster the more you do. It was a learning curve for me as well with this layout. I had only had a passing experience with flex track before this layout, I was always a sectional track man. Flex track is good and bad, you can configure almost anything with it, but you can also configure stuff that you may not be that happy with as well. More than once track went down and then came back up.
John, The spring switch photo was an alternative suggestion for single track mainlines. Not intended as a replacement for your situation. My 3 rail running consists of continual display running through several reverse loops. Not the great amount of operational flexibility that your dual mainline type of layout offers.
John, having moved from a house to a good sized condo I can say that it is liberating to get rid of all that "essential stuff" you kept in closets and boxes for many years. Simplifying your possessions to what you really need, and clearing the decks is invigorating.
It's also very tiring and time consuming Pete, that's the sticking point with me.
@Tom Tee posted:I have a spring wire selection of multiple sizes which works out for providing a compression flex for overthrown points. Spring wire can have one or two zig zags to provide a cushion.
If you need some right a way I can mail 'em. The may arrive by Christmas
They work well for a one way spring switch also.
Tom:
Can you explain the concept a little more? I'm not sure I understand what is going on.
Thanks
Joe
Congratulations John! That is a fine looking railroad!
Thanks Charlie, I'm looking forward to decorating it a bit as soon as I get all the mechanical bits working 100%. Getting close, just tweaking a few switches for reliable operation.
Joe, The spring wire holds the points against the opposite stock rail. The spring is strong enough to hold the points yet not so strong that a train exiting through the sprung point would have difficulty.
The spring will even let the lite fragile four wheel truck of the MTH Galloping Goose pass through with ease.
A passing siding on a single track mainline can use sprung switches for a head on meet without having to throw any switches.
Much earlier we were using a lot of sprung switches on our trolley layout. Spring switches can make trolley running idiot proof.
Of all my Ross switches on my three rail levels only one has a motor. The rest are either sprung or floating.
The down side is that each motive unit / train must pass completely through the switch before reversing, other wise DERAILMENT! Plus you can not back up into the track you just exited.
Floating points can handle a train backing up into the track it just exited.
...............
I'm almost done tuning the switches, but I have to track down some lighter springs for the switch motors. I still have a switch motor occasionally stall because it reaches the end of the travel for the switch points, and it wants to push a little farther. However, if I move the switch motor slightly to eliminate that issue, the same thing happens on the other end! Obviously, the switch motors have slightly more travel than the actual switch, and the only way I see to fix that is to have the spring be "springier"..........
So if you are getting full range of motion of the Z2500 with the spring disconnected and the points have full travel without the spring then all that is needed is a softer spring correct?
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