briansilvermustang posted:
Will run trains for ice cream...
Yo ZEKE!
Keeping busy, finally got the relay panel built for the 5 signal heads on the signal bridge and installed individual plugs for each head. As the layout plan has changed due to the planned expansion, I re-did the main line under the bridge, haven't bent any gargraves track in a while, forgot how well it makes easements, (transition curve). Will probably go back and do a little more weathering on the signal bridge, but for now I need to run the DC power for the relays, and the signal wires for the insulated blocks. 
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Chris, That is a nice looking little relay panel. The signal bridge looks great as does the scene around it!!!!
Mark, Thanks. Got more complicated than I thought, like most projects. Since I purchased the do it yourself 3 light LED signal heads, I ended up needing two relays for each head, the first one to detect track presence, then the 2nd one with built in timer delay to control the Yellow to Red change... In spite of all my "testing the LED's" as I was building this thing, I must have damaged one of the green LED's, not sure when, but what a pain in the ____ to get it off the mast, opened up and replaced..... Anyway, glad it's done.
Really want to start laying more track. My last to do was re-configure the main line on the upper level, had to remove a return loop switch under the signal bridge and bend the mainline
On to Promontory !
So much hard work!
Chris, I certainly do know what you mean about being more complicated than I first thought. Yes, I can see replacing one that was damaged took some effort! Now you can be happy with the end results.
Mark, Just scrolled back and saw your latest "track plan". Looks very good, a good long main line but not an entire layout of "track" with no open areas for scenery, industries etc....
paul 2 posted:Mark, at least you have them neatly under the tables. Mine are all over the place with no organization. I was going to go to Menards to get my PVC but I found a gift card for Lowes I had forgot I bought sometime back. So I got all my pipe, fittings and hardware to do the project. I was going to use 1/2 inch pipe but then decided to go with the 3/4 inch figuring it would be easier to get the wires thropugh the elbows. After I make Chili I'll start working on it. Pic .....Paul
Hey Paul- one of these will bend the pipe quite well, it's a PVC bending blanket ...
I have one and I like Chili......should be out to Ohio by morning 
Bob
chris a posted:Mark, Thanks. Got more complicated than I thought, like most projects. Since I purchased the do it yourself 3 light LED signal heads, I ended up needing two relays for each head, the first one to detect track presence, then the 2nd one with built in timer delay to control the Yellow to Red change... In spite of all my "testing the LED's" as I was building this thing, I must have damaged one of the green LED's, not sure when, but what a pain in the ____ to get it off the mast, opened up and replaced..... Anyway, glad it's done.
Really want to start laying more track. My last to do was re-configure the main line on the upper level, had to remove a return loop switch under the signal bridge and bend the mainline
On to Promontory !
Nice panel Chris. Who made the relay boards?
Bob
Done a little more to the layout this afternoon. Put in a side road in and I got some more done on my F3 NYC this morning I made the pilot stationary enjoy the pics
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chris a posted:Mark, Just scrolled back and saw your latest "track plan". Looks very good, a good long main line but not an entire layout of "track" with no open areas for scenery, industries etc....
Thank you, Chris!
Lee, Nice progress and the NYC F3 looks and runs great!
Found a 4.5 V wallwart for my Menards Hummer. Maybe I can replace the 5.5v one after dinner.
I hear Chili is on the menu.....
Bob, I bought them both on ebay, here is a link to the ones with the 1 to 10 sec. timers...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-SH...p2057872.m2749.l2649
If I were to do this again, I think I would use the old school type ice cube relays 12 VDC for the first bank of relays (without timer delay).... The SPDT relay modules I bought 2 years ago are like the link below also available on ebay...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Cha...;hash=item3d5b46e298
Chris, you do great work. I am moving close to where you live so you can do that for me. Mark and Bob the Chili turned out really good. Had a second bowl. Made enough to last a few days. I may not get down to work on the layout tonight LOL Pics..............Paul
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Paul, looks like you have a good amount of work ahead! Just for thought, if you ite a cotton ball to a string and use your wife's vacuum you can suck it right threw the pipe!
