Superior & Seattle Railroad Build

[jbvb]

When using Gatorfoam, be aware that it outgasses formaldehyde in small quantities.  This won't bother most people, but a friend of mine started using it and then wondered (out loud on another forum) why he felt sick after spending a while in the train room.  I found the MSDS on the web and posted a reply.  He went off to the Dr. and it turned out he had (or had developed) a formaldehyde sensitivity. Out went the Gatorfoam and he's enjoying his railroad much more.

[S&S RR]

John, the different colors are from different Manufactures. I use the pink from Corning.

Thanks Andy


I see a number of people using the pink stuff.

[S&S RR]

When using Gatorfoam, be aware that it outgasses formaldehyde in small quantities.  This won't bother most people, but a friend of mine started using it and then wondered (out loud on another forum) why he felt sick after spending a while in the train room.  I found the MSDS on the web and posted a reply.  He went off to the Dr. and it turned out he had (or had developed) a formaldehyde sensitivity. Out went the Gatorfoam and he's enjoying his railroad much more.

James


Thanks for the input!  I should tell everyone that the reason you don't see foam in use on the layout is that I managed in the auto industry and we cut the patterns for stamping dies from white foam. We found that the pattern makers had a very high risk for colon cancer and we started paying for them to be screened more often. I'm not sure that the link to the foam has been verified, but it has always been in the back of my mind.  My father died from colon cancer.

[S&S RR]

I spent 12 hours today reviewing my track plan one more time before the ballasting starts and we get real committed.  I had two more items on my list of things I wanted to change going in to the day. They both involved some hidden track that ran inside the mountains to change the track elevation between the upper and lower mainlines.  I found a way with a little bench work change that both will be fixed and the trains will change elevation out where we can see them.  I'm really happy with the design change. I will post pictures when I get the change implemented.

[S&S RR]

I was reading Tom's build thread for his The Atlantic and Southern Build  last night and realized I hadn't tested the new track with my long Pullman cars.  So today we ran the test with 6 - 40' passenger cars and 3 - 85' Pullman cars.  I found three areas that need some work in the backup test. The Pullman car test has now been added to the Superior & Seattle track testing procedures.  It will be called "Tom's AS Pullman Car Test (TAPCT)". Thanks to ACL1504 for the help in getting this track work right.

[ACL1504]

When using Gatorfoam, be aware that it outgasses formaldehyde in small quantities.  This won't bother most people, but a friend of mine started using it and then wondered (out loud on another forum) why he felt sick after spending a while in the train room.  I found the MSDS on the web and posted a reply.  He went off to the Dr. and it turned out he had (or had developed) a formaldehyde sensitivity. Out went the Gatorfoam and he's enjoying his railroad much more.

Wow, Thanks for the information.

Tom

[ACL1504]

I was reading Tom's build thread for his The Atlantic and Southern Build  last night and realized I hadn't tested the new track with my long Pullman cars.  So today we ran the test with 6 - 40' passenger cars and 3 - 85' Pullman cars.  I found three areas that need some work in the backup test. The Pullman car test has now been added to the Superior & Seattle track testing procedures.  It will be called "Tom's AS Pullman Car Test (TAPCT)". Thanks to ACL1504 for the help in getting this track work right.

John,

Thank you for the award! I'll wear the TAPCT pin with much pride! I found that, for me, proper planning pervents piss poor performance - The theory of the 6 P's!

I'm happy to be of help even though by accident.

Tom

[deemery]

What about the "Tom's Back AS-ward test?"  It's a bit more descriptive, I think :-)


dave

[Erieman]

Good morning John,

All I can say is WOW. I get a better feeling for what you are building in your basement and it is awesome. Looking marvelous. Keep posting more pictures of the overall room.

Frank / Erieman

[S&S RR]

What about the "Tom's Back AS-ward test?"  It's a bit more descriptive, I think :-)


dave

Dave

You are correct - but I was doing my best to be nice. Actually, it is a great way to test your track work. Those 3 axel trucks find every little problem in your track. Thanks for following along.

[S&S RR]

Good morning John,

All I can say is WOW. I get a better feeling for what you are building in your basement and it is awesome. Looking marvelous. Keep posting more pictures of the overall room.

Frank / Erieman

Frank

Thanks - I will take some overall pictures when I get through with this track work phase.  The place is a mess right now with tools and stuff covering most of the available surface area. I'm suffering from too many projects going at the same time.

[bparrish]

John.....

I and a few others here in Boise have a pretty proven way to testing track work.........

Push 'em.

It's not prototype but testing is not operations....  We push strings of cars at various speeds for testing ....... 

Including all ahead flanktastic.

It shows stuff right now ! ! !

see ya
Bob

[S&S RR]

John.....

I and a few others here in Boise have a pretty proven way to testing track work.........

Push 'em.

It's not prototype but testing is not operations....  We push strings of cars at various speeds for testing ....... 

Including all ahead flanktastic.

It shows stuff right now ! ! !

see ya
Bob

Bob

Actually, I forgot to mention that I'm the mode of power during this testing phase. And you are correct it shows stuff right now. It allows me to test the track before wiring - but it doesn't substitute for running the locomotives through everything, especially the modern steam engines. I'm fixing and area right now that failed the locomotive test.

[jbvb]

If you find the 6-wheel trucks are too sensitive, you can adjust that a bit by using an Exxact Socket (from Reboxx, MicroMark has a knock-off) to open up the center set of bearings a bit.  This is easier done when building the trucks from a kit, though (all my Branchline Pullmans were bought before they started doing RTR).

[S&S RR]

James

Thanks for the tip - I will give it a try if I have problems after the track is where I want it to be.  Thanks for watching.