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No problem, its one of the few layouts I have found that I really like. Right now I'm planning to start my railroad based upon your Du Bois and Punxzy.
I might make it a 4'-5' x 12' layout though and I think I will connect the two loops while I am in there.
So I decided that maybe I could get some set curve track pieces to solve my curve problem.
So off I go to the nearest place I know that has track for a reccy. It didn't go well....
Problem 1 - all the signage was "1st Radius" or "2nd Radius" means nothing to me. Problem 2 - where there were measurements it was in metric. They might as well have written it in Bulgarian. 505mm? Either that's going to derail my train or send it flying into the house next door. Problem 3 - the curved piece that looked like it was the right size to get my required 24" radii was out of stock!!
I then spotted that Hornby make some sort of track that has connections for wiring - great I think, a solder free solution!! What do I find on the back of the packet? "For use only with Hornby Live Steam".
So dejected I headed home. On the upside, my January issue of MRR had arrived (after I had to request a copy from them yet again).
I've just been looking to see if PECO make some set curves (as I think its vastly superior to Hornby) but another stumbling block - their site has no pictures!!
HB, maybe I'm missing something but why aren't you just using flex track for curves? Peco makes nice flex track and you just curve it to what fits your track plan. I would never uses sectional track for curves if I could avoid it.
HB, time to buck up and learn to use flex track. Take out two pieces. Cut out the first two ties from each track section. Join them together while they are straight. Solder the rail joiners. Now lay this six foot long section on your layout and start your curve. You can use track nail or push pins to keep it in the right curvature at you go round. It helps if you've already drawn the centerline of the curve on the layout surface but you can also do it by eyeball. Once you've got a good curve, use track nails to hold it and then use latex caulk, run in a thin bead under one rail. Once the caulk is dry, you can pull out the track nails if you wish.
The key is soldering the joiners while the track is still straight. The curve will then hold better than doing it one section at a time. Soldering rail joiners is not hard. A 35 watt iron with a fine wedge tip, some flux, and rosin core solder is all you need. Even I can do it and I'm famous for cold solder joints and melting everything I get close to with a soldering iron.
Well I took the bull by the horns and was able to get a full loop done for the passenger line and I've managed to get 3/4 of the track done for the freight line.
As promised - here's a couple of snaps. (You'll have to excuse the mess )
The two stray bits of track in the foreground are for the fake track.
The opposite side with the sidings - if I can I might put a Engine shed at the end. I could also have another siding to the right of the image, but I'm not sure - might make it into a service road.
Just to get an idea on placement I've put a box over the track and used an old cardboard station from my first layout.
I've also used the platforms. They don't look too bad, if only you could get these in plastic kit form.
HB, looks like you're making progress with that track but what is that white stuff you have on the top of the layout? It looks like bead board, the kind of material they use for disposable coffee cups. If so, that is not what you want as the base for your layout. It doesn't hold together well, doen't hold track spikes, has very little lateral strength, and is a mess to cut and fit. If it real Styrofoam, that's fine, but I've never seen it in white.
Its some sort of polystyrene installation board. Its the only thing I could find to use.
I find that I can pin the track in place quite easily with it. Much better to reposition the track to get the curves smooth. I don't know how I could do it directly onto the table.
Its all recycled from my previous layout - there wasn't much damage when I ripped it all up, just a few divots, so I flipped the sheets over. It made an almighty mess when I cut the shelf (station) portions.
And the majortiy of the scenery will be on the MDF shelf, so I won't have to worry about the uneven board surface.
In hindsight, I guess it probably would be better directly onto the table, but I don't know how I could removed the foam boards without messing up the curves.
I'm also still really considering buying one of these "power track" pieces: http://www.hornby.com/hornby-dcc-135/r8241/
I'm guessing I'd need two for each loop of track....?
HB, since the polystyrene board is already down, you'll just have to live with it. It's better than just straight plywood, but Styrofoam extruded foam insulation board is a much better choice. It's the blue stuff made by Dow and it's apparently available in the UK according to http://building.dow.com/europe/uk/resource/news/styroeco.htm. At least it might help for future reference.
Looks like things from Hornby are what we call terminal tracks. I kind of like the "digital Power Track" label. There's no difference between wires used for DC or DCC. They both hook up to the track the same way. You can use a terminal track, terminal joiners like those at http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/product_p/atl-842.htm, or you can just solder wire directly to the side of the track. You'll have to add extra power feeds to the the track anyway so I'd just solder the power wires directly to the web of each rail. It's much easier to do this in the work bench, BTW.
I've not got a soldering iron, and a relative soldered the only bit of track for me, but its not brilliant (better than I could do) but it derails the boxcar every time it runs over it - so if I can just straight out swap that piece for one of these power tracks I'll be cooking on gas!
Minor update: So I went to my local independent non-North Am hobby shop (however they have now got a beautiful O-Scale Chessie & Ohio Steam-Turbo in the cabinet).. anyway they only had one power track, it was duly purchased and works a treat!
Although the train only works on the track its installed on - I presume that I need another one to get the outer line to work?
Yes, unless you learn to solder. That solder blob thats causing the problem should be able to be adjusted with a few swipes of file so it doesn't hit the wheels.
Do you have two power packs to run the two separate lines? I assume you do because you cant run two DC trains from one power pack without blocks.
Well no. I've just got one Bachmann E-Z Controller.
Now this is where I'm getting all muddled up. So I have to have two controllers? As in another Digital box? And by blocks do you mean a piece of Isolating track? (not that I know how to hook one of those up).
Oh, if you're running DCC, you just need to run two wires back from the second loop terminal track to the E-Z command module, givinr you foru power wires total. No blocks or anything like that needed. Running two isolated loops and trains is starting to get near the 1 amp limit of the E-Z command system though.
Well I've been an got a second piece of this power track (from a different store)... only to find when I got back home that its a different piece - its a DC power track. The packaging is 99% identical, save only for the word "Digital".
On the way home I was trying to think how to wire it all up anyway, as the jack from the controller splits into two wires, do I:
1) Take one wire (say "left) and put it in the "a" socket on the inner track and put the other ("right") wire in "b" on the outer track (when I get one).
or
2) Get wires coming from "a" and "b" on both bits of track and connect one to the "left" and one to the "right" wire of the controller jack?
HB, there's no such thing as a "digital" terminal track. As long as the track can take wires, it will work for DC or DCC. That "digital thing is pure hype.
Since you're using AC, it doesn't really matter what sequence you use to hook up the wires. To make it consistent, take the wires from the left screw of each terminal, bring them back to the E-Z Command station, strip the ends and twist them together, and then put them in the left terminal of the E-Z Command. Repeat with the right. The only thing DCC cares about is that there's AC power getting to the rails so the decoder can listen to the commands from the command station.
Yes, but it really doesn't matter if you get them crossed up because it's AC and there's no polarity to worry about. Using the same A wires and B wires to the E-Z Command station terminal just helps keep things more organized. And yes, "digital" terminal tracks is a way to get few more pence out of you. Buyer beware.
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