Appalachian Mountain Coal Mining 4x8 Build


The scenery is looking good. Nice job on the water. I haven't attemped that yet. Thanks for posting the video.
 
Thanks,
The water is pretty easy to do. It just takes a looooong time to do if the body of water is "deep" (mine is somewhere in the 1"+ range). Just pour evenly in an 1/8" layer and let dry for about 24 hours. The prep work wasn't even that difficult. It does get messy if you don't "dam up" where you're pouring the water (if it's on an edge).

Shannon
 
It is coming along very nice. Are you actually stationed in Fort Bragg for the Army? I used to be in Fort Knox, and Fort Riley Kansas in the early to mid 90's. Now I am reserves. I currently am a Drill Sergeant for the 95th Division in Milwaukee, Wi.
 
Thanks guys.

Chemdog,
Yep, I'm stationed at Bragg, the Army's black hole. Brown round, huh? Thankfully, that thing don't phase me anymore (been in 8 years).

As for the layout, I picked up some more supplies this afternoon at the hobby shop. Today's trip pretty much got me maxed out for structure space (unless I get more of those little cabin's like I have on the mountain, or other small structures). I also picked up a bottle of Realistic Water, which should allow me to finish my pond and river up.

I figured out what direction I'm gonna go with the rest of the scenery on the plateau. Behind the coal mine and separated by a patch of trees will be a 2 story house under construction (a Plasticville kit). Also on the back side of the plateau and separated by yet another patch of trees will be an oil pumping unit (horsehead unit. A Faller kit). The final scene on the plateau will be a cemetery scene with a graveside service (Woodland Scenics sets).

In addition, I've added a Woodland Scenics Lumpy's Coal Service truck and unloading worker next to the coal mine to add more interest to the coal mine scene.

Next to the trackside shed, I've added a welding crew scene to give the shed some purpose.

On the mountain side of the layout, I added a Woodland Scenics Ma and Pa's Trailer Haven set next to the track opposite the shack/rusted car scene.

Once the trees have been added, I will be adding a rabbit hunting scene to the back side of the layout.

Speaking of trees, I also picked up 2 Woodland Scenics tree kits to add 28 trees to the layout.

Finally, I also picked up some Atlas telephone poles to go around the layout. These will be added once at least an outline of the wooded areas has been established. To add to this, I plan on picking up some black thread to "wire" the poles up to make them look a bit more believable.

Wow, I've got a lot of work ahead of me. You know what though? It's gonna be fun.

I'll post an update once I've got the majority (maybe all) of the aforementioned additions in place.

Shannon
 
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Last ones for the day. I'll add the other trees (maybe get a couple more tree kits) later this week. I figured that since I just posted a video update Friday, it was a bit too soon to do another video, so I'll save that one for the next major update (hopefully next weekend).

Shannon
 
OK, I'm starting to get a bit PO'd a bit. It's most likely my fault due to my inexperience and/or impatience, but it's seriously starting to get in the way of my enjoyment of the layout I've worked so long to build.

The derailment issues that I thought that I had fixed have returned. In one particular section on the mining/branch line (the section between the pond and the mountain between about 3/4 of the way through the curve around the pond and the end of the straight before reaching the curve around the mountain), the front axle on each of my GP38-2's wants to derail. The remainder of the truck follows soon behind, causing the fuel tank to short out the Zephyr.

I can manage to get it working well for about an hour or so by raising/lowering the outside rail with flat Plastruct strips (I believe that they're about .040" thick). After about an hour or so of continuous running, the derailments return, sometimes with more persistence than the last time. Sometimes just a few minutes gets it working, others it takes a few evenings of working for a bit, then getting so frustrated that I have to take a break to keep from doing something really stupid, then coming back to it, and repeating the process until I've had enough for the night and come back the next day.

I was running without issue on that line for long while. My issues began after ballasting the track. I've checked to ensure that there's no ballast in the way of the wheel flanges, and cleaned away what was there. I have no intents of repairing the ballast in that section until I can get that line to run reliably once more, and be darn sure of it.

I understand that there will be derailments, especially after running for a while. However, I should be able to put it back on the track and run it for more than 1 lap before it derails in the same spot once again.

The curves on this line are all 15" radius Atlas Code 100.

Below are the locomotives being run on this line:
http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH80183
http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH78918

I can run a OO scale Hornby Intercity 125 (Class 43 locomotive) and it's passenger cars on this line without issue (except for the occasional uncoupling).

On a somewhat related, but still separate note:
I'm having issues with running one of the GP38 locomotives. It's equipped with a Digitrax DH123AT decoder (http://www.digitrax.com/prd_mobdec_dh123at.php) (both are, but I had to plug a dummy plug out of one of my DCC ready Athearn locos into the other one due to a totally unresponsive decoder. The wires on both are soldered in place.). When I first start running it, it runs fine. However, after a few minutes or so of running, the locomotive just stops. Sometimes a couple of swift taps to the roof of the locomotive get it going again, but after a few more minutes (sometimes less than a lap around the line), it'll stop again. Each time of doing this takes more and swifter taps, until eventually I'm affraid of breaking the shell. At this point, I put the locomotive on the programming track and run another locomotive. I keep the comm on the motor clean, and have tried running it without the shell, getting much of the same results (albeit with less or no audible noise. I'll explain this next.). Sometimes I do have to solder some of the wires back in place (usually the positive wires coming from the trucks, occasionally one of the motor wires).

