The Blackwing and Western division


Tim,
Nice work on your layout. Really like the Universal Scrap Metals structure. I wanted to comment on the Bullfrog machines. They are neat little machines. I use them exclusively on my layout with the exception of one, and that one is a Blue Point. I got that one as an experiment to see how it compared to the Bullfrogs. The two pluses for me were a nice short "throw" distance and a sturdy plastic case. The minuses are the difficulty in soldering to the connection tabs, they're so close together, and the price of the Blue Point. So it's all Bullfrogs.....
With the Bullfrogs "throw", I thought I would recess them in the facia to keep from snagging the control knob.. But even when the switch is pulled and the control knob is sticking out in the isle, be careful not too snag them. I haven't got there yet, but I was going to cut some bumpers out of ply wood and mount them below the control knob.
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In this photo you can see some of the control rods sticking out. I didn't think it would be any big deal, but rub by them a few times when your trying to carry on train operations & it is annoying!
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Nice what you've done so far.

At one time, anything over 18" radii curves, were considered large. Some people used to operate Riverossi Big Boys on those types of pikes, as it was advertised to go around 18" radius curves.

Even though I have lots of space for my HO layout, I've decided to limit my curves to a 26" or 28" minimum radii, and don't plan to operate potentially any 85' freight or passenger cars, to avoid unsightly overhang. I also don't have practically any models of actual diesels, etc that have been manufactured in the last 20 or so years, as I it seemed to me, they'd probably need curves with radii of more than 28" or 30" to operate reliably. I'll make a few execptions, but most of them, I won't run on any regular basis. To each their own.
 
Forgive my ignorance, but are your switch machines manual?

If so, why that over a remote switch?
 
Yes, they are all manual. Mostly because I'm cheap. :) I'm using the BullFrog switch machines from Fast Tracks.

I decided that since there were only a dozen or so switches that I would just use manual controls. I looked at ground throws, but don't really have enough room for them, and powering the frogs is problematic with ground throws.

They work pretty well, we'll see how they hold up.
 
Thanks. Most of my switches are used and have powered engines (older Atlas) that still function, so I'm going that route for now.

I may do something else in the future though. I'm just not sure what.
 
Ah, yes, left out the part where I hand built all my switches - again to save money. A dozen so far and I need two more still. I wanted nice looking code 83 and didn't want to spend the money on Walthers or Shinohara (really the same thing.) I figure I saved about $10 per switch building my own, if I don't count my labor.
 
Twforeman, Good on ya! I had always wanted to build some of my own! However at the time I had more cash flow and so bought Atlas Code 100 switches. At one time I was considering selling off my HO stuff and switching to Sn3. I certainly would have needed to build my own Sn3 switches, then and probably would have use Fast Tracks switch building jigs.
 
Twforeman, I think it was you who talked about your switch control knobs possibly sticking out into the Isle and easily being caught on clothes as people walked by. What I have seen is people using this method to control switches, using a counter-bore to move the knob into the facia. I would guess this would work for you even though you have completed this part of your layout build! If you can view Model Railroader's Video Plus, Episode Olympia 2, Episode: The Log Blog: part 21, you can see what David Popp did to protect his pull knobs. If you can't, I'm sure there are other videos or photographs where people have done something like this.
 
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Yesterday I got a bunch of stuff done, mostly misc wiring and the like. I'm installing two switched 110v outlets under the layout for the lights and the throttle and will have a double switch in the fascia to control them.

I also installed the SouthEast fiddle yard extension. The two tracks will continue down the extension with a pair of switches to finish a small run-around area. The other two switches for the run-around are on the main layout section.



Phase Two of the layout (if it ever happens) will add more trackage (probably a depot and engine servicing yard) where the bookshelves are and the extension might turn into a bridge.
 
NP2626 said:
Twforeman, I think it was you who talked about your switch control knobs possibly sticking out into the Isle and easily being caught on clothes as people walked by. What I have seen is people using this method to control switches, using a counter-bore to move the knob into the facia.
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The knobs sticking out is a concern, and they do stick out about an inch and a half when pulled. I could probably recess them into the fascia, but it would take a bunch of rework.

Another option would be to buy a bunch of cheap servos and an Arduino and make them electrically controlled. That would be a fun retro-fit project for the future. There's a thread on MRH right now about doing that with touch-sense switches. It would not be difficult to throw the BullFrogs with a servo motor.
 
A little more progress to report. Yesterday the 110v switches came in, so I got those installed.

One controls the lights, and one turns on the power for the throttle. I'll make a label in a bit when I start adding labels to the fascia.



I also got the wiring done for the four installed turnouts and finished building the two turnouts that go on the extension. I need to hit the new turnouts with some paint, then I can install them and the last of the track.

A few days ago I bit the bullet and finished the cutout in the fascia for Lutgens Creek. I mangled the fascia a bit making the cutout, so it's not quite as nice as I'd like, but it will do.



Next steps are to figure out the turnout controls for the four installed turnouts and to add the schematic to the fascia.
 
Thursday and Friday I got the roadbed down on the SE extension. This morning I drilled the holes for the wires and turnout rods and glued down the track.

Make way for the soup can express on tracks one and two!



Once the wiring is added and I install the turnout controls for the last six turnouts, and then make sure they all work correctly, all the track work will be DONE.
 
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