John
Nice brickwork. At the bottom of the bricks, I add a thin concrete foundation layer, which suggests a deeper concrete foundation supporting the bricks.
Actually, I put a foundation layer beneath all of my structures.
That looks very sharp, John!
John Great work ! You got to love the 3D printer!
I now realize how far over my head I am with this project. I have a EXTEREMLY Strong tendancy to get distracted by every small or large detail as I am working on one "phase" of the layout. My goal was to get track laid down and powered up to run a single engine to see some progress. So I started at the atlas bridge and getting the bridge abutment aligned for safe travel. Then I went and started to paint/weather abutment while printing some trestles for the second mainline. Then the elevated trestles and trusses etc. needed painted and weathered.
I can see that I am trying to finish a section of the layout, which delays the track work and powering things up. My gut tells me I am working towards ... Yeah, my point is, I havn't a finished plan to build to! Or even a picture in my head. To illustrate this, I was working on the decent of one of the mainlines from the atlas bridge. Well the trestles took me to 2" of the table top, so then the cookie cutter was brought up. Now I need an abutment for the track to transition from elevated girder to raised hill! Whoops, there goes my focus again, lacking a plan to work towards. Any and all advice is needed! Thanks
@AlanRail posted:John
Nice brickwork. At the bottom of the bricks, I add a thin concrete foundation layer, which suggests a deeper concrete foundation supporting the bricks.
Actually, I put a foundation layer beneath all of my structures.
Thanks for the great suggestion, yes a prime rule of building is a sturdy level foundation to build upon. Thanks Alan for the needed reminder.
@Mark Boyce posted:That looks very sharp, John!
Thanks Mark and Mike, yes the 3D printer has become a blessing and a thorn. It distracts me from working on the layout and working on 3d projects. lol my own achilles heal, lack of focus.
John, I can identify with your dilemma. The best advice I can give is to take heart, you recognize you get distracted looking towards an end goal. As I say of myself, I put the cart before the horse." I have run out of table when I thought the plan looked good on paper. Sometimes, I have to tear out what I just put in. Other times, I decide to live with the mistake and continue on. I think a lot of us have similar experiences.
John don't be hard on yourself I find if you don't have someone there to keep you on track it is so easy to veer away onto other projects! Heck I even see that at the local train club here near my new home! It happens to almost everyone I know or talke to!
Mark & Mike,
Thanks for the supportive words of encouragement, now to get back to doing something... LOL I'll forge ahead on the goal of completing track elevations and connecting. Next step is to identify power blocks, isolate and provide controlled power. So basically finish roadbed, trestles, lay track again, and provide power. Those are the goals! Sorry for being repetitive, I have a better chance of remembering that way.
Ok I am actually starting to wire track on the second main line trestle. It would have been great had I thought of how to wire the tracks on the trestle before I printed the trestles. Had to drill a couple of holes when they coud have been included in the design. Well lesson learned for the next layout. lol Hoping to get the block done and test run a loco or two, one MTH the other Lionel. This block includes a 30 degress Ross crossing which the one side is Mainline 2 and the other is the downtown trolley run. Not sure what needs to be taken into account for wiring power across the diamond, and should the diamond be powered. I would think the trolleys' pick ups may not span across the diamond. I saw a DPDT diagram from Ross but again not sure of the reasoning. Any help in this and all my other stumbling blocks is appreciated. Thanks John
@Aegis21 posted:Ok I am actually starting to wire track on the second main line trestle. It would have been great had I thought of how to wire the tracks on the trestle before I printed the trestles. Had to drill a couple of holes when they coud have been included in the design. Well lesson learned for the next layout. lol Hoping to get the block done and test run a loco or two, one MTH the other Lionel. This block includes a 30 degress Ross crossing which the one side is Mainline 2 and the other is the downtown trolley run. Not sure what needs to be taken into account for wiring power across the diamond, and should the diamond be powered. I would think the trolleys' pick ups may not span across the diamond. I saw a DPDT diagram from Ross but again not sure of the reasoning. Any help in this and all my other stumbling blocks is appreciated. Thanks John
John I am sure you got this! If it was easy it wouldn't be fun! Plus it keeps the mind fresh. Who needs some mind pills to keep your mind in good shape, just start a RR! Lol 😆
@mike g. posted:John I am sure you got this! If it was easy it wouldn't be fun! Plus it keeps the mind fresh. Who needs some mind pills to keep your mind in good shape, just start a RR! Lol 😆
Mike,
Thanks for the confidence. and starting a RR is definitely a mental challenge in different parts of the brain for sure! From artistic backdrop painting to geometry of a incline grade, to electrical signal analysis! Not to mention making scenery, buildings lighting, programming etc.
