Mike, I am going to send you a copy of Bill’s document and my photographs. Then we can discuss them. I had to ask Bill about something even though he did a very thorough and accurate job on the instructions.
Things came up, but I have them ready finally. 👍🏻
Peter and Bob thanks for the nice words!
Mark, I just opened your email and will read it a little later after I get caught up to speed on 5 different threads! LOL
Man I step away for a few days and an entire city sprouts haha great work!
@BillYo414 posted:Man I step away for a few days and an entire city sprouts haha great work!
LoL I was thinking the exact same thing!
Great progress Mike! Thanks for sharing!
@BillYo414 posted:Man I step away for a few days and an entire city sprouts haha great work!
Mike uses organic fertilizer and waters his buildings well! 😆😆😆
Morning guys and thank you for the nice words!
Mark sent me a lot of electronics homework for wiring in the AIU into my system for switches and track power. That will be a slow go for me as I am not the brightest star in the train world when it comes to electronics! LOL
I really want you all to remember it is only temporary for this weekend and then I will be moving things around so I can start ballasting some of the track before I have to wash and dry my old ballast! which mean I have to break out the portable BBQ for drying!
I want to leave the buildings in place while I mull over their location, just to make sure I like them where they are. As always I am open to suggestions!
I hope you all have a great weekend and fun with your layouts and trains!
Mike, I realize the buildings are in temporary positions. However, it is a good time to move them around to see how you might want them later on!
Hi guys not much new from me, but I did get out and cleaned about 5 coffee cans of old ballast yesterday. I still have 2 pans to dry today maybe, it is cold and a little snow coming down here and there. Anyways here is a couple photos of my washing and drying stations.
As you can see it really takes some very special tools to get the job done! You need a stool to sit on, water to wash, drill to mix it and a couple pans to pre drain the ballast!
Once the above is complete you put it on the portable BBQ, stir and wait. It is best done while washing the next batch! LOL
I hope you all have a great Tuesday and are ready for Humpday tomorrow! LOL
P.S. if anyone has a better way to do this without buying new, please let me know!
Can't see the pix Mike.
@RSJB18 posted:Can't see the pix Mike.
I can’t see them either.
All good now....
Mike, looks good !! it reminds me of our older daughter boiling sheep’s wool to remove dirt and lanolin on our outdoor grill the last summer before she got married. The train room was the Barbie pink art studio at the time, and she cleaned ‘three bags full’ of wool that summer right outside the studio. She made soap with the lanolin as well. A couple years ago, a lady gave her 8 bags of alpaca wool. I’m glad she had her own house then! 😄😄👍🏻
@mike g. posted:Hi guys , well I got out there and dug out an conventional engine to do my test on the upper loop, low and behold it stopped around the same spot. So what did I do, I added another power drop and ran the test again! Well the power drop worked and the upper loop was in action!
On to my next problem that came up after fixing the power drop.
Even though the video is spead up for some reason, what I was trying to show was that it would stop in the same section every time going both directions. I replaced the 2 switches and also took out the 054 curved sections along with a cut straight section and replaced it with a 30" flex track.
Still nothing, so common since says add another power drop! LOL So I did and still nothing. At my wits end I decided to take some fine sandpaper and clean the black coating off the top of the center rail. I wish I would have thought of that first! LOL
I hope you all have a great night and a wonderful weekend!
Mike, I love the horn on that NS engine, who's is it ?
Rich
@trestleking posted:Mike, I love the horn on that NS engine, who's is it ?
Rich
Morning Rich, the NS Engine is a MTH Premier engine. I love the sound it puts out also!
Hi guys well I finished washing my used ballast and ended up with
36.0 Lbs of gray ballast
and 07.5 lbs of black ballast.
Next will be trying to get my wiring done next. I know from the list Mark has given me I have stuff to buy, so it is time to sell stuff I am no longer using!
That’s a lot of ballast! Yes, Mike, that is what I have to do too, sell stuff I am not going to use. Don’t worry about wiring! You are a smart guy. You will get it done fine
@Mark Boyce posted:That’s a lot of ballast! Yes, Mike, that is what I have to do too, sell stuff I am not going to use. Don’t worry about wiring! You are a smart guy. You will get it done fine
Yep it is, I didn't realize I had that much on the old layout, But then again I bought some from Dave Ripp. I guess over time one just forgets! LOL
I am on the way out to see what I can find. I know I have the 2 Lionel cranes to sell, but I know for sure there is more!
Mike, nice job on the ballast! That set up got the job done for sure. Can I send you 50lbs to recycle when I move? 😁. That is one impressive operation.
Andy
@Steamfan77 posted:Mike, nice job on the ballast! That set up got the job done for sure. Can I send you 50lbs to recycle when I move? 😁. That is one impressive operation.
Andy
Thanks for the thought, Andy, but if you have some gravel near your place you might be better off spreading it around there! LOL
😁
Andy, Mike is using Poor Man’s ballast. I’m using Destitute Man’s ballast; paint the roadbed gray and slap down the track! Done!! 😄😆
Great progress on the layout! I'd be doing the same thing with recycling ballast.
Semper Fidelis!
