PRR Panhandle 2.0

It sounds like the other 3 furnaces are well on their way.  You have been quite busy!

Updated 4/14/2023:

• Worked on installing LEDs within the transfer ladle
• Designed the charging floor bridge crane that will be hauling the transfer ladle
• Acquired some Plastruct, pulleys, gears, rails, and wheels for the crane

More when I know it. 

George

Updated 4/17/2023:

• Permanently installed the first mid-line column in the Open Hearth this evening.
• Test fitted Furnace No. 11 in its proposed position and electrically tested its components.  It works!

More when I know it. 

George

Updated 4/25/2023:

• Upon returning from York, I organized and stored my modest acquisitions (a heavyweight 18" K-Line PRR passenger coach, some tools, and a few detail parts).
• Started work on cranes for the Open Hearth.
• Completed some detail items - wheelbarrows for the Open Hearth.  These got painted (wooden frames, black tires, gray bodies) and weathered - grime and rust.  Here are a few photos.

More when I know it. 

George

Those wheelbarrows look real nice.  They have to be pretty small right?

@naresar posted:

Those wheelbarrows look real nice.  They have to be pretty small right?

Thank you - I'm happy with how they turned out.  And yes, they are small.  They are about 1.25" long and are scale.  I got them from the Narrow Gauge Modeling Company.  You can send e-mail to:  sales@narrowgaugemodeling.com or look at their website.  They've got some pretty good stuff.  The one in the last photo is a kit (legs, body, wheel).

George

Never saw wheelsbarrows like that for our scale. They look spectacular!

@BillYo414 posted:

Never saw wheelsbarrows like that for our scale. They look spectacular!

They're going to be hauling scale sized dolomite!   

Updated 4/27/2023:

Awhile ago, I decided to replace the (relatively) small number of suitcase (Insulation Displacement) connectors already installed on my main buses with terminal blocks and spade connectors.  The feeders are GarGraves pig-tails which use the IDCs to attach to the main track power bus.  IDCs (aka suitcase connectors) are shown below.

This is the replacement approach.

Yes, there is an amount of re-work, but in terms of reliable operation I really don't have a choice. 

More when I know it. 

George

George, The suitcases are slick, but not always trustworthy.  You made a good decision that will pay dividends the older you get, not having to troubleshoot and make repairs.  It is funny how sometimes the old tried and true methods work so well.  Yes there is some work using the barrier blocks and spade connectors, but you will be glad you did.

This time next week I'll be seeing you over at the DoubleTree!! 

I much prefer the terminal strip when the presses and CNC machines go down at work. It's simple and easy to know whether I have a connection. So I'm going the same route on the layout at home.

Where did you get that nifty little jumper gizmo to the right of the strip?

Updated 4/28/2023:

I converted 8 of the 16 installed feeder / bus pairs to terminal blocks, removing the suitcase connectors.  This was a total PITA, requiring that I work around switch machine buses and rework bundles of wires.  To the good, I was able to reduce the number of terminal blocks needed.  I also feel pretty good about the effort.  This is the time to do this, not years later when the problem is bigger and getting under the layout is much harder.

We're going to try to wrap up this effort tomorrow.  The MCR Convention is less than a week away.

More when I know it. 

George

Updated 4/29/2023:

The great "pack your suitcase (connectors) and get out" re-wiring event continues on the Panhandle. 

The Power District #8: Staging Area has been changed over and tested.  Work continues on Power District #4:  Bridge-Westbound.  The area under the eastern approach to the bridge is very cramped and full of other wires (switch buses, 12VDC accessory bus, etc.).  I had hoped never to be back there again, but oh well.    Here's a photo of what I mean.  I'm sitting on the floor in an 18" wide space under the layout.  The fascia is at the top of the photo left.  The brand new terminal strip for westbound bridge track is right above me.

More when I know it. 

George

It looks great, George!  Do you need a hand getting back up out of there??  I would!  😄

@Mark Boyce posted:

It looks great, George!  Do you need a hand getting back up out of there??  I would!  😄

  Yes, yes I do.

Isn't it a corollary of Murphy's Law that the more inaccessible the spot on the layout, the more goes wrong with it?

It's better that I do this now.  I don't want to be doing this 5 years from now.

George

I don't envy those tight spots. I had to do some plumbing under the kitchen sink this past week and it was rough. I'm pretty limber but tight spots are terrible no matter what.

