The Empire

[ACL1504]

Dr. Jeff,

My bad, I read it wrong. I need to read more slowly! In any event, I'm glad the trains are running through the drywall cut! That is the most important issue is it not?

Tom

[Zephyrus52246]

No problem, Tom.  Still waiting for the electrician to call, so I'm back in the original room finishing trackwork.  The passing siding in Unnamed Town is finally finished.  I stopped at the diamonds 10 years ago or so.  The Zephyr is on the new track, the "test train" on the old. 


Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

I still need to hook all the new track up to the power bus, but trains are running on it OK for now.  Next I need to install one of these, my first in many years, hope I remember how.   

Jeff

[S&S RR]

I still need to hook all the new track up to the power bus, but trains are running on it OK for now.  Next I need to install one of these, my first in many years, hope I remember how.   

Jeff

Good luck with the installation - I have an number of those to install in the near future.

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks for looking in, John.  I hope I don't have any "horror stories" to relate on the Tortoise installations.  Unfortunately, that will have to wait as my soldering iron's tip is broken and now too blunt to use for that.  So I ordered some new tips and a smaller 12 watt iron as well today for this and DCC installations.  Today I put in the last piece of track for the "branch line" in the same area the passing curve was completed.  I had a "false start" the area was about 4 1/2 inches longer than one piece of flex track.  Against my better judgement, I thought I'd just put a small piece in here, though it was on a curve and coming off the turnout.  I measured and cut and filed and measured and filed, soldered the track and then found out one rail was too short.     See the first picture.  I knew it would flow better and probably work better if I had the two pieces meet on the straight area, so I re did it and now the branchline is finally completed.  In the second picture the back track is a live Rock Island interchange, that will not be visible beyond the turnout visible above the orange IC boxcar.  The branchline will only be visible up to the closer coach car.  They will then disappear behind some structures to a small two track hidden yard.  I then moved the N scale layout and several pieces of plywood out from under here and into the lower basement.  Now it's time to hook up the power bus to the tracks. 


Jeff 

[cuse]

Looking Good Jeff!


John

[bparrish]

John...

A quick and dirty soldering tip can be had by purchasing a foot or two of of 12 or 10 gauge bare copper wire from a big box.  The size depends on the diameter of the old tip

Then unscrew the old tip and figure out what thread is on it.  Hang that thread on the copper wire and screw it into the handle.  Cut off the wire to about half to three quarter inch and you're on your way.

The copper is much softer than what is on the original iron but it will work and it is really inexpensive.

After all of that there are some newer soldering rigs with a ceramic tip.............  With that I'm reminded of the preacher in Blazing Saddles............... "Son....... You're on your own".

see ya
Bob

[ACL1504]

Bob,

Great tip on the soldering tip!

Tom

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks for the idea, Bob, but the old tip was 1/8" wide, the 10 gauge wire wasn't near big enough.  My new tips came, along with a lower watt iron to use on DCC installs.  I was able to install my first Tortoise in many years today, and unlike the DCC install, it worked perfectly.  I used Velcro on the install.  It's some industrial strength stuff I'm going to try to use to hang my PVC backdrops with.  The Tortoise wavers a small amount, but the throw is still true.  We'll see how it holds up, I can always use the hot glue gun if it fails.   


Jeff

[ACL1504]

Dr. Jeff,

Congrats on the Tortoise install. The velcro works fine. I've seen a layout where the owner used velcro on the Tortoise machines and nothing failed for years. I'm sure you'll be safe.

Tom

[S&S RR]

Thanks for the idea, Bob, but the old tip was 1/8" wide, the 10 gauge wire wasn't near big enough.  My new tips came, along with a lower watt iron to use on DCC installs.  I was able to install my first Tortoise in many years today, and unlike the DCC install, it worked perfectly.  I used Velcro on the install.  It's some industrial strength stuff I'm going to try to use to hang my PVC backdrops with.  The Tortoise wavers a small amount, but the throw is still true.  We'll see how it holds up, I can always use the hot glue gun if it fails.   


Jeff

Jeff and Tom

I have 3 dozen Tortoise machines to install, and Velcro sounds like a real time saving idea.  It really works? I don't have to stand on my head to put in those little screws? Have you seen any write-ups on the process?

[jlgrove]

...nice stuff....I hate installing Tortoise machines....

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks, Groovy.  John, I read somewhere about the Tortoises being attached with Velcro, and it seems to be working fine--so far.      The electrician finally got the part and now the buzzing has stopped, so I'm back in the "orange room" finishing the benchwork.  i've decided to try stopping the staging yard at the electrical boxes. so my "yard throat" will be on the end of the narrow benchwork already installed.  I tried some turnout configurations on the benchwork, but decided to do them on the floor instead, to make sure everything "fit".


Jeff

[S&S RR]

Jeff


Good to see you working on the layout - I'm going to give the velcro idea a try.  I'll let you know how well it works for me.

[ACL1504]

Jeff,

Back to some progress on the layout. I like the yard throat, looks good. I've seen layouts with velcro holding the Tortoise motors and haven't heard anything negative. Myself, I've been using hot glue and it is perfect for holding the motors.

I look forward to the yard pictures.

Tom