As for the noise:
The DCC equipped GP runs fairly quiet with little or no noise, especially without the shell on. Once the shell is on, there is a little hum from the gears that gets amplified by the shell.

The DC GP is pretty loud. I know that there will be more noise from a DC equipped loco on a DCC track, however, this is rediculously loud. When the shell is in place, I can hear it above the roll and clatter of about 15 freight cars. With the shell off, it quiets down to about the level of the DCC equipped GP with the shell on.

I can handle the noise, it just sometimes has me a bit worried that something's wrong with the locomotives.

I'm sorry that this post is so long. I'm pretty frustrated with the problems that I've been having, and I'm ready to find a solution before I get frustrated enough to actually get rid of the layout altogether (hopefully I can think positive enough to convince myself that it's all worth it, and I've put too much work and money into this layout to get rid of it over some issues that I think I should be able to find some kind of a solution for).

Does anyone have any ideas to fix any or all of the issues I've mentioned?

Thanks in advance,
Shannon
 
Checked the track width with an NMRA gauge. Through all but one spot in the curve, the track is just a very little bit wide (less than the thickness of a mechanical pencil lead). The one spot that it's not is the main spot that it's currently derailing at. At that point, it's just narrow enough to make the gauge a bit tougher to slide through, but it does slide through. I haven't checked the wheels yet, I'll get to those tomorrow evening.

One side note, the GPs run fine on the 18" radius mainline with the Dash 9 and the SD38.

Thanks again,
Shannon
 
Checked the gauge of the wheels on the GPs. They are in gauge. After snooping around the internet and reading about other layouts with 15" radius curves, I think that the 15" curves are just a bit too tight for the Athearn GPs. I don't believe that there's enough travel in the trucks to allow them to make the tight curves.

I decided to try getting a switcher locomotive, as I've been wanting one anyway. I picked up a BLI Paragon 2 PRR #9394 SW7 and am giving it a try. So far, it will go forward counterclockwise around the layout, but not backwards. It will go both forward and backward traveling clockwise around the layout. BLI states that their SW7 switchers should be run on 18" curves. However, it's short wheelbase seems to be working out well on 15" curves, as I've run it for about 3 hours (not consecutive) or so this evening without issue. My only complaint, which I figured would be the case, is that it won't haul more than 3 lightweight cars up my 4% grades, and won't haul my Walthers track cleaning car (which I like to keep on the line, being pulled right behind the locomotive) up them. It is a switcher, after all, and not designed to pull heavy trains out on the road. I may get another one down the road and MU them to allow for a heavier load.

Currently, I'm keeping my GPs on the mainline with the Dash 9 and the SD38, running in a single MU for a total of 4 locomotives on a single train hauling only a few cars. The only issues I've run into so far with this setup is that the Dash 9 likes to break away from the other 3 and tail end the back of the train. It seems, though, that I've remedied this by moving the SD38 to the rear of the MU, with the Dash 9 in the lead, GP #5287 long hood forward next, followed by GP #5268 short hood forward (I was running the Dash 9 in the lead, SD38, GP38 #5287 long hood forward, with GP #5268 short hood forward in the rear).

Thank you for helping out Julienjj.

Shannon
 
Are the couplers on both locos the same height? If they are then I guess it's down to their length and the sharpness of the grade.
 
Yep, they're the same height. I use a Kadee coupler gauge on all of my locos and rolling stock to ensure that they are all within standard. I've found that I have fewer uncoupling issues when I do this. Really (once the height is set) the only modifications I do to the couplers are to upgrade to Kadee and change the couplers for shank length to allow for more "swing" in the tighter curves if need be.

Thanks for the advice,
Shannon
 
I have found that the slightly shorter wheel base GP7/9's are better on 15" curves over a GP38 ect. I had a nice 5'8" by 8' layout given to me, its the #23 track plan from the Atlas track book. Definatly has the Appalachian feel to it the way he built it. But with the grades and curves, 18" in my case, smaller motive power are the norm. I am going with the old Clinchfield RR using F units and GP7's. Pics look great. Mike
 
If you have any other local modelers, you might see if they have any GP9/7's, Alco RS3's and see if they run ok on your layout before buying them. I have the advantage at the LHS will let me bring a model home and try it once around the layout to see if it will make it thru my rock cut and around my tight curves before I buy. My layout does ok with a pair of Atlas C&O RSD5's, a pair of Chessie GP7's from Bachmann right now. I am planning on a pair of Atlas RS3's or Proto2k RS2's in the near future. The Chessie power is my wife's as I prefer the older C&O power and espicaly Alcos. Cheers Mike
 
I'm actually a member of a local model railroad club. I'll have to check and see if any of them have any of these locos. Most of these guys tend to model the transition era, but do have some newer and older locos.

Unfortunately, neither LHS here would let me take one home for layout test run. At least I don' think that they would. However, one of the 2 LHSs does buy used equipment. I would loose out, but would be cheaper than buying a loco to just not use it (which I could find a use for just about any loco. If not on my home layout, I would be able to run it on my club's layout without issue).

Thanks,
Shannon
 
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