Updated 5/7/2023 - MCR Convention edition:

It was an awesome NMRA Mid-Central Regional Convention this past weekend.  I gave my "Pour Me A River" clinic twice (once as scheduled and once as a fill-in) to pretty good sized audiences (40 and 20, respectively).  And it was my privilege to introduce one of the Four Horsemen of the Panhandle - MMR Bill Neale who was our dinner speaker.  He gave a terrific talk on one of my favorite subjects.  And today during the layout tour, the Panhandle got 30 visitors.

Yeah, pretty good weekend. 

Oh, and I got the vast majority of suitcase connectors replaced (there are 2 pairs in a difficult spot that I will reinforce with an additional terminal strip connection).  The Panhandle ran trains for layout tour and they ran well!

George

As I reported in the last post, the Panhandle was open for touring during the NMRA's Mid-Central Regional Convention and got 30 visitors.  A friend snapped this photo, which he just sent to me.

I found this photo of my maternal grandfather with one of the large ship models he built in the late 1930's.  So I guess it's true - history does repeat itself.

George

George, those are great photographs!  That’s great you have the one of your grandfather and his model boat!

I’m so sorry I missed the convention, but glad it went well!!

George- bridge scene/water look great! Picture of grandfather, priceless. JohnA

@Mark Boyce posted:

George, those are dreamt photographs!  That’s great you have the one of your grandfather and his model boat!

I’m so sorry I missed the convention, but glad it went well!!

Thanks Mark!  I'm sorry you missed it, too.  I was a bit concerned for you.

George

Thank you, George!!!  

Updated 6/11/2023:

I just realized it has been about a month since I last updated this thread.  While it's true that "idle hands are the Devil's workshop", that hasn't been the case around here.    There has been a fair amount of progress on a number of fronts:

• As you may recall, I am working on a couple of cranes for my open hearth.  The 250 ton transfer crane (used to pour molten iron into the furnace) is finished.  It's a flat gray with yellow railings, diamond treadplate walkways, and a 2 winch hoist.  Unfortunately, I can't post photos as it may be a candidate for a magazine article.  I can tell you that I used pulleys and gears from Stevens International to create pulleys and gearing for the hoist.  Some oversized electric motors and brass axles were also involved.
• I surgically modified 3 of the 4 AHM cabeese that a friend bought for me (cheap) on eBay.  They were turned into scrap buggies (also used to add chemicals to open hearth furnaces).  Here's one before surgery.
• After drilling out the plastic pins in the underframe and unclipping the ladders from the roof, I popped the cabin off the frame.  The end rails and ladders were removed by forcing a small flat screwdriver between them and the platform.  The couplers were unscrewed from their posts and removed.  Then I used the Proxxon saw to cut off the platform, shortening the car to a scale 16 feet long.  The two plastic supports for each coupler were removed and the area sanded flat.
• Atlas Extend-A-Couplers replaced the plastic AHM ones.  The car got a floor, sides, and ends.  Weathering will follow.  I also made 12 scrap boxes.
• 
• Did some serious thinking and revision of the crane cab and its relationship to the height of the inspection platform, the height of ingot molds sitting on buggies, and the clearance for 1:48 workers beneath it.  Also took another hard look at the photos.  Turns out there are 3 stories to the crane, not 4.  Working from an artist's sketch and only having one real photograph is tough!
• The design changes include the reworking of the cab dimensions.  It’s a bit wider (now 1”) to accommodate the window I'm going to use in front.  The side windows are sliders, also from GrandtLine.  These seem to match the photo.  The openings in the cab sides were enlarged for them.  I'm waiting on those as well as an Arttista figure to run the crane.

More when I know it. 

George

The scrap buggies look like they turned out well.  I understand about not being able to show photographs of items that might end up in print.  I’m sure they will look great!

George, good luck with your project.  But must say I am disappointed will not be able to follow the progress to fruition here!

Ron

Updated 6/16/2023:

Got it in gear (for a change) and finished the roof of Furnace No. 12.  In fact, Furnace No. 12 is now complete and joins No. 11 on the model's floor, awaiting final positioning, connection of wiring, and installation.

I've got some momentum and am using it to push myself forward with the remaining furnaces (No. 13 and No. 14).  The front wall of No. 13 has been cut and painted.  This wall sits behind the set of charging doors and supports them structurally.  Only the sides of this wall, which represent the ends of the checkers (gas furnaces) are actually visible.

More when I know it. 

George

Now you are on a roll, George!  👍🏻😄

Updated 6/20/2023:

Yesterday was a pretty good model railroading day:

• Spent about an hour speaking (in person) with a gentleman who has provided a great deal of reference material for my Open Hearth mill project.  This was at the museum, which was open for West Virginia Day (achieved statehood on June 20, 1863).  Very instructive.
• Assembled and weathered the furnace fronts for No. 13 and No. 14.

