New Cascade Sub Photos


B_Kosanda

Member
I've been making sisal rope pine trees for four weeks and just had to give it a rest :O I've got my Computer Model Railroad Interace (CMRI) all working now too, so I've got working signals all over the layout. This is way-cool! I'm headed for an open house sometime in the next few months. I'm a member of the Boeing Employees Model Railroad club here in St. Louis, so I'll have some of those guys over for sure.

Here's seven shots I took today, since it's raining and just down right nasty outside.

Bill

#1 - A freight train enters Oakridge headed uphill. I've gotten used to calling out directions on my railroad as uphill and downhill, rather than north or south. At Oakridge trains add rear-end helpers to make it up the hill to Cascade Summit. They drop the helpers at Cascade Summit, where they head back down the hill to Oakridge.

#2 - Another shot of the freight entering Oakridge showing the entrance signals.

#3 - There is a work crew moving ties around at Westfir. I'm sure they won't get run over by the train, since they're made of plastic!

#4 - Splitting the signals after crossing the Willamette River at Eugene, Oregon
 
#5 - A freight headed downhill at Cascade Summit, where I modeled the signal bridge. This structure really adds some interest to this scene.

#6 - The same freight entering tunnel 3 after leaving Cascade Summit. You can see the propane tanks at all the switches to power the switch heatewrs in winter.

#7 - A train winds it's way out of tunnel 8 approaching Fields. I know the tunnel numbering is a little goofed up, but it had to be compressed.
 
Bill your layout is Awesome!

Does the Boeing Employee MRR Club in St.Louis have a website?

I visited the BEMRR club in Kent, Wa. last May while I was in Seattle area.

From another Boeing Employee in Texas
 
Dwayne, the Boeing Employees Railroad Cluc (BERRC) in STL does not have a web site. We have an HO layout which travels extensively to train shows. Being a member of the club is a great thing. I get a 10% discount at my local hobby shop, free subscriptions to every train magazine you could think of (round robin sharing) and hundreds of videos. Just all around really a great deal.

Bill
 
A very enjoyable presentation Bill, I like the titles explaining the action for the photos. The explanation adds realism, kind of like watching an action taking place at instances along a rail fan trip, instead of just looking at a photo.
Don't get me wrong, I love photos :D

Cheers Willis

PS: and the new layout looks OK too ;) (Envy)
 
Awesome!

:eek: :D Wowsa! Very nice work Bill! Once again you did a good job conveying realism. I like the trees they look great!
I like the last picture too. The 4 unit lash up!:D

Question: I noticed on your website that you mentioned using Digitraxx Super Empire...my query is when you run you units up to Cascade Summit with your helper units. How do you do this? Do you end up running 2 throttles for the 2 lashups helper units and lead units? Or do you program them to the same address? I am curious what your technique is. Someone told me that in the near future or could be happening now that there is or will be a way to store 2 address numbers in the decoders? I have not made the leap like ModelBob has. I am still following the DCC forum discussion. Right now I am leaning to Digitraxx but still waiting a little longer. I have DCC but its the old MRC 2000 that runs only 10 locos at one time. I have 2 throttles for it for me and my step son to run it. Anyways any input would be great on how you run your helper units up the grade. Thanks in advance.
 
Bill, next time I'm in st louis visiting family I'll have to look you up. That is one layout I'd LOVE to see in person!
 
:eek: :D Wowsa! Very nice work Bill! Once again you did a good job conveying realism. I like the trees they look great!
I like the last picture too. The 4 unit lash up!:D

Question: I noticed on your website that you mentioned using Digitraxx Super Empire...my query is when you run you units up to Cascade Summit with your helper units. How do you do this? Do you end up running 2 throttles for the 2 lashups helper units and lead units? Or do you program them to the same address? I am curious what your technique is. Someone told me that in the near future or could be happening now that there is or will be a way to store 2 address numbers in the decoders? I have not made the leap like ModelBob has. I am still following the DCC forum discussion. Right now I am leaning to Digitraxx but still waiting a little longer. I have DCC but its the old MRC 2000 that runs only 10 locos at one time. I have 2 throttles for it for me and my step son to run it. Anyways any input would be great on how you run your helper units up the grade. Thanks in advance.
Depending on the system, you should be able to create a lashup, where the decoders respond to a certain number, until you decide to break them.
 
I had a go at making the sisal rope pine tree's after i found a store that sold the stuff, i had a bag of thin iron wire in 8" length's, twisted one end together and did as you said, they look ok but will improve with practice, thanks bill
 
Bill: Piece of art! Not only the layout and the CMRI but also how you take your pictures!!
 
Josh I understand what your saying but it still doesnt help me answer my question per say and I was wondering Bill's technique on his Digitraxx system.
thanks anyhow...:cool:
I mean I can run 3 or 4 locos on one address with my system but only on the lead of the train and after setting up the 28 step speed and direction. I have tried running a helper mid train with the same setup as the lead but not a good scenerio and worse at the back of the train. I am sure there is a good way to better control the train especially pushing/pulling up or down a grade. I have all my rolling stock weighted (min) to NMRA standards plus little more with those that have physical loads. It really becomes interesting when your running that way. My locos work for their keep!:D
 
How I use Digitrax to Add Helpers

Basically I use the consisting feature of the Digitrax unit. I run head end locos in sets of two (The lead loco with a second unit MUed to the first unit). I run the helpers in sets of two also. These two units are MUed together. When I want to add helpers, I MU the lead helper to the lead head end loco. I guess this would be some kind of (what I would call) nested consisting. That is, two locos consisted together with consisted locos underneath the main consist. This way, when I break the train apart at Cascade Summit and remove the MU between the lead loco and the lead helper, the helper locos are still MUed together and the head end locos are still MUed together.

Hope that is clear, but it works really well. The only thing I do not like about Digitrax radio systems is that the radio channel is one-way only. So, to add or remove MUs, you must connect the throttle to the loconet connector. This really stinks. It means that I must have a loconet connector close to areas where I will be MU locos together.

Bill
 
Thanks

One other thing. Thank you to all of you for your kind words. I'm happy with my new layout too.

I would say it was very valuable to build another layout first and then dismantle it. It was painful to see the First Cascade Sub layout in ruin on the basement floor, but I learned so much about what worked and what did not work. I kept all the good ideas and got rid of the bad ideas.

Bill
 



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