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RAN OUT OF SPACE, so added some real estate. < More DETAILS added 16 Feb >

Ingeniero No1Ingeniero No1OGR Forum Member

Santa Claus brought me several things for my layout, including another Menards building and several Lionel operating accessories. Even though at about 38-ft x 33-ft my layout is not too small, I have run out of real estate to add anything else, so I had to expand - somewhere. About the only place I could expand that would be easy for guests to see was  over a portion of the yard on the first level.

Created a 2-ft x 8-ft platform, removed some ballast from the outer dual main track, added a 7-1/2 Atlas turnout and some track, and voila! Now I had room for the new items.

This is a BEFORE picture of the area:

And some AFTER pictures:

The red push button switches mounted on the support columns allow our guests to operate the accessories. The kiddie rides are started with one of the push buttons, and run for about 20 seconds. 

Thank you for looking!

Alex

Last edited by Ingeniero No1
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Ingeniero No1Ingeniero No1OGR Forum Member

Thank you all very much. I have very limited time at this moment (family visit) so I will briefly answer some of your questions, but will provide more details later on.

Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures while under construction because I deemed what I had in mind to be rather simple. The platform frame is 3/4" x 1-1/4” pine, topped with 1/2" OSB and 1/2" asphalt board since Home Depot here no longer carries QuietBrace. The edging is 1/4" x 1-/14” poplar, and under it I added the aluminum floor tile trim. The columns are 3/4" x 1-1/2” pine.

 The chain link fence is built from Dennis Brennan kit, but cut to a lower fence, which is about 2” tall, or scale 8-ft.

 The light poles are indeed home made. The small ones are aluminum tubes from a discarded wind chime (!), and the tall one is 1/2" aluminum channel. I am making more of the tall lights but with Ø3/8” aluminum tubing. The lights themselves are either one 3-LED segments for the short ones, or two 3-LED segments for the tall ones. I simply stick one LED segments to 1/2" x 1/2" aluminum angle, or two LED segments to 1/2" x 3/4" aluminum angle. I have recently bought several of the 300-LED reel strips from Amazon, and I am surprised at the $6.99 price for each reel, which includes several connectors.

More details later . . .

Thanks again!

Alex

PS. Oh, Craig, about the backdrops. I painted those, and they work fine as long as you don't look too closely. My mountains and trees turn out better. These are shown in my layout under construction link, below, and a more recent example here.

 

Last edited by Ingeniero No1
Ingeniero No1Ingeniero No1OGR Forum Member

More details, as promised:

To detect the train approaching the grade crossing and turn on the flashing red lights, I use Azatrax simplest detector, MRD1, which can have the IR transmitter and receiver 24 inches apart and is very easy to install. 

Detector 1 AZT range med IMG_1539Detector 2 AZT range med IMG_1548

The receiver mounted on an H-Column

Detector 3 AZT REC med IMG_1556

The transmitter, also mounted on an H-Column.

Detector 4 AZT Trm med IMG_1555

The home made light post made with 3-LED sections of a 300-LED reel (now as little as $7 from Amazon including several connectors), aluminum round tubing and angles.

Light Post 1 LED med IMG_1535

Short post uses a single 3-LED strip, not yet installed.

Light Post 2 Short med IMG_1536

Tall post with two 3-LED strips.

Light Post 3 Tall med IMG_1529Light Post 4 Tall med IMG_1551Light Post 5 Tall med IMG_1552Light Post 6 Tall med IMG_1534

To allow the guests to start the kiddie rides, but have them run for just a specified time, I use a very versatile solid state timer that includes a Form-C relay (with normally open and normally close contacts), a nice three-digit display to display the mode of timing (four are available) and three programming push buttons. Cost of this timer was just over $4 at the bay, but they ran out. There are many other similar models, however, at similar prices.

Timer med IMG_1549

Any other detail questions? Just ask me!

Thx -

Alex

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Images (11)
  • Detector 1 AZT range med IMG_1539
  • Detector 2 AZT range med IMG_1548
  • Detector 3 AZT REC med IMG_1556
  • Detector 4 AZT Trm med IMG_1555
  • Light Post 1 LED med IMG_1535
  • Light Post 2 Short med IMG_1536
  • Light Post 3 Tall med IMG_1529
  • Light Post 4 Tall med IMG_1551
  • Light Post 5 Tall med IMG_1552
  • Light Post 6 Tall med IMG_1534
  • Timer med IMG_1549

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