Benchwork - Wiring - adding elevations

Hi John, I had to sand the outside Grove and it works great! Thank you so much for sending them to me!

@mike g. posted:

Hi John, I had to sand the outside Grove and it works great! Thank you so much for sending them to me!

You are most welcome Mike, you have helped me a LOT! Thank you

@Aegis21 posted:

You are most welcome Mike, you have helped me a LOT! Thank you

That's the best part John, helping eachother!

Well progress is slow and unsteady. . . but there is some progress to report. I have some of the elevated sections installed and powered. I took Jeff's suggestion and put drops on each GG track section, both power and return drops. Also used dcs and ran a small loco and read track signal at 8 to 10 consistently on each block. Now I am at the point of wiring up Ross switches, wanting to have auto derailing and block detection as my goals. Loco ran well without and issues with grades or grade/level interfaces. Not sure if a steam engine would be a better test of track clearances? Any thoughts? Thanks

John

John, Diesels often run better than steam due to their wheel base being much shorter. The fixed nature of the wheels on steamers mean elevation change points can cause the engine to rock. The longer the wheelbase the greater the sensitivity. My most challenging are the 4-8-4s with the larger diameter drivers such as the GS-4 . Even poor switch work causes that one to rock.  I have far less operating issues with an articulated steamer like the Big Boy (shorter truck wheelbase and smaller drivers), but look out for clearance on that one depending on curve diameter.  (This is all scale stuff)

John, The pilots of steam engines will find abrupt changes in grade.  Going uphill to level, the pilot wheels can lift and derail.  Going downhill to level, the pilot itself can touch the rail causing a short circuit.  I have also noticed that on curves, the cab roof can sway the farthest away from the rails hitting objects too close.

John that's great news about the track and the signal's you are getting! Jeff and Mark are correct about everything they said and as Mark stated watchout for that darn cab overhang. A beam in my old trai  room got a little shaving do to the overhang.

Thanks for the excellant input ScoutingDad, Mark and Mike. I will use a steam engine to check things out. 90% of my engines and cars are O gauge, with one O scale NYC diesel. I'll run the largest engines I have to verify clearances. However that may not be good enough for future purchases.