Chris, things are looking nice, One question why not use a group of relays? I have a few that are 5 per board!
Lee, you are moving fast! But it sure looks good!
Paul, you know if I lived close to you I would be there for dinner! Oh and trains of course!
Mike, you are always welcome here. My plan for the PVC is to do a section at a time. Feed the wires through the first section then feed the wires through the second section and glue them together and then so on till I have it alll the way through to under the island table............Paul
Paul, Yes Mike’s way is a good one, but yours will work too! Always more than one way to do it
Looking for suggestions for a Spray Gun System for painting and weathering my cars. I scanned this thread, but can't find the recommendation that was made. I would appreciate your thoughts. Thank you.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
paul 2 posted:Mike, you are always welcome here. My plan for the PVC is to do a section at a time. Feed the wires through the first section then feed the wires through the second section and glue them together and then so on till I have it alll the way through to under the island table............Paul
Paul, that will work, but be careful, if you get to much glue it can melt the wire covering!
John, There may be other recommendations, but I mentioned buying this one off of Amazon made by "Point Zero"..... It's only gone up $6.00 since I bought mine a year ago.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Paul, I would work for the Chili, looks pretty darn good. I just came up from the basement, and realized it was getting late for "dinner" !!
Mike, The 5 pack on one board should work fine, I had purchased individuals some time back, long before I realized I was going to embark on this 5 signal bridge.
Cancel my remark above, about using the ice cube relays for the first bank of relays, the one's I used are fine. For some reason on the test bench the intensity of the Green LED's was changing and getting brighter when I activated any one of the blocks... Now that it's on the layout, that problem is completely gone.
I think my $5.00 HO - DC transformer that I picked up at a train show for doing bench work projects has voltage control issues. I have a real nice Post War Lionel (HO) DC Transformer on the layout that is powering all my signals, relays and LED building lights through some local inexpensive regulated power supply circuit boards to vary the building lights. It works great, and there is no change in the light intensity on my new signal bridge. Need to throw that $5.00 thing away and get another one that I know works.
Mike, as I feed the wires through each section I will run a small bead of glue on the section that will slide into the elbows and unions. That way as I push it in the glue will work out instead of into the pipe.......Paul
..
Chris, Thank you for the recommendation of the Point Zero Air Brush. I ordered it with some cleaner and cleaning brushes. My air brush from college was ruined when I failed to clean it promptly after use.
My paints for re-numbering some Atlas O Union Pacific Hoppers are also on the way. I have decals for the re-numbering of 20 of the 22 Trainman 70-Ton Open Hoppers.
My shipments from Atheron Scenics of flexible and rigid PRR Walls and Fillers arrived this week. My winter projects are shaping up for a busy time.
Today I repaired some of my damaged concrete drive, hoping to postpone the inevitable new driveway. It has worked in the past, but I was younger then. Several of the bags from Home Depot had solidified concrete corners, already rock hard. Tomorrow I will return the unusable cement and ask for a refund. Contractors return cement all the time. I got three bags that got wet before they were returned to stock.
Sincerely, John Rowlen
Working on this grain elevator. Inquired if this mfr. was going to offer his HO water mill kit in O....he is...
John Rowlen, Ironic you should mention that experience. I was thinking after responding, to suggest that you plan to clean it thoroughly after each use. The acrylic paints are great for keeping noxious fumes from building up, but they do leave residue inside the airbrush. I bought one of those nice glass cleaning jars with a bracket that acts as a holder, but when I am done using it, I always pull the needle, and the nozzle end and soak everything in Simple Green for 30 minutes, then rinse it and let it dry while apart. Got myself in trouble one time when I just flushed the airbrush cleaner through through the cup, and thought it would be ok till the next day then when I picked it up it definitely wasn't spraying as well as before.... Took it apart cleaned and it was back to normal... After that I just decided it was worth taking the 5 minutes to take out the major parts, soak, them and then I don't have any issues to deal with.
chris a posted:Bob, I bought them both on ebay, here is a link to the ones with the 1 to 10 sec. timers...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/US-SH...p2057872.m2749.l2649
If I were to do this again, I think I would use the old school type ice cube relays 12 VDC for the first bank of relays (without timer delay).... The SPDT relay modules I bought 2 years ago are like the link below also available on ebay...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Cha...;hash=item3d5b46e298
Thanks Chris.