@Aegis21 posted:Mike,
Thanks for the confidence. and starting a RR is definitely a mental challenge in different parts of the brain for sure! From artistic backdrop painting to geometry of a incline grade, to electrical signal analysis! Not to mention making scenery, buildings lighting, programming etc.
You know John if someone told me everything into building a model RR I probably would have ran! But building one for the first time and learning as you go is the best and funnest way to learn!
Yes Mike I agree, I would have run also, especially with painting backdrops with using more than one color! LOL
Hi Mike,
I thought I did send some out to you. PM me if you can't find them, I'll print up some and send them.
@Aegis21 posted:Hi Mike,
I thought I did send some out to you. PM me if you can't find them, I'll print up some and send them.
Hi John, thank you and I will PM you if I don't find them, I plan on going out today and look through stuff so I know what order to store them under the bench work!
Mike, it looks like you are now in business!!
@mike g. posted:Hey John look what I found!
Pure gold!
Glad you found them, now I hope they do what you need them to do, work! LOL
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
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.
ok a brief update on some progress. Wired three blocks of track (MTH DCS) and ran a diesel to check out signal strength, two blocks were 9's and 10's the third block was dirty and had only 3's and 4's. After a through cleaning and wiping with odorless mineral spirits, signals went to the 8's and 9's. Was able to control power to the blocks with the AIU so all is happy. Next was the task of powering and controlling my first switch. Using a DZ-1000 and auto non derail wiring, was able to successfully enable non-derail feature first, then it was onto controlling the switch with the AIU. Was able to fully control switch with AIU however the AIU only pulses the switch, so the green and red leds only stayed lighted during the 1/2 second pulse. They only stay lighted with the anti-derail feature is in use. ????? Not sure how to get the leds to stay lighted to signal present condition (straight or turn) ????? Switching the return to the yellow and green switch wires is the issue with anti-derail wiring. If I latch the switch, then auto non derail will make the switch chatter . Anyone have a solution????? Thanks
John, I think I have a similar but different problem. I forgot to wire for non-derail and have been too lazy to rewire. Secondly, I have two switches that chatter and the wiring looks like my others, but must not be. My head hurt so I quit looking at it. I haven’t had the gumption to dig into the chattering problem either. Maybe after 45 years of having to figure out electrical problems at work short circuited my brain. 🤪 All that to say, my wiring looks pretty, but doesn’t all work right.
Additionally, I wired all the switches through the AIU, but found it easier to use the little push buttons that came with the DZ1000s.
Hi Mark,
Hope you have an epiphany, and find the cause of your chatter. Sometimes when I leave something ( a problem), the answer smacks you upside your head in a day or two...
Where do you phyically locate the buttons for the DZ-1000's ??? Right by the switch it controls? on the fascia?
I am now currently re-visiting the block detection firmware and hardware. Not sure where I am headed with this, however it seems like it could be involved for sure. I might just get one detection block working then continue wiring the layout.
As far as your chatter goes, I have found that both inputs to the switch are held low so it tries to satisfy both at the same time. Cutting pliers come in handy for sure.
John, I mounted the switches on the fascia near each switch. The problem with that is that even though I labeled each, I get confused at the place where I have switches on upper and lower levels. I have a back burner plan to make a partial panel with track diagrams for each level.
One advantage to ground throws besides the cost. You always make the correct choice. I only have them in one yard that’s an easy reach. I seem to have less issues. You tend to run at a much slower pace and are more focused on the job in hand.
@Mark Boyce posted:John, I mounted the switches on the fascia near each switch. The problem with that is that even though I labeled each, I get confused at the place where I have switches on upper and lower levels. I have a back burner plan to make a partial panel with track diagrams for each level.
Thanks for the info as I have some switches on a different level, keeping track of which ones are where is something to plan for.
@Dave_C posted:One advantage to ground throws besides the cost. You always make the correct choice. I only have them in one yard that’s an easy reach. I seem to have less issues. You tend to run at a much slower pace and are more focused on the job in hand.
Hi Dave,
Great idea with the ground throws, I will plan on incorporating some ground throws where they are accessible.As you say, you always make the right choice. Still, I don't see how to keep the dz-1000 lighted when not being commanded.
Hi John both of my old layout had the track plan printed at a printing store on sticky back vinyl sign material. The price wasn't that bad I just had them make it a little bigger do I could put toggle switch's in.
I am thinking of doing the same thing, this time with bi color led's.
Thanks Mike was it a local printing shop? I like the vinyl idea for sure
