Superior & Seattle Railroad Build (Volume 3) Started 7/27/19

[S&S RR]

John, do you have a photo that shows how you ran the wires for the lights inside the structure?

Thanks in advance!

dave

Dave


I never took a picture of the inside during the installation of the LED's, sorry.

[cuse]

I have been working on the scenery down the mountain side from the Beach Farms diorama and thought I would post a progress photograph. I'm about half way in stitching this one in to the layout. I have also been adding more details to the diorama, itself. I will post a series of photographs of this area when it's complete.

Haven't been by this thread in a while and, obviously, no moss growing on your workbench(es)...this photo is just knee-buckling to me-  the depth of the scene, the colors, the structure placement...Majestic!

[S&S RR]

I have been working on the scenery down the mountain side from the Beach Farms diorama and thought I would post a progress photograph. I'm about half way in stitching this one in to the layout. I have also been adding more details to the diorama, itself. I will post a series of photographs of this area when it's complete.

Haven't been by this thread in a while and, obviously, no moss growing on your workbench(es)...this photo is just knee-buckling to me-  the depth of the scene, the colors, the structure placement...Majestic!

John


Thank you for stopping by and the very kind words. I'm working on giving this scene another layer of depth and will be taking another set of pictures when it's complete. Please stay tuned.

[deemery]

For better or worse, here's how I hid the wiring in my switcher shed.  The corners were braced by 1/4" wood angle.  In the corner that can't be easily seen where the model will sit on the layout, I added another angle to make a box.  And I drilled a hole through the foundation.  This is my 2nd attempt at wiring up a model with an interior, so I'm still learning. 

That round hole in the center is for the smoke vent. 

dave

[Dennis Bourey]

John, What else can you possible do? It look's finished and perfect..

[S&S RR]

For better or worse, here's how I hid the wiring in my switcher shed.  The corners were braced by 1/4" wood angle.  In the corner that can't be easily seen where the model will sit on the layout, I added another angle to make a box.  And I drilled a hole through the foundation.  This is my 2nd attempt at wiring up a model with an interior, so I'm still learning. 

That round hole in the center is for the smoke vent. 

dave

Dave


It looks good.  The main think is to make sure that the wires are not visible. Wires really spoil the look of a detailed interior. Another issue that I'm struggling with is getting enough candle power where I need it to show off the interior when the roof is installed. I went with overkill on the barn project we will soon see how that looks.

[S&S RR]

John, What else can you possible do? It look's finished and perfect..

Dennis


You have discovered my problem.  I can't tell when it's done. I can always think of more details to add. There are a number of small additions that I plan to make before I call this one finished. One that I have been looking at all afternoon, while I was adding scenery, is the gate by the barn and the fence around the pond.

[S&S RR]

One of the projects that I got back to this afternoon was the wiring for the LED's on the Beach Farms barn. I promised to post pictures of the hookup board so here we go.


This first picture is the board while it was still on my workbench. If you reference Slims Light Bites this is the bookshelf that he refers too. I'm using an 18 volt power supply so I have the current limiter in the first position and then there are 5 spots for LED wires in each row. If you look at my hen scratching on the board this board can have 40 rows, or shelves to use Slims analogy. I use copper tape with caps where the LED wires go.  As you can see I made soldiering tapes while it was on the workbench for the first few rows, which is more than enough for the barn and farm house LED's. As it is configured in the picture there are spots for 40 LED's.  I may use this same board for part of the town of Vansel which will be just down the mountains side from this location or I may use a completely different power supply and board. A decision for later but the capability is designed in.

[S&S RR]

Before I show you the board installed under the layout I need to reintroduce my cart for working under the layout. This thing has a lot of miles on it but still works great. I can adjust the back on it from a sitting position to laying flat on my back like a creeper, for those of you that have worked on cars.





This first picture shows the hatch in the benchwork that allows me access under the mountains.







This is a closeup of the cart. You can also see the three bags of sculptamold that I found in a box under the layout this week. I had total forgot I bought it.  It will be used for the landforms in the new section of the layout.

[S&S RR]

Here are a couple of pictures of the board mounted underneath the layout.  You can see the wire bundles from the barn coming down through the benchwork. I'm taking these pictures sitting on my cart (that's why I posted the pictures of the cart once again). If you are going to work on a layout of any size you have to have a cart to save your back.  Unless you are one of the 30 something modelers - who can do it now but wait until your 40's and beyond.   Each of the individual wires will be soldiered to a tab. You can see the tape labels that identify each of the wire pairs for each LED.  A relatively big job but it will go fast.  I will post finished pictures when I get the barn wired.


This board is actually up inside the mountain so it is complete out of the way of the crawl space and will not be another thing for me to hit my head on.














The plaster you see to the left of the board is left over from my previous layout. You can actually see an old tunnel portal and some tunnel liner that I didn't bother removing when I built the mountain that the Beach Farms diorama sits on.

[S&S RR]

And on one other project front.  The sides are starting to go together for the FSM Brownsville depot.

[postalkarl]

Hey John:

All I have to say is just beautiful work. I'm completely lost when it comes to wiring. Looks like you know what you are doing. Good luck with this project. The Brownsville Depot is A beautiful kit. I built one before it came out for George. I believe Frank B also built it.

Karl

Karl

[S&S RR]

Hey John:

All I have to say is just beautiful work. I'm completely lost when it comes to wiring. Looks like you know what you are doing. Good luck with this project. The Brownsville Depot is A beautiful kit. I built one before it came out for George. I believe Frank B also built it.

Karl

Karl

Karl


Thank you, I had a few electrical engineering classes with my Mechanical Engineering Degrees so the wiring is manageable. I still reference notes and wiring diagrams every time I do it. Getting those elections where they are supposed to go without smoke requires much thought and careful execution.

[Keep It Rusty]

I don't ever plan on having a operational layout, but I do aspire to the work that goes into one.

Maybe one day.

Great work as always, John.

[Jerry]

Looks wonderful John.


As far as the electric I'd probably end up with a lighted nose instead of a building!!


Jerry