I used a AC relay for my grade crossing signals. I have some dwarf signals that I built and I'm looking for a better way to control them.
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Mark Boyce posted:jbmccormick posted:Yesterday I decided to some cleaning / organizing under the layout. A few months back I took some engines for service to Mr. Muffins. I was looking for the engine boxes and of course found every one but the ones I was looking for (thanks Murphy's law). I decided to relocate the engine boxes from under the layout to the attic of the house. With a little help, I moved over 30 MTH, Atlas and Lionel engine boxes from the basement to the attic. I then celebrated that by running trains for over an hour last night with 7 trains running and me walking from room to room with my iPad using the MTH WiFi. THAT was a lot of fun.
Here is what I did with my engine boxes so I could find them if I need to ship one out. Of course you can see I don't have anywhere near 30. They make a nice little view block of boxes for ceramic buildings as well.
Here are all the rolling stock boxes in the closet under the basement stairs. They will go under the new layout once construction allows. At 62, I'm tired of crawling in here.
Mark,
That is one reason they were moved to the attic. Getting under the layout isn't the easiest. I still have another 10-15 to find but thats for another day.
Extremely busy day yesterday, however, I still found 5 minutes to run trains. Seeing 3 trains and trolly running on the layout simultaneously is always a satisfying sight to behold!!
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JBMcCormick, I know what you mean about under the layout. I am planning on using a roll out dolly. I’m thinking of putting casters on plywood platforms that I can roll out.
Mark Boyce posted:JBMcCormick, I know what you mean about under the layout. I am planning on using a roll out dolly. I’m thinking of putting casters on plywood platforms that I can roll out.
I used furniture dollies from the big box store. Less expensive than buying castors of the same quality.
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Nice Matt! You can also get them at Harbor freight!
Matt, Yes that is just it. Also, besides the cost savings, those make half the work already done for you! I suppose the person who wants display shelves under the layout could put them on the front and still put a handle on the top front.
mike g. posted:Paul, looks like you have a good amount of work ahead! Just for thought, if you ite a cotton ball to a string and use your wife's vacuum you can suck it right threw the pipe!
Chris, things are looking nice, One question why not use a group of relays? I have a few that are 5 per board!
Lee, you are moving fast! But it sure looks good!
Mike thanks!
It seems like years trying to get this layout going. Thanks to you guys for the inspiration I’ve got a lot more done than I thought I could.
Ran trains for 30 minutes today and actually saw smoke come out of my Lionel J class .... which made me
...
....
While trains were running I let my imagination go and mentally conceived a scene for the next Team Track Tuesday.
All in all ... I had great fun!!
Matt, Nice job with the dollies. I was thinking about doing the plywood platforms with casters, but your photos look like you came up with a great design there. thanks for taking the photos and posting them.
lee drennen posted:mike g. posted:Paul, looks like you have a good amount of work ahead! Just for thought, if you ite a cotton ball to a string and use your wife's vacuum you can suck it right threw the pipe!
Chris, things are looking nice, One question why not use a group of relays? I have a few that are 5 per board!
Lee, you are moving fast! But it sure looks good!
Mike thanks!
It seems like years trying to get this layout going. Thanks to you guys for the inspiration I’ve got a lot more done than I thought I could.
Lee, your more then welcome, I also get a great amount of inspiration from this forum! I like to give credit where it is rated!
Mark Boyce posted:Matt, Yes that is just it. Also, besides the cost savings, those make half the work already done for you! I suppose the person who wants display shelves under the layout could put them on the front and still put a handle on the top front.
There are many options for any layout. I may paint the fronts black like a tunnel with a white headlight on one & a red taillight on the other. For me I just roll them out when I want to work under the layout. I made a creeper from one of the dollies & it rolls very smoothly. Mine are 3’ x 6’ & required 2 dollies each. I still wish I made the layout 4’ High instead of 3’.
Yes, there are all kinds of things you could do with them!! Excellent!!