More when I know it. 

George

Updated 6/22/2023:

I have spent the last two days (off and on) working on the roof of Furnace No. 13.  This involves cutting and coping 1/2" ABS I-beams.  It's tedious, exacting, and difficult.  I put it off as long as possible, but the task has worked its way back onto the critical path for getting this mill completed by July 27.  I'm not sure if I'm winning or losing this race right now;  there is still a lot of this mill left to build.

I also started fitting together the I-beams for the roof of Furnace No. 14.  The odd shapes and the need to keep everything square (as best as I can) are a real challenge.

More when I know it.

George

George, you are tempting us to clamor for the magazine article you hope to get published!  😄👍🏻

Updated 7/1/2023:

After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I am pleased (and relieved) to report that the construction of all 4 open hearth furnaces (Nos. 11, 12, 13, and 14) are complete. Some weathering for spots is still needed, but the plan is to do that and have them installed on the mill floor shortly.

Next time I decide on a project like this, somebody talk me out of it! 

And yes, we still have a long way to go.

More when I know it. 

George

Congratulations on your perseverance, George!  I'm sure they look great!

@G3750 posted:

Updated 7/1/2023:

After much wailing and gnashing of teeth, I am pleased (and relieved) to report that the construction of all 4 open hearth furnaces (Nos. 11, 12, 13, and 14) are complete. Some weathering for spots is still needed, but the plan is to do that and have them installed on the mill floor shortly.

Next time I decide on a project like this, somebody talk me out of it!

And yes, we still have a long way to go.

More when I know it. 

George

That line reminded me of the lion in the Wizard of Oz. Can't wait to see them George.

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

That line reminded me of the lion in the Wizard of Oz. Can't wait to see them George.

Dave

Well, I often play the Cowardly Lion on TV. 

George

Updated 7/2/2023:

Furnace No. 11 has been permanently attached to the OH model for awhile at this point.

Decided that it makes much more sense to not use the Arduino to run the model.  There isn’t ample time to test all the circuits under computer control.  And I do not believe in the Big Bang theory of system integration. 

Decided that I will add a Debug Mode to the existing Mode rotary switch and the Arduino software.  It will take up half of one section of the dial and will be appropriately labeled.  Debug Mode will cycle through every function on every furnace that uses the Arduino and / or relays.  This functionality will be deferred until there is more time available to do this (perhaps Winter 2024).

1. Made a temporary control panel out of wood with an SPST for each furnace (11, 12, 13, 14).
2. Started collecting the red wires for all electrical effects (smoke stack warning lights, overhead lights, furnace interior lights) that will be permanently ON when power is applied via the Master ON/OFF switch. These will be ganged temporarily with tape until all the furnaces are installed.
3. Labeled and collected all red wires for Furnace 11 effects (fans, smoke unit, transfer ladle surface LEDs, transfer ladle fibers (metal pouring)) and connected them to the outer pole of a SPST flip switch.
4. Electrically tested Furnace No. 11 - it works!
5. Began collecting the wires for Furnace No. 12.

More when I know it. 

George

Updated 7/3/2023:

Serious progress was made today!    

1. I wasn't happy with the wiring mess (even though it's temporary), so I cleaned up the red (hot) wires for Furnace No. 11.  Black (ground) wires were ganged and routed to ground.
2. Permanently installed the 2nd mid-line column and the vertical (drain and supply) water pipes for No. 11.
3. Glued the No. 11 teeming and slag ladles and their stands to the pouring floor.
4. Collected and neatly packaged the red (hot) wires for No. 12.  Black wires were ganged and connected to ground.
5. Painted the optic fibers (that simulate streams of steel) protruding from the furnace and glued them to the teeming ladle.
6. Tested the ladle and steel pouring effects.  Works great!
7. Permanently glued the No. 12 ladles, ladle stands, and furnace to the pouring floor.
8. Installed the vertical (drain and supply) water pipes for No. 12.
9. Filled 4 of the 12 scrap buckets with real (Plastruct) scrap pieces. These were painted, rusted, and glued into the boxes.

More when I know it. 

George

From yesterday, here are the scrap boxes I built sitting on an additive flatcar.

I made that scrap!  It's real scrap from all the scratch-building I have been doing. 

George

Nice use of your real scrap for scrap boxes!

That's a great looking scrap pile indeed!