On to Track Laying

[beiland]

Been looking into dimmable LEDs, not cheap. My attic has knob and tube right now, wanting to update a separate committed line of 12/2, got to update breaker box and service line for 200 amps first…. lol got a list of to dos

Have a look at the relatively in expensive LED lighting I bought off of Amazon
https://modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/train-shed-layout-lighting.29921/

What do you need 200amp service up there for?? sounds like overkill

 

[Topherisme]

Have a look at the relatively in expensive LED lighting I bought off of Amazon
https://modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/train-shed-layout-lighting.29921/

What do you need 200amp service up there for?? sounds like overkill

lol yeah, would be overkill…. House is 120 years old, when I moved in was mostly knob and tube, outdated push reset breakers. I updated breaker box and breakers when I moved in, converting to 12/2, but is only 100 amp service and house is big and all electric, electricians I have had over can’t believe I am not constantly resetting main. I hate to keep adding stress to the electric, can’t be good or safe…

 

[beiland]

Are you wiring for DC or DCC?

One thing I did recently is I took my electrical meter and clamped the leads onto the two tracks. Then I set the meter for ohms which should continue to read max,...unless you create short which will take the meter to zero (no resistance across the rails). I continued to monitor the meter as I made new connection along the trackwork.

 

[Topherisme]

Will be DCC…. Not so much worried about shorts as I am derailments due to poor laying of track, not real experienced..,

 

[beiland]

Maintenance building and workshop.
I have a couple of them listed here,... https://modelrailroadforums.com/for...intenace-repair-buildings-bachmann-csx.33743/

I also have some Bachmann fueling and sanding facilities. Don't have them listed at the moment, but they will be relatively cheap.

I was originally going to get fancy with one of the Diamond Scale kits,..
https://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/40746

But I dropped back to a much simpler arrangement that I will eventually add some overhead plumbing to

 

[beiland]

Just take you time laying the track, and look carefully for any 'kinks' in the curves, and for any slight variation in heights of the rails at the joiners. These 2 items are critical to good running with few derails.

......and as careful as I was at times, I still found mistakes when I first ran some trains around!!

 

[Topherisme]

Top pic is yard itself, 2nd pic is west entry moving south, bottom pic with my finger, do I remove that track or is it useful? Was a last minute addition, not so sure about it…. Honest opinions please, need some thoughts before I move on…

 

[Topherisme]

Did eliminate that extra entry, just seemed a huge waste of space…

 

[Topherisme]

View attachment 135653View attachment 135654
Did eliminate that extra entry, just seemed a huge waste of space…

Looking at those pics I see a couple more changes I wanna make…. Oh man, I love this stuff!!!! lol

 

[Topherisme]

Ok All, a little fine tuning and this is what I am going to go with unless someone speaks up and says I have done something I shouldn’t, so say it now or not at all!!! lol

 

[CHRISTIAΝ]

It's going to be a hell of layout. Love it !

 

[Rico]

Assuming the loco shop will be where you said earlier (top photo lower right), if you had another right hand switch laying around you could make one of the tracks a run through for service?
You have a great opportunity for an MOW yard on the opposite end!

 

[Topherisme]

Unfortunately I have to sound ignorant again…. What exactly do you mean by MOW? Looked it up but I don’t see anything corresponding to the acronym…. I do have what’s needed for a run through track, see what I can do…

 

[santafewillie]

MOW = Maintenance of way.
Changes that I would make - I would eliminate that crossover between tracks 3 & 4 on the RH side. I don't see that it serves any real purpose and there is a switch at each end of track #4 that will accomplish the same thing. It can also be a maintenance nightmare. Maybe I missed something along the way, but I would also extend the 9th track from the right to the end..

 

[Topherisme]

MOW would be cool with the specialized equipment…. Eliminating the crossover frees up 4 turnouts, I can live with that lol…. Track will be extended, was getting late for a work night, will get all that cleaned up in the “fine tuning”…

 

[Topherisme]

Thinking I should get the engine shed and fuel/sanding station before I do too much so I know what set up I need for em…

 

[roofintrash]

I wouldn't permanently attach any of the 6 spur tracks on the left side until you have the structures or industries assembled.

 

[Topherisme]

Anybody recommend a site or a particular structure for both a drive through engine shed and fuel/sand station? Been looking but either the selection is pretty limited or I am limiting myself…. Need to check beiland’s thread as well, almost forgot about that…

 

[Rico]

This is the Rix / Pikestuff engine house, a nice basic structure that’s easily modified.
I think it would fit nicely in your space.

 

[Topherisme]

Was thinking this for run through, and get the duplicate with lighting effects for more serious repairs on a stub end track beside it…