The Atlantic and Southern Build Thread Continued, Part 3

[Jerry]

Now that's what you call some fine cork laying.  Beautiful job Tom.

Jerry

[ACL1504]

Great instructions Tom , I wish I was that meticulous , I'm afraid I'm not , and have had a lot of luck laying track , repaired mistakes maybe twice on my upper level.

Jan,

Thank you, I appreciate the compliment. I've been using cork roadbed for more years than I care to admit.


Tom 

[ACL1504]

Tom


Very nice track work! It's all about the details.  I wanted to let you know I put one of your tips to work this weekend.  Removing the ballast off the top of the ties with a piece of roadbed cork.  Works greats! I love the forum - you never stop learning. It's one of those things that when you try it, you think, why didn't I think of that. Anyway thanks for the tip - it has been added to the tool box.

John,

Yes, you coined the phrase perfectly, "It's all about the details."

The cork pad idea for removing excess ballast only came about after my fingers were raw.

Thank you as well for the kind compliment.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Great roadbed and track work Tom.

Curt,

Thank you my friend. Always good to have you stop by.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Like your technique for cutting roadbed for switches. Seems to be a method that will yield a better result.

Larry,

Thank you, appreciate you posting a comment. I've done this since high school and it does make a huge difference when the trains are rolling.

Tom

[ACL1504]

looking good Uncle Tomie!

Cousin Brucie,

Thank you kind sir. I'm getting anxious to get back on the layout.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Now that's what you call some fine cork laying.  Beautiful job Tom.

Jerry

Jerry,

Thanks very much. As John S. said, "It's all about the details."

I'll add, borrowing someone else's phrase, "You get out exactly what you put in."

Tom

[ACL1504]

I haven't been working on the layout much lately but am anxious to get back on the job.

I'll be working on the layout in earnest this Sunday. I have a new DCC turntable to install, additional ballasting of the replacement track, roads to install and so on and on it goes.

[ACL1504]

I mentioned in a previous post that I ordered a new Walthers DCC 90' turntable. I would have preferred a 110' turntable but my space was limited.

Of course the decision to replace the old one with the new DCC turntable came after 85% the tracks were in position.

Old turntable -





More in a few.

[ACL1504]

I started by removing all the tracks on the right side of the turntable.

I then removed some track spikes/pins and moved the tree inbound and two outbound tracks.



Next, I removed the roundhouse tracks.



More in a few.

[ACL1504]

The nine roundhouse tracks were placed over the roundhouse stalls in the location where they were removed.



The old turntable was removed and compared to the new one.

The computer on the new turntable takes up more room on the bottom as you can see. Old one on the left and new one on the right.



More in a few.

[ACL1504]

I measured down an additional inch and removed that portion so the new turntable pit would fit.





Diet Pepsi time, back in a few.

[ACL1504]

I decided I liked the security of a full 1X4 brace so I cut old one out and added a new one four inches to the left.



Now the new turntable fits in the old hole with no issues or interference from the old 1X4 brace.



Yepper, I drink a Diet Pepsi while I work to keep me calm and sane. Well, somewhat sane anyway.

More in a few.

[ACL1504]

I then began the process of reinstalling the track around the turntable.





I'll finish the tracks tomorrow.

[PRR Modeler]

Looks good Tom. Interesting that the pit is darker so it doesn't try to imitate concrete color. Are you going to paint the pit before you redo all the tracks? Hopefully I can get down to see it in a couple of weeks.