The St. Louis & Denver Railroad - The Build

[GPdemayo]

I laid the switch over the ties and marked the ties that needed to be removed, cut the glue on either side of the tie, then slid a flat nosed Exacto blade under the glue and pulled it off.
 
Exhibit #1 - removed switch ties (T221)
[attach=1]
 
As you can see, the spacing of the ties do not match exactly as some ties are not centered. I'll give that some thought and try to correct the problem.
 
Exhibit #2 - test fitting (T223)
[attach=2]
 
I sprinkled some cinder ballast around the ties to see what it would look like and how bad the problem was.
 

Exhibit #3 - test fitting w/ ballast (T255)
[attach=3]


I don't think it looks too bad, but there is some room for improvement. Back to the ole' drawing board.
 
Because I followed the gapping recommendations of Fast Tracks without thinking of how I planned to power the stock rails, I ran into a shorting problem after I hooked up the feeders and tied them into the bus. I contacted our local model guru, firestarter, and newly crowned demolition man, and he advised me to set the whole thing on fire and collect the insurance. His sage advice was to go to the local RadioShack and purchase a multimeter and find out where the short is located.
 
Not being an electrical whiz, Pegi and I stopped by his man cave while out on errands one Saturday morning and brought one of the offending switches for him to check out. After inspecting the switch with his meter, accompanied by much scratching of his  head (and other body parts that shall remain unmentioned), and with knowledge cultivated over a vast span of time, he pronounced the switch to have a major shorting problem. 
 
So, off to RadioShack to purchase the electricity reading thingie and miraculously solve the problem like I know what I'm doing. Through dumb luck, I figured out what was wrong and am now trying to figure out how to fix the three that I have spiked down and adapt the others before they are installed. More on that later. I can only take so much electrical work at one time.
 
As a break from the switch problems, I finished gluing down the remaining ties of the branchline on the last side of the wye. I will start adding rail after I get a few of the switches installed, then onto the roadbed, ties and rail for the mainline track. 
 
Exhibit #4 - completed branchline wye ties (T288)
[attach=4]
 
Stay tuned for the next episode, see y'all next time!

[S&S RR]

Greg

Looks like you are making good progress.  I understand the electrical problems my meter has been getting a workout lately. It is amazing how long it can take to find a short.

[bparrish]

Greg.........

The tie spacing part of your post is an interesting one.  I would suggest that once ballasted and sceniced....... such things will be lost to the "big picture".  Much of modeling is an illusion of reality and believability. You appear to be using some good turnouts so press on.

Regarding the shorts.........  inspect carefully for gaps in the copper clad on the assembly structure PC ties.  If not gapped correctly can cause a short.  Also if it is copper clad on both sides of the tie,,, which most stuff is......  look for solder that might connect from top to bottom.

Basic rule of assembling is check operation often so as an offending short might be found quickly during construction. 

Rule: If a short appears....... what did you just do? ? ? ?

see ya
Bob

[GPdemayo]

Greg

Looks like you are making good progress.  I understand the electrical problems my meter has been getting a workout lately. It is amazing how long it can take to find a short.

My meter got a workout also and with a little help from Tom, I figured it out, got rid of the gliches and haven't had any problems since.


I've been running steam engines back and forth thru them and all is working well.

[GPdemayo]

Greg.........

The tie spacing part of your post is an interesting one.  I would suggest that once ballasted and sceniced....... such things will be lost to the "big picture".  Much of modeling is an illusion of reality and believability. You appear to be using some good turnouts so press on.

Regarding the shorts.........  inspect carefully for gaps in the copper clad on the assembly structure PC ties.  If not gapped correctly can cause a short.  Also if it is copper clad on both sides of the tie,,, which most stuff is......  look for solder that might connect from top to bottom.

Basic rule of assembling is check operation often so as an offending short might be found quickly during construction. 

Rule: If a short appears....... what did you just do? ? ? ?

see ya
Bob

Thanks for the thoughts Bob.


You are correct about illusion in our hobby, but I guess I have a problem with some of them when compared to the reality of the real world.


I think being a builder and developer messes with my mind when doing some things on the layout and structures. Oh well, I shall muddle on!

[jbvb]

A metal-cutting razor saw can go a long way toward fixing this kind of shorting problem.  And a motor tool with cutting disk will almost always take care of the rest.  I once did a "How to use a Voltmeter" clinic, if you want the write-up PM or email me.

[GPdemayo]

A metal-cutting razor saw can go a long way toward fixing this kind of shorting problem.  And a motor tool with cutting disk will almost always take care of the rest.  I once did a "How to use a Voltmeter" clinic, if you want the write-up PM or email me.

Thanks James. I sent you my e-mail address and look forward to seeing the info. Stay tuned, more to come.

[GPdemayo]

I'm finally getting to the mainline track and am looking forward to seeing the contrast between it and the branchline track.
 
As you will see in some of the photos, at this point I had not completed putting down all the branchline ties at the yard. It seems that I miscalculated the tie quantity and ran short and had to dip more in creosote. Because they took their own sweet time to dry out enough for me to use, I had to jump ahead with the mainline roadbed.
 
The precut homasote arrived awhile back and it looks like it will be a nice contrast to the branchline track and do a good job holding the spikes like the sheet homasote. I ordered one pack (48') of the homabed with kerfs (slots), normally used for curves, but one of the Porcupine Valley guys said it works fine for straight track, so I didn't bother to order a pack of each. I only need 45' so I thought this first go-around it would be okay as a test of the product before I invested a larger amount for a product I didn't know if I liked.
 
