The Empire

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks, Karl.  The siding is finished and wired up.  Test train runs without difficulty.  Next up some Tortoises.


Jeff

[deemery]

"Test train runs without difficulty"   -  Way to go!


dave

[postalkarl]

Hi Jeff:

sound great. Keep us informed.

Karl

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks, guys.  I wired up the Tortoises at each end of the siding.  I'm using www.berretthill.com controls.  I've covered these before, I think, but they have controllers which can control 2 to 8 turnouts.  They use toggle switches which have LEDs in them.  This eliminates all that soldering of micro switches and LEDs.  I also needed to "fix" a turnout.  I have five of the Walther's curved turnouts, which have a frog which is 2 1/2 inches (65 mm) long.  My brass E5A stalls on these, even though it has a "keep alive" capacitor with the DCC sound decoder.  I had to wire the frog to the Tortoise outputs.  There is another one of these turnouts at the end of the siding, so I had to do it, too.  The E5A now goes thru them without stuttering/stopping.  I may take a break from the layout, cuz I hear there's a "Build Challenge" going on.   


Jeff

[ACL1504]

Jeff,

That's quite a project you have going. I saw what Joey had on the layout at the Scranton Expo. I almost went with the same system.

Tom

[S&S RR]

Thanks, guys.  I wired up the Tortoises at each end of the siding.  I'm using www.berretthill.com controls.  I've covered these before, I think, but they have controllers which can control 2 to 8 turnouts.  They use toggle switches which have LEDs in them.  This eliminates all that soldering of micro switches and LEDs.  I also needed to "fix" a turnout.  I have five of the Walther's curved turnouts, which have a frog which is 2 1/2 inches (65 mm) long.  My brass E5A stalls on these, even though it has a "keep alive" capacitor with the DCC sound decoder.  I had to wire the frog to the Tortoise outputs.  There is another one of these turnouts at the end of the siding, so I had to do it, too.  The E5A now goes thru them without stuttering/stopping.  I may take a break from the layout, cuz I hear there's a "Build Challenge" going on.   


Jeff

Thanks for the information on the Barrethill controls - I talked to them at the Narrow Gauge Convention last year and think I'm going to give them a try for my main yard.


As to taking a break from the layout - just do both.  The lawn work can wait - the grass will be covered with snow soon so who will know.

[Zephyrus52246]

Well, that was an interesting six month hiatus.  I took time out for the challenge build.  Last September, this is what the area of the west end staging looked like.  It was always full of stuff.

[Zephyrus52246]

The challenge build was the perfect opportunity to add structures to this spot.  I used styrofoam as a base, added a road and the challenge dioramas. 

[Zephyrus52246]

I then added the recent CCK build.  I've added some floral foam (it's much easier to work with and form than the regular styrofoam.  I've also marked out the area for an asphalt driveway. 

[Zephyrus52246]

The road was built from Sintra over a base of masonite with a piece of stripwood down the center.  It's like really thin gatorfoam.  I think this is 2mm thick.  I did this as I like to have a bit of crown on the road, and this stuff works perfectly.  In the future, I'll try to get longer sheets so there's no "gaps".  I will next fill those and build the asphalt parking area with spackle.


Jeff

[S&S RR]

Jeff


Great to see you back on the layout. Looking good.

[PRR Modeler]

Looking Good.

[jimmillho]

Glad you are back on it Jeff.

Can't wait to see more of the layout.

Jim

[Mkrailway]

Jeff, moving right along! Sometimes you just have to do something else to get a fresh look at a job.

[KCS Trains]

Jeff, you won't regret using the Barrett Hill Touch Toggles.  I have another order arriving today.  They are easy to use and connect.  I wouldn't use anything else.  John, you need to take the plunge.  Phil