@T-Bone1214 posted:Great progress on the layout! I'd be doing the same thing with recycling ballast.
Semper Fidelis!
Thanks! I know I have better things to do, but it saves me money for other things I need for the layout! Plus I need something to do while enjoying a cold one!
Semper Fi!
@mike g. posted:Thanks! I know I have better things to do, but it saves me money for other things I need for the layout! Plus I need something to do while enjoying a cold one!
Semper Fi!
It’s all good Mike, looking forward to seeing the ballast on the layout.
Gene
@Mark Boyce posted:Andy, Mike is using Poor Man’s ballast. I’m using Destitute Man’s ballast; paint the roadbed gray and slap down the track! Done!! 😄😆
Excellent execution of efficiency Mark. 
@Dallas Joseph posted:Excellent execution of efficiency Mark.
I plan to put in ballast eventually. On the other hand, there are so many other projects…
Hi guys I hope your all doing well, I have been working on my new control cart that will be under the layout. It will hold my Z4000, TIU, AIU, some relays and block terminals. I couldn't see spending money I don't have to buy MTH block terminals, so with the idea given to me by RSJB18 Bob, I made my own. Here are a couple of photos. If you have any comments please let them fly! I ordered Banna pins for hooking up to the Z4000 and the TIU to make it easier and cleaner looking,they should be here Wednesday!
With this new setup to me I really don't know where anything goes after the TIU, But with help from Mark Boyce, Bob AKA RSJB18 and Bill Webb I think I will get it figured out one day! LOL
Everyone have a great day!
Looks good, Mike. I have the final draft of the drawing done in pencil. I had to stop going over it in ink to go to PT. Hopefully I’ll finish after supper and get it to you. I needed to draw it up for myself, so your need allowed me to move it way up on the priority list. 😄👍🏻
@Mark Boyce posted:On the other hand, there are so many other projects…
You've got that right Mark . If I try to stay up with my layout I'm going to have to get a time clock for Monday thru Friday.
Hi guys I know it has been along time since the last update, that is because there really hasn't been any really forward movement lately, with family being over and starting a new job and just not being able to figure out this darn AIU and Relays!
Well with the help of 2 Amazing guys here @Mark Boyce and @Bill Webb things are back on track! Both Mark and Bill tried helping me over the computer, over the phone and because I am slow when it comes to electrical stuff I just wasn't getting it, They both sent me all the information one wound ever need to hook this up, but not me I could screw up screwing in a light bulb! LOL
So then Bill with his infinite wisdom realized that I was never going to get it and offered to wire one up for me. So I sent him the relay board and he wired it up, sent it back with fool proof instructions and even a test setup to plug in just to make sure everything was correct!
Yesterday I got everything mounted on the power cart, wired up as Bill put in the instructions, and surprised the **** out of me, I didn't screw this up! LOL Here is a couple photos of proof!
I even got the 4 relay board wired in so I would have enough for 10 isolated sections of track!
Thank you again so much to Bill and Mark for all their help! This is what I love about this forum!
Mike, I was certainly glad to help! I wish we could have gotten it working sooner. Bill was smart enough to offer to have you send the relays to him, while I was still lamenting the 2600 mile drive each way to your house to do it there!! 😆😆
It looks great!
Mike,
I agree, this forum has some great people and the two you spoke of are definitely examples of that. Don't feel too bad, electrical elements of the hobby are definitely my weakness. Glad you're up and running and congrats on the new job.
Dave
@Mike g. You are right about folks here on the OGR Forum, there’s a lot of help with almost any aspect of the hobby. @Mark Boyce is a great help in wiring as well as @Bill Webb and your wiring looks great, very organized. I have stayed with Lionel’s command system keeping it simple. My friend Dr. Jack Fisher utilizes MTH and Lionel’s system and likes MTH a little better. Your layout is really coming along and I like your lift bridge system. Have a great Sunday… Happy Railroading Everyone
@leapinlarry posted:@Mike g. You are right about folks here on the OGR Forum, there’s a lot of help with almost any aspect of the hobby. @Mark Boyce is a great help in wiring as well as @Bill Webb and your wiring looks great, very organized. I have stayed with Lionel’s command system keeping it simple. My friend Dr. Jack Fisher utilizes MTH and Lionel’s system and likes MTH a little better. Your layout is really coming along and I like your lift bridge system. Have a great Sunday… Happy Railroading Everyone
Thank you, Larry! I try to help where I can. 😊 I never dreamed I would end up with the monster I created when I started wiring! 😄
Wiring is looking good Mike. You definitely consulted with some of our heavy hitters, good move.
Andy
Afternoon/evening guys , I know I haven't posted anything lately and that is because of my job and the retired CEO! LOL
Any how I was able to get to the train room today and hooked up all the wires to my isolated track sections and they work! LOL
I plan on spending the week and having the CEO help me figure out if the building placement above where the lower staging yard is going to be. I want to make sure it is right and get everything wired in before I build the staging yard as it will be hard to get to the upper level.
The center area will be covered with foam to form a river or something but will have room for light scenery. I am open to all your thoughts!
I hope your all having a great Fathers day and spending a wonderful time with family!
Welcome back, Mike!
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