This roadbed I ordered from California Roadbed, comes with a 30 deg. slope instead of the 45 deg. slope the cork roadbed sample Dr. Evil gave me to play with. It is closer to the slope that 1:1 railroads use in normal circumstances and thought it might be a better look for the mainline. They do cut the roadbed with a 45 deg. slope, but I wanted to try the 30 deg. out for a different look.
 
Since I had laid out all the centerlines for cutting the grades, I am ready to install the roadbed without any additional prep work. Like cork, the homasote comes in 2 sections which are placed along the centerline of the track. I  set it in glue and tacked with 3/4" finish nails. This process goes rather easily, especially if you put the roadbed down with the kerfs positioned per the manufacturers recommendations on the curves. Don't ask...just another senior moment.
 
Here are a few pictures, starting with the first piece at the junction of the mainline, the mainline passing track and the yard lead.
 
Exhibit #1 - (T165)
[attach=1]
 
The next shot shows the roadbed on the 36" r curve that goes by the station. Note how the kerfs are to the inside, away from the sloped edge.
 
Exhibit #2 - (T167)
[attach=2]
 
This next shot is the start of the outside half of the passing siding. Again, notice the kerfs on the sloped edge of the roadbed.
 
Exhibit #3 - (T171)
[attach=3]

The next piece on the curve (the one on the left) is  where I had my senior moment. I used the wrong piece - the kerfs on the outside of the curve should be on the centerline side, not on the sloped side. Since the curve is large, it seems to fit, so I left it alone. I will have to keep the installation notes close by and refer to them often when doing curves.
 
I started with the roadbed on the siding and placed the outside half to form the full roadbed. It will continue into the switch on the mainline where I'll have to cut and piece it together.
 
Exhibit #4 - (T176)
[attach=4]
 
Continued......

[ACL1504]

Greg,

Looking good, looking good, Oh wait I already said that! Looking very good, there!

Chomping at the bit Tom

[Zephyrus52246]

Greg, I usually use the kerfs (with the California Roadbed) on the larger radius (outside of the curves).  That said, I just looked and have some on the insides as well.    I don't think it matters with large radius curves, but smaller radii might.  After covering with ballast, I don't think you'll see the kerfs.

Jeff

[GPdemayo]

Greg,

Looking good, looking good, Oh wait I already said that! Looking very good, there!

Chomping at the bit Tom

Thanks Chompin.....the sprinkler head actually works, in spit of my efforts!

[GPdemayo]

Greg, I usually use the kerfs (with the California Roadbed) on the larger radius (outside of the curves).  That said, I just looked and have some on the insides as well.    I don't think it matters with large radius curves, but smaller radii might.  After covering with ballast, I don't think you'll see the kerfs.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff.....sometimes my brain takes a nap while I'm awake and I have been known to forget about some of those pesky details.


It came out okay and with the ballast added, nobody outside this forum knows about my little lapse. 

[jbvb]

I liked working with 1/8" HomaBed, but I should have taken more care with ramps/shims where I transitioned from it to track laid directly on Homasote.  This would matter less if I wasn't running full-length passenger cars, E-7s and 8-coupled steam, but there are places where the trains run OK but will never look good in a "1970s Trains Magazine style" telephoto shot.  I should have made the transitions at least 21" long.

[GPdemayo]

I liked working with 1/8" HomaBed, but I should have taken more care with ramps/shims where I transitioned from it to track laid directly on Homasote.  This would matter less if I wasn't running full-length passenger cars, E-7s and 8-coupled steam, but there places where the trains run OK but will never look good in a "1970s Trains Magazine style" telephoto shot.  I should have made the transitions at least 21" long.

Good point James. You're right, the transition needs to be as long as possible for those long cars.

[GPdemayo]

The following photo shows the passing siding with both sides of the roadbed installed.
 
Exhibit #1 - (T179)

 
The next step was to install the other half of the roadbed to the mainline.
 
Exhibit #2 - (T188)

 
The manufacturer has one piece switch pads with beveled edges to match, but it is priced a little higher than I would like, so I'll have to do it myself. I placed the two switch roadbeds together, then started the beveled section (on the left side in the photo next to the red handle) that takes the grade down to the yard level from the mainline.
 
Exhibit #3 - (T195)


The photo below shows the completed switch pads and the slope down to the yard.
 
Exhibit #4 - (T311)

 
The final roadbed installation carries the mainline from the station east to the trestle at the chemical plant. This is all the roadbed that is needed in phase 1 & 2. I will have the remainder to install when I build phase 3 later this year. So for now, I'll continue building switches and putting in rail until I'm ready for more benchwork.
 
After working with this product for the first time, I have to say that I am happy with the end results. It is easy to work with as I remember the cork was and except for the minor goof with kerfs on the wrong side of the curve, all came out well.
 
The only thing I wish I could remember is the steps for piecing the switch pad together. I remember there was an article in MR or one of the "how to" books, when I was a kid, that showed piecing and cutting the cork roadbed for a switch that seemed much simpler than the way I did it with these two switches. If anyone remembers the steps or has the article, let me know.
 
Stay tuned, next time we will have some full height ties to install along the mainline.